lavendar buds in cold process
- Thread starter Hunnybees
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Previous thread on the forum for you to read - https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/to-keep-lavender-on-top-of-soap-purple.33610/
A lot of people think that dried lavender on soap looks like mouse poo.
Carly B
Well-Known Member
Totally normal for most plant items added or on top. They all turn brown. They also leave a mess in the shower or tub.
Yeah...that’s why haven’t used any botanicals or coffee grounds or oatmeal or a host of other things. Bad enough if you;re taking a shower, but what about a bath? I do use three coffee beans on my Chocolate Espresso Soap and remind folks to take them off the first time they use it and no, you can’t eat them.
I do use oatmeal, pumice, poppy seeds and coffee. They are finely ground or really small and don't leave a mess. Otherwise, no botanicals or other stuff in my soaps. I cringe when I see stuff on soaps and automatically think of the mess they will leave.
Carl
Well-Known Member
I use Lavender flowers just like the one in the pictures and everyone seems to love it.
I also use dried mint leaves in one of mine (the one from the spice section in the market)
I also use dried mint leaves in one of mine (the one from the spice section in the market)
I think many buyers probably think larger botanical pieces on/in soap are pretty ... the first time. But I bet many people feel differently the second time. If they buy another bar, it's for an impulse gift (let someone else think "awww how pretty" and then deal with the chunks!) or to use as a scented decoration. I think some soap makers tell buyers to cut off the decorated tops before first use, but that seems such a waste -- shouldn't a consumer get full use of the soap?
I once bought a bar of handmade soap that, in hindsight, I think had large chunks of oatmeal in it. I thought it looked nicely rustic and textured when I bought it. In use, the chunks were hard and rough against my skin as the surrounding soap wore away. I used so little of the bar and had such an unpleasant time when I did, I never did decide if the actual soap was good or not. So much for cute looking soap -- learned my lesson!
I once bought a bar of handmade soap that, in hindsight, I think had large chunks of oatmeal in it. I thought it looked nicely rustic and textured when I bought it. In use, the chunks were hard and rough against my skin as the surrounding soap wore away. I used so little of the bar and had such an unpleasant time when I did, I never did decide if the actual soap was good or not. So much for cute looking soap -- learned my lesson!
I always cringe when I see soap makers using whole star anise in the tops of their soaps. Sure, they look pretty but...... ow!!
Claire Huddle
Active Member
Sheesh, I wish I had seen this 2 days ago. I wouldn't have blown a whole 4 US dollars on dried lavender! I hadn't even thought about the mess in the shower. So much to learn, thank goodness for this forum! 
I learned that botanical lesson the hard way by using it on my own soaps and then ended up getting a clogged drain from it. So no more botanicals for me. I will use colloidal oatmeal, poppy seeds, or coffee inside the soap but I don't put any calendula or lavender or anything like that on the tops. When I saw bars made like that I thought oh how cool but then I washed with a bar and there were flower petals stuck all over my shower after the first wash. I've seen some bars with a huge pile of calendula on them and it makes me cringe now because of the mess they make.
Someone gave me a bar with lavender buds in it. I loved the way it looked, but in the shower it was a mess. What didn't end up in the shower base, ended up snagged in my washcloth. And I had to pick out every single one of them as they wouldn't wash out in the laundry. Undeterred, I decided to use my coffee grinder to make a fine dust out of the buds. There was absolutely no scent of lavender in the soap, although my kitchen smelled nice for the rest of the day. The soap turned an ugly grayish brown and got browner as it solidified. When cut the center was gray that turned brown after it dried a bit. I thought maybe it would smell nice in the shower when wet, but no such luck. That was my last test on lavender buds...and anything else, too!
Obsidian
Well-Known Member
my first anise soap had whole star anise on it. Looked very pretty but was a nightmare and I shoved them down in the soap so far, they couldn't be removed. never again.
artemis
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Sheesh, I wish I had seen this 2 days ago. I wouldn't have blown a whole 4 US dollars on dried lavender! I hadn't even thought about the mess in the shower. So much to learn, thank goodness for this forum!
I sometimes like to add a little dried lavender to my loose tea. It's especially nice in a "sleepy tea" of chamomile and peppermint leaves.
I love lavender sachets and also put them in my closets and on window sills, etc. They are said to keep spiders away and since I have been doing that, I don't see many spiders inside my house.Sheesh, I wish I had seen this 2 days ago. I wouldn't have blown a whole 4 US dollars on dried lavender! I hadn't even thought about the mess in the shower. So much to learn, thank goodness for this forum!
