Palo santo (powdered) in soap

[lindakschickens]

Has anyone tried powdered palo santo in CP soap?

 

[shunt2011]

What would you be using it for? Color, exfoliation? I've not used it. Don't know what it would bring to the soap.

 

[lindakschickens]

I have a few friends that are pagan and they like the smell of palo santo, sage and sandalwood. Palo santo has a wonderful smell both before and after burning same goes for sage and sandalwood and now that they know I'm "messing around" with soap making they asked me if I could make a total body (body & hair) soap with these item in it to make a smudge soap or spiritual cleansing soap if you will. I mean I'm still going to make the soap for them but wondered if anyone has used palo santo in CP soap. I believe that palo santo would bring it's scent to the soap same with the sage and sandalwood, all would be added as powder at trace stage I know it will still be hot and will alter the items in one way or the other but my friends really want me to make this soap for them.

 

[cmzaha]

Botanicals will not add scent to soap

 

[lindakschickens]

Botanicals will not add scent to soap

really? I have had a few handmade soaps (labeled to legally sell) with no essential oils or fragrance oils in them but botanical's and they smelled like at lest one of the botanicals in them. I mean I have just made sandalwood soap in the last few days with ground sandalwood and forgot to add my sandalwood essential oil (or fragrance oil) to it and it smells like sandalwood.

 

[shunt2011]

They won't add any scent to the soap (maybe short term or some exfoliations) and it's likely none of the properties would survive the saponification process.

 

[earlene]

When added to CP soap before saponification is complete, most botanicals are so changed by the lye that they do not produce the effect we might have hoped for. Fragrance and color seem to be the most obvious things negatively affected by the lye.

That is not to say there may not be exceptions. Given any rule, there is bound to be at least one exception, but I wouldn't say that's even a hard and fast rule.

Will they survive and give color and fragrance if added to HP AFTER saponification is complete? Maybe to an extent, but heat is another factor that can change a scent or a color in botanicals, so even that might not work out as well as hoped. Still, the chances might be better. Then of course, one has to consider other issues like mold or other undesirable growths in raw botanicals.

I know that doesn't address the question of palo santo specifically, but I would love to smell it now that you have mentioned it. I will be on the lookout for it, just to enrich my experience of fragrances. There are so many things that I just love to smell when traveling, so maybe I have experienced it before, but just did not know what it was at the time.

 

[lindakschickens]

When added to CP soap before saponification is complete, most botanicals are so changed by the lye that they do not produce the effect we might have hoped for. Fragrance and color seem to be the most obvious things negatively affected by the lye.

That is not to say there may not be exceptions. Given any rule, there is bound to be at least one exception, but I wouldn't say that's even a hard and fast rule.

Will they survive and give color and fragrance if added to HP AFTER saponification is complete? Maybe to an extent, but heat is another factor that can change a scent or a color in botanicals, so even that might not work out as well as hoped. Still, the chances might be better. Then of course, one has to consider other issues like mold or other undesirable growths in raw botanicals.

I know that doesn't address the question of palo santo specifically, but I would love to smell it now that you have mentioned it. I will be on the lookout for it, just to enrich my experience of fragrances. There are so many things that I just love to smell when traveling, so maybe I have experienced it before, but just did not know what it was at the time.

Would not use fresh only dry as sage ( sageused in smudge stick) dry fine powdered sandalwood and Palo Santo also know as holy wood. I will be making a batch soon and will see how well it turned out either out ess oil or fragrance oils.

Also Palo Santo smells great thinking about it I wonder if their is a Palo Santo ess oil..

 

[shunt2011]

Would not use fresh only dry as sage ( sageused in smudge stick) dry fine powdered sandalwood and Palo Santo also know as holy wood. I will be making a batch soon and will see how well it turned out either out ess oil or fragrance oils.

Also Palo Santo smells great thinking about it I wonder if their is a Palo Santo ess oil..

There is, it's quite pricey, I have a bit but wouldn't waste it on soap. A leave on product would be much better.

 

[lindakschickens]

There is, it's quite pricey, I have a bit but wouldn't waste it on soap. A leave on product would be much better.

Yup your right there is lol. atm I can only see 5 and 10mls of it (%^$£) was hoping to find it in higher amounts like 30+ mls. I don't mind paying the money for it if my friends like it. but if I can get away not having to use it .

 

[shunt2011]

At 32.00 per ounce or so no way would I use it in soap. Not even for friends, sorry.

 

[lindakschickens]

found a place were I can get just shy of 2oz for $32 with free shipping. Is steam distillation the only way to get essential oil? was half wondering if I ground palo santo and let is soak in my oils for a few days if that would draw out some scent. I would buy it for soap for my friends as they have helped us out a lot in the last 2 years.

 

[penelopejane]

Botanicals and honey for that matter scent soap for a short time but then it fades to nothing usually in a few days.
A lot of EOs are the same, they just take a bit longer to fade.

 

[DeeAnna]

...Is steam distillation the only way to get essential oil? was half wondering if I ground palo santo and let is soak in my oils for a few days if that would draw out some scent....

Steam distillation is how essential oils are made, by definition. If the scent is extracted from plant material with other kinds of solvents, the resulting scented material is called (or should be called) an absolute or a concrete or an extract.

Theoretically there should be little or no contamination from the solvent so the essential oil is highly concentrated. That is why EOs and similar products are so potent and so good at creating lasting scents. Speaking from memory, the yield of essential oil is anywhere from 0.01% to perhaps 2% depending on the starting material. That means many, many kilograms of plant material have to be used to make 1 gram of essential oil or similar extract.

An oil infusion of the ground-up wood will not be nearly as potent -- the amount of plant material used to make the oil infusion is very small compared to an essential oil. The oil itself dilutes any scented chemicals extracted from the plant material. People have made oil infusions of frankincense, dragon's blood, other resins, and fragrant woods and found it doesn't yield much if any scent. That's especially true after it's put into soap. But you won't hurt anyone by trying it, so I encourage you to see for yourself. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

found a place were I can get just shy of 2oz for $32 with free shipping. Is steam distillation the only way to get essential oil? was half wondering if I ground palo santo and let is soak in my oils for a few days if that would draw out some scent. I would buy it for soap for my friends as they have helped us out a lot in the last 2 years.

You might want to consider Palo Santo resin -- not as expensive as the essential oil and probably stands a better chance of emitting it's fragrance -- just melt together with coconut oil. That's what I do with rosin (colophony) and that scent is very distinctive in my Flaxseed & Rosin Shampoo. I melt 1 oz of rosin with 2 oz coconut oil and get it completely liquid before pouring it into 6-cavity round molds to freeze until I'm ready to soap.

I've used home grown sweet grass and powdered culinary sage in soap -- fragrance does not come through. Dalmation Sage and Clary Sage are available as EOs. Neither of which smell like a sweet grass smudge stick when lit, but I do like the aroma of Clary Sage EO.

I've used red sandalwood powder in soap as a colorant -- use with a light touch! That stuff is very scratchy in soap and the fragrance does not come through. Sandalwood EO is expensive but the fragrance oil is a good substitute. From my notes: As a sub for Sandalwood try equal parts of benzoin and cedarwood EO.

I think this is a neat thing to make for your friends! Can I be your friend too? LOL (just kidding!)

 

[lindakschickens]

Did not even know that there was Palo Santo resin thanks for letting me know. Well I'm not a light person I think I put a tbs of sandalwood in my sandalwood soap so will see how that turns out if anything I could use it as a foot scrub soap lol. Dalmatian sage never heard of it..

I am going to give trying to infuse the palo santo wood as well sage and sandalwood in oil for a few days even a light scent is a plus. I do have sandalwood fragrance as it is cheaper then EO as smells just as good.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Um, from my Files: The recommendation for sandalwood powder is 1 tsp per 5 lb. oils.

I don't want to rain on your parade, just for what it's worth -- I've tried frankincense resin powder, myrrh resin powder, and benzoin resin powder infusions in oil. No scent and it's important to strain the oil before using in soap.

Aroma Web has good info on essential oils: Dalmation Sage
Also, check out sage on this link: EO Safety - Quick Reference Download

 

[lindakschickens]

Dumb question why strain it? Curious as I would grind it down to fine poweder.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Dumb question why strain it? Curious as I would grind it down to fine poweder.

NOT dumb at all! And thanks for asking it, Linda... we all learn from the so-called "dumb questions" that are asked on this forum.

So, specifically about the sandalwood powder: I used a tablespoon in 5 lbs oil batch seeking a red/purple color. The soap was so dark it was almost black (!) and scratchy enough that it almost took your hide off! LOL My brother and son-in-law still bring that soap up every time I see them! The 1 tsp per 5 lbs oil soap resulted in a lovely rustic red/light maroon color with specks; did not strain it and the bar was lightly exfoliating. Even tho it wasn't all that scratchy, if I did it again, I would strain the oil before soaping.

On another note, about grinding to a "fine powder", a soaping buddy shared her recipe that contained sunflower oil infused with tumeric and paprika -- you probably know how finely powdered those are, yes? I debated whether to strain the spices out or not before soaping. I didn't think it would make any difference, but it did. Just a bit of those finely powdered spices created a scratchy soap.

HTH

 

[lindakschickens]

Sounds perfect for rough calloused feet lol. might have a great pumic knock off on my hands then lol. I like tumeric down side I look like a frickin ompa lompa after. I'll make 2 batches one strained one not. no like I don't have enough supplies now lol