# coloring soap with herbs



## tlt0000 (Apr 28, 2009)

I want to try to color some soap, maybe do a swirl, using some herbs. I am not sure how to do it because none of my oils are liquid at room temperature so I can't infuse them and I use goat's milk so it is frozen. Is there a way I can do this? I use coconut oil, cocoa butter and goat's milk. Thanks


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

You could infuse them if you put them in the crock pot with the herbs.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Yeah, that's what I'd try. Melt everything down and put it on low in the crock pot overnight or whatever. You'll want to re-weigh before proceeding in case there was any evaporation.


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## tlt0000 (Apr 28, 2009)

GREAT! That sounds easy enough. Now what would I do if I wanted to do a swirl? Is there a way to hold out a small portion of the oil that is infused that would have the color in it and add to it some of the soap mix at trace, thereby having 2 seperate colors? Seems like the part with the color wouldn't be emulsified, maybe a superfatted soap.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I use dried finely ground mint from my garden as color in my mint soap. Comes out a nice olive green. I just dump a tablespoon of dried mint into my oils. I do the same with Rosemary which gives a more sage green color. Of course there are also specks which I personally like.


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## tlt0000 (Apr 28, 2009)

LaNell, do you do this with goat's milk? I am worried about what the color will turn out to be since the goat's milk already gives the soap a creamier color. Your soap sounds like a nice color. Thanks


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Hmmm, with infusing I'd say it's best to color the whole batch. You could try layers and actually make multiple batches.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I only make goat milk soap so the color is with GM
Here is an example








I will try to see if I have a photo of the rosemary soap.
I can get a nice pink swirl with Australian pink clay, alkanet has worked well for yellow and tomato will be orangish.


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## tlt0000 (Apr 28, 2009)

Very nice! Do you have to order alkanet online or do you think they would carry it in a health food store? Do you infuse the tomato the same way you do the other herbs? Never thought of using tomato. Thanks!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Carrot juice is nice too. You don't get orange but more of a golden yellow. I make a carrot buttermilk that I use half carrot juice and half milk as my liquid.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I don't infuse the tomato. I just use tomato paste as part of my liquid. I ordered my alkanet online but I don't remember where I got it. It has been several years ago and I keep it in the freezer so it lasts forever. I also used turmeric and it also made yellow. 
I have also made a gm soap with whole tomatoes but did not get an orange color but since I had used dried ground basil from the garden too I ended up with green, much like the mint colored soap. These soaps did not fade and in fact I still havbe one of the first mint soaps I ever made and it is still olive green.


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## tlt0000 (Apr 28, 2009)

When you use the carrot juice, do you put it in with the milk ice cubes and then add lye to it? Could it also be added at trace? 

Also the herbs that are being used, can they be fresh? I guess it is harder to "powder" a fresh herb so I would have bigger chunks.

Thanks for all the great ideas!!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

For the carrot juice....I mix the same weight of juice as I have of lye. Dissolve the lye in that and let it cool. Then add that same weight again in milk after I've mixed the carrot/lye in with my oils.


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## tlt0000 (Apr 28, 2009)

Kathy, If I wanted to do a swirl could I mix the lye with the goats milk then at trace seperate the oil/lye mix into 2 containers and then add the carrot juice to one of them? I guess I would have to add additional goats milk to the other one so the liquid/lye to oil ratio would be the same? Is this correct?


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Yes....you could do that. I have in the past when I wanted something a certain color and the milk affected it too much. I start with adding my lye mixed with just water. Separate out a portion, add water to that portion and milk to the main portion. You have to do the math to figure out what's what but it's not difficult.


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