# Mad Oils Review part 1



## Cindy2428 (Mar 11, 2015)

So I’ve heard good solid reviews about this company and a new credit card with 12 months deferred interest, so I had to check them out. All of their FOs were on sale and I was able to buy all but two – Home for the Holidays and Pumpkin Bread.
MO is located in FL and like other vendors ship their low FP FO’s ground. Because of the recent bad weather South, (I’m in Indiana) I experienced shipping delays due to icy weather which of course I do not fault MO for. I received my order on two subsequent days. 
Packaging – Excellent. I purchased 7.5 and 8oz bottles. All of the lids were taped, placed in poly bags and wrapped completely in plenty of bubble wrap. They survived the trip w/out a drop spilt.
Gift surprise – Don’t you just love companies that enclose goodies! It makes your shopping experience just that more special. A muslin bag with a personalized note attached was very much appreciated. I received very generous samples: (estimating) 1 oz of Key West Blue Mica in a jar vs. a bag– very pretty; reminds me of the blue color frequently used to paint Key West cottages. A small jar of dried roses – great scent and good color with medium-small buds – enough to cover a 3# soap loaf easily. A small bottle each of Nina Simone Sparkle glitter and Titanium Dioxide. The water soluble TD was loose and not clumping. I’m guessing these were each 1 Tbsp because there were no amounts listed on the packaging. The glitter is enough for multiple batches – 6-10 depending on amt. used. (I’m not a glitter girl-yet).

*Sexy Beast:* IFRA Soap; 3.22%; FP 200F, Vanillin 0.82% MO lists this as an exclusive fragrance and it’s just that. I’ve never smelled a combo like this. It’s a soapy floral with spicy overtones. By nature I’m not a floral fan but I’m going to try this in a roll-on with jojoba oil – I love it that much. Their site lists “mimosa, lily, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, some fresh laundry, a touch of vanilla, and a whisper of light musk”. Spot on. I would describe this as a sporty feminine floral, but if you added something like black pepper EO I think this would work for guys as well.

*South Beach:* IFRA-9.49%, 0% Vanillin, 195F FP I have been looking a long time for a tropical fruit scent and this is *IT* for me. It is not too sweet; the cantaloupe grounds it with a touch of green, but it is bright and fruity with no outright musk or fake “suntan” smell. There is an ocean note but it does not detract from the fruit blend. It’s nice and strong out of the bottle and I’m hoping that this will stick well.

*Rose Geranium*: IFRA-48.35%, 0% Vanillin; FP 200F If you are a novice to EOs, this would be what you’d expect a rose geranium to smell like – a fully blooming rose garden. (The EO actually is very green and herbal). This is a clean scented rose with just a touch of leafy, earthy undertone. 

*Wild Hyacinth:* IFRA-4.97%, Vanillin 0%, FP 200F I freely admit that I am not a floral fan, and I actually waited to open this bottle last. I’ve been loving every one of these FOs so far and didn’t want to spoil my run. Yes this is a floral but it has enough green notes to prevent that overpowering sweet sickly smell. I actually plan to soap this clean without blending. This will be a first for me.

*Pink Grapefruit:* IFRA-44.44%, 0% Vanillin, FP 130F I love pink grapefruit and have used the EO in my therapy blends for many years. For the price point I did expect to be disappointed with the harsh end note I have found with less expensive oils. NOT THIS ONE! It’s bright, clean and the perfect citrus. I am really hoping this sticks.

*Vanilla Milk:* Vanillin 1.30%, FP 200F, Sg 1.1240-1.1340 I’ve stayed away from high vanilla content scents, because in truth I haven’t been able to embrace the brown. But this one will be totally worth it. To me it smells like rich thick, vanilla coconut milk. –No fake, plastic after smell. Those who have been hunting for this will know what I mean.

*Them Apples:* IFRA-12.82%, 0% Vanillin, 200FP Clean, uncluttered, fresh green apple scent. Surprisingly strong out of the bottle; I imagine in CP needing to use at max strength. Nice and crisp without the sour note of a Granny Smith.

*Snow Witch:* IFRA-9.90%, 0% Vanillin, 170FP I smell jasmine and strong musk notes with either balsam or fir needle pine. I don’t detect the fruity notes in the MO description, but it is unique. A bit strong of a floral for me personally, but if it tones down a little in soap I may like it more.

*Velvet Peppercorn:* IFRA 20% , 0% Vanillin, FP 200F I was so looking forward to this one and it does not disappoint. The healthy dose of black pepper EO makes this a bargain. It is not overly sharp but spicy enough for a distinct difference. Their site lists a blend of cracked black pepper, freshly turned dirt and prized velvet. I admit I don’t know what velvet smells like, but it definitely brings a finishing touch to this FO.

*Smoke + Mirrors :* IFRA 43.48%, FP 200F, Vanillin 0% At the base of this I detect that outside smell of sweet apple wood burning in the fireplace. 
There is a moderate musk, but clean with a minimum of florals. I would call this unisex scent sophisticated lumberjack. 

*Orange Blossom:* IFRA-100%, 0% Vanillin, 200FP This carries more of a neroli orange versus tangerine or sweet orange. It’s not overly strong and with it’s high flashpoint I’m curious about what they’ve used to anchor it. There is a light powder note but it carries the citrus well.


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## Cindy2428 (Mar 11, 2015)

I received my other two boxes to complete my order and there were additional goodies in both boxes! Box 1 contained a baggie with some chocolate and candy treats, a sample-sized baggie with cornflower petals and a dram-sized bottle of a beautiful copper glitter called Grace Jones Electric Glitter. Box 2 had a nicely wrapped package of 1 oz samples of orange, green and pink neon micas, as well as Harold’s purple crayon mica. All I can say is that they do know how to impress a new customer.


*Rosebud* : IFRA-42.01%, 0% Vanillin, FP 200F Since I was fortunate to be able to purchase this as well as the Rose Geranium, a comparison was inevitable. Rosebud is an all-out, in your face rose. It is very fragrant and feminine. If you were in a flower shop and walked by a dozen of these, they would stop you in your tracks. In contrast, the Rose Geranium is more earthy, carrying the herbal note of the EO. I really like them both; there are distinct differences and I would purchase them separately again.

*Powder Puff Girl:* IFRA 100%, 0% Vanillin, FP 200F This one reminds me of Clohe perfume, a Carl Lagerfeld scent from 1975. A soft powdery blend of jasmine and honeysuckle with a light finish of a soft rose and a light wood finish. Definitely for the romantic girly-girl.

*Pink Sugar Type:* IFRA-41.67%, 2% Vanillin, FP 200F Out of the bottle I smell a strong sweet musk-vanilla caramel fragrance . I placed this on a tester and came back to it overnight. It’s still very sweet but I now can pick up on the amber and light floral note.

*Mayan Gold :* Sg-0.9315, 2% Vanillin, FP 200F MO offers a much better description than I can offer – “An exotic, woody-musk having top-notes of dried berries, black coconut, lemon, orange and a touch of lime, followed by middle-notes of jasmine, rose, neroli and star anise, and finishing with a warm, earthy patchouli, sandalwood, musk and powdery Tonka bean and vanilla base-note.” I can smell everything advertised, and the combination makes it a complicated tropical fragrance. If you are looking for a lighter patchouli tropical blend , this is a good choice.

*Marzipan:* IFRA-7.12%, 1% Vanillin, FP 181F This smells EXACTLY like the rich decadent almond paste from marzipan. A good almond is hard to find and if you don’t mind the sweet overtones to this one, you’ve found it. 

*Loo Loo Shampoo :* IFRA 10%, 0% Vanillin, FP 200F I would describe this as an herbal floral, spa scent. It’s clean with plenty of floral notes.

*Lemon Poppy Muffin Top:* (Just notified 3/12 - this one has been discontinued for reformulation) 0% Vanillin, FP 124F –MO notes taupe/tan discoloration. I’m new to foodie scents, but this one makes me hungry. If you like baked goods, this is a winner. I went to sleep carrying this fragrance with me, and be darned if I’m not baking muffins today. I love this scent but I just don’t know if I want to smell like food. One other plus for this one is it is not overly sweet.

*Lavender & Chamomile (Huggies) Type:* IFRA-5.71%*, *0.15% Vanillin, FP 200F Powdery, soft lavender scent with undertones of chamomile. A nice calming scent perfect for children and adults alike. This is one of those traditional scents that you always need to keep in stock . I look forward to playing with this one. 

*Jasmine: *IFRA-11.38%,0% Vanillin: FP 200F I pulled my small bottle of jasmine EO and had to do a comparison. DEAD ON. As with most true florals, MO notes acceleration so be prepared to work quickly.

*Hedonic Tonic :* IFRA-27.21%, 0% Vanillin, FP 200F Sage highlights this unique FO without being too earthy. It’s not overly sweet and makes a great unisex blend. I love this soapy fresh blend and I admit I’m guilty of tinkering with my FO’s to make them my own, but not this one. It’s wonderful just the way it is.

*Gourmet Chocolate :* IFRA-6.94%, 15% Vanillin, FP 200F Out of bottle this is a dark chocolate with a liquor undertone. It reminds me of the chocolates we used to buy that were filled with schnapps at Christmas time. I’ll be curious to see if it holds the liquor scent.

*Golden Embargo:* IFRA-100%, 2.30% Vanillin, FP 200F This is a classic combination of amber, sandalwood and musk. It’s well-balanced and not overly strong out of the bottle. For me it’s one of those scents that offers a demure sensuality – a quiet sexy that make you take a second sniff. MO notes a color change to a “light cappuccino”.

*Dragon's Blood:* IFRA-33.33%, 1.6% Vanillin, FP 181F Strong and complicated, the patchouli really makes the citrus and embedded florals in this blend shine. This is my first DB purchase and when I did a price comparison, this one is a bargain.

*Downy April Fresh Type:* IFRA-22.22%, 0% Vanillin, FP 200F I love clean scents and admit to putting my nose directly on my clean laundry fresh and warm out of the dryer. This is an exact dupe of Downy Original.

*Cotton Candy:* IFRA 5.57% 0%Vanillin, FP 200F Wow is this one sweet. No fruity cereal notes like Monkey Farts, just plain sugar. In all honesty a blender for me but I think it will tone down the medicinal eo’s like tea tree.

*Black Raspberry Vanilla:* IFRA-6.25%, 0% Vanillin, FP 195F I’ve never purchased BRV before, so I have nothing to compare this to. This is sweet as I expected, but not overly so. I don’t detect vanilla, but more of a butter cream frosting. To add the extra kick from vanilla, I would probably make a 2 layer soap using Vanilla Milk.

*Arabian Nights :* IFRA-18.18%, 1% Vanillin, FP 200F This one is named perfectly. Exotic, spicy; the musk is not overpowering and lets the citrus shine. This could easily be a men’s cologne or women’s perfume. Powder and musk provide the base and I detect the warmth of sandalwood, lime and either bergamot or lemon verbena.

*Mad Oils Review Summary:* First of all in general I believe you get what you pay for, and in the soaping world this is especially true of fragrance oils. The lye monster is cruel and one of the most mysterious variables in soap is scent. The MO site reports all of these FO’s generally behave and they note discoloration appropriately. I look forward to testing in all mediums of CP/HP and M&P.
This is a company owned by a soaper, and her fragrance choices reflect her experience. IMO all of them are appropriate for bath & body and there is something for everyone here. Throw in free shipping for orders over $75.00 and it really makes their high quality FO’s affordable. Cost averaging my 8 oz. bottles on sale came out to $1.94 oz. 
I’ve written them asking for additional IFRA and specific gravity info on their products. I will report back on their timeliness. 
For those curious I spent $455 on my purchase which included a discount of $50.00. Bottom line – this was money well spent. If I have any critique from my order is that they do not list weights/amounts on their samples. It really didn’t bother me, but I would have liked to give them credit for their generosity. 
I look forward to purchasing from this company for a long time.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 11, 2015)

There was a sale and nobody posted it?!


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## Cindy2428 (Mar 11, 2015)

I'm sorry


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## kchaystack (Mar 11, 2015)

dixiedragon said:


> There was a sale and nobody posted it?!



Um...  Snappy did post it.  

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=52420


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## not_ally (Mar 11, 2015)

Wow, Cindy, these are amazing reviews.  You should be getting paid to review FOs!  You are a member of the Soap Scent Review Board, aren't you?  If so, what do you post under so that I can read your reviews?  If not, you should join ASAP, you would be a great addition to the board.


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## Cindy2428 (Mar 11, 2015)

No not a member of SRB - I don't have a paid e-mail address. Like many others here, I'm a proud scent HO and have collected quite a few now. One night after cataloguing my latest purchases, I started doing write-ups for myself to serve as reminders for when I was deciding what to use. Since there are usually quite a few Q's here, I just modified my notes into a post. I'm glad you find them helpful.

I was afraid that I was just being long winded - I write more than I actually speak;-)


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## dixiedragon (Mar 11, 2015)

Yeah, I stumbled across Snappy Llama's post. Musti've missed it! They're having a sale through this friday:

ETA: the sale was for Friday the 13th in FEBUARY, so I deleted that part of my comment.


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## Cindy2428 (Mar 11, 2015)

Dixie, I'm not positive but I think that was for Feb. 13


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## dixiedragon (Mar 11, 2015)

You are right. Dang. Comment edited.


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## Cindy2428 (Mar 11, 2015)

I believe I first found out about the sale from their FB page. I've since signed up for their newsletter. That's how I usually find out about sales - other than here of course


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## Cindy2428 (Mar 12, 2015)

I received a response from MO - she is working on the list for additional IFRA, specific gravity info for those who use SM3.


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## not_ally (Mar 12, 2015)

You write about this stuff exceptionally well.  I still think you should figure out a way to join the SSRB - do you have any accounts that may include email?  An email account comes with my Time Warner address, I have only used it to join SSRB.  I just think you would be a great contributor and enjoy/find productive other's reviews.  I find it a tremendously useful resource before deciding to buy FOs, there are many I have passed on b/c I have found they are problematic in CP from SSRB.


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## kchaystack (Mar 12, 2015)

I discovered with my Comcast broadband that I could forward the emails to my gmail account - so that is what I did.


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