I stole the title of this post from a Reddit posting. I couldn't describe the smell well so I had not brought it up before. Anyway, a while ago I had a few batches develop an off smell. The best I could describe the odor was a nutty ammonia smell. One of the FOs was Coffee Bean from WSP. It was overwhelming and horrible. After two batches I tossed the rest of the bottle. The other FO I had this happen with was their Almond Fragrance Oil. This time the offending odor was more in the background but the soap was more of a cherry smell than almond. The ingredients in the first batch, so far the only printout I can find, were coconut, olive, lard, avocado, castor oils and shea butter. I have simplified my recipe to reduce ingredients since this batch. Is there any ideas on what might have caused this off scent to develop?
Soap smells chemical-y/like hair dye
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BattleGnome
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Double check the fragrance listing. By chance are they not rated for CP? WSP tends to cater more towards m&p and other "easy" products for immediate sale rather than for "difficult" products that require lye. There is a chance they didn't test the fragrances in CP.
The next gut reaction would be that your ingredients aren't fresh or your NaOH is slightly off. If the coffee scent morphed predictably through a few batches you might have ruled it out other ingredients but it is a possibility.
The next gut reaction would be that your ingredients aren't fresh or your NaOH is slightly off. If the coffee scent morphed predictably through a few batches you might have ruled it out other ingredients but it is a possibility.
Rusti
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I don't think WSP tests any of their fragrances in any capacity from what I can tell. I tend to read reviews before I buy anything that I haven't used before.
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When I soaped wsp coffee beans the soap did have a weird unpleasant smell to it. After a couple of weeks it turned into a faint coffee smell. At 6 - 8 weeks there was very little scent left at all. Wouldn't use it again!
Was the stink there at the beginning of unmolding and during cure, or did the soaps smell fine at first but then grow stinky sometime after cure?
I ask because I've found some FOs or certain ingredients will make my soap smell like stinky perm solution for hair in the beginning and during cure, but fade completely away by the end of cure, leaving behind just the lovely, true scent of the FO in my soap. One of the FOs that does this to me is Sun & Sand from WSP.
Also, my coffee soap made with triple-strength coffee as my liquid is horribly stinky in the beginning, but fades away to nothing by the end of cure.
IrishLass
I ask because I've found some FOs or certain ingredients will make my soap smell like stinky perm solution for hair in the beginning and during cure, but fade completely away by the end of cure, leaving behind just the lovely, true scent of the FO in my soap. One of the FOs that does this to me is Sun & Sand from WSP.
Also, my coffee soap made with triple-strength coffee as my liquid is horribly stinky in the beginning, but fades away to nothing by the end of cure.
IrishLass
I believe both of the FOs I had problems with were indicated as good for CP. After the fact I checked reviews and others were raving about how good the CP soap smell and greatest scent ever. The first batch of Coffee Bean I did have around for a while. The off odor was there from the beginning and only faded a little over the weeks I had the bars around. It was very noticeable when it was being used. When the second batch smelled bad again coming out of the mold it went right to the trash can along with the rest of the bottle of FO. Lesson learned was never by a 16oz bottle of FO the first time around. The Almond FO was a weird mix of the off odor and cherry. Again it was around for a few weeks but after getting about halfway through the second bar it and the rest of the batch went in the trash. On the other hand the Dirt FO from WSP has worked great for me and is one of my favorite scents. The batches were far enough apart to not be using the same batch of any of the raw material.
Obsidian
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I think some FO's just smell bad or weird to certain people. I have some intense almond from the sage that is incredible oob but in soap, it smells like perm and play-doh. It never cured out and was absolutely awful, it went in the trash.
There are other FO's that smell chemically too, energy from BB is one of them. This is why I always order the smallest possible amount of a new scent. I can always order more but I hate tossing out FO that just isn't for me.
There are other FO's that smell chemically too, energy from BB is one of them. This is why I always order the smallest possible amount of a new scent. I can always order more but I hate tossing out FO that just isn't for me.
I believe that to be very true indeed- that some FOs just smell bad or weird to certain people (but wonderful to others). So much depends on which scent receptors in our individual noses are 'awake' or 'asleep', or what they are sensitive to or saturated with, etc... Case in point: the Intense Almond from the Sage (MMS) that you disliked so much in your soap just so happens to be my go-to almond FO for CP.
My nose thinks it's wonderful in CP. My soap made with it smells just like the Jergens lotion my late grandma was fond of using. IrishLass
The ones I have had problems with definitely morphed in the reaction process. Out of the bottle they were fine and smelled like they should have. After the cold process they smelled like... well, not good.
penelopejane
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You didn't overhear the soap did you? Like CPOP at too high a temperature? That can cause an awful smell in a soap.
Was there any milk in your soap?
beginner
I'm a beginner, but I just had a similar experience. Scented my goat's milk soap with coconut cream scent from Brambleberry (tested for use in cold process soap)
After curing for six weeks, I am not fond of the scent--smalls somewhat burned to me. I froze the milk and as such I soaped at low temperatures--perhaps I just don't care for the final scent. Or maybe I did something wrong??
I'm a beginner, but I just had a similar experience. Scented my goat's milk soap with coconut cream scent from Brambleberry (tested for use in cold process soap)
After curing for six weeks, I am not fond of the scent--smalls somewhat burned to me. I froze the milk and as such I soaped at low temperatures--perhaps I just don't care for the final scent. Or maybe I did something wrong??
jbedaded, it's more likely your nose just doesn't like the scent. That's why using small test batches for a new-to-you fragrance is a good way to go. And sometimes fragrances change over time, fading, returning, only coming out while the soap is in use, etc.
Cindy2428
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A true almond scent is almost like a mission. I believe there was a thread here a year or two ago about people's search for a perfect almond. I also agree that if you add milks to your soap you need to be extra careful for scorching - The "toasted" scent will come through.
cherrycoke216
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I LOVE autocorrect!!! It's so much fun!!!
Now I'll have to overhear all my soap and see what they're talking about.
No milk and no overheating. I will typically start the mixture after the oils and lye are around 100 degree F. Strictly CP as I'm too lazy to finish it off with putting it in a warm oven. Goes in the mold and sits on the counter uncovered.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
:razz:I LOVE autocorrect!!! It's so much fun!!!
Now I'll have to overhear all my soap and see what they're talking about.
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