Natural scented soap

[Piedmont]

I've been making lard soap for awhile. Made about 6 batches for personal use. I've been thinking about adding cinnamon and / or nutmeg ground up fine to add to the water a few days before making a batch. Then filter out the water. Does this work? Also thought about vanilla seeds.

EDIT: Do edits gets published automatically? I got an idea, liquid hand soaps are inexpensive and scented. Is it possible to make an addition of a liquid soap into a lard soap? I was thinking maybe it would incorporate right in, plus convey the soaps scent too??

 

[savonierre]

cinnamon can be irritating in soap, the scent of them would not come through in the soap unfortunately.

 

[judymoody]

If you want natural scents, you can try essential oils. Spices can add color but typically the scent doesn't survive saponification.

 

[Piedmont]

cinnamon can be irritating in soap, the scent of them would not come through in the soap unfortunately.

Scratch cinnamon!
Txs

 

[Ancel]

Are you just using lard? Oil infusions might be better for soap than water infusions: more stable and lasts longer, but if you're only working with lard that would be difficult. Like others have said the scent doesn't tend to survive saponification, especially with water infusions. However if your looking for color, then turmeric, paprika, cinnamon and cacao will give good color, as will annatto/achiote, nettle and any number of other herbs.


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[Piedmont]

Are you just using lard? Oil infusions might be better for soap than water infusions: more stable and lasts longer, but if you're only working with lard that would be difficult. Like others have said the scent doesn't tend to survive saponification, especially with water infusions. However if your looking for color, then turmeric, paprika, cinnamon and cacao will give good color, as will annatto/achiote, nettle and any number of other herbs.


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Yes, lard, not looking for color, just lightly scented soap. Can cologne be used? I just can't swing the expense of commercial scents for the few bars of soap for my personal use.

 

[judymoody]

There are many on-line vendors that sell quality fragrance oils (and some essential oils) for around $2 per ounce. If you want lightly scented soap you could use .5 ounce per pound of oils or less without breaking the bank. For FO, try Nature's Garden (there is a price break on ten 1 ounce samples) or Peak Candle (which often has great sales). For modestly priced essential oils, try Camden Grey, 1rawplant, or Adobe Soapworks.

Cologne typically contains alcohol and that can cause your soap batter to seize.

 

[Candybee]

I think EOs are the way to go if you are looking for a more 'natural' scent. I use both FOs and EOs in my soap. EOs can be very nice but are somewhat limited. Many FOs contain EOs and you will have a much wider selection and complexity with them. Why not try both?

 

[lsg]

Using natural unrefined cocoa butter in you recipe will give you a slight cocoa fragrance.

 

[Saswede]

I try to stick to natural ingredients as far as possible too, so use EOs to scent my soap. It's great to read up on their benefits and uses, and also to start developing blends that you like. But it is a learning curve ....!

The only additive that I've ever used which has faintly (very faintly!) scented my soap is dried hibiscus petals. I bought some on a Caribbean food promotion at my local supermarket a few months ago, initially to make ice tea - but they've ended up in a soap bar! (Like many other kitchen supplies!) The dried petals have actually retained their deep red color (they aren't brown - at least not yet, some 8 weeks after making the soap), and there is subtle, slightly "sweet" floral scent that I like a lot. The petals also aren't scratchy in the soap ..... So although their high acidity makes them a little tricky to work with, I'll definitely use them again.


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[lizflowers42]

I second shopping sample sales for FO

 

[Piedmont]

There are many on-line vendors that sell quality fragrance oils (and some essential oils) for around $2 per ounce. If you want lightly scented soap you could use .5 ounce per pound of oils or less without breaking the bank. For FO, try Nature's Garden (there is a price break on ten 1 ounce samples) or Peak Candle (which often has great sales). For modestly priced essential oils, try Camden Grey, 1rawplant, or Adobe Soapworks.

Cologne typically contains alcohol and that can cause your soap batter to seize.

By chance, I went to a Flea Market yesterday and found two fragrance sellers. Spoke with one a short time and came home with a fat 1 ounce bottle of oil fragrance for $2.50 to try. Called Cool Water.

 

[Piedmont]

There are many on-line vendors that sell quality fragrance oils (and some essential oils) for around $2 per ounce. If you want lightly scented soap you could use .5 ounce per pound of oils or less without breaking the bank. For FO, try Nature's Garden (there is a price break on ten 1 ounce samples) or Peak Candle (which often has great sales). For modestly priced essential oils, try Camden Grey, 1rawplant, or Adobe Soapworks.

Cologne typically contains alcohol and that can cause your soap batter to seize.

Thanks for the addition weight breakdown, .5 ounce per pound. The lady I bought my oil from said it was a bit more than an ounce in the bottle. I'll do a one pound sample batch to see how at all works!

 

[Piedmont]

I second shopping sample sales for FO

Just saying hello! I lived in ELkhart all my life until moving in 2001 to the Carolina's! My family, two sisters plus grandkids live in ELkhart. One sister recently moved to SB off 31 south just south of bypass.

I used to get bbq ribtips at Frankies all the time!

 

[Piedmont]

Using natural unrefined cocoa butter in you recipe will give you a slight cocoa fragrance.

I'll have to look for some, good suggestion! I like cocoa!

 

[mel z]

I'll have to look for some, good suggestion! I like cocoa!

Essential Depot has a lovely cocoa butter. Check their facebook page for discount codes. I think CB50 was the last one to get a pound at half off. It does smell great!

I have to use natural scent, as I am allergic to FO's. I can say EO's are nice, less choices than FO's, but they do tend to scent the soap just enough without it smelling of lard, olive oil, what have you.

I tried doing unscented, and, well, I can smell the lard, OO, etc... when I shower, so I started trying some EO's. Do a little poking around here to see which onces to use and the percentages, and how they work out. Eventually get into blends. There are lots of posts on these.

BRB with the link to that area of this forum.

Here ya' go:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13

 

[lizflowers42]

Just saying hello! I lived in ELkhart all my life until moving in 2001 to the Carolina's! My family, two sisters plus grandkids live in ELkhart. One sister recently moved to SB off 31 south just south of bypass.

I used to get bbq ribtips at Frankies all the time!

:::waves::: Frankie's recently closed, and so did that nightmare of a 5 point intersection stoplight! Big changes to the Bend!!

 

[boyago]

I bought some on a Caribbean food promotion at my local supermarket a few months ago, initially to make ice tea - but they've ended up in a soap bar! (Like many other kitchen supplies!) The dried petals have actually retained their deep red color (they aren't brown - at least not yet, some 8 weeks after making the soap), and there is subtle, slightly "sweet" floral scent that I like a lot. The petals also aren't scratchy in the soap ..... So although their high acidity makes them a little tricky to work with, I'll definitely use them again.


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How did you use them? Just added them at trace?

 

[green soap]

I have found that using cinnamon infused olive oil gives me a subtle cinnamon scent in the soap. I strain out all the spice because it is scratchy.

I do not use lard but recently infused alkanet (for color) in coconut oil and this worked out very well too. It is a bit of work though. You have to strain before it cools down enough to solidifies.