Natural Colourants

Infusing oil with various bits of plants is what I'm now dabbling in. I think synthetic colours look fabulous but at the end of the day, they're synthetic and something I'm not for one moment considering adding to my 100% natural soaps.

This natural pink was achieved by infusing yellow dock root powder to the olive oil and left to sit for a few days. I used a piece of cheese cloth to strain it otherwise I would have ended up with speckles.

Alkanet root provides the perfect purple although some may mistake it for grey. I think it's mega cool. The star anise pods were a last minute thing and they smell divine. Both of these soaps are unscented because it was colour I was experimenting with. I think the next time I use these colourants, I'll be scenting the purple one with anise or patchouli, maybe both. As for the pink, I'm yet to decide. Time to buy some more essential oils I think.

Alkanet root powder in olive oil (left) 

Spirulina I'm yet to use (right)

Pints and Pints

Here's another beer soap made with Newcastle Brown Ale. My first attempt at layering went well although I didn't shake the second layer after pouring incase I disturbed the bottom layer. I think this is the reason there are a few tiny air bubbles. Oh well. It's going to be fathers day soap :-D

Family Effort

My first funnel swirl looks like this:

I managed to get my family interested in making soap. They helped me make this batch of sweet smelling coffee soap and now of course they want to make more. The funnel swirl itself was easy enough to do and instead of securing the funnel to the mould using canes and bag ties, one of my helpers held the funnel inside the mould. 

Main ingredients used:

• Olive oil
• Grape seed oil
• Shea Butter
• Castor oil
• Cocoa Butter
• Water
• Lye

I also added ginger, cinnamon and sweet orange essential oils, cocoa powder, finely ground coffee and orris root powder. Starting from this batch onwards I'm adding confectioners sugar which I've been told helps to boost the lather.