Contender for most ridiculous question asked

[Amaress]

Hello candle makers! I am usually on the soap side of things (although I’ve dropped off the face of this form during the pandemic). I have a ridiculous question that is likely more of a thought experiment, but on the off chance it’s actually feasible and all y’all brilliant people are like “uh... duh?” I figured I would ask.

My lovely friend gave us an amazing assortment of citrus sugar Christmas cookies in a tin. The cookies have obviously departed at this point, but the smell is OVERPOWERING when that tin is opened. Like WOW. Can I stick something in the tin to absorb the smell and use that as a candle fragrance oil? Even if the smell absorbing worked would it even survive the candle making process? Have I completely lost my marbles? (Yes.) I did try a cursory Google but I lack the proper vocabulary of smell capturing and couldn’t make it understand I wanted to make a candle out of a smell, not get a candle that smelled; apparently, according to Google, it is possible to have a nice smelling candle! Who knew?

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for humoring me!

 

[Cupcakeheartlove605]

Ummm maybe alcohol? Perhaps it could suck the scent up, then you could use it in the candles, but I dont know how that'd go. It'd have to be super concentrated, and used like an essential oil so as to not put too much alcohol in the candle, since flammable and all.

 

[AliOop]

I would put sugar or perhaps grated unsweetened coconut in that tin. Both absorb scents and flavors fairly well, and can be used to garnish the tops of cookies, etc.

 

[jcandleattic]

You actually won't be able to really use anything that will retain the scent to be later used in a candle. I would do as @AliOop suggests and use it for flavoring of food.

 

[dixiedragon]

I like Ali's idea best.

But maybe this:
Irish Lass's drawer sachet recipe

I make my air fresheners out of a mixture of corn cob pellets and crushed walnut shells (both bought at the pet store down the bedding aisle). Once the FO has completely absorbed into them, I place them in those colorful gauze sachet/drawstring bags that one can find at any craft store.

Basically, what I do is this: I measure out 3 tbsp. of the corn cob pellets and mix them with 1 tbsp. of the crushed walnut shells into a clean jar. Then I add 5 mLs of FO to the jar and mix it around well until evenly distributed. Then I cover the jar and place it in a cool dark place for about 3 days or so, giving the jar a good shake whenever I think about it. Usually after 3 days, the FO has completely absorbed. Once that happens, I stuff one of the drawstring bags with it and hang it up by the string on a nail in a room, or on the rearview mirror of my car, etc... I make sure that I hang it up instead of setting it directly down where it will have direct contact on things such as wood furniture or countertops, etc... because I want to prevent any possibility of the FO marring such surfaces. If you set it down somewhere instead of hanging it up, make sure it's sitting in a little glass bowl or something like that.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/any-ideas-about-making-air-freshners.62098/

 

[dixiedragon]

And BTW, "I want to make soap without using lye" remains the most ridiculous question here! Not meaning melt and pour, meaning they want to combine oils to make soap...but with no lye.

 

[mishmish]

And BTW, "I want to make soap without using lye" remains the most ridiculous question here! Not meaning melt and pour, meaning they want to combine oils to make soap...but with no lye.

I had the most disturbing conversation with some 20-somethings at my farmers market table a few years back. They had been by, bought some some, came back a couple of times and hung around, asking questions...finally they got to the crux of their questions, "how do you get it to bubble?" I launched into a spiel about fatty acids and different kinds of oils and they looked more and more puzzled. Finally one of them explained that they'd mixed oils and clay and made bars out of it. They didn't know that lye had anything to do with the process of making soap. They'd only ever used liquid shower gels.