What's Up Wednesday-Coloring Soaps Naturally

One of the aspects of my soaps that I love and am truly proud of, is the fact that all the coloring is accomplished by using natural colorants. That is to say, their coloring is achieved solely by the natural oil color(s) and the addition of various herbs, spices and flora. Since I am preparing to begin this year's 30 soaps in 30 days (as opposed to last year's 100 soaps in 100 days), I thought I would share some of the ways you can accomplish color without using lab colors, micas or the like. Some may even surprise you!

Remember, to understand coloring in your soap pot, nothing works better than trial and error! Some things will morph due to the PH level, and others will just simply not be the color you would expect. For example, hibiscus is a lovely color, but in cp soap it comes out a ruddy, muddy graysh color. Now in melt and pour it is pretty and what you would expect. Same goes with beet root powder, it appears that it should give you a nice reddish/pinkish coloring, but it doesn't. It gives you ugly, muggly beigish to brownish instead.  And while we are at it, cranberry fibers don't give you a pretty pink/red either, but rather a tanish color as well. So test them yourself, and don't just trust what the seller says, because I have seen lots of sites say that cranberry powder makes soap a pretty pink!

For yellow and orange coloring, the one I most use is                                                  
Annato Seeds. You can get a full range of yellow and orange from this one seed. But, to use these seeds you must soak/steep them in the oil of your choice, then use the oil to color the soap. You cannot grind the seed and add that to the soap pot.You can begin by adding 2 Tablespoons of the seeds to 6 ounces of warmed oil. Steep this for an hour and then strain it. Use the oil as part of your base oil. If you are making a ten pound batch, this will produce a deep orange color. If you want a yellow/orange you can cut the base oil amount in half and use plain oil for the  other half. If you don't care to use as the base, you can also just use tablespoons of the oil to color part of the batch for swirls. For deeper coloring you can increase the amount of seed steeping in oil, decrease the amount of oil steeping the seeds, or both. You can also lengthen the time frame of the steep. The longer you steep and/or, the more seeds you use and/or, the less oil you use, the deeper the color. Simply reverse the directions to create a lighter colorant. And, if you don't want to use heat, don't. Just cover your seeds with the oil, shake and let steep for at least 8 hours, but preferably a day. However, you will get a better, faster color saturation if you use the heat.  *This picture shows the yellow you can achieve with annato seeds. The orange is very easily conquered, which is why I am showing you the yellow. I usually divide my annato batches by taking some oil out at a low color sat and then steeping more and separating some out and then the final batch is the lengthiest steep with the deepest saturation.

Turmeric, depending on the amount used, will give you a yellow - reddish- to reddish brown coloring, depending upon the amount used. Just make sure that you do not use too much or you may cause the skin some irritation. This soap was made with 1 tablespoon of turmeric in 1/3 of a batch of soap.  About 5 pounds of oils, if I recall correctly. But for a nice yellow, use just 1/4 of a teaspoon per pound of oils at trace.

Calendual Petals- Aside from grinding and steeping the petals for yellow coloring, you can also incorporate the petals on to your soap for an interesting, slightly, soft exfoliating agent. *Calendula was not used as a coloring agent here, but infused oil was used for its healing properties, and on the top for decorative purposes, but it will add a light exfoliation. This bar actually has seeds included in the batter for exfoliation.


Saffron and curry will also give you yellows. While carrots (ground/shredded/baby food- the juice will turn black) and pumpkin (ground) will give you oranges.

Maddar root gives a pink to red, depending on amount used. Mix this with something else, or at different saturation rates, and you can get many different shades.  These bars are colored completely with maddar root , gaining their contrast with differing saturation levels of the maddar (they are topped with cranberry and poppy seeds). You can begin with one tablespoon per pound of oils at trace, and add more or less depending upon the saturation level desired.


Paprica will give you a rather peachy shade, to a melon orange, but you need to infuse this spice and strain it before using. You can add it at trace, using 1/2 to one tablespoon per pound of oils. If you don't infuse and strain it, you will end up with speckles in your soap and it can also cause dryness and/or scratching.


Cinnamon will give you more of a brownish than a reddish shade. However, you must exercise caution with the amount to keep from irritating the skin.

Cochineal is what is used to color Hawaiian Punch, and will work in your soap pot for a nice pink to red as well.

In the proper amounts, the clays will give you their coloring, except for rhassul clay. Rhassul clay usually produces a speckled gray-brown color in soap. If you want red, use your Morrocan Red Clay. And, if you want a lovely red, try mixing the Morrocan red with some Maddar root! If you want green, use your French Green Clay. And for pink, use the Pink Kaolin Clay.

For more herbal, spice and floral coloring, check back on Friday for some more colors, like the ones that are in these bars!

Teaching Tuesday-More Healing Herbs

A few times we have gone over some of the reported healing affects of common herbs and spices. There are so many and this Fallish time of year, my thoughts are always leaning toward the herbs and spices, so here are a few more to add to your cabinet! 




Winter always makes me think of Myrrh, but what is myrrh and what can it be used for? Myrrh is a resin that is highly aromatic. Aside from the luscious scent that it produces, myrrh possesses antiseptic qualities, and is, in fact, found in many commercial toothpastes. As an antiseptic, its tincture is used frequently used to treat canker sores and gum disease, as well as minor cuts. When inhaled, its volatile oil is good for relieving congestion.


Another nice Fall/Winter spice is clove. Cloves are high in antioxidants, and are antiseptic and antispasmodic in nature. Direct use of Clove oil is a safe and effective treatment for toothaches. Additionally, cloves are a proven preservative. A ham studded with cloves will last a few days longer (in the fridge) than one that does not contain the cloves. In South America, people routinely drink clove tea and liquor made from cloves, to fight digestive disorders. Since the main ingredient in cloves is eugenol, it stands to reason that this herb would be useful in combating intestinal problems, as eugenol has been known to kill bacteria and viruses for quite some time. In fact, cloves are known/proven to fight e. coli ,  commonly the cause of "travelers diarrhea". Besides an antispetic, the eugenol in cloves also makes the herb effective as a painkiller. Here in the USA, this generally just means that you will find clove oil as an ingredient in most over-the-counter tooth ache remedies. But in other countries, poultices of clove are often used on the skin for cuts, bites and those sort of problems. Studies have shown that clove oil can help kill several strains of staph, and even one strain of pseudomonas, organisms that can cause skin infections. Aside from utilizing the clove oil, you can also make a paste from ground up cloves and water to use as a poultice. To make clove tea (for intestinal issues), use one teaspoon of powdered cloves per cup of boiling water. Steep for ten to twenty minutes, strain and drink when cool enough.


And, of course, what cool weather herb discussion would be complete without cinnamon? Cinnamon is also an antioxidant, and has antimicrobial properties. In fact, it improves insulin sensitivity while lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. Eating 1/2 of a teaspoon twice a day, before meals, can help to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Cinnamon prevents infections and fights indigestion, and has been used for thousands of years. In fact, it is mentioned by ancient Chinese herbalists as far back as 2700 B.C., and modern day Chinese herbalists still recommend it for fever, diarrhea, and menstrual problems.  Cinnamon not only appears to help diabetics metabolize sugar, but it helps to soothe the stomach lining, suppress the cause of most urinary tract infections (which is e.coli), and the fungus responsible for vaginal yeast infections, cabdida albicans. Because of its tasty and versatile usage, cinnamon is probably the easiest treatment to incorporate into your life.   

Teaching Tuesdays- Spices, Nature's Pharmacy

There are many spices that are known to have medicinal properties. You probably  already know that garlic and ginger benefit your health, but I have a few others you may not know about. ".. Most Americans don't take full advantage of the wonderful world of spices", according to author Bharay Aggarqwal, in his book, Healing Spices. This book highlights 50 different spices that are said to either prevent or heal certain medical conditions and diseases. Following are a few spices that I thought were a bit more "unknown" in regard to their health benefits.

When choosing a Bay leaf, look for the whole ones, and ones that are uniform in size and color, and are free from stems and bark. The darker the coloring, and the larger the leaves, the better. When cooked, the bay leaf releases an array of antioxidants. Bay leaves are a natural medicine for various forms of cancer, arthritis, ulcers, wounds, and even mosquito bites.


Interestingly enough, Cumin, in a study done in India, was found to be as effective as an anti-diabetic drug when given to lab rats. It has also been shown to protect bone health and to help prevent food poisoning. The book recommends  purchasing whole cumin seeds rather than the ground seeds. 


Horseradish is a spice that was actually used as medicine before it was used as a food. It can clear congestion, fight both viruses and bacteria, relax smooth muscles, and reduce inflammation. Aggarwal recommends buying it prepared and preserved in vinegar, although he does say that it won't give you the same zing that fresh horseradish does.  


One very tasty spice that is commonly used, especially in Fall and Winter dishes and drinks, is cinnamon. Cinnamon is another antioxidant with antimicrobial properties. It also improves insulin sensitivity while it lowers cholesterol and triglycerides. 


So try spicing up more of your foods and drinks to put these spices to the test with your numbers! 


***Remember,  you should never quit taking any medications without consulting with your physician. Especially diabetic medications. Doing so could adversely affect your health, and even potentially result in death! 
I recommend routinely adding these spices to your diet, then you and your doctor can compare your (laboratory) blood tests to measure their impact. Together, you and your physician can decide the best plan for you and your health needs.