ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
To review EO blends, I've recently come up with a simple variation of the cotton ball test and/or making small test soap(s): take 20…30 mL of unscented liquid soap (at final dilution), and then drop in the desired EO recipe.
I'm aware that counting drops isn't a very accurate measurement, but it's precise enough when I'd just want to evaluate if an EO pairing “works” or not.
At 20…30 mg per drop, I'm aiming at 5 to 8 drops per LS minibatch. That means 0.5…1% EO load – about the recommended usage rates for EOs in LS. I stir in the EOs, let it rest for an hour or so, and then have a shower with it: I can easily assess the character/balance, and overall intensity “in the wild”. It is freshly made without much effort, just the right amount to be used up with one shower (no waste, no stockpile), yet repeatable if I like it. I take notes before and after, of course.
Impressive that differences between direct smell, cotton ball test/sniff bag, and this shower test are indeed noticeable. With not much experience in formulating scents, I'm under the impression that this method might be advantageous, with scent development reasonably close to the target situation (wet skin in a humid atmosphere). Of course, with no time for “ageing”, I still have to rely on existing expertise wrt scent longevity.
Opinions?
Today was 1 drop juniper, 3 drops templin (fir cone), and 2 drops each of tea tree and lemon tea tree. I will have to find ways to dilute base notes further, the juniper was just too dominant.
I'm aware that counting drops isn't a very accurate measurement, but it's precise enough when I'd just want to evaluate if an EO pairing “works” or not.
At 20…30 mg per drop, I'm aiming at 5 to 8 drops per LS minibatch. That means 0.5…1% EO load – about the recommended usage rates for EOs in LS. I stir in the EOs, let it rest for an hour or so, and then have a shower with it: I can easily assess the character/balance, and overall intensity “in the wild”. It is freshly made without much effort, just the right amount to be used up with one shower (no waste, no stockpile), yet repeatable if I like it. I take notes before and after, of course.
Impressive that differences between direct smell, cotton ball test/sniff bag, and this shower test are indeed noticeable. With not much experience in formulating scents, I'm under the impression that this method might be advantageous, with scent development reasonably close to the target situation (wet skin in a humid atmosphere). Of course, with no time for “ageing”, I still have to rely on existing expertise wrt scent longevity.
Opinions?
Today was 1 drop juniper, 3 drops templin (fir cone), and 2 drops each of tea tree and lemon tea tree. I will have to find ways to dilute base notes further, the juniper was just too dominant.