FO Duds

[xyxoxy]

Lots of talk recently among the FO HO's (yeah I'm one too). Just can never seem to have enough and as soon as I place an order I find another I want to sample.

Yea but what do you do when you open a new bottle and it's just not what you had hoped for? Do you soap with it anyway hoping the lye will magically sweeten it? Toss it? Or just shove it to the back of the shelf and hope it will smell better next time you open it?

I've been buying a lot of 1 or 2 oz. samples... ranging from "OMG!! why didn't I order the GALLON size?" all the way to "OMG did I really order horse urine?".

I have successfully blended a couple to something salvagable but I have at least 2 or 3 that I can't imagine using EVER.

Maybe we should do a stinky FO swap! SOMEONE is bound to end up with something they like.

 

[Galavanting Gifts]

lol ok I can't say i've ever had any that smell like horse urine hehe. I think the only two i'm not keen on so far are my Rockstar (that smells too much like a childhood medicine my mother used to give me) and the Gardenia, although my customers love that one I personally think it's gross.
My fav would have to be the Turkish delight and the Cinnamon.

 

[Jeremy]

I ordered a Blueberry cake FO thinking who wouldn't like Blueberry Cake. I don't. Remember when you were young and your mum told you the cough syrup was good and tasted like cherry, this is the same thing, you know thereis a hint of bluberry but it's surounded by yucky cough medicine.

 

[Chay]

When you get a scent you do not like I would recommend that you make a trial size batch of soap with it. Sometimes they smell completely different once you soap them. I would wait until full cure to make my final judgment though.
One of my favorite FO's just about makes me sick OOB, but I love it after it's cured.

 

[ilovedoxies]

I'll try it once. I have an Indonesian Coffee FO from SOS, don't really like it, but I'll say it doesn't stink. It's definately someone, but not me.

I also have Earth from SOS that I can't even summon the courage to try it. Smells like industrial cleaner.

My Cherries & Cream smells like cough syrup in the bottle, but much better in soap.

 

[xyxoxy]

I have "Earth" from MMS (not sure if it is the same smell as SOS) and I love it. I don't think I would use it by itself but it plays very well with others. I just mixed it with Nag Champa and put it in a hemp oil soap. I'm thinking of calling it "Hippy Dippy" or something along those lines.

My least favorite so far is Glühwein from Southern Soapers. Supposed to smell like mulled wine but... it doesn't. Maybe I'll try a 1# batch with cheap oils just to see what it does anyway.

I also have a couple of disappointing mango as well as coffee FO's that I've been using in reed diffuser bottles.

 

[honor435]

Lots of talk recently among the FO HO's (yeah I'm one too). Just can never seem to have enough and as soon as I place an order I find another I want to sample.

Yea but what do you do when you open a new bottle and it's just not what you had hoped for? Do you soap with it anyway hoping the lye will magically sweeten it? Toss it? Or just shove it to the back of the shelf and hope it will smell better next time you open it?

I've been buying a lot of 1 or 2 oz. samples... ranging from "OMG!! why didn't I order the GALLON size?" all the way to "OMG did I really order horse urine?".

I have successfully blended a couple to something salvagable but I have at least 2 or 3 that I can't imagine using EVER.

Maybe we should do a stinky FO swap! SOMEONE is bound to end up with something they like.

theres a few i havent liked,cherry almond makes me and hubby sick, makes strong smelling soap, some people like it! i havent liked the baby rose(smells like old lady perfume) and cappucino didnt smell good. Otherwise ive been ucky.

 

[AshleyR]

There are only two scents I have ever gotten that I absolutely could not stand the smell of and couldn't imagine using - clove EO, and bay rum EO.

The clove I'm going to use in dog soap when I get around to that (so all is not lost), but the bay rum is just sick (sorry to anyone who likes it!) I ordered it because I was told it was a "manly scent", but even my DH hates it!

I have 3.5 oz of it.... if anyone wants it let me know, because I doubt I will ever use it! It's from NDA.

 

[AshleyR]

I'll try it once. I have an Indonesian Coffee FO from SOS, don't really like it, but I'll say it doesn't stink. It's definately someone, but not me.

I also have Earth from SOS that I can't even summon the courage to try it. Smells like industrial cleaner.

My Cherries & Cream smells like cough syrup in the bottle, but much better in soap.

I hated SOS FO's. I ordered 5 of them and every single one of them smelled chemically - like cleaner or cough syrup. Blah!

 

[honor435]

I'll try it once. I have an Indonesian Coffee FO from SOS, don't really like it, but I'll say it doesn't stink. It's definately someone, but not me.

I also have Earth from SOS that I can't even summon the courage to try it. Smells like industrial cleaner.

My Cherries & Cream smells like cough syrup in the bottle, but much better in soap.

I hated SOS FO's. I ordered 5 of them and every single one of them smelled chemically - like cleaner or cough syrup. Blah!

whats sos?

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

SOS = Save On Scents;

I do not like Bird of Paradise from Daystar

its a few others at home I dont like, but I am sticking to my promise.

I will soap every last 1 - 2ozers before I purchase more fo's

 

[ilovedoxies]

I've been wanting a good earth scent ever since I smelled someone's "hunter's" soap at a craft show last year. Smelled just like the rich soil underneath ofa pine tree. I thought it in bad taste to ask her where she got it.

I was also dissapointed in WSP's Angel food when soaped alone. I mixed it with Lavendar and it was great.

 

[carebear]

Some of my highest demand FOs come from SOS.

Have you all been reading reviews of the scents or just ordering blind? And have you put them in product before rejecting them? - Since they are designed to be used you may not get the right impact just OOB

 

[Barb]

ashley try mixing the bay rum with some lime.

i do a blend of 2 parts bay rum to 1 part lime or even spicy lime works.

it's a blend i use for shaving soap.

while the fragrance review board is a good starting point, ( wish more soapers would report their experiences ) but we all have different tastes so what someone else likes i may or maynot like. this is probably a good thing or we would all have the same scents. lol: and just because i like it or not doesn't mean it won't be a good seller. lavender and patchouli soaps are a good example. i dislike both of them but they are my top selling soaps.

it's just nice not to have any surprises when mixing the soap.

when trying out new fragrance i buy just enough to make a 2 # batch. i add that batch to my regular offerings at the farmers market. i give it 4 weeks. if i haven't sold at least half the bars by then i know it's not a good seller for me and i offer it at a special deal to move the rest out. there are always people looking for deals on handmade soap no matter what it smells like.

if sells out the first week ( which has happened a couple of times) or two i'll switch it out with something else in my regular line that is starting so slow down in sales.

 

[xyxoxy]

I've been wanting a good earth scent ever since I smelled someone's "hunter's" soap at a craft show last year. Smelled just like the rich soil underneath ofa pine tree. I thought it in bad taste to ask her where she got it.

I was also dissapointed in WSP's Angel food when soaped alone. I mixed it with Lavendar and it was great.

I know opinions are subjective but I think the Earth FO from MMS really smells like rich dirt. Kinda odd to think of scenting soap with it but like I said it blends well with other rich scents.

 

[ilovedoxies]

Which oils from SOS do you use carebear?

No review on the earth, the indonesian coffe has one now but didn't when I ordered it. I also left a review today of my own.

The cannibas I would have tried anyway. It had a few so-so reviews but I wanted to form my own opinion. It's ok, I'll definately use it again.

 

[valor]

Wow I guess I've been really lucky. I have really liked all of my scents that I have gotten so far...well mostly. I have tried the same scents from different places and I truly prefer one supplier over another for certain scents, but I haven't had any that remind me even remotely of horse urine YET! I certainly hope to avoid that little treat.

My favorite scents are from Naturesgarden.com The White tea is beautiful as is the black currant. I want to eat the black currant soap that I've made!!! YUMMY!

 

[MikeInPdx]

I get most of my scents from SOS and I've yet to find a true dud once soaped.

Granted, the apple cinnamon, vanilla spice, and rose can give you soap on a stick or rice pilaf if you're not careful.

 

[ChrissyB]

I'm not a real fan of lavender or patchouli either. However once you soap them and they cure they are ok. I have had good success with mixing
raspberry fo with patchouli, that I can handle. And lavender is one of those classics that people love, not for me but it's a goldie oldie.

 

[ilovedoxies]

Lavendar has grown on me. I didn't like it at first, but I mixed it with some Angelfood cake (heavy vanilla) and it's turned out nice.