Teach Soap

I've noticed a pretty significant disparity between the fragrance calculators of Brambleberry and TheSage.

Brambleberry always recommends twice as much EO than TheSage does.

Which one do you find to be more reliable/accurate?

For now, I'll just split the difference.

I believe the difference between the two is that The Sage goes by the amount of oils/butters (no water). The Brambleberry fragrance calculator goes by the whole recipe including water.

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

MMS also claims to have EXTREMELY concentrated fragrances, which need to be used at a much lower percentage. I usually use my MMS fragrances at around 0.25-0.5% while I use most BB fragrances at 2%.

That said; I'm not sure what MMS does to their fragrances, but I've had to bin several batches with them, and none with BB fragrances.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

OK, thanks for the info!

I've been using NOW Foods essential oils. I'll see if they have a usage chart for cold process soap.

It is my understanding that fragrance oil is figured by weight ppo or per pound of oils. Why would Bramble Berries calculator be contrary to this standard?

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

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

Irena so if I use say .8 oz of a fragrance for 16 ounces of oils am I over scenting my soaps if I'm using BB fragrance?

edited for clarity

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

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

For as long as I have been soaping I've been using .6 to .8 oz PPO. That is per pound of oils, not per pound of soap.

So do you add the lye water, any milks, colors and clays and all ingredients first and weigh the whole batch. After you determine what the whole batch weighs then you calculate the amount of fragrance?

and then figure out what the amount of fragrance is?

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

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

WOW! I'm amazed.

Oh I see that is the european way to figure fragrance by including the water amount with the oils.

I was taught by books written here for soap the ppo, per pound of oils is the standard for formulation, much like the BB Fragrance Calculator does.

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

MMS states that their fragrances are "more highly concentrated" than most vendors. This is why they recommend a much lower usage rate. My last batch worked out to be 0.25% (oil and water weight), and it was WAY too strong. And it messed up again... like the last 3 MMS fragranced batches. Turned my regular castille recipe into separated goop, while the unfragranced portion was perfect.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I am having trouble with the correct amt of FO and EO. When you decide on the amount per lb is it amt of total oils measured or the size of the mold ie 2lb, 5 lb

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

Well I'll take a go at this. The numbers are partial and from soap calc for illustration.

If your mold holds approximately 2 pounds or 32 ounces you need a recipe that's total is about 2 pounds. That is a recipe that is about say 22 ounces of oils plus water, lye brings the total up to approximate number of ounces you need for the mold.

Total oil weight 21 oz plus additives is 32 ounces or 2 pounds apx enough to fill the 2 lb mold.

Water as percent of oil weight 38 %
Super Fat/Discount 5 %

Ingredient Pounds Ounces Grams
Water 0.499 7.980 226.229
Lye - NaOH 0.190 3.034 86.015
Oils 1.313 21.000 595.339
Fragrance 0.000 0.000 0.000

Soap weight 2.002 Pounds 32.014 ounces 907.583grams
before CP cure
or HP cook


# √ Oil/Fat % Pounds Ounces Grams
1 Apricot Kernal Oil 10.000 0.131 2.100 59.534
2 Coconut Oil, 76 deg 30.000 0.394 6.300 178.602
3 Olive Oil 30.000 0.394 6.300 178.602
4 Palm Oil 30.000 0.394 6.300 178.602

Totals 100 1.313 21.000 595.339 adding Lye/Water makes this apx 2 pounds

So in thinking about this approximately 22 ounces of oils (1.8 Pounds) with other additives brings the total weight to 33 ounces or approximately 2 pounds and enough for a 2 pounds mold.

Hope that helps.

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂