Nanditasr
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- Nov 21, 2017
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Newbie here -- I've made 5-6 batches of CP soap in the last 5 weeks, including a whipped one yesterday (see pic).
I am looking to use locally available natural colors and fragrances -- preferably NOT essential oils, since I want to use stuff from the garden. I used crushed dried rosemary leaves and was delighted with the results; there is still a mild smell a month later. However, I would like to get the smell of rosemary in the soap, but without the green specks from the dried leaves. I made a rosemary decoction (and an orange peel decoction) and put the lye in it, but I found that the smell just got eaten by the lye. So, my question is: How can I use my decoction and retain the smell?
What I'm thinking is: The standard lye solution is about 1:2.7 (lye:water). I'll make a lye solution of 1:1, and make up the balance 1.7 parts liquid with rosemary decoction, which I'll set aside. Once the mixture reaches thin trace (using a blender), I'll add the decoction. I'm planning to mix the oils and lye at room temperature (72-75 degrees F or 22-24 degrees C).
I've seen pumpkin puree recipes, but they call for very little puree, only about 5% of the oils. Will it work to add so much liquid at trace?
If the above does not work, will it work if I do this with the 'whipped' method?
Any other thoughts? Thanks!
I am looking to use locally available natural colors and fragrances -- preferably NOT essential oils, since I want to use stuff from the garden. I used crushed dried rosemary leaves and was delighted with the results; there is still a mild smell a month later. However, I would like to get the smell of rosemary in the soap, but without the green specks from the dried leaves. I made a rosemary decoction (and an orange peel decoction) and put the lye in it, but I found that the smell just got eaten by the lye. So, my question is: How can I use my decoction and retain the smell?
What I'm thinking is: The standard lye solution is about 1:2.7 (lye:water). I'll make a lye solution of 1:1, and make up the balance 1.7 parts liquid with rosemary decoction, which I'll set aside. Once the mixture reaches thin trace (using a blender), I'll add the decoction. I'm planning to mix the oils and lye at room temperature (72-75 degrees F or 22-24 degrees C).
I've seen pumpkin puree recipes, but they call for very little puree, only about 5% of the oils. Will it work to add so much liquid at trace?
If the above does not work, will it work if I do this with the 'whipped' method?
Any other thoughts? Thanks!
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