How much vanilla content before you need a stabilizer?

[dmcgee5034]

Hi all -
At what percent of vanilla in a FO, do you need a stabilizer to prevent discoloration? 0.5% is in a FO I want to use without discoloring. I have to buy a VCS, anyone have recommendations? BB says theirs is only for M&P, and others have reviews saying it changes the FO scent. Help?

 

[AliensrReal]

I’ve had some fragrance oils with 1% vanillin not turn at all and others that went tan to dark brown. I read the reviews to determine if I want to use vanillin stabilizer. I would honestly just work with the discoloration or use titanium dioxide to help keep it as light as possible.

 

[TheGecko]

To answer the first question...I think some of that is going to depend on your recipe. As noted by @AliensrReal, I've gotten mixed results from smaller amounts of Vanilla too so I [mostly] always purchase a small amount of FO (1 oz or less) and then make a test batch of soap and then let it fully cure. The later is important as the discoloration doesn't always fully develop for a few weeks.

I tend to embrace the brown unless I have a specific design in mind...like Autumn Harvest. It discolors to a dark brown, but I want to have red, yellow, orange, green and so I use varying amounts of my ZVCS to achieve the colors I want. Sometimes I can just use a bit of TD in the whole or part of the batter for a nice swirl.

Instead of purchasing a VCS, you can make your own...just search for ZVCS; I make mine with Distilled Water and Sodium Metabisulfite. I purchased it from Amazon and a 1lb bag for $10 lasts a long time.

​

 

[Millie13]

I agree with @TheGecko about it depending on your recipe... My recipe rarely discolors from the vanillin in the fragrances...
In my first all vanilla scented soap, I purposely put TD in a portion and a medium brown in another portion to work a swirl that would hopefully show for at least a little while since it was supposed to all become dark brown... I saved a bar... its been over a year and it looks exactly like the day I made it...

 

[dmcgee5034]

Thanks everyone. I made a soap that I knew discolors, and used TD in hopes of combating some of it - good results that time and that FO has over 5% vanillin.
This next one was Dragons Blood by FB at under 2% vanillin, which didn’t say much to warn me in the reviews (my review does for the next soaper!) so I used TD and micas and hoped for the best. Here’s before and after, which is why I asked before using the next one with the 0.5 vanillin.

 

[AliensrReal]

I still like it even if it is discolored. What you could do is not scent some of the batter so that it stays white during cure.

 

[not_ally]

Wow, that is some discoloration. I have to say, I like the "after" as well, it works really well with the FO.

 

[jeanemarie]

Thanks everyone. I made a soap that I knew discolors, and used TD in hopes of combating some of it - good results that time and that FO has over 5% vanillin.
This next one was Dragons Blood by FB at under 2% vanillin, which didn’t say much to warn me in the reviews (my review does for the next soaper!) so I used TD and micas and hoped for the best. Here’s before and after, which is why I asked before using the next one with the 0.5 vanillin.
View attachment 74717 View attachment 74718

Thanks for mentioning the Dragon’s Blood FO. I haven’t used mine yet and I am now forewarned.

 

[Tammyfarms]

Thanks for asking this question. I like the after, and it works with the FO, but the before was really pretty. I just made a soap using a FO that was supposed to discolor heavily and it is a nice creamy white . I know it may take several weeks to discolor but next time I will use a color. It’s all good as I have an alternate name in mind and either way it’s one of the prettiest soaps I have made. Am also going to check out @TheGecko’s recommendation for Sodium Metabisulfite.

 

[TheGecko]

Something I wanted to add. How much I use of the Sodium Metabisulfite mixture is dependent on how brown my soap gets naturally.

The first picture is of Autumn Harvest, as you can see...it is VERY brown:

This next picture is using the same FO and the mixture at 1 to 1:

And this picture is Ancient Sedona which also discolored to a dark brown: