Mixing natural colors/gelling goat milk and purple?

[Tee]

Hi...newbie here. I have a two-fold (or 10 fold LOL)question. I want to attempt to make a white goats milk soap (main portion) with purple swirls (small portion). I have infused olive oil with alkanet root. I understand that when using color infused oils, I will substitute that for plain oil. However, I dont want the entire batch to be purple, so my first question is do I make 2 batches, one using the alkanet infused Olive oil and then a 2nd batch of white? Or can I divide the one big batch (75/25) and add a small amount of the color infused oil to a portion of the batch? If so at what rate (how much oil)? will this be superfating? If this is the case, should I not superfat the master batch? Should I increase the amount of alkanet root in the olive oil for a deeper color before adding?
I would prefer to only make one batch and divide the battter, and dye half of the batch purple.

After this is decided..do i get or not? I typically do not gel my goats milk soap to achieve white (i make this at room temp), however, this is going to also have the alkanet root oil, which I would think needs to be gelled. Any experience NOT gelling soap with alkanet root infused oil? What is the outcome of the purple when not gelled.

My head is spinning from all of the factors but at the same time Im addicted like a junkie! LOL thanks for any advice and help!!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I haven’t used alkanet, but based on other plant infusions I’ve used and all the photos I’ve seen of alkanet gone bad, I recommend that you make two batches. Depending on how strong your infusion is, you may need to use 10 or 15% of the infusion as a percentage of the total oils. That’s too much to add as a superfat, if you’re aiming for 5% SF. Alkanet can turn out grey if you don’t use enough.

 

[cmzaha]

Purple mica is so much easier to work with I never ended up with a pretty color using alkanet so I gave up using it years ago. I would only make one batch and divide off the batter. Since I have no idea how much infused oil will need to use I have no advice to offer.

 

[Dawni]

Maybe reverse the coloring process? I mean.... Make the whole batch purple, that way you can use the max amount possible of your infused oil, and then separate some amount and color that white with titanium dioxide or zince oxide.

It's what I do in my HP soaps that aren't gonna have fancy multicolor swirls. Maybe it'll work for CP too?

Can't help with goat milk as I've never used it, and not with gelling either lol coz HP ensures all my soaps are gelled hehe

 

[Tee]

Purple mica is so much easier to work with I never ended up with a pretty color using alkanet so I gave up using it years ago. I would only make one batch and divide off the batter. Since I have no idea how much infused oil will need to use I have no advice to offer.

Thank you! My goal is stay all natural..so no micas (which is complicating the already complicated!)

 

[Dawni]

Yeah.. Micas will make it easy lol but I'm having fun with natural colorants for now.

Just remember "all" natural is a very complicated thing lol.......

 

[earlene]

Have you already infused the OO with the alkanet? If not, I'd suggest adding the alkanet to the lye solution for a stronger color. I have had good results with a very deep purple using alkanet in lye solution. But also got a deep purple when adding lots of powder to the batter. But it took a lot to get the purple. When I used only a little, I got grey.

You certainly can divide the batter into 75/25 percentages, but here is how I would suggest doing it:

Measure all your oils EXCEPT the Olive oils and mix the other oils. THEN separate the batter into your 75/25 portions into different containers.
Divide your cooled lye solution into 75/25 portions as well.
Measure your OO in 75/25 portions, where 25 is the Alkanet infused OO.
Add all your ingredients together in the indicated proportions (75's together; 25's together). This way you have your white portion (75) and your purple portion (25) easy peasy.

I would not expect a deep purple from an oil infusion of alkanet, and it could very well turn grey, but with luck you will get a pretty pastel purple. I am looking forward to your results!

 

[szaza]

Alkanet is a tricksy one for sure.. that color has given me the most trouble until now.
I tried gelling at low temp with goat's milk and got grey, also tried not gelling with wine soap and got a light pink.
I typically make infusions with a ratio of 1:15 powder to oils and use the infusion at 15% of total oils.
If you really want to try it, I would suggest trying out a small batch with alkanet infusion at 20-30% and pop into the freezer to prevent gel.
Let us know how it goes!