# Dark Patchouli



## soapmaker (Mar 19, 2021)

Just happened to see 16 oz. dark patchouli at Bulk Apothecary for $49. Anyone try this? Must be something different. Dark Patchouli is at least 3 x this usually.


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## cmzaha (Mar 19, 2021)

I used to purchase dark patchouli for the same price.


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## soapmaker (Mar 20, 2021)

cmzaha said:


> I used to purchase dark patchouli for the same price.


NDA's is $168./liter. Everywhere else I looked is much higher than that. Then Bulk Apothecary comes in at $49?



cmzaha said:


> I used to purchase dark patchouli for the same price.


Was it from BA?


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## Saponificarian (Mar 25, 2021)

I don’t trust Bulk Apothecary as far as I can throw them... I would sample first before I buy.


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## soapmaker (Mar 25, 2021)

Saponificarian said:


> I don’t trust Bulk Apothecary as far as I can throw them... I would sample first before I buy.


Is there a reason?


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## Saponificarian (Mar 27, 2021)

soapmaker said:


> Is there a reason?







__





						Bulk Apothecary Barrier Reef FO.
					

I am in shock! Bulk Apothecary sent me 25lbs of scented water!  So I got an email from BA that they are doing a 25% of sale. I headed over, saw the Barrier Reef FO on sale and jumped on it. My parents had just send me some spending money for xmas so I thought I would get myself an early Xmas...




					www.soapmakingforum.com


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## soapmaker (Mar 27, 2021)

Saponificarian said:


> __
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh!! Thank you so much!


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## cmzaha (Mar 27, 2021)

If you can buy smaller than a pound try it. You simply cannot base an opinion of a company on one product.


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## soapmaker (Mar 27, 2021)

N


cmzaha said:


> If you can buy smaller than a pound try it. You simply cannot base an opinion of a company on one product.


No I agree but many have complaints against BA, including you. I noticed in Saponificarian's link above you state "I never like BA."


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Mar 27, 2021)

I haven't bought Patchouli from them so I wouldn't know.  I bought Patchouli oil yrs ago' it was the best' as it aged it only got better, but it was so long ago I cant even remember who it was.  If it were me i'd only buy a 1/2 oz for testing to see if you like it,  hope it works out for you.


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## SoapLover1 (Mar 28, 2021)

I use Bulk Apothecary as one of my main Vendors. They have Quality Products. No matter where you shop, there will always be an issue from time-to-time. When I have ever had an issue with a Product, they addressed it right away and made it right! I love their Products, from Oils, Butters, Essential Oils, Fragrances and Clays. As a Business Owner, I would hope if someone had an issue, they would allow me to make it right.


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## Stephd31 (Mar 28, 2021)

I've purchased Dark Patchouli from BA several times and never had a problem. Only purchasing 16oz at a time.

That being said, I have posted on the forum asking about hold of patchouli in CP soap because I find mine loses it's scent after a few months. It seemed mine loses scent quicker than others on the forum. I've since purchased Dark Patchouli from Liberty Naturals instead.

Not long ago I bought Frankincense EO from BA because it was the cheapest I've found. It smells heavily of solvents and stinks to high heaven. Not ok for soap. Even if I could get past the smell, I don't think it's safe. My poor review of the oil was never published on their site. Red flag.

I live in Ohio and have visited their warehouse for pickup many times. It took one pickup to realize they don't have high quality standards. 

I have resolved to only purchasing sodium hydroxide from BA. I comes in a large pail, it's the cheapest I've found, and it's just as good as any other place I've purchased from. Plus, I can pick it up so I don't have to pay shipping.


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## SoapLover1 (Mar 29, 2021)

That is so interesting because I’ve purchased thousands of dolllars on Essential Oils from Bulk Apothecary and is always impressed by the quality of them all. Especially Frankincense!  It is one of my favorite EO of all!


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## AliOop (Mar 30, 2021)

Stephd31 said:


> I have posted on the forum asking about hold of patchouli in CP soap because I find mine loses it's scent after a few months. It seemed mine loses scent quicker than others on the forum. I've since purchased Dark Patchouli from Liberty Naturals instead.


That is definitely a red flag. Patchouli is one of those scents that normally survives forever. Like cockroaches, crepe myrtle trees, and crab grass, it will probably survive the Apocalypse!


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## cmzaha (Mar 30, 2021)

soapmaker said:


> N
> 
> No I agree but many have complaints against BA, including you. I noticed in Saponificarian's link above you state "I never like BA."


My dislike was nothing to do with their fragrances.


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## cmzaha (Mar 30, 2021)

deleted.


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## Stephd31 (Mar 31, 2021)

SoapLover1 said:


> That is so interesting because I’ve purchased thousands of dolllars on Essential Oils from Bulk Apothecary and is always impressed by the quality of them all. Especially Frankincense!  It is one of my favorite EO of all!



That's a lot of essential oil!  I'm glad you like BA so much.  I know they have a large customer base because there are always other customers picking up large orders when I'm there.  They must be doing something right.

I've bought a couple of hundred dollars worth of essential oils from BA and still working my way through.  Next time, I'll purchase from another supplier.  I bought the Frankincense based on its reviews and was so disappointed.  I left a review saying I must have just received a bad batch.  The fact they didn't publish my review was a huge red flag, and I was sure they had more disappointed customers than just me.

Early on, I used BA's butters, but I found them crunchy instead of creamy and decided that paying shipping through Soaper's Choice was worth the cost.

For me, BA's not the right company.  However, I love that Sodium Hydroxide!  They also have a tempting scratch and dent section in the warehouse to find things discounted. Always tempting, but I never concede.


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## Virgogoddess (Apr 1, 2021)

soapmaker said:


> NDA's is $168./liter. Everywhere else I looked is much higher than that. Then Bulk Apothecary comes in at $49?
> 
> 
> Was it from BA?



Can you tell me who NDA is? Thanks. There was a thread on FB talking about dark patchouli and buying it at NDA. I need to know what supplier this is.


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## Jersey Girl (Apr 1, 2021)

I believe it is New Directions Aromatics


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## soapmaker (Apr 4, 2021)

Yes it is New Directions Aromatics. They have a U.S. site and Canadian site.


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## SoapLover1 (Apr 4, 2021)

Stephd31 said:


> That's a lot of essential oil!  I'm glad you like BA so much.  I know they have a large customer base because there are always other customers picking up large orders when I'm there.  They must be doing something right.
> 
> I've bought a couple of hundred dollars worth of essential oils from BA and still working my way through.  Next time, I'll purchase from another supplier.  I bought the Frankincense based on its reviews and was so disappointed.  I left a review saying I must have just received a bad batch.  The fact they didn't publish my review was a huge red flag, and I was sure they had more disappointed customers than just me.
> 
> ...


StephD31,
I want to apologize to you and others for defending Bulk Apothecary! I am now one of you!!! I used my Organic Lavender Spike and the chemical smell encompassed my whole lab! Solvent smell for sure! I will be contacting them and would like to see how the handle it. They’ve always been courteous in the past with exchanges and refunds. Will be seeking a new Vendor.


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## glendam (Apr 6, 2021)

@Stephd31 
I agree that is very odd that they don’t publish any negative reviews of their products. I have experienced it myself.  When I started making soap I bought a few of their fragrances, unsure of how they would behave because at the time (not sure now) they didn’t list vanillin content or behavior in soap. I didn’t think my reviews were bashing the fragrances, as I liked them, just as a warning to others to expect discoloration or acceleration, or for it to disappear in CP;  they didn’t publish them.  As a test I rewrote a review starting with exceptional praise to the scent and just ending with a slight hint to it discoloring, and that one got published. 
 Since then, I only order shea butter or essential oils from them, as they do have some EO’s that are hard to find elsewhere and their shipping was fast and reasonably priced for small orders.


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## soapmaker (Apr 15, 2021)

Just thought I could add that my biggest ??? with them was when I considered buying some of their ready to sell soaps at one point. I requested a list of ingredients which they wouldn't supply. I asked how can I sell soap without an ingredient list? That was pretty much my problem, they don't give an ingredient list! Hopefully it has changed but I wouldn't buy it even if it did.


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## earlene (Apr 15, 2021)

soapmaker said:


> Just thought I could add that my biggest ??? with them was when I considered buying some of their ready to sell soaps at one point. I requested a list of ingredients which they wouldn't supply. I asked how can I sell soap without an ingredient list? That was pretty much my problem, they don't give an ingredient list! Hopefully it has changed but I wouldn't buy it even if it did.


Who, BA?  Their soaps have the ingredient list for private-label-ready soaps on the website.  Perhaps they wised up since you contacted them, if it was them.  Private Label Wholesale Products | Bulk Apothecary


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## SoapLover1 (Apr 15, 2021)

I will no longer use them after they were not receptive to my complaint about the E. O.  I’ve spent thousands of dollars with them but never again. They should have weighted out the consequences of not replacing my product. I have been an advocate for them but that’s the past! Time to find a new vendor that will offer quality products that they stand behind.


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Apr 15, 2021)

AliOop said:


> That is definitely a red flag. Patchouli is one of those scents that normally survives forever. Like cockroaches, crepe myrtle trees, and crab grass, it will probably survive the Apocalypse!


I used Patchouli Oil in my recent PineTar Soap' ugh its so strong I can hardly stand it & I like Patchouli' lol  It so strong Ive removed it from my curing area thinking its gonna scent my other soaps' Phew its strong.


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## soapmaker (Apr 15, 2021)

earlene said:


> Who, BA?  Their soaps have the ingredient list for private-label-ready soaps on the website.  Perhaps they wised up since you contacted them, if it was them.  Private Label Wholesale Products | Bulk Apothecary



Sorry, yes BA



Peachy Clean Soap said:


> I used Patchouli Oil in my recent PineTar Soap' ugh its so strong I can hardly stand it & I like Patchouli' lol  It so strong Ive removed it from my curing area thinking its gonna scent my other soaps' Phew its strong.



Probably the mix of Patchouli and Pine Tar.


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Apr 15, 2021)

soapmaker said:


> Sorry, yes BA
> 
> 
> 
> Probably the mix of Patchouli and Pine Tar.


Yes' its over kill.  the Pine Tar is defiantly a stand alone scent.


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## soapmaker (Apr 15, 2021)

earlene said:


> Who, BA?  Their soaps have the ingredient list for private-label-ready soaps on the website.  Perhaps they wised up since you contacted them, if it was them.  Private Label Wholesale Products | Bulk Apothecary


Just took a look at your link, earlene. That certainly wasn't there when I looked a few years ago. Also looked at their first soap listed, Petal Dance, nothing in the ingredient list to inform what the black specs are, possibly just soap. The rose petals they list also look like soap.


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## earlene (Apr 16, 2021)

soapmaker said:


> Just took a look at your link, earlene. That certainly wasn't there when I looked a few years ago. Also looked at their first soap listed, Petal Dance, nothing in the ingredient list to inform what the black specs are, possibly just soap. The rose petals they list also look like soap.



Also, nothing on the ingredient list indicates a DOS inhibitor (ROE, CA, etc) and with all those soft oils and soap still in need of a good cure (per one of the reviews), I certainly wouldn't want to risk re-selling that soap.


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