Teach Soap

Hi, I'm relatively new and still trying to perfect a CP soap recipe that works well for me (I'm getting closer), and develop some favorite scents. I've enjoyed some of the FOs that I've used, and not others. Usually, they seem more "perfumy" than what I'm looking forward to, so I've been combining some EOs and love the various combinations before and when added to the soap at light trace. However, 24 hours later, the scents are barely detectable. I have been making 2# batches and using 1 oz of EO combinations with the primary scent being Ylang Ylang for 1 and lavender for another. To each I added some patchouli and bergamot. Batch #3, now 24 hours old, seems to have retained the scent better with the primary oil being star anise. This is getting long, sorry. The question is, if I repeat #1 and #2 would increasing the amounts of EO do the trick of retaining the scent, or do these particular EOs just not hold up in CP soap? Or, question number 2 -- I combine oil and lye at around 128 degrees. Would another temp help? Thanks for any suggestions. I'm really enjoying the aromatherapy of combining the oils, I would just love to retain the scent in the bars of soap.

Try .7 to 1oz of scent per pound of soap. This should help a lot. =)

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

Thank you Bramble Momma and Soap Buddy. I will try these suggestions.

Ylang Ylang is a tough one in CP soap. I'd get some Patchouli to use as a bit of an anchor - .5 oz of Ylang Ylang and .2 to .4 oz. Patchouli EO. That should help as well.

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Happy Soaping!

Anne-Marie
blog: www.soap-queen.blogspot.com
supplies: www.brambleberry.com

Thanks. I'll try that with ylang ylang again using a little more than last time. Actually, surprisingly, the scent seems to be rebounding a little one week out. Very subtle, but definitely ylang ylang. The lavender is the surprise. As vibrant as it seemed, it has basically no scent at all, so I don't know if time will help it as well.

Using a little bit of clay can help anchor scents also.

Thank you for the clay suggestion. This is a whole new concept for me. I haven't used clay in soap at all. Do you add it as you would a pigment, or do you mix it with your EOs before adding them to the soap? How much would you use in a small 2# batch of soap?

Mix clay with a little bit of water first to make a slurry. It will mix into the soap batch better. I would start with 1 tsp. per lb. of soap.

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

I usually just add the clay to a small amount of thin traced soap and mix well, then add that back into the batch and mix together. Adding the clay to water may work better, I haven't tried that yet.

Thanks, Soapbuddy and isg. Would bentonite clay do? If so, I'm hoping I can get some locally. I have some EOs on the way and can't wait to try the technique(s). I'm sure between getting the soaping temperature where I need it and avoiding ash or DOS which inconsistently show up, I'll have plenty of opportunity to try both approaches.

Bentonite clay or china clay should work.

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

I also like to use French green clay or rose clay for natural color as well as to anchor the scent.