Soap Makers Help!

[Morgaine]

I use the infused oils for color mainly, though comfrey has a lot of healing qualities as does calendula. I haven't been able to get a real scent to come through from the infused oils.

I use olive oil and just use it as part of my olive oil from my recipe. For the Yellow Dock Root I used it as 12% of my total oils. So say you your recipe uses 100 grams of olive oil, I would use 50grams of infused olive oil and the rest plain olive oil. It depends on what you are infusing and what color you want. I used the comfrey nettle infused OO as all my olive.

Here is a picture of the soap made with olive oil infused with yellow dock root.

You don't really have to measure (I don't really) Just use enough oil to cove whatever herb you are using. I have some arnica and calendula infusing I'll get some pictures of it for you later.

I have another question what is the diference between essential oils and scented oils? how would you used them in a recipe? how would you calculate them into the recipe?

This should help. http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/fragrancesandaromatherapy/a/fragranceoils.htm

As far as usage, that varies from oil to oil. Most fragrance oils you can use between 1/2-1 ounce per pound of oils in your recipe. So if you have a 4 pound recipe, you would use between 2-4 ounces of FO. Eo's are something that are even harder because some you have to be very careful with because some can be sensitizers. Look around on www.thesage.com for more info.​

 

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
Yes...you scorched it. BUT this is still usable soap...do not throw out. I do not insulate. I ground the oats into a flour in a coffee grinder. I also STIR as it is setting up preventing the DARK gel that happens...it prevents the caramel color in oatmeal/honey/milk soaps. Looks like you've got a little DOS too in there which shows you overheated also. The soap just overheated... I also float my honey in a pot of warm water to warm it up slightly.

I also...do not use the frozen milk method. Which could also attribute to your darker color. I add 8 ozs chilled gm at trace or directly into the lye water at 95-100 degrees...however I'm feeling that night. (-;

Are we right in assuming you insulated this soap??

This was an all milk recipe. So it will be darker...MUCH darker if you insulated. Buttermilk soaps tend to be darker....I've noticed. If you desire a lighter color...I'd switch 2/3 of the buttermilk with distilled water.

 

[AK_Button_Mama]

so why is it called yellow dock root if its red?

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Quote:
lol I was Thinking the same thing.

 

[cheeptrick]

Quote:
lol I was Thinking the same thing.

We all think alike. I'd like to try infusing oils too...might order some stuff for infusing. I was thinking arrowroot.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Quote:
lol I was Thinking the same thing.

We all think alike. I'd like to try infusing oils too...might order some stuff for infusing. I was thinking arrowroot.

Because the root itself is a yellowish color. It's more of a yellowish, brownish, beige type color in reality - like the color of straw, really. When you infuse it, it's that color. But, magically, when you add it to the lye - it goes pink!

I still need to take some pix of my soap so you can see the difference between a lower percentage and Morgaine's 12%. It's not that pretty color she got, but it's not yellow either.

 

[Morgaine]

Yellow dock root has yellow roots from what I understand, though the stuff I had looked like a normal woody brown. I don't have any more left or I'd post a picture. I get mine from the Health food store.

My infused oil is a yellow tinted brown color. It's so dark you can't see through it.

BB- can't wait for the picture.

Cheeptrick- What are the benefits of arrowroot? I haven't tried that one. Is it for color?

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Quote:
Morgaine, where do you get the mineral oil from?

 

[aussieheelr]

Quote:
Yes...you scorched it. BUT this is still usable soap...do not throw out. I do not insulate. I ground the oats into a flour in a coffee grinder. I also STIR as it is setting up preventing the DARK gel that happens...it prevents the caramel color in oatmeal/honey/milk soaps. Looks like you've got a little DOS too in there which shows you overheated also. The soap just overheated... I also float my honey in a pot of warm water to warm it up slightly.

I also...do not use the frozen milk method. Which could also attribute to your darker color. I add 8 ozs chilled gm at trace or directly into the lye water at 95-100 degrees...however I'm feeling that night. (-;

Are we right in assuming you insulated this soap??

This was an all milk recipe. So it will be darker...MUCH darker if you insulated. Buttermilk soaps tend to be darker....I've noticed. If you desire a lighter color...I'd switch 2/3 of the buttermilk with distilled water.

I used full buttermilk, store bought. Wish I had a goat milk to use, DH HATES goats though. I'll try the partial method with adding the milk at trace and see how that works next time. I didn't insulate, just poured into a small plastic "storage" box and left on the counter. so much to learn, but ya'll are GREAT help. Thanks so much already

 

[Parson's Wife]

I saw no less than 5 booths of homemade soaps at the Clothesline Fair (it's an arts and crafts festival)
I didn't even hardly get to do more than glance at the booths...

I was chasing little ones...going to try to make at least one day at the Herb festival in Mtn. View, wanted to go the Apple Festival in Lincoln...just can't get there this year.
But...the soaps I did get to ogle were beautiful, and smelled divine.