Soap has distinct smell of oil

[Rimmi]

Hi All,

I am a newbie in soap making. In some of my CP soaps I find there is a distinct smell of oil (with the fragrance) and in others there is no oily smell only fragrance. I have used same ingredients while making the soaps but some have only fragrance and some has distinct smell of oil.
Does anyone know why is it so and how to reslove this issue with smell.

Thanks
Rims

 

[shunt2011]

I have found that if the oils get to hot they have distinctive smell of fats. However, I’ve found that the smell goes away with cure. I only get my oils warm and no problem.

 

[Kamahido]

Which oils so you smell?

 

[Lin19687]

could be rancid oils and you are just not used to smelling it.

I won't use Lard because no matter where the source came from or the recipe I can still smell it.

 

[Rimmi]

thanks. I don't use lard. mostly its sunflower oil, rice bran oil, olive and coconut.

 

[cmzaha]

could be rancid oils and you are just not used to smelling it.
I won't use Lard because no matter where the source came from or the recipe I can still smell it.

I do use lard with my stronger fo's but not with light fragrances. I find after about 8 months I smell lard in the soaps with only using 20% lard.

 

[SaltedFig]

thanks. I don't use lard. mostly its sunflower oil, rice bran oil, olive and coconut.

Sunflower, Rice Bran and Coconut don't have much of a smell when made into soap IMHO, but olive oil soap can have a quite distinct smell.

The smell of olive oil varies between batches and olive varieties, which can also be noticeable, especially if you are using a virgin olive oil.

 

[amd]

Keep in mind that there is natural smell to soap, so even though you might not be adding fragrance there will still be a scent of 'what it is'. My unfragranced soaps have a smell, and some people won't buy them simply because they have the natural scent. Commercial products have brain washed people into believing that unscented/fragrance free = no smell. If your oils are not rancid, make your soap. When your oils are combined (before adding lye) take note of the smell. After your soap is made, is that what you're still smelling? How does it smell after curing? As soapmakers we become quite nosy people - not in the curious way, but in what our noses can smell from what we've experienced. I have a 100% lard bar in the shower that I won't use (because it dries out my skin and because all I can smell is lard), but husband doesn't notice the lard smell at all.

 

[dixiedragon]

It might just be your nose. I can definitely tell a difference between my typical recipe (50% lard, castor, coconut, olive, rice bran, sunflower) and a 100% coconut recipe. The 100% coconut recipe doesn't smell coconutty at all - it just smells soapier. My regular recipe has less of a smell, but it also smells like soap vs oil. But a high olive oil bar definitely smells like olive oil to me.

 

[OldHippie]

In some of my CP soaps I find there is a distinct smell of oil (with the fragrance) and in others there is no oily smell only fragrance

Some fragrances will "cover up" the natural sent of the soap better than others.