Too much burn with my aftershave

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EllyLee

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Hello there lovely soap makers! New to this board!

I am making an aftershave for some friends and my boyfriend is my test subject. He loves the scent I've created, but he said it's so strong that not only is the sting harsh, but hips go numb and he has to wash it off :confused: He has a high pain threshold, too! (It's not just him either, it's everyone.)

I assumed it was the alcohol (it's about 50% grain alcohol), but discovered it's actually the EO in the mix.

For every 4 oz I add 20 drops of allspice EO plus 4 drops of another EO. According to my calculations, this is at most a 1% dilution.

What am I doing wrong? :???: It needs enough EO to carry a scent. I imagine a cologne product at 2% would burn his lips off.
 
Is it an EO or FO (Fragrance Oil) that you're using? Many FO's already have alcohol added to them or use carrier oils that need to be understood for your formulation. Do you have the MSDS sheet for the FO/EO you're using that you can post?
 
I noticed this in the details in the link you sent:

Safety: If pregnant, nursing or under a doctor’s care, consult physician. Discontinue use if skin sensitivity occurs. Avoid contact with eyes. Do not use undiluted on skin. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use on broken skin or on abrasions. Do not use internally, unless directed by a licensed Aromatherapist or physician.

Adult Max Dilution: 0.15%
 
Wow - good catch. I'm used to using other oils like peppermint which has a max dilution of 5%!
 
Too bad! Allspice was the perfect oil. I wonder what I can substitute the missing 17 drops of allspice with...
 
I have nothing against EO, but in my experience making shaving products, EO is a darn thing and Fragrance oils gave me far less trouble.
I too found a awesome EO in the past that i could not blend to my liking because of max dillution and/or light sensitivity. Its a pain...
 
.15 isn't even one drop of allspice per oz - it's .9. Maybe I'll do 1 drop every 2 oz.
 
You should use weights for making percent dilutions, it's more accurate. Drops are different volume depending on the viscosity of the material (oil in this case) and what you are using to make them, and you will find them rather un-repeatable.

0.15% is 0.15 gr per 100 gr of liquid -- you probably added far too much. One "standard" drop of water from a properly made measuring pipet is approximatly 50 uL, or maybe 0.03 gr. At 28.38 gr per ounce of liquid (by weight, not volume) you have a little over 100 gr of alcohol mix -- five drops would be the absolute maximum that is safe for skin. Make some up using the same ratios of EOs using four drops of Allspice (for safety) and see how it works, or take one ounce of your current product and add four more ounces of alcohol mix. Should work much better, and don't be afraid to dilute it even more.
 
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