# Oakmoss to Offset the Odor of Lard/Tallow



## Zany_in_CO (Jul 16, 2017)

Lard and tallow were some of the first soaps I ever made, and they continue to be favorites with family and friends. I even use them in liquid soap. When I was first starting out in this addictive hobby, I had the very good fortune to be on a soaping forum where I learned that Oakmoss covered the odor of tallow and lard in soap. It works! And it doesn't take much to work.



> OAKMOSS ABSOLUTE, 1 oz.  (Evernia prunastri)
> Oakmoss is not a true flowering plant but a lichen (algae + fungus) that is extracted for its fragrance. They grow well on trunks of the Oak tree. Oakmoss absolute is a viscous liquid with an extremely intense aroma reminiscent of a damp forest floor.
> 
> Its odor is uplifting, cooling and calming. Its properties are more emotional and spiritual than physical. It can be used as an addition with respiratory oils as an inhalant to relieve congested sinus. May irritate sensitive skin. Blends well with cedarwood, citrus, pine, rosemary and vetiver. Used extensively in perfumery, its a very thick product whose dark green color will vary from batch to batch and distiller to distiller. Flashpoint: >200 F. Solvent extracted lichen, India.
> ...



TIP: Oakmoss Absolute is pricey, and tricky to work with so I dilute it in jojoba oil (long shelf life) to make it user-friendly and easy to measure.

METHOD
First warm the absolute by setting the bottle in a glass of hot water until it swirls easily. I warm the jojoba in the microwave in a 2-cup Pyrex to about 100°F (38°C). To create a 10% dilution, I add 1 oz. Oakmoss to 9 oz. jojoba and gently stir for one full minute to get it completely incorporated.

Allow to cool before pouring into an dark colored glass bottle. I store it with the rest of my supplies in a box on a shelf in my soaping cabinet.

Use 0.7%  (1/4 - 1/2 tsp. PPO)

Oakmoss is a wonderful blender and fixative to anchor EO blends. I haven't checked in a while, but you may find it in the 10% diluted form. Not sure. You can also try an FO if you find it. I've never used FO, so I can't say if that will work or not.


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## Arimara (Jul 16, 2017)

I thank you for the advice but I will have to abstain for now. YOu know how Life and bills work.


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 8, 2017)

:headbanging:   <<<BUMP for Biarine and others who don't like the piggy odor of lard.

OT: We don't seem to have a BUMP emoticon! ???​


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## lsg (Aug 8, 2017)

Here is a cute one, but it is pretty large.
https://www.smileysapp.com/emojis/bump.png


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 8, 2017)

I like the one where one emoticon is bumping another, and another, and another -- am I lost in the "good ole days" of soapmaking forums, or what?  :lolno:


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## SunRiseArts (Aug 8, 2017)

Thank you Zany, you are an encyclopedia of soap knowledge!  :clap:


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## Kittish (Aug 8, 2017)

Is that usage rate for the diluted oakmoss? I'll probably eventually try lard in soap, but the lard I've bought (for cooking) had that funky smell to it.


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 9, 2017)

Kittish said:


> Is that usage rate for the diluted oakmoss?


Yes.


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## cmzaha (Aug 9, 2017)

I love oakmoss absolute as a blender. I was able to get 8oz at a fablous price from a gal that buys in bulk and was selling off some to offset off the price. I treasure it since I will probably never get such a good price again. I love it straight out of the bottle.


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## Zany_in_CO (Feb 9, 2019)

cmzaha said:


> I love it straight out of the bottle.


Me too!


> *Aromatic Profile:* Dry, earthy, bark and pine-like top notes over smooth, rich notes of moss, wood, decaying leaf, fungus, lichen, and damp earth notes; deep, mysterious, evocative and an excellent fixative with tremendous tenacity.
> *Source*: Eden Botnicals:
> _https://www.edenbotanicals.com/oakmoss-absolute.html_



Sun Pure Botanicals has a better price:
_https://tinyurl.com/y6qnygk5_


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## SaltedFig (Feb 9, 2019)

From the website you have linked:

https://www.edenbotanicals.com/oakmoss-absolute.html
_Until recently, Oakmoss Absolutes have contained potential allergens with a high risk of skin sensitization; ours is extracted in France, contains a low percentage of atranol (a known contact allergen) and meets international standards. Most Oakmoss extracts are now currently restricted for use by the IFRA – the International Fragrance Association – but ours is IFRA-compliant; a conformity certificate is available upon request._
And
_*"Safety Considerations:* Possible skin sensitization, therefore a maximum dermal use level of 0.1% is recommended"_

One brand of oil is about double the price of the other ($20 for 5ml vs $8.99).
At your suggested usage rate (0.7% of a 10% dilution, or 0.07%), the cost per bar is going to be fairly small.

It equates to roughly $1 per pound of oils (for the more expensive, low atranol, version).


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 30, 2019)




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## Kcryss (Dec 30, 2019)

Thanks Zany! I just finished reading this and was checking out the seller on Ebay that you recommended. Pricey stuff! I assume it can be mixed with Coconut oil instead of Jojoba?

Oh, was also going to ask if you purchase EO's from that seller often? Are they good oils?


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 30, 2019)

Chris Veer said:


> Pricey stuff! I assume it can be mixed with Coconut oil instead of Jojoba?


All absolutes are pricey. Once diluted 10% oakmoss and 90% jojoba, the price per oz comes down considerably.  Because jojoba is a wax, not an oil, it has an indefinite shelf life.
Sun Pure has it  - Jojoba, 16 oz @ $18.40= $1.15 per oz


Chris Veer said:


> Oh, was also going to ask if you purchase EO's from that seller often? Are they good oils?


_*Sun Pure Botanicals*_
Good oils. Huge variety. Women owned. I've been purchasing from them for longer than I can remember. They are in New Mexico. I receive my order in CO in 3 days. Had a problem once in all that time. Corrected promptly. Excellent people to do business with. 99.9% positive feedback on Ebay.

Downside: I think Leslie, the co-owner, packs the order like it's going on a raft to China! LOL It's really hard to get it open sometimes. LOL  Their new labels are metallic. The ink comes right off in a hot water bath! Not good. I need to take time to chat with them about that. It's on my Round Tuit list.
_
Here's a copy of my recent order_
Date: September 11, 2019

*4 OZ ESSENTIAL OILS - BUY 2 OR MORE GET 10% OFF*
Fir Needle, 4 oz @ $11.48 = $2.90 per oz
Lavender French, 4 oz @ $13.56 = $3.40 per oz
Helichrysum, 4 oz @ $15.12 = $3.80 per oz
Juniper Berry, 4 oz @ $18.76 = $4.70 per oz
Bergamot, 4 oz @ US $11.63 = $2.90 per oz
Bay Laurel Leaf, 4 oz @ $22.35 = $5.60 per oz

Jojoba, 16 oz @ $18.40= $1.15 per oz
Oakmoss Absolute, 1 oz @ $25.53= $25.53 per oz
(MATH FOR OAKMOSS 10% $25.53 + 9 X 1.15 = $35.90
$35.90 /10 oz = 3.60 oz. - 13¢ gram/ml)

Free Shipping
USPS Priority Mail, Insured

*ETA*: Oakmoss is not just for neutralizing the odor of animal fats. It's an excellent anchor that goes well with just about any blend that needs depth. It's amazing, really. Try it with anything.


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## Kcryss (Dec 30, 2019)

Wow! That's awesome! I will definitely order from them!  
Maybe they'll send me some Chile's, I'm running out already! lol


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## SideDoorSoaps (Dec 30, 2019)

I definitely like Sun Pure. Thank you @Zany_in_CO for the recommendation. I love Oakmoss but it is so expensive so this makes it a bit more affordable.


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 30, 2019)

Chris Veer said:


> Wow! That's awesome! I will definitely order from them!
> Maybe they'll send me some Chile's, I'm running out already! lol


You mean like Chile's Restaurant? They're all over the Denver area. Where are you?


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## Kcryss (Dec 30, 2019)

No, I mean like Green Chile's ... that you get from the street vendors in the fall. I buy it by the bushel and freeze. Yum!! 
I'm in Sterling now, moved here from the Denver area a few months ago.


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 30, 2019)

Oh poor thing! So sorry. Truly. Can't help ya with that...


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## Quilter99755 (Dec 31, 2019)

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/rendering-tallow-does-it-smell-bad.52475/

I used this thread for purifying my tallow and it got all the beefy smell out.  Soaped without any FO or EO in it and no after effect as it is curing. I think I went through just three rinses/cooks after the initial  rendering...but it was a pretty small batch.


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## Kcryss (Dec 31, 2019)

Quilter99755 said:


> https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/rendering-tallow-does-it-smell-bad.52475/
> 
> I used this thread for purifying my tallow and it got all the beefy smell out.  Soaped without any FO or EO in it and no after effect as it is curing. I think I went through just three rinses/cooks after the initial  rendering...but it was a pretty small batch.



Thanks! Reading now!


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