Why Do Some Unscented Soaps Smell So Good?

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Pims

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I've noticed that some unscented natural soaps smell so much better than others, yet they seem to use the same ingredients - olive, palm, coconut, castor, shea etc.? Has anyone noticed this and would anyone know why?
 
Well, my unscented soap cures close to scented soaps and while you can't discern what they are, they do take on a whisper of scent.

When I made a bastille soap, I had used just bought olive oil from Costco and I was easy to smell a hint of that in the finished soap.

I love plain jane soaps. With all of my other soaps - I give myself the end or broken pieces to use in the shower and that doesn't bother me. But when I crave a new bar of soap - I reach for full size perfect plain janes because simplicity just smells wonderful.
 
I've noticed that some unscented natural soaps smell so much better than others, yet they seem to use the same ingredients - olive, palm, coconut, castor, shea etc.? Has anyone noticed this and would anyone know why?

I noticed that my first self-designed soap I made without saving the recipe (boy do I regret that) and was fragrance-free smelled great. I wish I could re-create it. I have tried, but since given up. I thought I save the recipe in SoapCalc, but I learned that I had not, or that I over-wrote it accidentally. I have never been able to re-create that particular smell in soap since.

I think it's the combination and percentages of the oils, not just the oils themselves. Do you get what I mean? I mean if you take 4 oils and use 25% of each you end up with a different fragrance that if you use unequal percentages of the same oils. And I believe the lye concentration, or the amount of water in the initial batter could play a part as well in the scent of the soap. Just my impressions.
 
I cure them far away from scented and every time I sniff on them i am surprised, The scent is so clean and fresh, like freshly washed sheets and dried outside, on windy day, this is the only way i can describe the scent of unscented soaps
Hi Dahila, could you share your formula, how to make unscented soap smell good? I bought un unscented soap, the smell seems like what you described, so fresh, like some herb well dried under the sun. Tks
 
Hi Dahila, could you share your formula, how to make unscented soap smell good? I bought un unscented soap, the smell seems like what you described, so fresh, like some herb well dried under the sun. Tks
Use fresh oils, I do not share my formulas, sorry
 
I make a Bastille soap olive oil, castor oil, and coconut oil and add in oatmeal, and honey. I use goat milk in place of the water and I never add scent to it. It smells nice with a bit of oat and honey with a sweet scent to it. I can say that if I use fresh new oils it smells better than if I use older oils. The older oils tend to leave a heavy oily scent on the bars.
 
Use fresh oils, I do not share my formulas, sorry
Thanks a lot for your sharing. I just tested with 50% of fresh oil. So far no smell yet, but i hope after unmold, the smell will come out. Is there anything I'm missing or I must use 100% fresh? Thank you again for your time and valuable feedback!
 

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