Using Hibiscus

[SPowers]

I was just looking at another thread on using Hibiscus but no comments were allowed so I've started a new one.

I'd like to use Hibiscus tea as part of my lye water. Someone said to make the tea first. Would you put the brewed tea into the lye or into the batter. I have a masterbatch so there is some water in it already. Would it make a difference to the color? Thanks,

 

[Obsidian]

It really doesn't matter how you use it, it will turn brown. Very few botanicals, especially pinks, keep their color in soap.

 

[msunnerstood]

I used powdered Hibiscus in soap and it does not stay pink. Mine wound up a deep purple to raisin color

 

[SPowers]

the thread specifically said if it's made into tea first it won't turn brown. So this is not an accurate statement? Here is print screen of the comments.

e is a

 

[SPowers]

I used powdered Hibiscus in soap and it does not stay pink. Mine wound up a deep purple to raisin color
View attachment 46715

K... guess I'll scrub that idea. thanks all.

 

[AliOop]

You can try pink clay, or madder root. If you search those terms in this forum, you should find quite a few posts. There is also a good e-book on natural soap colorants by Jo Haslauer. She explains how to use each one, and what results to expect. Here is one thread that talks about madder (as well as this e-book) and has some posts within the last month with good tips about how to use it:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/what’s-the-madder-with-my-madder.75340/page-7

 

[SPowers]

thanks!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

That’s a long thread . If you decide to try madder, start at the bottom of the thread and read about making madder tea that you strain and add to the lye. It’s the easiest way to get good results. The pigment in madder is very stable in comparison with many other plant colorants.

 

[SPowers]

again, thanks.

 

[AliOop]

That’s a long thread . If you decide to try madder, start at the bottom of the thread and read about making madder tea that you strain and add to the lye. It’s the easiest way to get good results. The pigment in madder is very stable in comparison with many other plant colorants.

The link that I shared above actually goes right to that spot. I have it marked bc madder tea is on my to-do list

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I have used rose clay and the bars are now 4 months old and still a very nice pink. Rose clay is a little expensive but you don't need much.

 

[deafsoaper]

I used powdered Hibiscus in soap and it does not stay pink. Mine wound up a deep purple to raisin color
View attachment 46715

does the scent of hibiscus still come through tho?

thinking of getting some hibiscus powder

 

[AliOop]

No, there is no scent of hibiscus when using the powder in soap. The smells of most botanicals do not come through saponification.

 

[Relle]

Hibiscus don't have a perfume anyway. I have 3 large plants out the front of the house, there is pollen on the stamen but no smell. One has just finished flowering and another just starting, different varieties. They are not a flower that you would pick to put in the house for perfume.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

thinking of getting some hibiscus powder

Check your local vitamin cottage, whole foods, or similar store for Hibiscus tea. Or chamomile tea, peppermint tea, green tea, etc. While it's true that they end up various shades of tan, yellow, drab green, I often use triple strength tea to make the lye solution AND infused in oil to make herbal soaps like my Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme soap made from teas from Herbco.com