Alkanet Root (pic posted)

[LuvOurNewf]

Wow. Just used an infused olive oil of Alkanet Root and the purple was amazing. Let's see what happens in a few days.
The infusion rate was 2 TBS in 16 oz. of oil. Simmered for 2 hrs., strained and it's been sitting for a couple of weeks.

This was also my first time adding sodium lactate at the rate of 2%. Seemed to trace rather quickly. I know it wasn't the FO as it was accelerating before that was added.

 

[Hazel]

Re: Alkanet Root

I'm glad you're happy with it. Will we get to see a picture?

 

[LuvOurNewf]

Re: Alkanet Root

Pic's will be up tomorrow night. It's under wraps right now.
I usually unwrap at 24 hrs. and cut if firm enough. If it's a little soft then it sits for another 24 hrs.

 

[judymoody]

Re: Alkanet Root

Yes, pictures please!

Be prepared for the color to change as the soap continues to saponify. Depending on the SF of your recipe, it may turn more bluish or more gray/mauve.

 

[green soap]

Re: Alkanet Root

I use alkanet infusions for purple down to light lilac. I love alkanet. It sometimes shows a horrible color in the pot and then changes to a light bluish purple when saponified. I see more of the color changes in goat milk soaps.

 

[AngelMomma]

Re: Alkanet Root

Where do ya'll prefer to buy your Alkanet Root from? I think just a tad would be great to color my Rosemary & Lavender soap. It smells so wonderful......I would like it to be equally visually pleasing. This is my youngest daughters favorite.

 

[LuvOurNewf]

Re: Alkanet Root

Well I guess it's purple. But it's a DARK purple nowhere near as vibrant as it was mixing.

 

[Hazel]

Thanks for sharing the picture! At least it's purple. Maybe it will lighten a little bit as it cures. I've had some soaps lighten quite a bit after several weeks.

 

[LuvOurNewf]

I'm hoping for that.

I did one with a paprika infusion and it started a medium/dark orange and turned into a nice light orange after about 3 weeks.

We'll see what the purple does.

 

[soap_rat]

The first time I used alkanet the test soap got that dark. After a few weeks it lightened to a dark lav or light purple.

I later grated that up and added it to my uncolored lavender eo soap, giving it the look of having lavender buds in it. (but not the "lavender BUGS" you get if you use real buds :shock: )

 

[green soap]

http://www.letstalkaboutsoap.com/forum/ ... =51&t=2973

Here is what I have been getting with alkanet root infusions. Posting here seems like a big PITA, sorry to reference to another forum. I hope you can see the picture.

 

[LuvOurNewf]

That looks closer to the purple I was hoping for.

Is this right after the pour, or after some curing time?

 

[green soap]

That looks closer to the purple I was hoping for.

Is this right after the pour, or after some curing time?

This was after full cure and right before I stuck the labels on the soap. However, the look did not change much from what it was right after I cut the loaf. I have gotten super dark alkanet in the past. I think you should just decrease the amount of infused oil. Alkanet is a very strong colorant, less is more.

To give you an idea, for the soaps in the picture I used 100g of infused alkanet in a 900g batch of soap (the other 900g batch that i marbled with it was left uncolored). My infusions use 4 oz ground root in a quart OO. Heated to 170F for an hour or so, left to cool overnight and strained the next morning. You can also leave it unstrained. If I want a paler lavender color I just use 30-50 g of the infused alkanet oil.

 

[AngelMomma]

greensoap......I followed your link. Beautiful swirls!!! I love the contrast between the two colors.

 

[green soap]

Thank you angelmomma.