Teach Soap

So I made some easy peasy circle soaps with fruity scents. Most of them turned out fine but two of them have a yucky smell that overpowers the fruity smell. It's something I've smelled before in some of my soaps and I'm wondering if it's possible to "burn" the FO by adding it when the temp is too high? It's kinda hard to describe the smell - it's kinda musty smelling, and was there right away.

What temp do you add your scents? Could it be that I burned the soap? I try never to go too high, but I plugged in my warmer one time and didn't get back to it right away, and it bubbled a little. If so, is that soap ruined forever? It's not a lot of soap, but I'd hate to waste it.

Bonus question! My soaps always have a faint rubbing alcohol scent for the first few uses - am I using too much alcohol spray, or is that just how it is?

Thanks!

Hmmm. Good questions. Can't wait to see what answers you get

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Amber D that'd be me!

Adding scent to base that is too hot would cause it to "flash" or aerosolize. Basically it puffs out of the soap in a lung burning cloud of awesome smell! Had it happen a couple times, boy it burned my lungs and eyes!

Overheated base will get a nasty smell though, could that be what happened?

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

It's possible that your soap got too hot and morphed the smell. I would suggest that you get yourself a laser thermometer and maybe a timer. that way if you walk away, the time can remind you.

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

Did you add vanilla stabilizer? Because if you did that stuff makes your soaps get an awful smell sometimes.

Okay, so, I did some testing, and I really don't know. I have a laser thermometer, and my soaps come out of the microwave at about 150 degrees. Is that too hot? Is it too hot to add scent - should I wait until 130 or so?

It's not Vanilla Stabilizer, since I've had it happen with ones I've not used it with. It's happened with BB bases and scents (strawberry and snicker doodle) and with Crafters Choice scents. Also, weirdly, it happened with an Elements B&B liquid soap base and a Crafters Choice scent, none of which were heated.

Any ideas? It's just a dull under smell, kinda like a dull PlayDoh smell. It's making me crazy, since I can't find any rhyme or reason, and once it happens, that's it, and I have to throw away whatever it is I'm making.

Most sites will list the temperature at which the particular fragrance will flash. I usually fragrance around 130-135, never higher.

Not sure what you're smelling if you smell it with non-heated soap as well. Maybe one of the components in those specific fragrance oils? Really the only thing I can think of.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist