Getting scents to stick

[dvrags]

Hello,mim trying my hand at adding fragrances to my CP soaps, since I e now got about 10 batches of unscented under my belt. I made a batch of peppermint poppy seed foot scrub soap, using BB EO's (combo of peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree EO's) at the moderate to strong scent level recommended in their guide. When I first pulled it out of the mold, it was so strong the entire house smelled like mint......now, after curing for 4 weeks, you can barely smell it with your nose pressed against the soap!!!! I wanted it fairly strong scent to linger........how do I get it to stay stronger? I feel like I just wasted expensive EO's!!! :-(

I did a buttermilk soap with lavender EO'S and it still smells great.

I would like to eventually sell my soaps, but I've got to get this figured out (and all the appropriate permits of course).

Thanks,
Valerie

 

[lsg]

I always check what the supplier suggests. Wholesale Supplies Plus and others usually have the minimum to maximum percent to use in each type of product. Look next to the description of the essential or fragrance oil. Brambleberry has a fragrance calculator on their website.

 

[dvrags]

I used BB fragrance calculator for it.....which is why I'm surprised that it has faded soooooooo much while curing!!

 

[judymoody]

Could you tell us how much it was per pound?

Those EOs usually stick pretty well. You may have gotten used to the smell because you've been around it for awhile. You could ask a friend or relative to smell it and see what he or she says regarding how strong it is.

Some EOs stick better if you avoid gelling your soap, citruses for example. Some soapers have also reported that adding a small amount of cornstarch or clay to their soap helps scents to stick.

 

[lsg]

Citrus scents are notorious for fading, adding litsea cubeba can help anchor citrus scents. Patchouli is a good anchor for other scents. Adding a little clay to a soap recipe can also help to anchor the fragrance

 

[Moody Glenn]

Citrus scents are notorious for fading, adding litsea cubeba can help anchor citrus scents. Patchouli is a good anchor for other scents. Adding a little clay to a soap recipe can also help to anchor the fragrance

I agree with lsg. Plus like others have mentioned your nose can become adapted to the fragrances. Case in point: Since I work with the soap in my workshop almost everyday I swear I can't detect any fragrances. I had some relatives visit my workshop recently and was nearly knocked over by the different co-mingling smells. They loved all the fragrances but was confused over why I could not smell anything! :shock:

 

[100%Natural]

I agree with lsg. Plus like others have mentioned your nose can become adapted to the fragrances. Case in point: Since I work with the soap in my workshop almost everyday I swear I can't detect any fragrances. I had some relatives visit my workshop recently and was nearly knocked over by the different co-mingling smells. They loved all the fragrances but was confused over why I could not smell anything! :shock:

Isn't that the truth! Friends and family come over and notice the scents as soon as they hit the door, but unless I've just made a very strongly scented batch, I can't smell it..lol.

Customers comment when they come up to my booth about how they could smell the soap from a distance but yet I don't notice a thing when I'm on top of it!

As for anchoring scents, I find if you use enough there isn't an issue. In the past I have used Orris Root Powder (great anchor but added abrasion), clays (good anchor), Cornstarch (not sure there was a difference at all) and of course base note EO's whenever I can.

Some EO's will come to life again once in the shower with a bar too!

Please be sure to study the EO's you are using and stick to recommended usage rates - especially with Peppermint as it can be very sensitizing to the skin and different skin reacts differently to it.

 

[Candybee]

I love what natural just posted about using EOs. Do be careful using the recommend amounts. I know peppermint can tingle with even just the minimum amount. Too much and it can burn sensitive and normal skin too. Great advice to have someone smell the bar for you.

 

[dvrags]

I'm wondering if gelling it caused it to flash out a little. . I used 48 oz. of oils and added a combination of tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint for a total of .95 oz of EOs. (4 tsp. peppermint, 3 tsp. eucalyptus, 1 tsp. tea tree oil).

According to BB calculator, that would have been between the moderate and strong range of scent (they were all rated the same). You can still smell it, but its what I would consider a light scent now.

It's usable and feels great on the skin, but not as strong of a scent as I had hoped for. I know peppermint can cause tingling, this was intended to be a foot scrub soap.

Valerie

 

[100%Natural]

I'm wondering if gelling it caused it to flash out a little. . I used 48 oz. of oils and added a combination of tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint for a total of .95 oz of EOs. (4 tsp. peppermint, 3 tsp. eucalyptus, 1 tsp. tea tree oil).

According to BB calculator, that would have been between the moderate and strong range of scent (they were all rated the same). You can still smell it, but its what I would consider a light scent now.

It's usable and feels great on the skin, but not as strong of a scent as I had hoped for. I know peppermint can cause tingling, this was intended to be a foot scrub soap.

Valerie

I just did a quick calculation with SM3 and with 48 oz of oils your EO usage rate is 1.2%. I personally stick with 3% and under for all of my products and have no scent issues and as far as I know have not caused anyone discomfort with that rate.

Just like with measuring base oils by weight, your EO's should also be weighed instead of using tsps etc.

The 3% is total weight of all EOs too. Not 3% of each.

 

[dvrags]

So, you're saying I could have gone higher then? I actually measured the out with teaspoons into a small dish to weigh them. The teaspoons were just a mental note to myself for ratios of them. But, I understand what you mean about weighing them out and not measuring them.

Anyways.....that's just strange that BB calculator asks for the weight of soap you are making and then gives you an amount to add. I'm surprised that theirs is so low compared to what you calculated.

It'll still be a great soap, but just not as strongly scented as I thought it would be.

 

[100%Natural]

I would hazard a guess with BB's calculator that they go on the low side for their own protection. Some soapers use as much as 5% but I can't fathom that personally.

When you test out your soap check for your own reaction to the oils added. You may find that you have plenty especially with Peppermint in the mix. Some EO's come back to life once they get their turn in the shower too!

 

[judymoody]

Yup, that scent ratio seems way too low. I also generally use 3% of oil weight for EOs (or blends with 3% the amount for the total) and 3-4% for FOs. I'm not surprised it doesn't smell very strong.

Live and learn, I suppose.

 

[dvrags]

Thank you so much for all of your help!!! I'm totally addicted to soaping now.......I absolutely love it! I'm hoping I can eventually combine my cake decorating skills with soaping to create some fun and unique products. Now to figure out what to do with all this soap so I can make mor without hubby yelling at me!!? I guess I can make small batches to test out some scents too.

I'm still in shock at how unbelievably strong it was until it started to cure.....it was burning my eyes!! I'll test a bar in the shower next week and see if it livens up at all.

Thanks again!