Now that you have your infusions ready to go…let’s make some soap!

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New to making soap? Check out our free cold process soap making guide or basic soapmaking eBook.

Using your infused oils for coloring soap is easy to do.  In this tutorial we’ll make a solid colored soap using alkanet infused olive oil.

To use an infused oil to color a solid soap you will simply use the infusion for all or part of the olive oil in your recipe.  The amount will vary by infusion.  When using alkanet I like to stay between 5% and 15% infused oil of total oils.  This recipe has a total of 32 oz of oil.  We’ll use 3 oz infused oil for color which is about 9% of total oils.

The recipe:

  • Palm kernel oil – 8 oz
  • Coconut oil – 3 oz
  • Shea butter – 2 oz
  • Olive oil – 7 oz
  • Alkanet infused olive oil – 3 oz
  • Apricot kernel oil – 3 oz
  • Sunflower oil – 6 oz
  • Lye – 4.56 oz
  • Water – 9 oz

Be sure to gear up in goggles and gloves when working with lye.

Make your lye solution and set it to the side to cool down.  Measure out the palm kernel, coconut and shea butter and melt.

Once the solid oils/butters are melted add the liquid oils.  Be sure to add 3 oz infused olive oil and 7 oz plain olive oil.

Add your lye water, bring the soap to trace and pour into your mold.

I have noticed that with most natural colorants you get more vibrant colors if the soap goes through gel phase.  But you can experiment with gelling or not gelling.

When using some natural colorants such as alkanet or annatto you run the risk of using to much that it colors the suds of the soap.  I was worried that this soap would have colored suds since it came out so dark but it actually didn’t!  Whew!

Let your soap sit overnight for 24 hours. Unmold, cut and cure your soap for 4 weeks.

Happy Soaping!

– Amanda

P.S. Are you looking for added help when it comes to coloring your soap using natural herbs and spices? Check out Natural Soap Color by Jo Haslauer.

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