Trying to make bar soap appearance more attractive

[DrewsSoaps]

Hey!

I’m new to bar soap, but have tons of experience in liquid potassium soaps..

My question is, well, I have about 150 2oz circular soap bars that are quite ugly. The soap is of a wonderful quality, but I sprinkled lavender buds in the molds before pouring the soap, and also also sprinkled some lavender buds on top of my soaps. The issue is anywhere the lavender touched the soap, there is a brown spot. I thought I could knock some lavender off, but the brown spots go into the soap and I would have to slice into the soap to remove the surface layer where the brown spots preside.

Is there anyway I can use lavender buds with bar soap and not have the brown spots appear?

Thanks so much.
Recipe is attached below incase that is needed

 

[Ekuzo]

Hi there! From what I know, calendula is reported as not changing its color or the color of the soap. Usually, most of the flowers do that - lavender included. I'm one of those who are against using petals or buds in soap

 

[Kari Howie]

Lavender buds invariably turn brown and end up looking like “mouse turds” as many soapers have noted. Cornflower petals however remain a pretty, bright blue while calendula petals remain a lovely yellow through saponification. Jasmine buds, which are cream colored, and that are sprinkled on top also retain their color. Rose petals and buds turn blackish, which might be pretty on black soap.

 

[DrewsSoaps]

Hi there! From what I know, calendula is reported as not changing its color or the color of the soap. Usually, most of the flowers do that - lavender included. I'm one of those who are against using petals or buds in soap

Thank you so much!

Lavender buds invariably turn brown and end up looking like “mouse turds” as many soapers have noted. Cornflower petals however remain a pretty, bright blue while calendula petals remain a lovely yellow through saponification. Jasmine buds, which are cream colored, and that are sprinkled on top also retain their color. Rose petals and buds turn blackish, which might be pretty on black soap.

That is some amazing information! Thanks so much

 

[AliOop]

If you want to make these soaps look pretty, try piping some new soap on top of it. You will want to spray the old soap with some water or alcohol right before piping, to help the new stuff stick to it.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

You may want to shred the bars to incorporate into a batch of Ciaglia soap. Take a look at the challenge thread set up by @KiwiMoose. I learned to love Ciaglia!

 

[akseattle]

@DrewsSoaps , I feel your pain, although not 150 soaps worth .... a soap batch of mine with lavender buds also just stained brown- looking rat turdish

 

[akseattle]

On a separate post, I asked if anyone thought it would be possible to spray the top of the soap with a good amount of alcohol, then if it softens the top a little, pressing on some new buds. I wonder if those new buds would also eventually brown the soap even more. I would love to figure out a way to cover up the little turds... Actually, I see @AliOop suggested piping some new soap on top. I've never piped soap before, so not sure how that would work.

@AliOop do you think that at some point, soap stops reacting in such a way that it browns when having contact with lavender buds? I don't know what it is about the lavender that causes browning. I might have to invest in the jazmine buds, cornflower and calendulapetals suggested by @Kari Howie ....

 

[MelissaG]

On a separate post, I asked if anyone thought it would be possible to spray the top of the soap with a good amount of alcohol, then if it softens the top a little, pressing on some new buds. I wonder if those new buds would also eventually brown the soap even more. I would love to figure out a way to cover up the little turds... Actually, I see @AliOop suggested piping some new soap on top. I've never piped soap before, so not sure how that would work.

@AliOop do you think that at some point, soap stops reacting in such a way that it browns when having contact with lavender buds? I don't know what it is about the lavender that causes browning. I might have to invest in the jazmine buds, cornflower and calendulapetals suggested by @Kari Howie ....

It's never worked for me using alcohol and pressing in the buds after the fact.

Piping works the same way as you would a cake. Let the soap set up enough that it is still very soft and pliable like icing, then you can use a piping bag on the soap like you would a cake. I suggest you learn more about soap dough too. Remember, soap sticks to itself when it gets wet. Other things... not so much. Unless you're trying to get it off the counter when it's been sitting a while. That can be a fight lol.

As for the lavender buds, it's not just lavender that does this. Most flowers do. They are decaying because they're dead. And they have elements in them that will cause discoloration. I stopped using flowers in my soaps because I didn't like what they do. They are useful in other things though. Like dried red roses look wonderfully pretty in white wax melts.

 

[GracieRose]

I heard that you should not spray the buds with alcohol

 

[AliOop]

On a separate post, I asked if anyone thought it would be possible to spray the top of the soap with a good amount of alcohol, then if it softens the top a little, pressing on some new buds. I wonder if those new buds would also eventually brown the soap even more. I would love to figure out a way to cover up the little turds... Actually, I see @AliOop suggested piping some new soap on top. I've never piped soap before, so not sure how that would work.

@AliOop do you think that at some point, soap stops reacting in such a way that it browns when having contact with lavender buds? I don't know what it is about the lavender that causes browning. I might have to invest in the jazmine buds, cornflower and calendulapetals suggested by @Kari Howie ....

Browning is caused in part by the exposure to the high alkalinity of soap, unfortunately. Lavender seems especially susceptible to that. I’ve never been successful using it with soap. I have suspected that some folks have sprayed colorants on their lavender to make it look fresh, but have no proof of that.

The other problem with lavender is the shape - just like mouse droppings. as suggested above, I’d save it for bath salts, wax melts, etc.

 

[akseattle]

Thank you everyone. On a separate post @artemis suggested I could use these buds (and rose petals I have) for sachets.
I think that is the best course of action. Well, unless I make a brown soap-- although, for me, the whole idea of a lavender bud is a nice pastel soap....