Plantain Soap Experience

[northernsoap]

Well, I did a pretty basic recipe about 3 weeks ago - and then added fresh plantain that was seeping in some oil I had going for a few weeks. I drained the oil through a sieve till I had what I thought was a nice green plantain extract - which it was - except I didn't take into consideration the water content. Which there was - a lot of. And then ADDED that to the oil measurement - not compensating the water. Yikes. Do not ask what happened next.

So - first off the color of the batter changed radically. I had wanted it to be a beighy red pink (added alkenet root oil) instead it started rapidly changing from offwhite to a grey. Then the plantain made itself known while the soap was tracing - I figured ok - no problem I can live with bits of plantain. But then it wouldn't trace all the way. Just a thin trickle - of course.

But no matter. After about 40 minutes of almost non-stop beating I finally poured it. And waited. And waited and waited some more. Kinda freaking out by the this time - but NOT GIVING UP. After 36 hours or so - it finally started to set. But then - it started SWEATING PROFUSELY. All that lovely moisture from the plantain started escaping making tiny holes in the soap. So I started battling that out with paper towels and silica in packets and plenty of fresh air. It took about 2 weeks for it to finally stop seeping and it probably is the weirdest soap ever to have been devised - but - it's giving very nice lather. I just tested it. So - whew. Talk about a save. And it was a double recipe to boot.

So head's up when you're macerating fresh herbs - compensate the water!

Love and learn,
Joy

 

[SoapMakingTommy]

That sounds really interesting northernsoap, I sure would like to see some pictures of your soap.
I know one of the main ingredients in african black soap is plantain ashes, But that requires you to burn the plantains not extract them.
How does your soap smell?

 

[northernsoap]

It smells great - very clean. Thing is, if I were to do this again, I'd subtract water or else I'd use dry herb. I'll post some photos.

 

[northernsoap]

The mighty powerful plantain soap drying in rather cramped quarters.

 

[Lion Of Judah]

That sounds really interesting northernsoap, I sure would like to see some pictures of your soap.
I know one of the main ingredients in african black soap is plantain ashes, But that requires you to burn the plantains not extract them.
How does your soap smell?

the plantain used to make African black soap comes from "fruit" which is relative of the banana plant and not the herb bearing the same name. the skin of the plantain is used to make an ash along with cocoa bean pods to create a lye water that is used to make the renowned soap

[ http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/3/prweb360869.htm
African Black Soap comes from plantain skins originally. Plantain is a rich source of vitamins A & E and iron. (plantain is a popular food in Africa & other parts of the world. It looks much like a banana, but it's bigger and longer.) The skin of the plantain is dried to a specific texture under the hot African sun and then roasted in a clay oven. The heat must be kept precisely at a constant temperature in order to achieve a particular color, texture & smell. The roasting of the plantains determines the color of the soap. The longer the plantains are roasted, the darker the soap. Next, the roasted skins of the Plantain are mixed with Palm oil and Palm Kernel oil to form the soap. These oils are in their purest form - without refining - and they make for a highly nourishing soap. Different African tribes make their own variations of Black Soap, as do separate Countries and their recipes are highly guarded. ]

 

[northernsoap]

No - no - no - this is not the fruit plantain - this is Plantago - the herb.

the plantain used to make African black soap comes from "fruit" which is relative of the banana plant and not the herb bearing the same name. the skin of the plantain is used to make an ash along with cocoa bean pods to create a lye water that is used to make the renowned soap

[ http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/3/prweb360869.htm
African Black Soap comes from plantain skins originally. Plantain is a rich source of vitamins A & E and iron. (plantain is a popular food in Africa & other parts of the world. It looks much like a banana, but it's bigger and longer.) The skin of the plantain is dried to a specific texture under the hot African sun and then roasted in a clay oven. The heat must be kept precisely at a constant temperature in order to achieve a particular color, texture & smell. The roasting of the plantains determines the color of the soap. The longer the plantains are roasted, the darker the soap. Next, the roasted skins of the Plantain are mixed with Palm oil and Palm Kernel oil to form the soap. These oils are in their purest form - without refining - and they make for a highly nourishing soap. Different African tribes make their own variations of Black Soap, as do separate Countries and their recipes are highly guarded. ]

 

[cmzaha]

Well, I did a pretty basic recipe about 3 weeks ago - and then added fresh plantain that was seeping in some oil I had going for a few weeks. I drained the oil through a sieve till I had what I thought was a nice green plantain extract - which it was - except I didn't take into consideration the water content. Which there was - a lot of. And then ADDED that to the oil measurement - not compensating the water. Yikes. Do not ask what happened next.

So - first off the color of the batter changed radically. I had wanted it to be a beighy red pink (added alkenet root oil) instead it started rapidly changing from offwhite to a grey. Then the plantain made itself known while the soap was tracing - I figured ok - no problem I can live with bits of plantain. But then it wouldn't trace all the way. Just a thin trickle - of course.

But no matter. After about 40 minutes of almost non-stop beating I finally poured it. And waited. And waited and waited some more. Kinda freaking out by the this time - but NOT GIVING UP. After 36 hours or so - it finally started to set. But then - it started SWEATING PROFUSELY. All that lovely moisture from the plantain started escaping making tiny holes in the soap. So I started battling that out with paper towels and silica in packets and plenty of fresh air. It took about 2 weeks for it to finally stop seeping and it probably is the weirdest soap ever to have been devised - but - it's giving very nice lather. I just tested it. So - whew. Talk about a save. And it was a double recipe to boot.

So head's up when you're macerating fresh herbs - compensate the water!

Love and learn,
Joy

I am a bit confused here. Did you steep your plaintain, which I am assuming was the fruit or was it the skins, in oils? I do not trust steeping any non-dried botanical or fruit, especially fruits, due to water content in oils. It can create a really yucky bacterial laden oil. If I am wrong here someone can correct me. I have dried plantain skins in my dehydrator and made powder from them to add to soap. Plaintains contain approx 64% water, bananas are in the 80% range.
When adding in infused oils to a soap mixture you would just add them as oils but in this your oil would have contained some water, but depending on how much plaintain oil you used it may not have been enough water to worry about.
It really is much better to use fruits and veggies as purees then deduct the puree weight from the water.

 

[northernsoap]

I am a bit confused here. Did you steep your plaintain, which I am assuming was the fruit or was it the skins, in oils? I do not trust steeping any non-dried botanical or fruit, especially fruits, due to water content in oils. It can create a really yucky bacterial laden oil. If I am wrong here someone can correct me. I have dried plantain skins in my dehydrator and made powder from them to add to soap. Plaintains contain approx 64% water, bananas are in the 80% range.
When adding in infused oils to a soap mixture you would just add them as oils but in this your oil would have contained some water, but depending on how much plaintain oil you used it may not have been enough water to worry about.
It really is much better to use fruits and veggies as purees then deduct the puree weight from the water.

This was fresh herb which was steeping in oil for a few weeks - mashed and then drained. This was added to the oil of the soap recipe. There was no spoilage in the herb - it was completely covered. What happened was the water in the plantango started releasing only when it the batter started saponifying. The excess water escaped through tiny holes it formed - now it's completely drained and dry.

 

[Obsidian]

I wonder if Plantain adds anything to soap? I've used it for years as a poultice for wounds, its a great herb. Personally, I would always dry it first before infusing with oil. Fresh herb could be steeped like tea and used that way.

 

[judymoody]

I would dry the herb first and then infuse my oil with it. Fresh herbs can grow nasties, even if they are covered in oil.

 

[cmzaha]

My mistake Northernsoap, I did not realize you said it was Plantago not plaintain fruit. I need to learn to read!

 

[northernsoap]

Yeah definitely use dry herb before infusing. This plantain soap seems to be a bit anti-septic which was what I was aiming for.

I wonder if Plantain adds anything to soap? I've used it for years as a poultice for wounds, its a great herb. Personally, I would always dry it first before infusing with oil. Fresh herb could be steeped like tea and used that way.

 

[northernsoap]

My mistake Northernsoap, I did not realize you said it was Plantago not plaintain fruit. I need to learn to read!

 

[northernsoap]

Plantain by nature is anti-septic which is probably why it escaped bacteria.

I would dry the herb first and then infuse my oil with it. Fresh herbs can grow nasties, even if they are covered in oil.

 

[Dahila]

I wonder if Plantain adds anything to soap? I've used it for years as a poultice for wounds, its a great herb. Personally, I would always dry it first before infusing with oil. Fresh herb could be steeped like tea and used that way.

absolutely, you can not infuse oil with fresh herbs, there is water and we know what grows in water , :sick:

 

[songwind]

Could you just heat the oil (gently) above 212F/100C and let the water boil off, if your only option were a fresh herb or fruit?

Seems like it would work. Distillation, basically, except that you don't need to capture the lower evaporating liquid.

 

[northernsoap]

Something worthy of considering next time I make a batch.

 

[cmzaha]

Could you just heat the oil (gently) above 212F/100C and let the water boil off, if your only option were a fresh herb or fruit?

Seems like it would work. Distillation, basically, except that you don't need to capture the lower evaporating liquid.

I make my carrot infused sunflower oil by shredding and cooking the carrot. It has to stay at a simmer for appro 45 minutes to cook off the water. My rosemary infused oil I do in a pressure cooker with water & oil then freeze the mix to scrape of the butter (oil) formed.