BB Fragrances - disappointed with OB

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

C_Rose

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2014
Messages
45
Reaction score
29
Location
Israel
I just got several orders of fragrances, one from BB but sadly I'm disappointed at the OOB sniff :(

These are the fragrances, please let me know your opinions about them - maybe they change in the soap. Or maybe I just really don't like woodsy or spicy fragrances. For now I am doing MP, in a couple months I'll probably start trying CP.

- Oatmeal milk and honey
- Lilac (was really counting in this one! Someone please tell me it smells good once in the soap)
- Cedar & saffron
- Sea Moss (really disliked this one)
- Eden's Garden (ok but not what I was hoping)

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
I have never tried the Oatmeal Milk and Honey from BB but EBB has an amazing Oatmeal Milk and Honey F/O. I have tried Cranberry Chutney F/O and Crisp Anjou Pear F/O and they smell fantastic.

I enjoy woodsy and spicy fragrances.:-D BTW once you try CP you will love it.
 
I agree with new12soap and lisamaliga. Never judge a FO out-of-bottle. More often than not, I find that many smell so much better in product. I would definitely CP them before making a final judgment.

Having said that, I have BB's Cedar & Saffron and I really like it. I have no idea why they named it that, though, because it smells nothing like cedar or saffron to my nose. lol Instead, it actually reminds me of Christmas time at my dad's house. It's one of my keeper manly Christmas scents.


IrishLass :)
 
I tried a few of their FO's and really didn't like any of them. The Dark Chocolate, smells more like cake than chocolate. Spiced Amber Ale smells ...well I never really could figure out what it smelled like, but it wasn't spicy or Ale. It was in an amber bottle, so there is that. Maybe it's just they need to work on their naming, to get the names more descriptive of the scent. :smile:

I quit using them though, due to a few of their FO's and EO's that I found were inexpensive, but not as good as some other suppliers. Not to mention their shipping costs and shipping time was just too far off. I can't imagine how long it took them to get to Israel. haha
 
Last edited:
I really like their lilac - my parents have a lilac tree in the garden and it smells just like it. Try diluting a little with 50% carrier oil and you will get a better idea...
 
I love BB's oatmeal milk & honey and so does everyone who smells it. Try making plain little sample bars to see how the scents perform in soap.
 
Their OMH is very popular but every OMH I've smelled reminds me of playdoh. I'm not a fan. I think their Lilac is nice but I'm not a huge fan of florals. Cedar and Saffron- very popular! I have found Sea Moss to be too floral or sweet but other people have adored it. I may have soaped it too strong so maybe starting out at 0.4-0.5 ppo or less may help you get a better idea of it.

I will often put a couple drops of an FO on paper and let it air out for an hour, then smell it. It can give you a better idea, but I think in soap is the true test.
 
I still have a full bottle of the lilac. It's horrific and I can't bring myself to waste good oils on that fragrance. I'd give it away to anyone who'd want it.
 
The only one I can speak on is Cedar and Saffron................Everyone at our house is a big fan. I recently soaped a couple of fragrances from another company that had been sitting on my shelf a while as I had thought ho hum. Once soaped and left to cure a while I am really liking them so test in small batches. Sometimes it has been only once the soap is taken to the shower that I have fallen in love with it. Hope they work out for you
 
Yeah. Cedar saffron oob smells pungent and overwhelming. It's like a man walking by with a bottle of cologne poured head to toe, for me. I have a sample and am reluctant to soap it, but so many rave about it.
The same thing happened when I got honey saffron from bb. It's nauseating oob for me. I soaped it with predominantly omh from wsp and a hint of the honey saffron. I liked it this way, but will never soap it alone probably.

Every omh I've smelled I've disliked, as well as almond. Im just not a fan of omh, I'm beginning to think. And the almond, too sweet or deceptively a cherry almond marketed as regular almond (not bb, but won't name names), and I like a dry crisp almond.
I dislike many fo oob, and every sample I got from ng I disliked except lemon. I soaped craklin birch that everyone loves, and I find it better in soap (for me) than oob.

I think I am just hard to please and too picky, it's a personal problem with me lol.

Once cp soaping, it does morph and change making some much much more desirable than oob. I see you're mp soaping, however. The longer they sit and mellow, the more you may like them. The top notes fade to a hint and the deeper notes come out and dominate. The smell changes with time.

I usually drop 2 dropper drops onto a toilet paper square and seal it 24 hours in a baggie. It's represents the scent better than fresh oob.

I loved sea moss btw. I wouldn't give up on bb yet. I've been very happy with their scents, for the most part. I've had bad experiences with cybilla from bb, though, and other than yuzu cybilla probably won't get another cybilla scent (well, except one I can't being myself to not try lol).
 
I am a fan of BB's Lilac and just love Sea Moss though I can't do anything fancy with it.
OOB doesn't really tell you much and everyone's sense of smell is different.
My favorite candle scent my DH just can't stand and I'm only allowed to burn it when he's gone for the day.
 
Thank you all so much for the advice!! I'm going to try all of the fragrances tomorrow in small soaps and see how they come out.

Marisa, CP does sound exciting! I'm looking forward to it but kind of scared because I'm a klutz and working with lye can be dangerous.

IrishLass, I don't remember in which post but you made recommendations for your favorite scents from BB - I just purchased them all! So thanks for the advice and tell BB you deserve a commission ;)

JustBeachy, haha yes it took quite a while! I think 3 weeks but I'm used to things taking forever to get here and at exorbitant prices. I've ordered various supplies from Chia and they take a month to get here so I've become accustomed.

Aline, what carrier oil are you speaking of?

A big thanks to everyone your input is appreciated and used!
 
If I can chime in, the lilac is much nicer in CP soap than OOB. I'm not a big floral fan but I know people who are crazy for lilac and they find it pleasing. My favorite lilac, however, is from Peak Candle.

Cedar and Saffron is a decent man's scent.

I know I'm in the minority, but I detest Energy. Smells like a combo of dishwashing detergent and Sweet Tarts candy.
 
Hello! If anyone is interested in a soap fragrance for New Years try BB's 'Champagne'. It actually smells fizzy. :crazy: It also adds the pow-factor to other fragrances when blending.

PS: Judymoody - I too can not stand Energy. I made some bars and gave them to family members. They almost disowned me - and I could not blame them. Yuck.
 
Last edited:
CHampagne and Ginger Ale are both excellent and Champagne smells like a very light Ginger ale to me. The GA is quite gingery. Both have their place.
 
Oh... Ginger Ale...ok I am adding that to my next order list. Got two orders from BB scheduled to arrive next week - including a big ol bottle of Champagne and the Crisp Anjou Pear. It just feels like a New Years Eve soap!
 
Back
Top