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Mrs T

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Barwell, UK
Hi I am brand new to soap making, I am currently using melt and pour and have tried a shea butter and vanilla soap but I can barely smell the vanilla. I only used 1 teaspoon of raw shea butter (so that is not overpowering it) and ended up putting 5ml of vanilla fragrance oil in. What is the best thing to use to get that true strong vanilla fragrance?
Thankyou in advance for any replies
 
Hello and welcome! You should be measuring your FO by weight. Check the usage rate recommended for that particular fragrance and increase it. I would use at least 2-3% of your soap weight.
 
Shunt2011 is right again lol! Also adding to many extra oils or butters to your melt and pour soap base can cause it to be soft or not harden back up.

I have never used a vanilla FO in M&P before but from what I understand it can also turn MP soap brown from the vanillin content, if it has any. So keep an eye on that but you can also add a vanilla stabilizer to your soap at the time when you add the vanilla. It has always worked for me but I am using it in CP soap making and not MP. Some swear by it and others say it doesn't work. I just wanted to put it out there for you in case your soap started turning brown.
 
Thank you for your replies, ok, the weight rather than ml makes sense (time for me to do some dreaded maths) my soap hardened ok with the shea butter in as it was a smaller amount to prevent it affecting the lather (iv been researching lol) I actuallyused an equal part of vanilla colour stabiliser too as im aware of the browning. Although, i watched a video on youtube this afternoon that suggests it can affect the fragrance 🤔. To be honest, if I smell the bottle I cant smell vanilla either so not sure ifbits just a rubbish oil. I will definitely stick to the appropriate weights but will experiment a little with the stabiliser and maybe a different brand of oil.👍
 
Thank you for your replies, ok, the weight rather than ml makes sense (time for me to do some dreaded maths) my soap hardened ok with the shea butter in as it was a smaller amount to prevent it affecting the lather (iv been researching lol) I actuallyused an equal part of vanilla colour stabiliser too as im aware of the browning. Although, i watched a video on youtube this afternoon that suggests it can affect the fragrance 🤔. To be honest, if I smell the bottle I cant smell vanilla either so not sure ifbits just a rubbish oil. I will definitely stick to the appropriate weights but will experiment a little with the stabiliser and maybe a different brand of oil.👍

Use fragrances from reputable soapmaking companies. You'll certainly have better luck.
 
Thank you for your replies, ok, the weight rather than ml makes sense (time for me to do some dreaded maths) my soap hardened ok with the shea butter in as it was a smaller amount to prevent it affecting the lather (iv been researching lol) I actuallyused an equal part of vanilla colour stabiliser too as im aware of the browning. Although, i watched a video on youtube this afternoon that suggests it can affect the fragrance 🤔. To be honest, if I smell the bottle I cant smell vanilla either so not sure ifbits just a rubbish oil. I will definitely stick to the appropriate weights but will experiment a little with the stabiliser and maybe a different brand of oil.👍
First off, good for you for doing the research first. You are on your way to being a good soaper. Second, I have never had a problem with the stabilizer effecting my fragrances in any way but the stabilizer definitely has a distinct smell. I got my stabilizer from aztec candle because it is only $5 a pound and after 6 months the soap I used it in still hasn't turned brown.
 
First off, good for you for doing the research first. You are on your way to being a good soaper. Second, I have never had a problem with the stabilizer effecting my fragrances in any way but the stabilizer definitely has a distinct smell. I got my stabilizer from aztec candle because it is only $5 a pound and after 6 months the soap I used it in still hasn't turned brown.
Hi, Thank you for your message. Does the stabiliser smell dissappear once it is mixed with the soap? Mine doesnt have any smell at all. Im in the UK so will have a look and see whether Aztec Candles ships to Europe. Thankyou. 👍
 
Hi, Thank you for your message. Does the stabiliser smell dissappear once it is mixed with the soap? Mine doesnt have any smell at all. Im in the UK so will have a look and see whether Aztec Candles ships to Europe. Thankyou. 👍
Once I mix the stabilizer in with my fragrance oil, the stabilizer smell goes away. Also the stabilizer that I am using will separate from the fragrance oil if you let it sit for a while but it still works. Just remember to mix it right before you add it. Some stabilizers are product specific, meaning that they are meant to be used for either cold/hot process or melt & pour. Aztecs can be used for either. I have never used any other brand than aztec, so what I'm telling you is from a limited experience.

There are quite a few soap suppliers in the UK but I don't know if they carry the stabilizer. If aztec does not ship to the UK you might try "wholesale supply plus". Here's a link for a melt & pour only stabilizer Buy Vanilla Color Stabilizer | Soap Making Products | Rustic Escentuals
 
Once I mix the stabilizer in with my fragrance oil, the stabilizer smell goes away. Also the stabilizer that I am using will separate from the fragrance oil if you let it sit for a while but it still works. Just remember to mix it right before you add it. Some stabilizers are product specific, meaning that they are meant to be used for either cold/hot process or melt & pour. Aztecs can be used for either. I have never used any other brand than aztec, so what I'm telling you is from a limited experience.

There are quite a few soap suppliers in the UK but I don't know if they carry the stabilizer. If aztec does not ship to the UK you might try "wholesale supply plus". Here's a link for a melt & pour only stabilizer Buy Vanilla Color Stabilizer | Soap Making Products | Rustic Escentuals
Great, thank you!

Look in this section of the forum for UK suppliers for everything to do with soap making:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/forums/shopping-recommendations.30/page-2
Lovely, thank you I will take a look!
 
There are UK suppliers in this list as well -- SMF Fragrance Oil Review

This list is best viewed on a regular computer monitor unless you have the Google Sheets app installed on your mobile device. Click on "Suppliers" at the bottom of the screen that appears.
 
Hello and welcome! You should be measuring your FO by weight. Check the usage rate recommended for that particular fragrance and increase it. I would use at least 2-3% of your soap weight.
Hi, sorry I have another question regarding EO/FO additives. If I was doing a design with embeds (not that I plan to try yet, just for knowledge purposes) and wasnt fragrancing the embeds would I work out the 2-3% based on just the amount of melt and pour I am fragrancing or the total of melt and pour in the whole soap including the non fragrant embeds? Hope that makes sense? Thank you 😊
 
Hi, sorry I have another question regarding EO/FO additives. If I was doing a design with embeds (not that I plan to try yet, just for knowledge purposes) and wasnt fragrancing the embeds would I work out the 2-3% based on just the amount of melt and pour I am fragrancing or the total of melt and pour in the whole soap including the non fragrant embeds? Hope that makes sense? Thank you 😊
Yes, just the amount MP that you are going to add FO to. Example, If you are doing a 1Lb batch with 4 ounces of embeds, then you base your FO on 12 ounces of MP.
 
Yes, just the amount MP that you are going to add FO to. Example, If you are doing a 1Lb batch with 4 ounces of embeds, then you base your FO on 12 ounces of MP.
Fantastic, as I suspected! Im guessing I will be on here asking a few questions like this as its how I seem to learn and retain information best. Thankyou again
 
Hi, sorry I have another question regarding EO/FO additives. If I was doing a design with embeds (not that I plan to try yet, just for knowledge purposes) and wasnt fragrancing the embeds would I work out the 2-3% based on just the amount of melt and pour I am fragrancing or the total of melt and pour in the whole soap including the non fragrant embeds? Hope that makes sense? Thank you 😊

Use the percentage based on how much MP you are going to pour into the mold after the embeds. I've never weighed my embeds ad weight doesn't matter it depends on how much space the embeds take up as to how much additional soap is needed. So, I would make a 1 lb batch and just have an extra mold available for what doesn't fit in the mold. That's what I do with CP.
 
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