Teach Soap

I wanted to make a soap with Chamomile in it, but in my search, have found that it is VERY VERY expensive. Is there a good Chamomile EO that won't break the bank? Or how hard is it to make your own? And how would you do that. Could what you make yourself be used in MP soaps?

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JKM Creative Enterprises

Yes, it's very expensive. BrambleBerry has both EO or FO. The FO is very good. http://www.brambleberry.com/Chamomile-C ... P3363.aspx

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I use the FO from BB, and agree with Soapbuddy, it is very good.

edited to add: a friend of mine has an herb still and I asked him about making Chamomile EO for me. He laughed at me and said "I'll get right on it and you'll have enough EO to put in soap in about 3 years." I guess that's why it's so expensive

Could you make your soap with chamomile infused oil?
Infusing your own oils isn't too hard.

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If you want the healing properties you will need to use the EO or an infusion of the flower/herb. To make a strong infusion use 1/4 cup dried herb to 1 cup boiling water. Just pour the hot water over the herb and cover -so that while it steeps so that it holds in the vapors. Leave sit for at least 30 min, strain and use with two days.
If you want to infuse oil you can make a home version of an essential oil by putting the herb (about 3 cups of herb to 1/2 cup of oil) into a glass jar and slightly bruising the herb in order to initiate the infusion. Then (barely) cover the herb with the carrier oil of choice. You may need slightly more or less than the 1/2 cup, but use the least amount that you can get by with, so that you will have a strong, essential oil type of infusion. Cap your jar, shake it for minute or two, then put it away in a dark, cool place. Take it out once a day to shake it for 1-2 minutes, then put it back. Do this for a month, then strain the solids from the oil. Throw away the solids and bottle the oil. The oil will remain good for a year to year and a half if it is stored out of the sun and in a cool place. Because of its strength you can further dilute this infusion with more carrier oil and still retain its beneficial properties.
If you want a fast infusion method, heat the oil to where it is hot (do not let it get to the boiling stage) and follow the steeping directions for water. Make sure to cover it while it steeps and throw out the solids. They are not good for reuse.
Allspice, cloves, geranium, ginger, grapefruit (the peel), lavender, orange (the peel), rose (petals only) rosemary (the plant portion), thyme and others are all very good when infused. Have fun!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Soap is a wash off product. I doubt you would get much therapeutic properties from infused chamomile. Why not use the infused oil in some balm or a lotion bar?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Tis true, you would get better results from using herbs and EO's in lotions and balms, but, even with a wash off product, you get some of the benefits, especially from the ones with anti-itch and soothing properties.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Agreed!

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JKM Creative Enterprises

I get my chamomile flowers from SF Herb Co. http://www.sfherb.com/

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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JKM Creative Enterprises

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

yvw, I love anything to do with herbs!
While I grow and dehydrate my chamomile, they can be purchased at mountainrose.com and organiccreations.com and I am pretty sure BB has them too! Good luck!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

I also make Chamomile soap with the oil made from fresh pounded and ground chamomile flowers and leave and Olive oil, the distilled water infusion, and I dry my leaves and flowers, and grind them into a powder.
When making my batch I put 50%50 Distilled water and chamomile infusion, replace 1 oz of Olive oil with the chamomile oil, and 1/2 a teaspoon of chamomile powder at trace. Several months on and the smell is still devine. The soap is wonderful on the skin, and very calming to aggrivated skin.
Good luck with your soap, I just love chamomile, it's a wonderful fragrance.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy