# How to make EOs stick with arrowroot?



## narnia (Jan 5, 2016)

I have noticed that my lavender and lemongrass EOs that I used for my HP soap has tremendously lessened in fragrance as it cures!  I used the .5 default ratio in soapcalc and added after the cook, just prior to pouring into the mold.

I read on a soapmaker's blog to use arrowroot as one of the ingredients to make scents stick, but she gave no instructions on how and when to use it.  Has anyone used this method?  I would love to know exactly how it's done.

Thanks in advance for your input!


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## shunt2011 (Jan 5, 2016)

Using arrowroot has been hit or miss from what I've read. I use both those in CP with no problem what so ever. They stick really well for me. You may need to increase your usage rate is all.


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## narnia (Jan 5, 2016)

shunt2011 said:


> Using arrowroot has been hit or miss from what I've read. I use both those in CP with no problem what so ever. They stick really well for me. You may need to increase your usage rate is all.



Do you think?  What should I increase to?  What level do you use?

I was wondering also, if the heat in the HP may have cause some of the EO to evaporate?

How have you used the arrowroot?  When did you add it to the mix?


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## Obsidian (Jan 5, 2016)

Wet your arrowroot powder with enough water to make a smooth paste and blend out any lumps, then SB that into your oils. 

Yes, the heat from HP can cause some of the EO to evaporate. You need to find out the flash point of the EO's you are using and make sure your soap batter has cooled to under that temp before adding your EO. Its also helpful to dump your batter out of the crockpot into a bowl before adding the EO.


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## narnia (Jan 5, 2016)

Obsidian said:


> Wet your arrowroot powder with enough water to make a smooth paste and blend out any lumps, then SB that into your oils.
> 
> Yes, the heat from HP can cause some of the EO to evaporate. You need to find out the flash point of the EO's you are using and make sure your soap batter has cooled to under that temp before adding your EO. Its also helpful to dump your batter out of the crockpot into a bowl before adding the EO.



Thank you for that!  I hope that the batter does not cool off so much that it will not make a smooth bar of soap when plopped into the mold.


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## Obsidian (Jan 5, 2016)

Thats the tricky part with HP. The lumpy look is one reason I prefer CP, its just nicer looking to me.


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## shunt2011 (Jan 5, 2016)

I agree with Obsidian. I much prefer the smoothness of CP over HP.  I only HP my shave soap these days.


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## topofmurrayhill (Jan 5, 2016)

narnia said:


> I have noticed that my lavender and lemongrass EOs that I used for my HP soap has tremendously lessened in fragrance as it cures!  I used the .5 default ratio in soapcalc and added after the cook, just prior to pouring into the mold.
> 
> I read on a soapmaker's blog to use arrowroot as one of the ingredients to make scents stick, but she gave no instructions on how and when to use it.  Has anyone used this method?  I would love to know exactly how it's done.
> 
> Thanks in advance for your input!



I don't know specifically about arrowroot powder, but most of those tricks don't work. Lavender and lemongrass are among the EOs that actually do stick in soap, so what you need to focus on is the usage rate. I use them at more like .8 oz ppo. Might not sound like a big difference but it's 60% more fragrance.

Flash point is a standardized measure of flammability (a test procedure) that for practical purposes only tells you whether the EO/FO can fly on a plane. There's no way to use it for anything in soaping because nothing special or different happens to the EO at that temperature. It's not the point at which it suddenly boils off or does anything at all.

Avoiding heat with EO is a normal rule of thumb. Soap is made the way soap is made though, so don't do it to the detriment of your process. It doesn't evaporate to any appreciable degree while your soap cools anyway.


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## CaraBou (Jan 5, 2016)

narnia, the soapcalc default rate of 0.5 oz per ppo equates to 3.125%.  That leaves wiggle room for some EOs (like lavender) that are quite skin safe at higher rates.  I usually shoot between 5-7% total, depending on the blend.  Increase your usage rate a little at a time, and keep good notes through time so you know how they did.


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## narnia (Jan 5, 2016)

topofmurrayhill said:


> I don't know specifically about arrowroot powder, but most of those tricks don't work. Lavender and lemongrass are among the EOs that actually do stick in soap, so what you need to focus on is the usage rate. I use them at more like .8 oz ppo. Might not sound like a big difference but it's 60% more fragrance.
> 
> Flash point is a standardized measure of flammability (a test procedure) that for practical purposes only tells you whether the EO/FO can fly on a plane. There's no way to use it for anything in soaping because nothing special or different happens to the EO at that temperature. It's not the point at which it suddenly boils off or does anything at all.
> 
> Avoiding heat with EO is a normal rule of thumb. Soap is made the way soap is made though, so don't do it to the detriment of your process. It doesn't evaporate to any appreciable degree while your soap cools anyway.



Thank you so much!  So, you think that the heat in HP will not affect the EOs evaporation rate?  I should just increase the amount?  

So, for a 2 lb loaf, how many oz EO do you use?

I think that I used 1 oz of 40/42 Lavender EO in a 2 lb loaf and there is a scent, but it is pretty faint.


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## topofmurrayhill (Jan 5, 2016)

narnia said:


> Thank you so much!  So, you think that the heat in HP will not affect the EOs evaporation rate?  I should just increase the amount?
> 
> So, for a 2 lb loaf, how many oz EO do you use?
> 
> I think that I used 1 oz of 40/42 Lavender EO in a 2 lb loaf and there is a scent, but it is pretty faint.



Try 1 3/4 oz.

How long has your first lavender soap cured?


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## narnia (Jan 5, 2016)

Since 12/15...3 weeks.


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