# What to do with old FOs



## Dawni (Oct 24, 2020)

I don't use FOs.

EOs are a pain to use, yes but they're part of the branding and I'm not quite sure yet if I should change to FOs and how.

My dad suggested making a 2nd brand (as if I had the time lol), with soaps made without the costly organic/natural ingredients, and with FOs

Because.... He and my mom have a huge stash of FOs, some bottles are even unopened, from a business they had some 20 or so years ago. I thought they had sold it all but when my son climbed the store room up on the roof top he found them.

None are less than a liter bottle some are even 2 and in multiples. They were mixed with whatever those liquids for perfume making were and packaged in roller bottles (my parents business). The problem is that the labels have faded, but I do know that they weren't named as what they smelled like. These were like dupes of branded perfumes (not fakes) and not sold with the same name. 

Im waiting for the supplier to respond, coz I did ask them if their FOs are meant to last this long - I opened one bottle and it doesn't smell bad at all - and if they're still safe to use, and if they're safe to use in soap.

But what do you guys think?


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Oct 24, 2020)

Dawni said:


> I don't use FOs.
> 
> EOs are a pain to use, yes but they're part of the branding and I'm not quite sure yet if I should change to FOs and how.
> 
> ...


I think ( not sure ) if an EO perfume is mixed properly & stored sealed it can last years. What a fantastic find! yay .
I've read somewhere, when in doubt do the sniff test it was referring to soap, but I think it would apply here too
  " Our Nose Knows "


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## shunt2011 (Oct 24, 2020)

Fragrance oils will last a very long time. I have some 10 years old.  As long as they still smell good I would give them a try if you decide to go that avenue.


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## CatahoulaBubble (Oct 25, 2020)

Make a small batch and try it. I have some FOs that are 10 years or more old and they smell fine and the soaps I've used them in came out with no issues.


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## Anstarx (Oct 29, 2020)

Dawni said:


> They were mixed with whatever those liquids for perfume making were and packaged in roller bottles (my parents business).


Do a small test batch. Perfumes are typically mixed with a kind of deodored alcohol which can seize the batch.


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## Dawni (Oct 29, 2020)

Anstarx said:


> Do a small test batch. Perfumes are typically mixed with a kind of deodored alcohol which can seize the batch.


Yes! The alcohols are in a separate drum. Not mixed in yet. All the mixing was done in-house here. But yes, this calls for a tiny test batch. 

Thank you everyone!


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## maxine289 (Oct 29, 2020)

My concern would be how to determine a safe use percentage if the labels are faded and it's difficult to see the name, etc.  Would the supplier still have information for products this old?


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## Dawni (Oct 29, 2020)

maxine289 said:


> My concern would be how to determine a safe use percentage if the labels are faded and it's difficult to see the name, etc.  Would the supplier still have information for products this old?


Good question, and I did ask too. Also, knowing myself I'll probably use less than the usual general percentage lol I don't like strong smelling soaps. 

That reminds me... I have to check if they've responded lol


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## Iluminameluna (Feb 5, 2021)

I know this is an old thread but I'm curious, did they ever respond? Inquiring minds want to know...


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## Sudds (Feb 5, 2021)

I have probably 50-60 bottles of EO's and FO's sitting in a box that I have been trying to figure out how to get rid of so as not to destroy the earth and I might be able to use them in my soaps???  They are all in brown bottles, 90% of them, never opened, all of them taped and stored in the dark and they did get hot one summer. I took off the tape and smelled the open ones and they all smelled just fine but I thought they wouldn't be okay to put in soap so I was going to toss them because they are almost 8 years old. So if I do some test batching and all goes well I can still use them???  This would save me a ton of money. A few had lost some of the strength and I tossed those in some cat litter, but decided that wasn't a good idea so was going to pour the rest into a jug and take it to an oil recycle place at the county and let them recycle it.


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## Artsjl (Feb 6, 2021)

You can sell them. Many soapers would buy them.  Or use them in car difussers


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## AliOop (Feb 6, 2021)

@Sudds If they still smell good, and this was for personal use, I'd still use them.


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## JackofallShaves (Feb 6, 2021)

I have only been soaping for about a year and a half and have 20 bottles of EOs/FOs already. I need to stop ordering more FOs but some of these don't stick at all, I will eventually toss them or just make some aftershave splash for personal use and gifting.


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## AliOop (Feb 6, 2021)

JackofallShaves said:


> I have only been soaping for about a year and a half and have 20 bottles of EOs/FOs already. I need to stop ordering more FOs but some of these don't stick at all, I will eventually toss them or just make some aftershave splash for personal use and gifting.


You can also destash them here in the Member Classified thread, once you have 50 posts and have been a member for a month (I think). Even if they aren't great for soap, many of us use them for bath bombs, shower steamers, sugar scrubs, lotions, etc.


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## Sudds (Feb 6, 2021)

Artsjl said:


> You can sell them. Many soapers would buy them.  Or use them in car difussers


Funny you should say that, I just ordered a car diffuser and the pads that go in it!  I am planning to make some bath bombs...I have to make some money to pay for the cost of the dupe Valor I am making for my Bestie...I will not be doing that again!  Have you seen that electric bath bomb making press?  I was enchanted with it, but not the cost.  I love toys!!



AliOop said:


> You can also destash them here in the Member Classified thread, once you have 50 posts and have been a member for a month (I think). Even if they aren't great for soap, many of us use them for bath bombs, shower steamers, sugar scrubs, lotions, etc.


I  didn't even know we had a Member Classified thread! I thought I had found everything to look at. I don't do garage sales, but let me find a place to ogle goodies online and you have me hooked, thanks for the heads up!  Can't sell yet, but I have several duplicates and some I just don't like so I may take it into consideration.


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## JackofallShaves (Feb 7, 2021)

Thanks for sharing that @AliOop. I will post in that thread. We might be moving soon, so I will definitely need to destash.


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## math ace (Feb 12, 2021)

Facebook has several destash groups that are targeted to soap and candle makers.


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## Dawni (Jun 10, 2022)

Iluminameluna said:


> I know this is an old thread but I'm curious, did they ever respond? Inquiring minds want to know...


No they never got back to me 

But I did make two batches.. One with an FO with the only part of the label not faded says "femme" and the other was very obviously a masculine scent once you open the bottle. 

Happy to report that neither me nor my testers reported any side effects from using soap that used old FOs. And the scent is still there after 20mos.

Still not sure how to use them (or if I want to, again, branding issues) coz I don't even know how to describe these haha. I'm so used to writing EO names as scents...


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