Playing with Alkanet Root & Madder Root

[Bubbles Galore]

I wanted to see what Alkanet Root was like for colouring. Purple was my aim.



This first soap is about half a teaspoon of Alkanet Root mixed into some oil and then stick blended into the soap batter and I did an ITP swirl. I wasn't very happy with the result.



I mixed about 50g of Alkanet Root powder with 500ml of olive oil and let it infuse for some days. I then used about 100ml of the oil to make this colour. I was surprised at the result when I cut it up. Very dark green.



After a few weeks, it looked like this. Very dark purple. I used too much infused oil of course. The lighter part has some TD mixed in. I quite like it but it leaves a bit of colour on a white face cloth. Not too bad though.



Back to another ITP swirl. This time I used 2 teaspoons of the infused oil. I like this one better. Still not a proper purple though.

:wink:

 

[agriffin]

Wow, all of them are very pretty.

 

[coco cooks]

Playing around with Alkanet Root

I like these as natural colorings are what interest me. My fave the is 2nd to last. I love to see how small changes can result in major differences.

 

[MrsFusion]

i LOVE purple!!! So nice!

 

[heartandsoap]

gorgeous!!

 

[pixybratt]

nice I like the color

 

[Dragonkaz]

Purple is my favourite colour ... and I love all these!

I love the swirl you have in the last one ... and I love the look of the second to last one!

 

[Lynnz]

Wow total eye candy :0)

 

[dubnica]

You lucky girl...I only achieved gray with alkanet.

 

[JackiK]

Hmmm. I ordered some alkanet powder and mixed it 50/50 with some olive oil just to get an idea. It's a very vivid maroonish/red. Can I expect it to change when I soap with it?

PS - LOVE the purple and the swirls.

 

[MsDee]

They turned out great Love the color.

 

[Relle]

I like both of them, but goes to show you can't always determine the outcome. Just like a christmas surprise.

Relle.

 

[Microdot]

COOL!

 

[MidwestSoaper]

I really like the last one, very purple with a beautiful swirl!

 

[ewenique]

They are pretty! Your textured tops are nice, too.

 

[dubnica]

Hmmm. I ordered some alkanet powder and mixed it 50/50 with some olive oil just to get an idea. It's a very vivid maroonish/red. Can I expect it to change when I soap with it?

PS - LOVE the purple and the swirls.

Yep, the color will change. Just be careful, don't use too much.

 

[Lindy]

Very nice!!!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Hmmm. I ordered some alkanet powder and mixed it 50/50 with some olive oil just to get an idea. It's a very vivid maroonish/red. Can I expect it to change when I soap with it?

PS - LOVE the purple and the swirls.

Hi Jacki, that's why I posted the photos of what happened to me, so you would see what happens. It was all a surprise to me as I hadn't used Alkanet Root before but had seen some grey soaps and concluded that more AR was needed. The very dark purple one is probably too dark for most people but some would like it.

Can you please take photos and show us when you make your Alkanet soap?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

If anyone wants to see Madder Root colouring, here is one that I did sometime last year. The soap has ash on top. This soap gelled.

 

[ewenique]

That's pretty, too!