using dyer's chamomile to color soap

[CTAnton]

Just harvested a lot of dyer's chamomile flowers from some plants ....I'm going to dry them and then see if I can use them to color cp soap...Does anyone have any prior experience using these flowers to color soap? From what I see that it can do for wool and the fact that it grows itself here I'm looking to play with it but as always, a little direction goes a long way....
Thanks in advance
Happy 4TH!

 

[lsg]

I would think that if you infused some of your oils with the flowers, that would give you a good color.

 

[sillysuds]

Hi,

I'm thinking of planting some Dyer's Chamomile for the purpose of coloring my soap. I would love to know how you made out with your project.

 

[Relle]

Hi,

I'm thinking of planting some Dyer's Chamomile for the purpose of coloring my soap. I would love to know how you made out with your project.

This post is from 2015, and the OP hasn't been here for 3 yrs, so probably won't see your post.

 

[Hermit]

Most plants turn soap brown.
So if you experiment, use snall batches and expect failure

Here's a thread that has a graph some exceptions:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/natural-colorants.86144/

 

[curlycoat2]

@Hermit

Most plants turn soap brown.
So if you experiment, use snall batches and expect failure

Here's a thread that has a graph some exceptions:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/natural-colorants.86144/

Not quite true - there a lot of plants that give VERY bright colors in cold process soap once you learn how to use them to bring out their best. Thank you for the link to my books! I am very humbled.

Whilst realising that this is an old post I will add the answer for any soapers following that may have the same question

Dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) will give a beautiful pale buttery yellow but there are better plants to give yellow where the color lasts longer and is brighter ie Annatto

 

[sillysuds]

@Hermit


Not quite true - there a lot of plants that give VERY bright colors in cold process soap once you learn how to use them to bring out their best. Thank you for the link to my books! I am very humbled.

Whilst realising that this is an old post I will add the answer for any soapers following that may have the same question

Dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) will give a beautiful pale buttery yellow but there are better plants to give yellow where the color lasts longer and is brighter ie Annatto

Thank you for contributing to this discussion. Everyone's input has been super helpful.

I have played with Annatto, and carrot puree as well. I think I will try the dyers chamomile as I have already sprouted the seeds. I might make a tea with them and see what they do in the lye solution.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Even if put in the fridge, an herbal tea spoils within 3 days (IME) max. so be sure to make it close to when you will be soaping.

When I experimented with chamomile that I grew in a half-whiskey barrel container, I used tea for the water and infused blossoms in oil for the fats. I don't know what dyers chamomile is, or what color you expect, but my soap was tan and had no distinctive chamomile fragrance.

 

[JuliaNegusuk]

Calendula gives a good yellow colour and the petals don't go brown. I put them in the hot lye and put the whole lot in the soap batter. I guess you could sieve it out if you don' t want them in but by the time you've blitzed it all with a blender I can' t imagine it makes much difference either way.