Alkanet Root Powder (Natural Colorant)

Alkanet root powder works best when infused in one of the soaping oils and used in your recipe as normal. Add the dry powder to a bottle with a screw cap lid and pour in 500ml of the oil (olive oil is common). Add 30gm of alkanet root powder to the bottle. Shake like crazy to get all the dry powder into the oil.  Ideally let it sit for a few weeks as the intensity will increase.  Shake each day to put the particles back through the oil.  When you are ready to use it allow to settle for a day if you are after a uniform colour. The solids should settle to the bottom of the bottle so straining is not required if you pour carefully. If you would like a speckled slightly exfoliant finish to your soap shake before adding to your batch to disperse the particles.  Use the infused oil at 15% of your recipe quantity.
When added to a CP soap recipe the pH of your product will dictate the colour of your soap. The oil will be a gorgeous maroon colour when first diluted in the oil. As CP is very caustic when first made the colour of the soap will be a grey/blue colour, but as it cures the soap will turn to a more purple shade. Please also consider the colour of your base oils as this may also affect the finished colour of your soap.

In its country of origin it is known as rotanjot.

Botanical Name: Alkanna tinctoria
Plant part used: Root
Country of origin: Pakistan
CAS# 8001-98-7
INCI: Alkanna tinctoria root