Natural Additives for Soaping

I began this list in my Soap Diary a long, long time ago which started as a natural additive list, but sort of developed into everything you can throw into Cold Process Soap list! Lots of items you may need to grow or purchase, some you will have in your kitchen pantry, others you may already have in your store cupboard for lotions and soaping. Herbs are often purchased for cooking, and so are to hand ready and dry for soaping!

Although these organic materials can be used for colour and/or texture, results will vary depending on the pH and/or your experience level. I love swirling my soap, but just take a look at those fabulous logs of soap at the top of this page made by Raindrops on Roses - Wholesalers of Quality Soap in London and you will see how natural materials can look totally gorgeous in your soap! And these are all totally hand poured and hand decorated by Tricia - totally awesome!

Regarding how much to use - this is a personal decision, but there are broad guidelines we can offer. The best way is always to do a small trial, use the product, assess it and then adjust as you feel.

Clays - Lots of options and different effects:

French Clays - Green, Pink, Yellow, White Kaolin
Aussie Spa Minerals and Clays - White, Golden
Rhassoul - absorbs lots of water - don't discount water, best swirled through cold process soap
Bentonite - great in shaving soap
Brazilian Clays - Purple, Yellow, Pink, Green, Vanilla
Mediterranean Clays - Caramel, Chocolate, Dusky Pink, Sea Clay

Activated Charcoal - for a natural black colourant or cleansing: 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon per kilo soap

Pantry

Oats - Oatmeal, Oatbran, Steel Cut Oats, Oat Silc, Colloidal Oatmeal
Teas - Green Black, Herbal - either as an infusion or dried as exfoliant
Wheat Bran, Wheatgerm: 2 teaspoons - 1 tablespoon per kilo of soap
Rice - ground in coffee grinder to powder, Rice Bran:
Polenta - fine and coarse - for scrubbiness
Nuts - ground - almonds, hazelnuts, peanut paste, or even macadamias!
Sago - for decorating the top of slabs and logs
Tapioca - small coloured or white (from Asian supermarkets)
Seaweed (for sushi cooks) - grind or chop finely
Honey - liquid, keep to a maximum of 2 tablespoons per kilo of oils and don't insulate
Beer - use as part of liquid content and combine in thinly traced soap, don't over-insulate
Lentils - either soak or cook, and use the water. I've not tried the actual cooked lentils mashed in soap yet, but they are used instead of shampoo in India
Poppy Seeds - not too many or they can be quite scratchy
Coconut - dessicated - for scrubby texture or as a surface decoration
Coffee - either as coffee grounds, for scrubbiness, or even instant, concentrated for colour
V8 and Tomato Juice - for an orange/pinkish coloured soap
Peach/apricot Nectar
Chocolate! - yes, it might be considered a waste, but it is a nice authentic touch
Cocoa - easier to part with than chocolate bars!
Coconut Milk – from Asian Grocery Stores or Coles etc. Add as per Buttermilk instructions
Buttermilk - reserve and warm some of the water content, and dissolve approximately 1-2 tablespoons per cup warm/hot water per kilo oils. Blast with stick blender to remove any little lumps. Add at trace. *If you add too much, can cause speckling
Coconut Milk Powder - from the supermarket or Asian grocery store
Goatsmilk - fresh from the supermarket, or powdered goatsmilk
Yoghurt Powder
Honey Powder - hydrate with milk or water and add at trace

Dried Herbs - either dried as Texture, or Infused into Tea for their properties

Mints - spearmint and peppermint, others if you have them growing such as Eau de Cologne, Choc Mint etc
Parsley - for colour/texture
Calendula petals - both infused and for decoration
Comfrey leaves - best infused in oil for its healing properties, particularly in garden soaps
Rosemary - grind it nice and fine or it is very scratchy
Dill - infused you can get a nice green oil
Turmeric - not a favourite as dirty nappy colour is often the result!
Paprika - I prefer this to be infused, as used in strength for colour, can cause irritation
Alkanet Root - infuse dried Powder in oil and achieve anything from pale blue/lavender to rich burgundy
Sandalwood Powder - don't use too much or it can be sensitising
Annatto Infusion - infuse in oil for a rich orange colour
Madder Root - for reddish/pink colour
Indigo Blue Powder - for an indigo blue colour
Saffron Powder - lovely golden yellow colour
Woad - if you can find it - quite costly though
Lavender Flowers - dried, ground is best (NOT WHOLE - these produce the "mouse dropping look" after a month or so!)
Lemon Myrtle Leaves - grind really finely
Rooibos Tea - for golden brown colour

Refrigerator

Dairy goods for soap making

Goats Milk - all time favourite, and our signature soap
Cows Milk - allow to curdle by adding hot, stick blend and have naturally coloured caramel soap
Cream - add at trace
Sour Cream - add at trace
Yoghurt - add at trace
Leftover vegetable/fruit juices - add at early trace as part of water content
Soy milk - add at trace as part of water content

Fresh Fruit & Veggies - for Cold Process Soap (fresh produce will mould quickly in Melt and Pour Soap)

Cucumber - remove seeds and blend (or use stick blender) add skin and all at early trace as part of water content
Bananas - mashed - also good in Solid Shampoo Bars - add at early trace as part of water content
Carrots - either cooked and mashed/sieved or buy baby carrots in a tin
Avocado - mashed, not a personal favourite, but can be added
Strawberries - won't stay red, but nice to have with Yogurt/Cream and Strawberry Fragrance
Melon - just the juice - nice with the right fragrance for an authentic touch
Tomato - juiced/sieved - add at early trace as part of water content
Pumpkin - cooked and mashed - add at early trace as part of water content, scented with Cinnamon EO
Citrus zest/peel - grate and either air dry, or slowly oven dry
Fresh Peaches - remove stone and blend (or use stick blender) add at early trace as part of water content

And the usual soapy suspects for exfoliating.......

TIP: Invest in a coffee grinder, as it will make light work of so many chunky ingredients and make them easy to prepare for your soaping!