It’s been a long time since I last made a challenge soap but when I saw that Amy is organizing a challenge concerning natural colorants, I immediately thought that this would be interesting to participate.
The theme was something I love: alternative liquids. So bye-bye water and think of something different to make your soap. I have, during my soap adventures, already tried liquids in soap like: carrot juice , celery juice, pumpkin juice, teas , vegan milks , elderberry juice , kvass , bors and kombucha (fermented beverages). The more challenging was when I made soap out of red cabbage juice , but my favourite ingredients remain the fermented beverages. The soaps is so silky and gets an extra lather, that will make you want to continue using it.
I made several tests using vegetables juices. These are the healthiest thing one can eat, every one knows it, don’t you?
The sweet potatoes aren’t only very delicious and so versatile, but also very healthy containing iron, vitamin D, magnesium and such a great form of beta-carotene, known as a powerful antioxidant (source here ).
The sweet potatoes juice made an interesting yellow colored soap.
Want to get more antioxidants? Then you need to eat paprika. So well known for a glowing skin due to its high level in betacaroten, paprika also have anti-inflammatory properties. Due to their content in capsaicin, they are known to lower blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels. Lots of reason to eat them and, why not, to use them in soap too (source here ).
Red paprika gave a surprising reddish color which I really like. I wasn’t expecting this juice to give such a lovely color (having in my mind the beetroot juice for instance, which becomes green).
The insertions are from an old indigo soap.
I then had the idea of making a soap in the shape of potatoes and also made with potatoes juice in place of water. Potatoes juice is known to be a very good remedy for gastric problems and stomac ulcers. As one of the most alkaline foods, this juice helps to detox your body, bringing lots of benefits due to their rich mineral, potassium and organic salt content. Source to read more here )
Strange color and especially strange flavour (when mixing the juice with lye), so I needed to add some essential oil to this soap. The soap came out interesting as you can see.
Because I had home too many zucchini, I decided quickly to give it a try in soap. Zucchini are high in water content which makes them an excellent snack for those like me who don’t want to put kilo’s on. Loaded with vit. C along with reasonable quantities of potassium, vit. A as well as foliate (source here), zucchini are also known as a versatile vegetable which can be used even in desserts to replace the butter. Cool, isn’t it?
I was surprised how ‘white’ this soap was. For the green part I used moringa powder.
I don’t know how I came up with the idea of making a book soap, but it’s been a while I wanted to give it a try. Maybe because my daughters are very involved in this activity and they come everytime with a new idea for a soap. Anyway, even before starting to make it, I knew this soap would be for my elder sister who is always busy studying …for her master, for her school courses etc (she is a history teacher). Funny was that when I told her that I made a soap in her honour, she immediately asked me’ is this a book soap?” .
This soap contains for 50% light beer and for 50% kombucha instead of water. We all know about how healthy this fermented tea is, but what about beer? Maybe not really healthy, but sometimes good for the moral. Or should I maybe ask my husband ? :). To be honest, I also like to drink it, especially during the holiday. Not only is the beer a stress reducer, but it’s also high in silicon and contains anti-microbial properties. Beer is full of vitamin from the yeast. Unfiltered beer is especially high in B3(cell repair) and B9( acid folic). The source here.
The brown part was colored with walnut shell powder and a little bit of Australian red clay.
I was also willing to make soap using purple carrots juice, but I had to run to pick up the girls from school so I believe this will be for another challenge ;).
Thank you for reading.
Naturelle by Natalia 
I love your creative thinking! Great nutritional info too. Maybe one could cut wavy Potato ‘chips’ for guest soaps? 🙂
Thank you, Eva! Maybe next time 🙂
Very creative!
Thank you, Jolene! I liked your soap too, and you make gorgeous pics!
What a lovely idea, Natalia – and yes, I love the page details too. Vell done 😊
Thank you so much, Yvonne!
Minunata culoarea cu suc de cartof dulce, la fel o surpriza pentru mine si frumosul alb cu suc de dovlecei !
Da, si pentru mine! Multumesc , Geta!
Wow! Your soap is amazing, Natalia! My son is a real bookworm, so I’m sure that he’d love them too!
Debbie, thank you! Yours is just amazing! ❤
Love all your soaps!
Merci ma chère Cannella!
Wow! Each soap is so unique and beautiful. Your book soap is absolutely amazing, your sister is very lucky to receive such a stunningly realistic and gorgeous soap.
Thank you, Monica! ❤
Natalia, you really worked hard and the results of your experiments are very informative. Thank you for sharing them with us! The book soap is indeed a unique idea and I love how you can see the pages! Great job!
Thank you, Maya! I enjoyed trying the juices, yes!
You really tried a lot of different liquids! They all look nice, but I especially like the book soap. I bet your sister loves it!
Thank you, Teressa! I couldn’t decide between the book or the potatoes soap 😉
Wow, Natalia! You really tried a lot of liquids!! I’m especially intrigued by the zucchini soap – it really is white! White potatoes, sweet potatoes…all good stuff! But the book soap is definitely the most impressive design-wise. Really creative!!
Thank you, Amy! I enjoyed this challenge, so thank you for it!
Tu as essayé des choses incroyables! Le jus de pommes de terre!!! Ca ne s oxyde pas trop vite? J adore le résultat avec les courgettes. J essaierais sans doute. Tu as fait un jus que tu as utilisé pour diluer la soude? Le livre est drôle… Bravoure tous ces beaux savons, très tentants!
Oui, j’ai fait les savons avec du jus fait maison (fait directement avant de le mélanger avec la soude). Merci beaucoup pour tes mots gentils!
Wow, this looks great. The book soap is amazing. Stunning detail work.
Thank you! Love your soap too!
So creative! What a neat soap you ended up with!
Thank you, Debi!
I love it :0)
Love all your soaps you made but the book soap is fab! Very unique x
Thank you so much! Yours is gorgeous!
OMG how many liquids you tried! So dedicated! Thank you for such an informative post.
Beautiful entry, and I love your “potato shaped” soap too, btw 🙂
Yes, I liked the potatoes soap too, but maybe too funny for this challenge :). Thank you, Anna!
Boy aren’t you the energizer bunny! The potato soap was a very interesting ingredient and you nailed the shape. The book is darling and very creative! Good job!
Thank you, Dawn!
Dear Natalia, it is clear, you are the most creative soapmaker I know 🙂 Potato soap? Or book soap? I could never have such playful ideas. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your creations, they are lovely!
I love it!
Wow, so awesome soaps, once again! Could you give as a tutorial about that book soap?
Loved reading all about your soaps! Some great liquids you used and enjoyed reading all the benefits from them!
Ce frumuseți!
Wow, those book soaps are fantastic, Natalia! And your potato-shaped soap reminds me of a soap I bought a few years ago in Boise, Idaho, a state that is famous for its potatoes. The soap I bought there was made with potatoes and shaped like one, too, and it came in a little burlap sack. So cute! The other soaps are also gorgeous. I love the idea of using zucchini and sweet potatoes in soap!
Buna seara Natalia si felicitări pentru ceea ce faci! Am dat întâmplător peste blogul tău, dintr-o postare a lui Mimi Walter. Si bine am facut, caci sunt senzationale si “apetisante” sapunurile tale. Ceea ce vreau sa te intreb este cum si de unde le pot cumpara, caci am “defilat” un pic pe blog, dar nu am găsit astfel de detalii. Poate mi-au scăpat! Multumesc mult! Alina Zamfir
Multumesc pentru aprecieri, draga Alina.
Iti scriu mail pt detalii.