quick alkanet question

[Hausfrau007]

So I went ahead and ordered some. I can't find any consistent information on making an oil infusion anywhere.... if I infused one tablespoon in one pound of olive oil, does that sound right?

And once it's done (I'm just going to leave the concoction on the counter for a few weeks), I'll use something like 10% of total oil weight to colour the batch? I don't want any coloured lather or stain my carrera marble shower interior....

This is sort of the summary of what I just read through in 20 minutes on the internet.

 

[green soap]

I use 1/2 cup in a quart of oil, so you can figure out an equivalency if you weight the alkanet root herb. At that strength I would use 10% of my soap oil as infused alkanet oil for a dark purple.

 

[Hausfrau007]

Okay! That's a good answer. Thanks for that.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

I have infused it at a rate of 1 oz of Alkanet Root to 1 qt (32 oz) of Olive Oil...this was NOT powdered Alkanet, but cut and sifted. I substituted 6 oz of the infused mixture for 6 oz of my Olive Oil. I got a medium to dark purple.
I use the powder at about 1 tsp ppo in my oils (stick blended) before adding my lye solution. The first picture below shows after 2 weeks cure, it did lighten up just a bit to a medium purple (a little brighter, maybe) after 6 weeks.
I got deep purple, almost black from 1 Tbs ppo, and still no bleeding of color with lather. In the second picture below, it's still just as dark months later, but maybe just a tad "purplier".
[attachment=1:3n2n9yak]Aquitane_Album.jpg[/attachment:3n2n9yak]

 

[Hausfrau007]

So you just stick blend it in without infusing the oil prior? I've done that with cocoa powder with really good results but thought you had to make an infusion when you use alkanet.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

So you just stick blend it in without infusing the oil prior? I've done that with cocoa powder with really good results but thought you had to make an infusion when you use alkanet.

Yep, as long as its powdered, I just add it to my oils prior to lye...or you can add at trace if its fine enough. I've gotten lighter purple to grayish purple with infusions, varying by how much of the infusion I substitute out for the Olive Oil.

 

[Hausfrau007]

Can I not infuse the alkanet in something like jojoba or avocado oil and add it as a superfat at the end?i would then adjust the lye discount in soapcalc to something like 1%...

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

I've never infused Jojoba oil...it's actually a wax, so I don't know how that would work, but Avocado oil would work.

 

[AngelMomma]

This is just the info I needed as I have just ordered alkanet for my Lavender Rosemary soap. This is the favorite of my youngest and I need to make it 'Pretty' all the way around Look & Smell As I am just trying to make a light lavender I guess I will infuse an oil to use as SF to add a bit at trace.

I bought Cut & Sifted.....probably will infuse into Avocado Oil. I will just have to be careful so I don't get it too dark.