# Lavender EO in CP soap



## Teapot (Aug 26, 2018)

Lavender EO - do you find it sticks or fades? Has anyone noticed different results based on base oils used?

In one of my recipes the scent sticks fine, but in another it fades. I'm using the same bottle of EO at the same fragrance ratio, so I know it's not that.

My lavender & lemon soap - fragrance sticks around fine
Palm
Coconut
Mango butter
Olive oil (not pomace)
Castor
Lavender EO
Lemon EO

My plain lavender soap - stays until bar starts being used, then disappears, despite addition of clay
Olive (pomace)
Cocount
Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Castor
Kaolin clay
Lavender EO
Mica

So could it be the palm oil or the mango butter that helps to anchor the scent? I'll probably experiment with some test batches, but I wondered if anyone else had come across this and had any viewpoints to offer?


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## earlene (Aug 26, 2018)

That's an interesting hypothesis.  But what about the lemon EO added to the first recipe and not the second?  You didn't include it in your hypothesis.

By sticks, how long do you mean?  A year?  Longer?  Shorter?


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## Teapot (Aug 26, 2018)

True, I had assumed that as citrus EOs tend to fade, it wouldn't be that anchoring the lavender. Although maybe there is something about the combination that makes them both stick? The lavender is definitely the more noticable fragrance in that bar.

The plain lavender bar I'm using at the moment was made in April. It still smelled when I unwrapped it, approx two weeks ago, but now it doesn't smell at all.


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## cmzaha (Aug 26, 2018)

I have had fading issues with lavender since I started making soap. They would tend to fade within 5 months, and even when new would not smell when using the bar. I finally solved the issue, I use Camden Grey's Lavender 40/42 with The Sage's Lavender fragrance oil. I do 2:1 40/42: Lavender FO. It holds fantastically and can smell it tell the end of the bar. I have tried mixing with several other Lavender FO's and this is the only one that really worked for me. Camden Grey's 40/42 is the best one I have found and the price is good
https://tinyurl.com/y7urj95a


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## SaltedFig (Aug 26, 2018)

Teapot, I read in your opening post that you used the same lavender for both soaps, and that the plain lavender bar was made in April.

When was the the lemon and lavender soap made?


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## Teapot (Aug 26, 2018)

SaltedFig I make the lavender & lemon one a lot, the bars I made in February are still good.


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## SaltedFig (Aug 26, 2018)

Thanks Teapot.

There is a chance that the lavender oxidized a bit in the two month between the batches - that could also explain why two batches made from the same lavender bottle had different lavender scent "stickability".

Alternatively, to add to recipe differences you and Earlene pointed out for that hypothesis, I know that your pomace reacts a lot faster than pressed olive oil, and those two are different between your recipes as well.

It might need a bit of testing to pinpoint which ingredient(s) helped the lavender stuck in one and not the other, if it is a recipe difference that caused it (instead of deterioration of the lavender itself).


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## Teapot (Aug 26, 2018)

SaltedFig Yes, true, the olive oil / pomace could be a factor, as could the age of the EO. I think extensive testing is necessary, if I want to properly pin it down. My head is spinning now, with all the different batches I'd need to make in order to figure it out.


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## soapmaker (Aug 27, 2018)

I posted in another post that a little Patchouli E.O. anchors Lavender. I also want to try adding the F.O.


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