Patience and Oil Infusions

[annalee2003]

Since I don't have the ingredients or supplies to make soap yet (will at the beginning of October though, yay!), I've been impatiently researching here and there while I wait.

When I do eventually make soap, I think I'd like to stick close to "natural" ingredients. Which brought me to infused oils.

I found a few useful websites, and a lot of very informative threads here on the forum the help me along.

While looking up infused oils, I realized I could start some today!
So I started to search our cupboards for what I could infuse. I had a bag of dried hibiscus flowers that my sister in law brought over about a week ago, coffee, and cinnamon. The only oil that we have at the moment is a big 5 quart jug of vegetable oil from Costco (which is just soybean oil, when I looked at the ingredients). I chose the cold or slow version of infusing them, since I obviously have time to wait (no heating in hot water baths right now).

Honestly these are just experiments at the moment, something to just kinda bide my time with. But if they work, I'll at least have some infusions to add to my soap at some point.

Just wanted to share my excitement with everyone, haha. This waiting process is slowly killing me. :x

 

[Luv2Soap]

I'm really excited for you! Another thing that you can infuse are annatto seeds in olive oil. The color that comes from the seeds will turn your soaps either from a light yellow to an orange depending upon how long you decide to infuse them.

 

[not_ally]

I'm pretty sure hibiscus will not work, I remember reading that. Be sure to do a search here before you use it, I think it morphs to a not pretty color ...

 

[CTAnton]

AnnaLee..always nice to have another infusion hopeful on board!
I've got about 15 going ...purple basil,dyers chamomile,mugwort,comfrey leaf,nasturtium,red geranium.....mind you I don't know if some of them are going to work out but you don't know if you don't try...you can always test a small amount of your infused oil with some lye solution and see what happens prior to committing to a 12 pound slab mold.My infusion experiment will probably lead me to hot process....no lye monster to eat up my colorant...
Being a horticulturist as well, and you living on the west coast I'd get some acacia blooms this winter...supposedly they yield a nice yellow...

 

[doriettefarm]

If you have a Costco membership definitely get some of the Kirkland brand pure olive oil (not extra virgin). It's lighter in color so better for infusions and soaping. The only thing I infuse regularly is annatto seeds like Luv2Soap mentioned. But don't use too much infused oil or your soap will look like a cheeto (ask me how I know)! For the more 'delicate' infusions, I would strongly consider HPing to preserve the scent and color.

 

[annalee2003]

AnnaLee..always nice to have another infusion hopeful on board!
I've got about 15 going ...purple basil,dyers chamomile,mugwort,comfrey leaf,nasturtium,red geranium.....mind you I don't know if some of them are going to work out but you don't know if you don't try...you can always test a small amount of your infused oil with some lye solution and see what happens prior to committing to a 12 pound slab mold.My infusion experiment will probably lead me to hot process....no lye monster to eat up my colorant...
Being a horticulturist as well, and you living on the west coast I'd get some acacia blooms this winter...supposedly they yield a nice yellow...

Thank you for the tip on the acacia! I'll be sure to grab some somewhere, they're always everywhere around here and are usually looked down upon (allergies are no fun).

I'm pretty sure hibiscus will not work, I remember reading that. Be sure to do a search here before you use it, I think it morphs to a not pretty color ...

Hmm, didnt realize that. I made tea out of a handful of them a few days ago and it came out a lovely dark red. Figured that'd make a good color in soap.
I will definitely look into hibiscus a bit more!

If you have a Costco membership definitely get some of the Kirkland brand pure olive oil (not extra virgin). It's lighter in color so better for infusions and soaping.

And thanks for that tip as well. We are planning a Costco trip this weekend, so I'll be sure to pick some up.

 

[not_ally]

I think it turns to some shade of brown. I have not tried it, though, was put off from reading about it! I just didn't want you to expect to have glorious red and then not find it. Apparently it is almost impossible to get it infused into oil sufficiently, and if you use a tea it morphs. But if you come up with a different result, let us know!

 

[annalee2003]

I think it turns to some shade of brown. I have not tried it, though, was put off from reading about it! I just didn't want you to expect to have glorious red and then not find it. Apparently it is almost impossible to get it infused into oil sufficiently, and if you use a tea it morphs. But if you come up with a different result, let us know!

I doubt it, but if I do I will!
Yeah, I was super impressed with the deep red it created ... didn't even think about that fact that some things change color in soap (still learning!).
I guess I'll try a little bit of it out when I do make soap ... but then what do I do with hibiscus infused oil? lol. :wtf:

 

[doriettefarm]

Bummer to hear the hibiscus tea morphs not_ally . . . I have some in the cabinet I was thinking about soaping with. Anyone know if roobios tea stays reddish after the lye hits it?

 

[not_ally]

Anyone know if roobios tea stays reddish after the lye hits it?

I'm curious about that too, I have some that I bought months ago and have not tried yet. Maybe I will search to remind myself of why I bought it

 

[not_ally]

I guess I'll try a little bit of it out when I do make soap ... but then what do I do with hibiscus infused oil? lol. :wtf:

If the oil comes out dark enough, I would try it w/a small batch just to satisfy my curiousity, and plan on using a scent which would go w/a red-brown range just in case. As I remember, the morphing came from powdered hibiscus or tea (but all of those seemed to morph). I don't remember much about infusions, just that people had not been lucky getting the color into the oil.

 

[annalee2003]

I guess I over looked this thread, but at lot of people were saying that hibiscus was a no-go.

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=13915

Bummer.

 

[Stacy]

I'm certain you've seen this, but just on the off chance... http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=24137

I've actually saved debbism's post (#10) to my computer so I never ever lose it.

I just un-molded, cut and stamped a light purple lavender bar today that I used an Alkanet Root infusion on. It isn't fancy, but it all went perfectly, I was so very happy.

 

[Susie]

I would not use soybean oil in my soap. I would only infuse in OO or SAO.

BTW, other than EOs, I can buy all my soaping supplies locally. I get OO, and CO from Sam's, and I am pretty sure Costco will have CO. Then the lard I buy from Walmart. NaOH comes from Lowe's, and I have read that Tru Value Hardware carries it also. It is much cheaper online, but sometimes I run out.

I can buy pure EOs at Hobby Lobby, but wow, those prices!