Teach Soap

Hi,

I've been making quite a few soaps recently for Christmas but I'm noting that the scents in the soaps aren't holding. I've noticed it with the lavender EO, the peppermint EO, and the dragons blood FO for a friend who wants a whole log of soap. My recipe has olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, castor oil and 1/2 goat's milk. I add the EO's and FO's at trace and the soaps are left at room temperature to saponify. I cure them in a cool, dry room out of the sun.

I have people telling me to just add more fragrance and EO but there's only so much you can add until you can't add any more.

Any ideas on what to add in order to help hold the scent in the soap? My hubby reckons to add salt...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

What percentage are you adding at?

i've never had any issues with my Peppermint EO sticking - in fact usually it's quite overpowering used at normal rates. Lavender has never been a problem either. I've never soaped with Dragon's Blood.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

How much are you adding per lb. of soap and where did the EO's come from?

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I get all my EO's locally Mountainlion (NZ) you may get them from the sameplace?

Never had a problem with either peppermint or lavender. What percentages are you using? Haven't soaped Dragon's blood but do have a sample to try.

Sorry you are having trouble but at what temps are you soaping and what percentage of EO per lb are you using? The three you mentioned all stick really well...the DB and Peppermint can even be overpowering in some cases so it sounds as if you are using a low percentage. You can go 1 oz per lb for a heavily scented/strong scent. I generally use .7 or .8 oz per pound of Peppermint and DB.

Rochy, yeah we probably are getting them from the same places in NZ

I'm using South Island Lavender EO from Go Native and using 31 grams per per 25 oz of oils (1.13 Oz of EO for you Americans) as per Brambleberry.

For the peppermint I'm using 22 grams per 25 oz of oils (0.75 Oz of EO for you Americans) as per Brambleberry.

For the Dragons blood I'm using 31 grams per per 25 oz of oils.

They all smell great when they're saponifying and when they begin to cure but the scents really wear off with time. I think part of the problem is with the people who smell them say "you have to add more scent, like how L*sh does", so it's freaking me out. Also family who tested it, expected the scent to last all day on their body like their body washes do.

I'm still feeling my way around how much scent to add, especially with the EO's since they're so expensive here in New Zealand.

No soap's fragrance will last on the skin the all day; well maybe Patchouli does. I think L**h fragrances just reek. I would follow safe scent guidelines and if anyone asks, you tell them that.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Yeah, every time I go into L*sh I get a massive headache from the smell.

The one thing of theirs I do love is their Snow Fairy body wash. Am dying to replicate the recipe as it's too expensive to ship a dupe over here. So far I know it's candy floss/cotton candy and pear...

Sorry it took me so long to reply Mountainlion!

Sounds like we get our essential oils from the same place alright! No-one else comes close to their prices!
I use exactly the same lavender, I find the South Island lavender so much nicer than North Island! Less camphorous. Also at exactly the same usage, works out at 0.7oz ppo. Sounds like your Dragons Blood is at the same usage so that should stick fine.
Your peppermint is at 0.5oz ppo, this should be fine too, I don't actually make a straight peppermint,can't resist throwing the aniseed in there!

Do YOU think the scents aren't sticking or are they comments from people who are thinking of the almighty stench that hits when you go near L*sh?!? Some scents are delish! others burn nose hairs!!! way too strong for me, headache inducing!

I fell in love with the scent of one of their body washes about a year ago, couldn't believe how badly & instantly it dried my skin out! Not usually a problem for me!