Lavender fragrance

[linne1gi]

I am almost ready to give up on lavender eo and just do special orders for it. I only use eo's and settled on Bulk Apothecary 40/42. I have heard 40/42 is more consistent on scent. It is not super floral almost a bit spicy to me? I will try Bramble Berry and test the fading. Thanks Zing. I do hot process method added after the cook and it sticks better in my coconut oil/avocado oil bar then it does in my castile aka olive oil bar. Depending on the oils you use in your recipe I feel like it smells different. My castile after 6 months fades and smells a bit of play dough. The coconut avocado recipe holds the scent a bit better and when I added a bit of goats milk even more scent retention in the non olive oil bar. Soap is a huge science experiment What is WSP?

Some time ago I conducted a little experiment. I had just enough left over (soap dough) batter for 2 soaps. I added blood orange essential oil to one of the soaps - and the other soap had blood orange essential oil that had been marinating in kaolin clay. After 6 weeks, the soap that just had the blood orange essential oil literally had no scent at all - and the soap that had the blood orange essential oil that was marinating in kaolin clay still had a lovely orange scent. This convinced me that soaking the fragrance in kaolin clay is the way to go. I suggest others conduct this experiment as well to see for yourself. I should add that I soak my fragrance with the kaolin clay for a minimum of 1 hour and usually overnight in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

50/50 High Altitude French Lavender + Star Anise sold out at the one and only vendor event I did at a local office building. A customer bought a bar during her lunch hour and came back just as I was packing up and bought the remaining 5 bars. It's a personal favorite as well.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

soaking the fragrance in kaolin clay is the way to go.

I've found that adding 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon clay or activated charcoal PPO to a batch is one way of extending the scent of essential oils.

 

[linne1gi]

I've found that adding 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon clay or activated charcoal PPO to a batch is one way of extending the scent of essential oils.

You saw my experiment?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

@linne1gi No. But I just read about it in post #41. Well done!
I've been using clays, as well as other powdery additives like cornstarch, oat flour, nut powders, etc. to "stick" the fragrance ever since I first started soaping in 2004. It's a good tip!

 

[Basil]

50/50 High Altitude French Lavender + Star Anise sold out at the one and only vendor event I did at a local office building. A customer bought a bar during her lunch hour and came back just as I was packing up and bought the remaining 5 bars. It's a personal favorite as well.

@Zany_in_CO I’m so embarrassingly confused. If lavender and star anise are used at 50/50 , but anise can’t be used over 2% according to eocal- both then are used at 2%? Am I in a math fog? I still don’t quite comprehend how the blends work if some can’t be used at a higher percentage as some others, but it’s 1/2 of the blend.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Some time ago I conducted a little experiment. I had just enough left over (soap dough) batter for 2 soaps. I added blood orange essential oil to one of the soaps - and the other soap had blood orange essential oil that had been marinating in kaolin clay. After 6 weeks, the soap that just had the blood orange essential oil literally had no scent at all - and the soap that had the blood orange essential oil that was marinating in kaolin clay still had a lovely orange scent. This convinced me that soaking the fragrance in kaolin clay is the way to go. I suggest others conduct this experiment as well to see for yourself. I should add that I soak my fragrance with the kaolin clay for a minimum of 1 hour and usually overnight in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

This is wonderful info' I'm gonna try this. Thx

 

[KiwiMoose]

Sorry Zing! I really couldn't remember where I read lavender and anise make a nice blend but thought it was KiwiMoose. I haven't pursued it as anise really isn't a scent I like - but I should try the two blended if I still have some anise around. You have made me curious about it.

I use 3 parts Lavender to 1 part Anise. Any more anise than that and you won't smell the lavender at all.
@Basil - by using this percentage you can keep the anise at or below the recommended 2%.

 

[linne1gi]

This is wonderful info' I'm gonna try this. Thx

And if you do an experiment, post your results.

 

[Basil]

I use 3 parts Lavender to 1 part Anise. Any more anise than that and you won't smell the lavender at all.
@Basil - by using this percentage you can keep the anise at or below the recommended 2%.

Thank you!!

 

[TheGecko]

Pardon my ignorance but what is lavender 40/42? Thanks.

Lavender 40/42 is made up of 100% natural lavender oils blended to produce an oil containing 40% linalool and 42% linalyl acetate, which are the two primary aroma compounds occurring in Lavender. ... Therefore, many manufacturers count on the reliably consistent aroma of Lavender 40/42.

Has anyone had any luck or experience with storing the bars in a container with lavender. Maybe on a cotton ball or just an open bottle, in the container to help it absorb the scent longer? This was my next thought on helping it stay.

I know that soap can sometimes pick up the scent of other bars stored really close, but it generally fades pretty quickly. And I would hazard to guess that it would be the same if you tried a cotton ball or the bottle...you would get some scent, but it would soon fade.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

If lavender and star anise are used at 50/50 , but anise can’t be used over 2% according to eocal- both then are used at 2%?

Yes. I use MMS (Majestic Mountain Sage) Fragrance Calc

To make up the blend, choose
2% Anise @ 0.64 oz. wt. (Strong Scent)
2% Lavender @ 0.64 oz. wt. (Moderate/Strong Scent)
TOTAL 1.28 oz. wt.

Since I prefer strong scent, I would add the whole 1.28 oz. (4%) to a 32 oz. batch of oils but you could use less, i.e., 0.64 oz. wt. depending on your preference. NOTE: Once I find something I like, I generally make up 4 ounces of blends and store on the shelf until needed. When in doubt, you can make test batches ahead of time. 12 oz. oils makes 16 oz. soap (approx.). Pour four 4-oz. portions into four round cavity molds to experiment with the amount of the blend needed to scent the soap.

HTH

 

[Basil]

Yes. I use MMS (Majestic Mountain Sage) Fragrance Calc

View attachment 52936View attachment 52937
To make up the blend, choose
2% Anise @ 0.64 oz. wt. (Strong Scent)
2% Lavender @ 0.64 oz. wt. (Moderate/Strong Scent)
TOTAL 1.28 oz. wt.

Since I prefer strong scent, I would add the whole 1.28 oz. (4%) to a 32 oz. batch of oils but you could use less, i.e., 0.64 oz. wt. depending on your preference. NOTE: Once I find something I like, I generally make up 4 ounces of blends and store on the shelf until needed. When in doubt, you can make test batches ahead of time. 12 oz. oils makes 16 oz. soap (approx.). Pour four 4-oz. portions into four round cavity molds to experiment with the amount of the blend needed to scent the soap.

HTH

Thank you!!

 

[melinda48]

Some time ago I conducted a little experiment. I had just enough left over (soap dough) batter for 2 soaps. I added blood orange essential oil to one of the soaps - and the other soap had blood orange essential oil that had been marinating in kaolin clay. After 6 weeks, the soap that just had the blood orange essential oil literally had no scent at all - and the soap that had the blood orange essential oil that was marinating in kaolin clay still had a lovely orange scent. This convinced me that soaking the fragrance in kaolin clay is the way to go. I suggest others conduct this experiment as well to see for yourself. I should add that I soak my fragrance with the kaolin clay for a minimum of 1 hour and usually overnight in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

WSP is Wholesale Supplies Plus. I get my lavender nature identical lavender from New Directions Aromatics and have been pleased with it.

 

[Emmamia]

Hi, please excuse my question.... I want to try the star anis lavander mixt in my soaps, but as always all the different Kind of lavanders confuses my (On top, diff vendor, different aroma) My question is..... Is lavandula angustifolia, is the same that high altitude lavander? Thanks.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

And if you do an experiment, post your results.

and @Zany_in_CO
I know this is a bit of a sidebar for this thread, but I recently made a batch or small soaps with additives to test for retention of orange EO. I mixed orange 6x EO with three types of clay, some starches (cornstarch, arrowroot, tapioca and one I can’t remember without my notes) and ground calendula petals, let the mixtures sit for 2 hours and then made nine little soaps, including one with the EO but no additive. So far, I don’t think I can detect a difference in scent strength among soaps, but maybe that will change over time. On the other hand, the soap with the cornstarch is very clearly the whitest of the bunch. Maybe I should take a photo and start a thread.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Hi, please excuse my question.... I want to try the star anis lavander mixt in my soaps, but as always all the different Kind of lavanders confuses my (On top, diff vendor, different aroma) My question is..... Is lavandula angustifolia, is the same that high altitude lavander? Thanks.

Hi @Emmamia! No need to apologize. There is no such thing as a dumb question so don't ever hesitate to ask away.

When I want information about an essential oil, I use this site:
EDEN BOTANICALS

I buy my High Altitude French Lavender (lavandula angustifolia) from this vendor in NM:
SUN PURE BOTANICALS

 

[melinda48]

Merry Christmas!!! So, after talking with my mother today, she told me she showered with the soap I gave her and said she loved the way it felt and lathered! It was @Zany_in_CO no slime soap with the goat milk. BUT she told me she couldn’t smell the lavender I put in it. I use essential oils and understand they lose their scent.. I can still smell it, but it’s faint. Maybe because my mother is 90.. so I asked her if she had problems with me using fragrance oil instead. Her answer was “ I don’t see why not.. I used to use Dove.. it has fragrance in it right?” ( shes 90!) But she likes my soap , so my question is, what’s the best lavender fragrance oil I could get for her soaps only? I used the max essential oil I could use with hers and lavender is her favorite. No other choices there. Thanks all and again, Merry Christmas to all!

I use lavender 40/42 with a touch of Rosemary. The Rosemary seems to make the lavender stick better.

 

[kaygrrl]

Some time ago I conducted a little experiment. I had just enough left over (soap dough) batter for 2 soaps. I added blood orange essential oil to one of the soaps - and the other soap had blood orange essential oil that had been marinating in kaolin clay. After 6 weeks, the soap that just had the blood orange essential oil literally had no scent at all - and the soap that had the blood orange essential oil that was marinating in kaolin clay still had a lovely orange scent. This convinced me that soaking the fragrance in kaolin clay is the way to go. I suggest others conduct this experiment as well to see for yourself. I should add that I soak my fragrance with the kaolin clay for a minimum of 1 hour and usually overnight in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

Do you advise adding lavender soaked clay to oils or at trace?

 

[AliOop]

Do you advise adding lavender soaked clay to oils or at trace?

I'm not @linne1gi but I usually add mine to the oils and stick blend it in well.