Fragrance Oil + Other Questions

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

user 58545

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2023
Messages
86
Reaction score
77
Thought it easier to put it in one thread than create a few

1) I have coconut fragrance oil which I want to use to make cold processed soap, it says use up to 1% for cold processed soap. Does that seem a little low? If the oils are for arguments sake 1000g then its just 10g. Will you actually smell anything??

2) I know this is personal preference but I am looking also to make a nice orange scented soap. I have sweet orange essential oil. What compliments that so I wouldn't lose the orange smell but increase the longevity of the scent?

Thank you :)
 

lsg

Staff member
Admin
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
16,915
Reaction score
7,565
You can use litsea cubeba to anchor sweet orange. What is the brand name of the coconut FO?
 

dibbles

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
9,341
Reaction score
12,873
Location
Minnesota
@Juniper12 I looked at the fragrance and the IFRA usage rate for soap is 10.83%. This is the safe usage rate - not the recommended usage rate. You can find the IFRA statement under the documents tab on the fragrance oil page. To answer your question, I wouldn't use a fragrance at 1% and wouldn't buy one that has a maximum use rate of 1%.

Litsea Cubeba is the same as May Chang. Citrus EOs tend to fade in my experience. I use a folded orange (such as 10x from Bramble Berry) which helps the scent stick around longer.
 
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Messages
10,873
Reaction score
19,274
Location
US
Apparently the main page for that FO has a typo, because it lists 1% max for soap, in contrast to their IFRA statement, which lists the 10.83% max for soap.

EDIT: I just noticed that their IFRA statement is based on 49, not 50. So maybe things changed when 50 was issued?
 

user 58545

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2023
Messages
86
Reaction score
77
Thank you very much for the feedback, around 10% would make a lot more sense. I haven't been able to find 10 fold in the UK, max I have found is 5 fold

Oh trivial question.

So my silicone mould smells just like my previous batch, incredibly strong lemon smell. Will the scent transfer onto the next batch? So I made coconut? If so is there anyway to get rid of the previous batches scent?
 

dibbles

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
9,341
Reaction score
12,873
Location
Minnesota
Thank you very much for the feedback, around 10% would make a lot more sense. I haven't been able to find 10 fold in the UK, max I have found is 5 fold
I'd try the 5 fold and see - I've used a 6x which worked pretty well.

The lingering smell in the silicone mold won't transfer to the next batch - at least it never has in my personal experience.
 

CecileBC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
130
Reaction score
149
Location
France
Hi !
I like a drop of Patchouli or Ylang Ylang to anchor my orange EO.
A mix that I love: Orange, Bergamot, Mandarin, and a drop of Ylang Ylang.
 

user 58545

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2023
Messages
86
Reaction score
77
Thank you :)

So I heard back from the vendor regarding the doseage and this is what they said :

The IFRA document is the maximum dose level for that scent in a product of that nature. The 1% is the recommend amount by us. Sometimes using more oil does not necessarily mean you will obtain a greater scent.

I still think 1% is a bit low?
 

Zany_in_CO

Saponifier
Joined
Mar 9, 2017
Messages
9,501
Reaction score
11,218
Location
SE Denver CO
I'm math challenged and a bit of a Lazy Daisy when it comes to use rates for EOs and FOs. So that's why I use MMS Fragrance Calc to figure it out for me. :D If I'm using an FO from a different company I just choose an FO that sounds close to the one I have.

As for an orange scent, that's a tough one because citrus tends to fade fairly quickly. To "fix" the scent, try blending an Orange FO with Orange EO and add a bit of Litsea Cubeba to anchor it as @lsg recommended. :thumbs:
 

Zany_in_CO

Saponifier
Joined
Mar 9, 2017
Messages
9,501
Reaction score
11,218
Location
SE Denver CO
Coconut FO.png
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2018
Messages
5,814
Reaction score
14,995
Location
Hamilton, New Zealand
May chang is good EO to anchor the orange - in fact it is quite likely that the orange will fade completely and you won't smell it at all, but the may chang will stick around for quite a long time. I would find an FO, like blood orange for example, and mix that with may chang and your orange if you want more longevity. Read the reviews of the FO before you buy it. I'm a big fan of orange blossom but that is a floral (still with a citrus note).

I would not bother using any FO at 1% because it will not be strong enough to scent the soap. So go for 3% minimum. Again - read the reviews of other people who have used it for making soap and see what they say.
 

user 58545

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2023
Messages
86
Reaction score
77
Thanks KiwiMoose, problem in the UK is there aren't that many reviews and some of them I am sceptical about. I watched a video this even from I dream in soap who said pretty much the same thing. It was the video where she was testing fragrance oils.
 

Latest posts

Top