Fragrancing Advice Needed

[bubblefan]

I am planning on making a green tea and ginger soap with dried lemon peel. I would really like to use powdered ginger for my fragrance, but I don't know if it will work, or if it will be an irritant. Any advice?

Thanks!!!

 

[dagmar88]

hi bubblefan

here they do use gingerroot, if i'm not mistaking, maybe a little inspiration? :wink:

http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/02559?expand=Bath

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Aesop_Ginger_Root ... ductdetail

http://islandthyme.com/Merchant2/mercha ... _Code=S-GR

http://fetosoap.com/shop/index.php?main ... cts_id=235

http://www.lilygulchsoaps.com/store/Gin ... 16158.html

gingerroot powder would make a nice addition, but is not used as a fragance on its own; more for having something special, and for the texture of the soap

suggestions:
-make a soap with frozen ginger ale instead of water to make the lye.
(freeze it, because otherwise it would get to hot)
-the following scents work well with gingerrootpowder: all citrus scents, gingerbread, all spice.

good luck, and please post your results at the gallery

dagmar

 

[Healinya]

Using ginger ale sounds interesting. I would think you should get it as flat as it can be tho before mixing with lye. Also, just a side note.. most ginger ale does not contain actual ginger anymore. I have found it occasionally, but only in the store brands or organic health food stores.

 

[carebear]

be careful using soda for your liquid - sugar can cause issues such as overheating and can also cause a lye volcano if you are not cautious.

 

[dagmar88]

so, put your glasses on, your 'lyemixingbowl' in the sink, freeze your ginger ale and let's get started
@healinya; bubblefan wanted to use ground ginger, so why should the ale contain real ginger it's just for the fun, and the scent.

 

[bubblefan]

Thanks for the links, Dagmar....some of those soaps sound yummy!

I was actually thinking of using green tea instead of water, but I'm concerned that it may change color. Since it's a powdered tea I'm now planing on adding it at trace along with the ground ginger.

I will gladly post the results.

 

[bassgirl]

I made a tea soap yesterday. I had two family sized teabags of a homemade herbal tea mix which smelled great. I steeped one bag and used it instead of water. It smelled pretty bad after it mixed with the lye. Then I added the dry contents of the other bag at trace, along with spearmint and lemon EO's. It was, indeed, brown, but not in a bad way. Just peeked and it still smells fairly bad! I thought I read that someone had done this and it smelled bad at first, but then smelled OK later. I sure hope that happens to this batch, or it's toast! I don't know what when wrong!

 

[lilygulchsoaps]

I made a tea soap yesterday. I had two family sized teabags of a homemade herbal tea mix which smelled great. I steeped one bag and used it instead of water. It smelled pretty bad after it mixed with the lye. Then I added the dry contents of the other bag at trace, along with spearmint and lemon EO's. It was, indeed, brown, but not in a bad way. Just peeked and it still smells fairly bad! I thought I read that someone had done this and it smelled bad at first, but then smelled OK later. I sure hope that happens to this batch, or it's toast! I don't know what when wrong!

I usually only add the dry tea to my superfatting/essential oil mix at trace. I always steep the tea leaves in the oil mixture for several days, covered, before adding the entire mixture, including tea leaves, to the soap mixture. This helps softens the leaves and pulls more scent from the tea. If you don't want the exfoliating texture of tea leaves in your soap, then strain the mixture before adding at trace. This method seems to preserve the scent of the tea being used, although it still colors the soap much darker green/brown, depending upon the type of tea used. I use a natural jasmine green and white tea to help enhance the scent of my Jasmine Soap. When I've added tea to the lye mixture, the high temps tended to change the delicate tea scent somewhat.

 

[beadella]

I have yet to make my first bar of soap, so take this advice for what it is worth, but how about ginger tea that you can make just by steeping ginger root or ginger powder in hot water for about 30 minutes?? That would eliminate the possible prob that you could get from sugar or unknown ingredients in gingerale (even the organic stuff).

Just a suggestion.................

 

[bassgirl]

I usually only add the dry tea to my superfatting/essential oil mix at trace. I always steep the tea leaves in the oil mixture for several days, covered, before adding the entire mixture, including tea leaves, to the soap mixture. This helps softens the leaves and pulls more scent from the tea. If you don't want the exfoliating texture of tea leaves in your soap, then strain the mixture before adding at trace. This method seems to preserve the scent of the tea being used, although it still colors the soap much darker green/brown, depending upon the type of tea used. I use a natural jasmine green and white tea to help enhance the scent of my Jasmine Soap. When I've added tea to the lye mixture, the high temps tended to change the delicate tea scent somewhat.

Thanks for the input! How much of the tea/oil mixture can you add at trace?

 

[lilygulchsoaps]

I usually only add the dry tea to my superfatting/essential oil mix at trace. I always steep the tea leaves in the oil mixture for several days, covered, before adding the entire mixture, including tea leaves, to the soap mixture. This helps softens the leaves and pulls more scent from the tea. If you don't want the exfoliating texture of tea leaves in your soap, then strain the mixture before adding at trace. This method seems to preserve the scent of the tea being used, although it still colors the soap much darker green/brown, depending upon the type of tea used. I use a natural jasmine green and white tea to help enhance the scent of my Jasmine Soap. When I've added tea to the lye mixture, the high temps tended to change the delicate tea scent somewhat.

Thanks for the input! How much of the tea/oil mixture can you add at trace?

For an 8 lb. batch, at trace I add a mixture of 2 ounces superfatting oils like sweet almond oil, olive oil, shea butter, etc., 2 ounces essential oil and 2 TB of finely ground tea or ginger powder, in this case. The fine grind releases more scent and makes it less textured. Of course, you can add only 1 TB if you want a less exfoliating soap. Ginger powder is very fine and doesn't usually add too much texture. If you plan to strain the mixture first and not add botanicals to the soap mixture, then you can increase the amount of tea or ginger powder to steep in the oil for a stronger scent.

 

[GrumpyOldWoman]

I've soaped grated fresh ginger root and green tea infusion (in separte batchs, the ginger root batch was made with powdered citrus zest)

Unfortunately the scent doesn't come thru in the finished soap You'll need to use some FO/EO.

 

[dagmar88]

@ grumpyoldwoman (are you really??? )

that's true, i don't know of any herb that leaves a strong enough scent; but it's nice to experiment a little :wink: and most people like it a lot when you add special stuff; makes your soap stand out a little.

dagmar

 

[bubblefan]

You all are great! So helpful.

So, I've reformulated my plan and now I think I'll try infusing one of my superfatting oils with fresh ginger, add the green tea powder at trace, and use water with the lye so as to avoid any sort of lye-sugar volcano that the ginger ale might cause.

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Very Happy

 

[lilygulchsoaps]

To Bassgirl and Bubblefan!

I buy various ginger essential oils and ginger powder from www.fromnaturewithlove.com The fresh ginger from Indonesia smells just like fresh ginger root. The ginger from China has a more earthy ginger aroma. I highly recommend experimenting with a ginger essential oil for your soap. Even in small amounts, it really gives some zip to the soap blend.

D'Anna

 

[dagmar88]

hi bubblefan
sounds great, are you going to use a scent?
can't wait to see your results
dagmar