Lye mix liquid replacement?

[marciab80]

Newbie question
can I mix my lye with juice or tea instead of water?

 

[jcandleattic]

You can, but it will likely turn brown and the sugars in the juice will make the soap batter move pretty quickly, and it will not retain any of its color or properties.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

tea instead of water?

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/thats-just-my-cup-o’-tea.85705/https://www.magstatt.com/?p=669And don't miss @Peachy Clean Soap, our local Earl Grey soap evangelist!

 

[dibbles]

@ResolvableOwl that rooibos tea soap is one of my all time favorites. Thank you for posting it.

 

[marciab80]

thats beautiful. thank you

Ok so lets say that I discount the water in the lye. at what moment do I add the juice to complete the missing water? at trace?

 

[ResolvableOwl]

To have some juice and “water discount” (= high lye concentration), you'd have to dissolve the NaOH directly into the juice.
Except for nasty fragrances, I'm not aware of any addition that is advantageous to be done at trace.

 

[KudzuGoddess]

I make my lye solution by substituting carrot juice for the water in one my most popular soaps. It comes out an incredible yolky yellow even though it starts orange, stays orange in the batter, you would swear that this is going to be an orange soap, but then it settles into this perfect, bright yellow. The first time I did it I mixed the lye with water and only a little juice but the color was just a sad pastel yellow. Now it's a crowd fav, can never make enough of it. I am eager to try other juices now. I am sure that someone here has probably experimented with them all!

 

[ResolvableOwl]

That's one exclamation mark of an orange-yellow soap! No wonder it's popular.
Does it stain? Unfortunately soaps with other carotenoids (coloured with red palm oil or annatto) do.

(OT: Cheese made from milk with some carrot juice added, becomes pink)

 

[KudzuGoddess]

That's one exclamation mark of an orange-yellow soap! No wonder it's popular.
Does it stain? Unfortunately soaps with other carotenoids (coloured with red palm oil or annatto) do.

(OT: Cheese made from milk with some carrot juice added, becomes pink)

Thanks! I haven't had any trouble with staining but good to know it happens with the other ones. Great tip!

 

[Cannon1227]

I make my lye solution by substituting carrot juice for the water in one my most popular soaps. It comes out an incredible yolky yellow even though it starts orange, stays orange in the batter, you would swear that this is going to be an orange soap, but then it settles into this perfect, bright yellow. The first time I did it I mixed the lye with water and only a little juice but the color was just a sad pastel yellow. Now it's a crowd fav, can never make enough of it. I am eager to try other juices now. I am sure that someone here has probably experimented with them all!

Does the carrot juice have a fragrance to it?

 

[KudzuGoddess]

Does the carrot juice have a fragrance to it?

No fragrance, well it smells like carrot of course but that doesn't come through. I use a 5fold lemon combo.

 

[marciab80]

I make my lye solution by substituting carrot juice for the water in one my most popular soaps. It comes out an incredible yolky yellow even though it starts orange, stays orange in the batter, you would swear that this is going to be an orange soap, but then it settles into this perfect, bright yellow. The first time I did it I mixed the lye with water and only a little juice but the color was just a sad pastel yellow. Now it's a crowd fav, can never make enough of it. I am eager to try other juices now. I am sure that someone here has probably experimented with them all!

I made a carrot soap on my first attempt at making soap, its the orange one in the picture. I used purê instead of juice.

 

[Michelle0803]

I make my lye solution by substituting carrot juice for the water in one my most popular soaps. It comes out an incredible yolky yellow even though it starts orange, stays orange in the batter, you would swear that this is going to be an orange soap, but then it settles into this perfect, bright yellow. The first time I did it I mixed the lye with water and only a little juice but the color was just a sad pastel yellow. Now it's a crowd fav, can never make enough of it. I am eager to try other juices now. I am sure that someone here has probably experimented with them all!

That is a beautiful soap!