Adding herbs to soap

[SubLowe]

i purchased some calendula and i also have some dried lemon grass. i wanted to include one of these in my next bactch, but i am unsure of how to add or when? any suggestions? i am guessing they are addded at trace just like oatmeal?

 

[azimuth]

Add them at trace.

 

[carolyntn]

Calendula will remain yellow in your soap - so pretty. I snip the petals into smaller pieces and add less rather than more at thin trace.
Carolyn

 

[Pug Mom]

I have found lemon grass to be way to scratchy for soap. Let us know how you find it.

 

[SubLowe]

I have found lemon grass to be way to scratchy for soap. Let us know how you find it.

thank you for letting me know. maybe i will grind it up or chop it up into small pieces? do you think that would help?

Calendula will remain yellow in your soap - so pretty. I snip the petals into smaller pieces and add less rather than more at thin trace.
Carolyn

thank for the suggestion! ive never worked with Calendula so i will definatelly take your advice. the petals are pretty long.

 

[Jamison]

Do herbs have to be added at trace? What happens if it's done earlier?

/I searched and read many threads on this

 

[penelopejane]

Most of them go brown (no matter when you add them) and scratchy and are a huge annoyance to the person who has to clean the shower floor. I suggest you do a small batch first and see how you like it. Even sprinkled on top of soap is a huge annoyance to me.

 

[DeeAnna]

You can add them before trace too -- that works. It's just that you might find it less messy to hand stir the botanicals into the batter after you are done stick blending and coloring.

 

[sue1965]

I agree with DeeAnna. I have used calendula quite a few times. I don't find it to be itchy or annoying, but some people might. I added it after trace and hand stirred it in after adding my fragrance. I also might add that my bars were half soap/half soap/calendula mix. Who knows...mixing through the whole bar might be a bit much.

 

[maya]

If you are going to add the lemongrass, I might consider grinding it into a powder. Lemongrass, I have found, is very scratchy. Calendula, I think, is pretty on top of the soap. It may color your soap yellow-orange on the places it directly touches the soap. You all might infuse the lemongrass or calendula into a base oil and use that to make your soap, although be aware the scent is unlikely to come through.

 

[RobertBarnett]

Why don't you steep them in oil. Put some oil in a smallish crock-pot and let the herb steep in the oil for a few hours and add that. That is what I do as I don't like the scratchy, I don't like the mess in the tub (even when ground) and I don't really like how it makes my soap look.

Robert

 

[Jamison]

I add ground oats and cinnamon. Never had an issue with either of those. But I wanted to experiment with some new ones for a slight color change. My recipe is mostly olive oil and that yellowish color isn't appropriate for all scents.

 

[Obsidian]

I like to add calendula to my oils and stick blend the heck out of it. The blender will chop the petals up quite a lot, makes pretty speckles and its not scratchy at all.

I don't think I'd use the lemongrass at all. If its food quality, you could infuse some OO and use it to cook with. Lemongrass beef is really good.