# Does Vanilla Bean infused oil?



## fia3lotus

Hello! I'm new to soap making and this is my first forum so bear with me please... 

I recently started making soap and I have a million ideas in my head for future batches ... I'm probably going to have to start selling it, I've already given A LOT away... good reviews so far so time to make another batch!

Questions: 

Can I infuse my soap oil with vanilla beans enough for the scent to still make it through to the finished soap? I try to stay away from "fragrances" and have been using essential oils so far I just haven't found any vanilla e.o.

Has anyone used vanilla extract instead of water (just cook out the alcohol first) I think that is going to be another option. 

Open to suggestions! 

Thank you in advance : ) 

Fia


----------



## linn

I doubt that infused oil would give off enough scent to last through saponification. Most of us dreamed of selling our soap when we first started, but it is best to practice for at least a year before trying to sell. I look back on some of my first efforts and laugh.


----------



## Tinker

Welcome Fia! I did the vanilla bean thing several years ago. Paid an arm & a leg for the beans, and infused in olive oil for about 5 weeks. I think I had 5 bean pods, and about 3 oz. of oil. Smelled great out of the bottle. I used mine in lotion bars, and a light vanilla scent held. You would probably need TONS of vanilla beans to get enough for a batch of soap, and I am not sure it would last through saponification.


----------



## fia3lotus

Vanilla beans ARE expensive and you can't grow them fast enough either! I am making a batch of soap tonight and I am going to give it a go with some vanilla extract... I'll let you know how it goes... Thank you again for in-put.


----------



## lathermaker

Vanilla extract + soap = soap on a stick. There is way too much alcohol in Vanilla ext. to make it work in soap.


----------



## fia3lotus

and I chickened out ... I didn't want to risk messing up a batch of soap with the alcohol... I am going to do a test batch with some cooked extract (in attempt to remove the alcohol) as well as infusing my own oil, I know the later will work just dont know how much scent will carry through...


----------



## BeanKing

Alcohol is the best extraction medium for vanilla, fat is the next best. Use Boston Vanilla Bean Company C-grade ground beans and you don't pay "and arm and a leg". One pound is just $18. Plus we offer custom grinding for free.
We have many customers that use ground vanilla in there soap recipes to provide aroma and abrasive qualities. Even fine ground the specs provide enhanced cleaning properties to the soap. If you do use extract gently heat it to less than 135F to evaporate the alcohol. Otherwise the extract may dilute your soap recipe.


----------



## Tirzah

Maybe if you used your infused oil and then add vanilla bean seeds when it's time for additives? Just a thought.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

BeanKing said:


> If you do use extract gently heat it to less than 135F to evaporate the alcohol. Otherwise the extract may dilute your soap recipe.


I wouldn't worry about the extract diluting the soap recipe ... more so the alcohol seizing the soap!!

$18/lb ground beans is a pretty good price ... and a whole LOT of ground beans!!


----------



## notbutanapron

linn said:


> I doubt that infused oil would give off enough scent to last through saponification. Most of us dreamed of selling our soap when we first started, but it is best to practice for at least a year before trying to sell. I look back on some of my first efforts and laugh.


When I first started making soap I made some ugly ugly soap. I do NOT know what I did, but when I first tried layering, I made it all bubbly and melted some weird beeswax to it in a way, well... I called it "Zombie Soap" because it literally, LITERALLY, looked like a pile of rotting decaying flesh in a nice rectangular splurge, complete with rancid-looking-but-not-actually white 'fat' layers.

Anyway, it was still perfectly usable. I told a bunch of friends about it and they _all wanted some. :hrm: _I ended up actually selling this soap to my friends for five dollars a bar. They came back raving about how they loved my ugly zombie putrid skin soap [What. the. flying. what what.] and wanted more.

To this day I have NO idea how I even made it or what I did to cause that or even what colours I used. :awh: All because people are way weirder than I first imagined. 

Anyway, doesn't hurt to try. Even screw ups can make money. :happy: [or I'd be broke, hahahaha]


----------



## fia3lotus

That's a better price than anywhere near me : ? Where did you find beans for that price? Have you used them to scent soap? I'm sticking to natural add ins and essential oils only. I've been lucky with all my batches so far (which is only like four-CP and HP)! Thank you baby Jesus: )


----------



## fia3lotus

notbutanapron- that's awesome and you have no idea how much my 2 yo daughter would love "zombie" soap haha that's actually how i got her to take her cough syrup VERY easily...I told her it was zombie blood lol... no judging it worked and she got better

ok i'm done side tracking : ) thank you for the motivation on the still using the unintended outcome batches... i just had to cut my last batch in cubes instead of normal rectangles


----------



## Tirzah

I buy my beans from here:

http://stores.ebay.com/Vanilla-Products-USA?_rdc=1

I love the quality and price.


----------



## Tirzah

fia3lotus,

I just found this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190448894225?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

The seller and product get good reviews.


----------



## fia3lotus

Thank you, I always forget about e-bay. That is a really good price for vanilla e.o.


----------



## gabbyraja

There is vanilla essential oil. You use it like any other essential oil. I use it with sweet orange in my lip balm and lotions... Gives a creamsicle smell which is heavenly. It's not cheap either, but the smell lasts!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

gabbyraja said:


> It's not cheap either


That's an understatement!


----------

