Vanilla Infusion

by Susan
(Minneapolis)

I want to use Vanilla in one of my soaps, but don't want to use fragrance
oils. How do I make a vanilla infusion?

Answer:

Hi Susan,

Using a vanilla infusion will not replace an essential oil or a fragrance oil in a soap recipe. It imparts very little scent but does give a beautiful speckled effect.

Making a vanilla infusion is very easy. Instructions for making herbal infusions can be found here.

The only difference when making a vanilla infusion is that you will first need to split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds and soft tissue out. Place the scraped seeds, soft tissue and the bean pods in the oil and proceed as for an herbal infusion.

Have fun,
Cathy