Alternative scenting ideas?

[emmamulhall]

Hi! I’m new to soap making, as in I haven’t even done it yet lol! But I would really like to get started, I just have one question.

I have EXTREMELY sensitive skin. I use fragrance free soap currently, but I want to have fun with scents! But essential oils leave me breaking out in rashes. When they’re in a soap I’m using in the shower, I don’t get a rash, but I can feel it burning my body a bit until I wash it off.

So are there any scenting alternatives? I feel like it’ll be kind of boring making soaps sans scents. Will hydrosols work? I asked on Reddit if hydrosols will keep through saponification and one guy answered and said no. Even if I completely replace the water content with pure hydrosol?

And if not, any other ideas? Thanks so much!!!

 

[lsg]

I don't think the scent in hydrosols will survive the saponification.

 

[emmamulhall]

I don't think the scent in hydrosols will survive the saponification.

Bummer :// But thanks! Any other ideas or just EOs and FOs?

 

[AliOop]

Bummer :// But thanks! Any other ideas or just EOs and FOs?

Every EO is different as far as the chemical makeup, and how much of it is safe to put into soap. You might try different EOs than the ones you have tried so far. For instance, many people cannot tolerate peppermint, tea tree, cinnamon, clove, anise etc. on their skin. And a fair number of people don’t even react well to lavender, either - despite being touted as the EO for everyone and everything.

Also, be sure the EO was used in skin-safe amounts. If you’ve been using EO soap made by a friend who didn’t know this and just added EO until it smelled good, that could be your problem. The soaper should always use an EO calculator to determine the skin-safe amount for that specific EO. The safe amount of lavender would be far greater than the safe amount of anise, for instance.

I make soap bc I and my family have ridiculously sensitive skin, as well as headaches/migraines. Even palm oil bothers my skin, and I can’t use most synthetic fragrance oils. I can use a good number of EOs as long as I am careful to use skin-safe amounts. And again, the skin-safe amount varies from oil to oil, and must be checked in an EO calculator

Finally, it might be other ingredients in these EO soaps that are irritating your skin, and not the EOs themselves. Many “soaps” actually have detergents and other skin irritants in them. It could also be specific soaping oils that bother you.

All that to say, I recommend that you first learn to make a simple, uncolored and unscented soap that agrees with your skin. Then you can try one EO at a time, in a skin-safe amount for that EO, to see if your skin will tolerate that. Hopefully you will find a few that work for you.

meanwhile, have fun soaping! It is an addicting hobby.

 

[emmamulhall]

Every EO is different as far as the chemical makeup, and how much of it is safe to put into soap. You might try different EOs than the ones you have tried so far. For instance, many people cannot tolerate peppermint, tea tree, cinnamon, clove, anise etc. on their skin. And a fair number of people don’t even react well to lavender, either - despite being touted as the EO for everyone and everything.

Also, be sure the EO was used in skin-safe amounts. If you’ve been using EO soap made by a friend who didn’t know this and just added EO until it smelled good, that could be your problem. The soaper should always use an EO calculator to determine the skin-safe amount for that specific EO. The safe amount of lavender would be far greater than the safe amount of anise, for instance.

I make soap bc I and my family have ridiculously sensitive skin, as well as headaches/migraines. Even palm oil bothers my skin, and I can’t use most synthetic fragrance oils. I can use a good number of EOs as long as I am careful to use skin-safe amounts. And again, the skin-safe amount varies from oil to oil, and must be checked in an EO calculator

Finally, it might be other ingredients in these EO soaps that are irritating your skin, and not the EOs themselves. Many “soaps” actually have detergents and other skin irritants in them. It could also be specific soaping oils that bother you.

All that to say, I recommend that you first learn to make a simple, uncolored and unscented soap that agrees with your skin. Then you can try one EO at a time, in a skin-safe amount for that EO, to see if your skin will tolerate that. Hopefully you will find a few that work for you.

meanwhile, have fun soaping! It is an addicting hobby.

Thank you so much! I didn’t even think of the varying amounts having different effects. And it’s good to hear you too have sensitive skin and can still tolerate certain oils. Yay! lol