All right, my friends—let’s make some purple soap!
This free class was part of the fourth Soapy Friends Friendiversary celebration and our 2026 Natural Soap Rainbow. During the class, we worked with three very different natural purple soap colorants: traditional alkanet, anti-alkanet, and Rainforest Chica Intense Purple Clay.
We also took a look back at the naturally colored soaps we created throughout the rainbow before moving into our purple soap formulations and swirl demonstrations.
What We Explore in the Class
We begin with an overview of the purple colorants and the different preparations used in our soap.
Traditional alkanet is incorporated through an oil infusion. Anti-alkanet is prepared as a slurry and added directly to the soap. Seeing the two methods used side by side gives us a wonderful opportunity to compare both the process and the finished colors.
You’ll also see one of my favorite natural-color transformations. Alkanet can turn dramatically blue when it encounters the high pH of freshly made soap. As the soap begins to cure and its pH lowers, the color shifts back toward purple and lavender.
Be sure to stay through the end of the replay, where I show the finished soaps approximately one week after unmolding. These final photographs were taken in color-corrected light so you can see the purples much more accurately.
Two Purple Soap Formulations
We use two different soap formulations during this class.
The Swan Swirl is made with my Go-To Vegan Palm-Free Soap Recipe. This formulation gives us a beautiful base for comparing the traditional alkanet infusion with the anti-alkanet slurry.
We also make Rainforest Chica elephant soaps using the coconut oil-free Magical Resin formulation. This recipe contains a high percentage of shea butter, which creates a thick, silky, creamy lather.
The Magical Resin formulation was originally developed for soaps featuring Rainforest Chica resin and Rio Branco resin infusion. We are not using an infused resin in this particular class, but we are using that same high-shea-butter formulation with Rainforest Chica Intense Purple Clay.
Your soap recipe can influence the final appearance of a natural colorant, and the high shea butter content gives these elephant soaps a warmer, slightly pink-to-brown purple. That variation is part of the beauty—and the adventure—of working with natural soap colors.
Continue Learning
Extracting Color from Nature Masterclass Series
Explore the complete collection of tutorials and masterclasses devoted to extracting and using natural soap colors. The series also includes my book, The Natural Soap Color Palette.
Anti-Alkanet Masterclass
Go deeper into the anti-alkanet formulation, how it is prepared, and how it compares with traditional alkanet.
Kandra’s Go-To Vegan Palm-Free Soap Recipe
Get the complete formulation used for the Swan Swirl portion of this class.
Magical Resin Soap Tutorial
Learn more about the coconut oil-free, high-shea-butter formulation used for the Rainforest Chica elephant soaps.
Follow the Full Natural Soap Rainbow
See the naturally colored soaps, classes, experiments, and discoveries from the complete rainbow.
Become a Soapy Friends Member
Members receive complete formulations, essential oil blends, class replays, monthly live soapmaking sessions, natural color experiments, and access to the growing Soapy Friends learning library.
Happy soaping 🧼
