Envious, jealous & (a little) frustrated.

[TVivian]

So, there is a soap shop near me, their soaps are gorgeous, and beautiful, and colorful. They're handmade and from what I can tell (by reading their website) they use only essential oils to scent their products. The scents are so amazing and strong! I have 2 bars in my bathroom right now and I can smell them all the way into my bedroom. What are they doing that I'm not? I'm using plenty of essential oils in my recipes about 1oz ppo. Even the fragrance oils I've used don't smell as strong as their soaps. And another thing, many of their soaps have very distinct vanilla fragrance notes.. but no brown discoloring! I just very much want my fragrances to "stick"... Thank you for letting me vent


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[Marilyna]

Care to share the website? I'd like to look at their stuff. What are their other ingredients?
I don't know and I'd love to find out what they're doing.

 

[TVivian]

Here it is. Tell me what you think.. I wish you could smell it over the phone/computer, it's divine!

http://soaptopia.com/soaps?xtr=gawsl&gclid=CKKYi5OKo7kCFRDZQgodah8AEA


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[CaraCara]

They are beautiful, that's for sure. Could they be melt and pour? I find M&P holds the scent better and for longer because you add it afterwards.

 

[dagmar88]

They are beautiful, that's for sure. Could they be melt and pour? I find M&P holds the scent better and for longer because you add it afterwards.

They are.

 

[TVivian]

They are beautiful, that's for sure. Could they be melt and pour? I find M&P holds the scent better and for longer because you add it afterwards.

I've really checked them out and they don't appear to be M&P (but I'm no expert) They look and feel like CP soap. Some of them seem to have a thin layer of transparent M&P only over the top, or drizzled into the CP before it sets. Does that make sense? I could be way off. Maybe I'll be nosey and ask some questions when I go in there tomorrow.


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[TVivian]

Well if they are at least that makes me feel a bit better. I'd still love to know what they use to scent them *sigh* ..


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[dagmar88]

I've really checked them out and they don't appear to be M&P (but I'm no expert) They look and feel like CP soap.

To me, they don't. Compare them to Lush soap.

http://www.lushusa.com/Soap/soap,en_US,sc.html

I can't take people who are making soap with love listed as an ingredient instead of providing a proper inci seriously anyway.
The "natural" "handmade" and "small batches" are a direct copy of Lush's advertising too.

 

[pamielynn]

May I ask why you'd WANT your soap to smell so strongly? Isn't that what candles are for?

 

[TVivian]

Haha good point! They (lush) sure do smell good though don't they? I just REALLY want to believe I can get that much goodness into my homemade CP soap... It's the one thing that is super frustrating. I'm happy with the soaps I've made so far. The texture and shapes have turned out good with great lather and no disaster batches (hope i didn't just jinx myself) But the scents just aren't there how I want them.

I'll just keep hoping as I wait for my latest order FO's to show up on my doorstep!


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[Marilyna]

I also thought by looking they might be M&P. I've noticed my MP seems much stronger smelling-and with using half the FO! I'm switching! Lol. Also loving the beauty of my Mp. I wonder if they're also using more scent than we usually do.

 

[TVivian]

May I ask why you'd WANT your soap to smell so strongly? Isn't that what candles are for?

I guess it just makes me happy and I like that I can smell it after the shower on my skin? Maybe it's just me. ..


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[TVivian]

I also thought by looking they might be M&P. I've noticed my MP seems much stronger smelling-and with using half the FO! I'm switching! Lol. Also loving the beauty of my Mp. I wonder if they're also using more scent than we usually do.

Ha! I was wondering that too, but I'm nervous to use more scent than is recommended. I'd feel so bad if I gave someone soap that irritated their skin!


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[eyebright]

I used the recommended usage on FOs and I too, find them not as strong in my CP soaps either.

 

[Marilyna]

Yes, I wasn't advocating using more FO than recommended, just wondering if they do. I agree with you, though--I like strong scents.

 

[TVivian]

Yes, I wasn't advocating using more FO than recommended, just wondering if they do. I agree with you, though--I like strong scents.

I knew what you meant Well, I'm going to do some more research and figure this one out!


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[Marilyna]

How do they lather? My MP doesn't lather quite as nicely as my CP.

 

[sistrum]

You can always just make a solid perfume with the scents you like best. It's as easy as lip balm you just can't use it your lips.

 

[la-rene]

I was going to comment that they say they make cp soap on the website, but there are soaps with clear elements and none of their bars state that they use sugar and alcohol, which I was under the impression, is needed to make clear soap. So, I don't know!

Maybe they had their soap base created for them and then use it as a melt and pour. Or maybe they make clear soap and don't consider listing those ingredients. I noticed they are only stating the oils that they use, not all of the ingredients.

But, I do think they are super cute! She is a lucky woman to have a shop down there in Venice.

Here is a video about it. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4SFIVUoyKo[/ame]

According to the video there are no chemicals used in her products. She seems pretty open about it. (sooo totally jealous too. )

Edited to add: I bet they are adding E/O on the high side of the recommended amount.

 

[FGOriold]

Probably the easiest way to determine if they are melt and pour is to melt one (or part of one since you said you purchased some) down. A melt and pour will melt easily - cold process, not so much.

Also, SFIC will custom make melt and pour base for you based on your oil preference.