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jannis

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portsmouth UK.
hi,
thank you for your reply. having read the back of my essentials oils bottles, I now know that I should be using 5drops per 10mls. if I melt 200mls of soap that is a whopping 100 drops. this is going to be an expensive hobby!!!
can anyone suggest less expensive smells?
jannis
 
hi,
thank you for your reply. having read the back of my essentials oils bottles, I now know that I should be using 5drops per 10mls. if I melt 200mls of soap that is a whopping 100 drops. this is going to be an expensive hobby!!!
can anyone suggest less expensive smells?
jannis

You really should switch to using your fragrance add ins by weight. It's far more accurate than drops, and easier to figure (ever lost count when you're up over 200 drops and have to guess where you were?). Much easier just to measure out the needed amount on a scale. The usage rates for essential oils are based on weight. Also, there is no across the board usage rate for essential oils. It depends on which one you're using.
Understanding IFRA Guidelines for Essential Oil Use in Soap (thanks for the link, Cellador!) will help you determine how much you should be using. The vendors you buy your EOs from should also be able to provide information on usage rates (and if they can't, might be time to look for a different vendor).

Yes, using essential oils for scent is going to be way more expensive than using fragrance oils. There are a number of suppliers for fragrance oils, the Shopping Recommendations sub forum has some and the Fragrance Oil Review Chart Link has a number of suppliers listed.
 
When I first started making soap with EOs, yes, I'll be honest, I was shocked by how much I would need to use for soap. Then, I realized that the EOs I was using for my diffuser or perfumes was probably not the same quality I would use in soaps. You can buy EOs at reasonable costs from many suppliers. But, if you're buying oils from a MLM company or a health food store, it's going to get expensive.
You can also find fragrance oils for much less, especially if you're wanting to use something like sandalwood or rose.
 
help!

hi, there,
thank you for all your replies, I am very grateful. I will perhaps look around in uk for cheaper essential oils but the ones that I buy now are the cheapest that I found in uk. perhaps I will use fragrance oils instead.am using stephensons organic and shea butter m@p soap base which is reasonable at £7 here in uk .I am only making small amounts for myself as I do not want to continually use steroid creams for my eczema .
thank you once again
jannis
 
hi, there,
thank you for all your replies, I am very grateful. I will perhaps look around in uk for cheaper essential oils but the ones that I buy now are the cheapest that I found in uk. perhaps I will use fragrance oils instead.am using stephensons organic and shea butter m@p soap base which is reasonable at £7 here in uk .I am only making small amounts for myself as I do not want to continually use steroid creams for my eczema .
thank you once again
jannis

If you have eczema, all the more reason to add your EOs in by weight. Some EOs can be very irritating to the skin, especially in amounts beyond IFRA recommendations.

Also, the cheapest option for EOs is not always the best. I know that here in the U.S. at least there are a number of outfits that sell what they claim are EOs, but they're not. Price point is usually a give away. Too cheap to be true really is. You'd likely be better off switching to fragrance oils rather than using 'the cheapest EOs you can find'. Even then, make a small test batch to see if whatever FO you'd decided on bothers your skin.
 
hi, there,
thank you for all your replies, I am very grateful. I will perhaps look around in uk for cheaper essential oils but the ones that I buy now are the cheapest that I found in uk. perhaps I will use fragrance oils instead.am using stephensons organic and shea butter m@p soap base which is reasonable at £7 here in uk .I am only making small amounts for myself as I do not want to continually use steroid creams for my eczema .
thank you once again
jannis

EOs are not all the same but there is no need to go to the extreme of using the super expensive suppliers. I think that's mainly marketing hype in their price! Hopefully some U.K. soapers will find this post and help you. If not start another thread with the title "Good EO suppliers in the U.K."

I have found that soap making people tend to stick to EOs that are reasonably priced - lavender, rosemary, mint (to name a few) - and blend for different scents. Rarely do you find experienced soapers using Very expensive EOs like Agarwood etc.

My dh has eczema when he has a breakout he reverts to 100% OO soap with no fragrance, no colour, no additives. It is the quickest way to sooth his eczema. It has been a godsend for our family and why I started making soap. You need to patiently wait for a year to get a long lasting bar or use a younger one but alternate it with another bar daily and stand it on end to dry.

Very best of luck with your eczema. Everyone's eczema is different and reacts to different things. I hope you find a solution for yours.

You might find that CP soap is a little less drying on your skin with eczema than m and p. There is no alcohol in CP soap.
 
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