Coloring Soap Naturally Using Common Ingredients

I am a purist at heart.  I make soap because I do not like all the chemicals, dyes, and preservatives that are in store bought soap.  So, why I ask myself would I consider using chemicals to dye my soap? Well, the easy answer is its pretty. I do not usually use any colors at all, but I do get tired of the tans, creams, and browns that occur naturally. They are beautiful but sometimes the girl in me would like a bit more color in my life.  So I set out to find natural colors.  I found that many of the natural colorants were hard to find and expensive.  So I did a lot of research and experimentation and found that the stuff I had in my kitchen would work just fine.  Some things you might not have around, but it is easy to find and cheap.  Here is the list I put together.

Greens

Alfalfa Powder

Cucumber (Blend it including peel)

Parsley

Peppermint

Sage

Spinach

Stevia Powder

Yellows

Annatto Seed

Calendula Petals

Carrot  Juice

Curry Powder

Gound Mustard

Tumeric

Oranges

Cayenne

Orange Peel

Paprika

Tomato Puree

Browns

Cinnamon

Coffee

Cocoa

Chocolate

Purple/Blue

Alkanet

Blackberries

Red/Pink

Rose Hip Powder

The Easiest Cold Processed Soap I Ever Made

    The first soap that anyone should attempt to create should be simple.  It should have very few ingredients, and those ingredients should be as inexpensive as possible.  Soap making is a science, measuring accurately and following a recipe is foolproof.  Well, not really foolproof.  Soap making may be a science, but it is also an art.  It took me a few tries to perfect even this simple recipe.  So if you are interested in soap making try this recipe.  It is the first soap I ever made.

Basic Soap
48oz Crisco or other vegetable shortening
6oz Food Grade Sodium Hydroxide Lye Micro Beads, 2 Lbs. (Buy 5 get 5 off)
15oz  distilled water

Create using standard cold process procedure.
1) Melt the shortening and cool to 100 degrees
2) Mix the lye into the cold water then cool to 100 degrees
3) Mix the lye solution into the oil and mix with stick blender until "trace", it will look similar to pudding.
4) Pour into mold and cover. Wait 24 hours.
5) You should be able to unmold and cut your soap at this point.

** You could use fragrance oil in this soap at the rate of 1/2 oz per pound.
***This recipe makes great laundry soap bars. Just follow my instructions on making laundry soap.

How to Make Cold Processed Soap

     Making your own homemade soap is not only providing your family with a great natural product, but it is also really addictive.  I love making soap. The only thing I love more is teaching other people how to make soap for themselves.  So I am going to try and teach you how to make a very basic soap. It is really simple.

**Always wear disposable gloves to protect your hands, sodium hydroxide is dangerous.
**Keep vinegar around to neutralize the sodium hydroxide (lye)


Step 1
              Measure your water and lye accurately.

Step 2    Mix the lye into the water, carefully.  This solution will get very hot and will burn you badly if it gets on your skin.  Use the vinegar if you spill on yourself..

Step 3     Measure you solid oils, (coconut oil, shortening, palm oil, shea butter, etc.) and melt in stainless steel pan over low heat.  Remove from heat when barely melted.

Step 4     Measure liquid oils, (olive, sweet almond, castor, apricot kernal, etc. ) and mix with melted solid oils.

Step 5     Allow all oils and sodium hydroxide (lye) solution to reach the same (100 degrees) temperature.

Step 6     Mix the lye solution into the oils.  Stir with stainless steel wisk or stick blender until soap reaches trace, (trace is when the soap becomes a pudding like consistency)  You will know that it has traced when a drizzle over the surface will set on top of the soap and not sink down inside.  Add any additives ( fragrance, herbs, etc.)

Step 7     Pour soap into a prepared mold ( anything will do, I have used pvc, a new kitty litter box, disposable rubbermade containers, soap molds, wooden molds).  If you use a plastic type mold make sure you spray it with Pam. If you use wood make sure you line it with waxed paper, a white garbage bag, or butcher paper.

Step 8     Place a cover over the soap and insulate with a warm blanket. If you use wood it usually does not need to be insulated.

Step 9     You can unmold in 24 hours.

Step 10    Cut into bars and allow to cure for 4-6 weeks.

Step 11    Enjoy great natural soap that you made yourself.

High Grade Sodium Hydroxide Lye Micro Beads, 2 Lbs. (Buy 5 get $15 off)
GARDEN BUG SOAP BARS Animal Soap Mold

LARGE LOAF Miscellaneous Candy Mold Chocolate