# petitegrain EO vs bergamot EO



## Dalia (Aug 8, 2021)

Hi
I want to expand my EO variety. I want to have citrus smells but I  try to avoid:  orange, grapefruit, and lemon because in my experience they are not long-lasting in soap. I thought of bergamot and petitgrain as an option. but I don't know if they are long-lasting and if they are similar to citrus.


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## KiwiMoose (Aug 8, 2021)

Try Litsea cubeba - it's citrusy and it sticks.


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## Vicki C (Aug 8, 2021)

Agree with @KiwiMoose Litsea is lovely and not too pricey. Lemongrass is nice too but some people find it too heavy. Bergamot is nice but I think it fades and when I last looked seems to have gotten expensive. I recently made a lemongrass / litsea soap that I called lemongrass, but listed both in the ingredients, only because people don’t know what litsea is outside of our eclectic soap society .


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## KiwiMoose (Aug 8, 2021)

@Vicki C - I've made a litsea and lemongrass soap too


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## maryloucb (Aug 8, 2021)

Here’s another vote for litsea! I also make a lemongrass/lime soap and that combo seems to stick pretty well.


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## Kamahido (Aug 8, 2021)

I like Lemongrass myself.


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## Rune (Aug 8, 2021)

I'm not 100% sure of this when it comes to soap (a wash-off product), but I think bergamot EO needs to be the variety that is bergaptene free to be safe (because of photosensitivity).


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## Mobjack Bay (Aug 8, 2021)

Another vote for Litsea.  I use petitgrain, but only in blends due to the price.


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 8, 2021)

If you like the scent of Earl Gray Tea, and I do, you will like the fragrance of Bergamot. Petigrain is best in a blend -- it's there, it's grounding, it's nice, but not a stand-alone scent, IMO.  Either one will play nicely with a mostly Orange EO (X5 or X10) blend and you don't need much to deepen the orangey-ness.

For a grapefruit that sticks, add Yuzu FO.

I'm one who doesn't care for Lemongrass. Here's a lemony lime blend I like:

ZANY'S BLIMEY!
1 part lemon EO
1 part litsea cubeba (aka "May Chang")
2 parts lime EO

ETA: Go to *EOCALC* to find blend ideas with Bergamot and Petigrain.


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## Dalia (Aug 9, 2021)

Ok, the lemongrass i have, so for sure i will try also the litsea.


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## Dalia (Aug 9, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> If you like the scent of Earl Gray Tea, and I do, you will like the fragrance of Bergamot. Petigrain is best in a blend -- it's there, it's grounding, it's nice, but not a stand-alone scent, IMO.  Either one will play nicely with a mostly Orange EO (X5 or X10) blend and you don't need much to deepen the orangey-ness.
> 
> For a grapefruit that sticks, add Yuzu FO.
> 
> ...


I like the earl gray cent butvi dont want to spend money on EO that fade fast


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## Dalia (Aug 9, 2021)

Rune said:


> I'm not 100% sure of this when it comes to soap (a wash-off product), but I think bergamot EO needs to be the variety that is bergaptene free to be safe (because of photosensitivity).


Like u saied, I think that it's not an issue when we are taking about wash off products


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## Vicki C (Aug 9, 2021)

I must not be buying the right orange and lemon EOs, I feel like I can barely smell anything after the cure, even with 5 fold. Are there particular brands people have had success with?


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## dibbles (Aug 9, 2021)

Vicki C said:


> I must not be buying the right orange and lemon EOs, I feel like I can barely smell anything after the cure, even with 5 fold. Are there particular brands people have had success with?


I've had good luck with BB 10x orange. I've given up on lemon and use litsea if I want a lemony scent.


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 9, 2021)

Vicki C said:


> I must not be buying the right orange and lemon EOs, I feel like I can barely smell anything after the cure, even with 5 fold.


This is typical of citrus scents. The people who are successful in making blends that stick, take time to learn what works and why. I spent my first year of soapmaking developing my basic recipes. I spent my second year learning about essential oils. 

You can find basic info about blending TOP, MIDDLE, & BOTTOM NOTES and ANCHORS and CARRIER OILS on aromatherapy sites like *AROMA WEB*. You can learn about the therapeutic value and SAFE USE rates on sites that sell essential oils like *EDEN BOTANICALS*. Few places offer info on using EOs to scent soap -- SMF is as good as any place to gain insight into that. 



Vicki C said:


> Are there particular brands people have had success with?


*SUN PURE BOTANICALS* in NM for quality, price and cost of shipping. Women owned company. They do their best to keep shipping low but they use USPS which can cause delays if USPS is in overload, as it has been recently.

HTH


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## Zing (Aug 9, 2021)

I only use Bramble Berry essential oils.  I combine orange 10X routinely with litsea and the scent sticks at least for 12 months.  I routinely use -- and love -- bergamot and lemongrass.  Bergamot doesn't smell citrus-y to me and I was surprised when I found out it was a citrus.  I get most of my usage rates from eocalc and always use the high end (except for peppermint which I use the lowest amount).  I have no experience with petitgrain.  Good luck to you!


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## cmzaha (Aug 9, 2021)

I vote for Litsea. Petigrain, while I love it, it is very pricey and very overpowering. I also do not find it to lend to citrus at all.

ETA: I also Key Lime which sticks well and is a great mixer.


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## Vicki C (Aug 9, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> This is typical of citrus scents. The people who are successful in making blends that stick, take time to learn what works and why. I spent my first year of soapmaking developing my basic recipes. I spent my second year learning about essential oils.
> 
> You can find basic info about blending TOP, MIDDLE, & BOTTOM NOTES and ANCHORS and CARRIER OILS on aromatherapy sites like *AROMA WEB*. You can learn about the therapeutic value and SAFE USE rates on sites that sell essential oils like *EDEN BOTANICALS*. Few places offer info on using EOs to scent soap -- SMF is as good as any place to gain insight into that.
> 
> ...


Thanks Zany - I didn’t have a good experience with Sun Pure - I know you have positive things to say about them but the EOs I bought did not smell right and seemed diluted. They also were very, very slow with shipping. Disappointing.


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## Saraiva (Aug 9, 2021)

Bood evening
To use citrus notes in soaps, chemical products must be used, Citral, Limonene and an aldehyde, usually 1% C10 to give it fixing capacity.
There are those who use Benzoin, but they are restricted by the IFRA, such as Citral and LImonene, natural essences are little resistant to the alkaline pH of most soaps, perhaps citronella, but always with an aldehyde together.


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## cmzaha (Aug 10, 2021)

Vicki C said:


> Thanks Zany - I didn’t have a good experience with Sun Pure - I know you have positive things to say about them but the EOs I bought did not smell right and seemed diluted. They also were very, very slow with shipping. Disappointing.


I also have had good luck with what EO's I have purchased from Sun Pure, especially their Peppermint and Tea Tree Oil. I do not remember what else I have purchased but those two I do remember.


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