Orange Zest in rebatched soap?

[tracey11474]

Hi, Newbie here! Right now I only rebatch goat's milk soap and was wondering if I could use fresh orange zest that I've grated in my soap with my sweet orange eo? or do I have to grate the orange and then let the peel dry out before adding? TYVM!

 

[gallerygirl]

When I made my lemon poppy seed soap, I put the lemon zest (fresh) into the batch at trace. I realize I did cp, but can't see why it would be different with re-batched soap. So, I guess we will both wait and see what the experts say. lol. k

 

[Guest]

Yeah - I recommend dried zest. I used fresh orange zest in a batch and the zest on the outside of the bars looked moldy. Dried zest doesn't do that. It turns brown but not moldy.

I infuse oils with fresh orange zest and peel though and discard before I soap the oil. You could use your fresh for that or sit it out to dry. I have used the zest in the spice isle of the grocery store in a pinch.

 

[IanT]

I used the fresh lemon zest and it didnt turn out bad for me, also the natural essential oils tend to evaporate IMO when drying so you may want to add some EO to compensate. I think the EO's kind of 'cooked' out of the zest and into the bar, leaving a nice little lemon undertone (I should have added more lemon EO but ran out! ) I love citrus zests' though...mmm mmm

 

[gallerygirl]

Yeah, I had the same thing happen Ian....the zest from the lemon looked great in my soap, but the scent disappeared pretty quick. The next batch I made I added lemon eo and it came out wonderful. I also have another recipe I tried where you cut up a whole lemon and throw it into a blender then throw it into your batch at trace. It wasn't too bad either, but again it needed actual lemon eo added. k

 

[gingerbellsgifts]

I use dried zest when I rebatch goats milk. I used fresh once and the were mold issues that looked yucky when it showed up. The dried works fine for me and it adds a little scrubby action to the soap.
Ginger

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I tinnk I'll try to grate some orange zest, dry it a few days, then try adding it to the batter and sprinkling on top! Thanks guys! 8)

Paul

 

[IanT]

i want to eat it lol...it smells so good when you zest a lemon...mmm mmmm reminds me of lemon sherbert...

 

[tracey11474]

Thanks for your help! I have a few oranges in my fridge so I will grate them and dry them before adding...no moldy soap for me!

 

[gallerygirl]

Paul, that's a great idea for sprinkling some on top.....very pretty. I have never intentionally dried mine, but I do have to say when I am preparing to make soap, I have everything done ahead of time, including the zesting. So, while I am doing everything else - it is sitting out, perhaps it is dried enough by the time I throw it into the batch that it doesn't mold. I love adding the zest.....mostly for no other reason that it adds to the appearance of the soap. Unfortunately...I made a batch of grapefruit scented soap and I has zested several grapefruits (you know the pretty pinkish/yellowy peel type) and it wasn't until the next day when I unmolded that I realized I forgot to put the zest in. oh well, always another batch that can be made. lol. k

 

[retropants]

I grated a lime, and dried the zest in my oven on really low for an hour, unti it was very dry. I sprinkled it into the bottom of the mould, to be the top of the soap. So far it has stayed nice and green. The soap is lime and poppy seed, and there is a pic somewhere on the projects forum.....I am too stupid to know how to post it here I'm afraid!


try this, it may or may not work:
http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3610

 

[cambree]

All the soap making books I've come across recommend we use only "organic" citrus zest.

Oranges grown in your yard without any chemicals are a good choice. As we don't want the pesticides to get mixed into our soap and on our skin too.

 

[IanT]

All the soap making books I've come across recommend we use only "organic" citrus zest.

Oranges grown in your yard without any chemicals are a good choice. As we don't want the pesticides to get mixed into our soap and on our skin too.

amen to that!!

(also because they spray waxes onto the fruit to preserve them!)

I feel like I would rather use fresh zest than dried because the natural essential oils are prone to evaporate very quickly, and once the zests are dried I believe they lack the same properties, maybe better for scrubbiness, I havent had a problem with mold yet with mine. Citrus is a natural germicidal/antibacterial agent so I feel that as long as you add it in at trace and the H20/EO's that are inside the zest transmute out of it and into the soap I dont think there would be a problem with mold?? unless maybe you used too much zest? I zested 3 lemons for a 2# batch and had no problems with mold and the zest was nice and scrubby in the soap too

Just my opinion on things