# The Struggle Is Real



## BrewerGeorge

I just ordered like 6 or 8 (I don't even know) fragrance samples from Nurture. :shh:

I've got 3 or 4 fragrances already in line to try at home, too.

Stop Judging Me! It's a sickness. :crazy:


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## DeeAnna

Hey, soaper dude -- I'm glad it's not just us girly soapers. 

edit: I think Patrick calls himself a "FO Ho." I haven't seen him post in awhile -- he's good folks and funny as all get out. I hope all is going well with him.


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## dixiedragon

I'm totally judging you - for that absolutely TINY number of samples! Seriously ONLY 8? Pshaw.


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## BrewerGeorge

dixiedragon said:


> I'm totally judging you - for that absolutely TINY number of samples! Seriously ONLY 8? Pshaw.



Since Nurture is only a couple counties away from me, shipping is super-cheap so there is no incentive to make big orders.  The wife is less likely to notice several smaller orders, anyway. :twisted:

J/K, the main purpose of this pass of samples is to find something she likes to use - with a couple thrown in for me.

I got:
	Honey I Washed the Kids Type
	Potion Type
	1000 Kisses Type
	Sex Appeal
	Hellstone Type
	Butterfly Flower Type
	Breath of God Type
	Hyacinth


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## Arimara

Is there an occasion coming up or is this a "just because" sort of thing?


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## BrewerGeorge

Arimara said:


> Is there an occasion coming up or is this a "just because" sort of thing?



Just because.  She is very, very picky about scent and have never wanted to use anything I've made because I haven't yet stumbled upon one she likes.  Now that I've discovered that I can just buy samples from Nurture, I'm just going to spam them and make a bunch of 1 lb batches until we hit on something.

I figure I'll make a 4lb batch and split it into 4 pieces with a cardboard divider in my two 1501 molds, each with its own scent.


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## Arimara

Picky about scents... What scents would she gravitate to, if you know?


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## BrewerGeorge

Arimara said:


> Picky about scents... What scents would she gravitate to, if you know?



She's rotating through several different Victoria Secret perfumes now. The most recent she requested was Paris but she also has Very Sexy Now and Bombshell plus some others I can't remember.  Something from Marc Jacobs called Dot is on the shelf. She used to wear one called Journey from Mary Kay.  There's not a whole lot of rhyme or reason that I have been able to decipher in 17 years.  She's a super-smeller and I can never predict what she'll say until she smells something.  Hence the spam strategy.

ETA:  Oh, and VS Pink, too.


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## Arimara

Most of those seem to be fruity floral combos. I can't gauge the VS scents to well as, and I will be the first to admit, I never particularly cared for many VS scents. The one's I've been bombarded with have been far too sweet for my liking. Maybe she just likes how they smell? I wish I remembered how Journey smells. Heady is the only clue I have  that leads me to think it's a little heavier on the floral aldehyde level (it's a scent note and a classic one too).

Your scent selection might be a gamble but on the plus side, you're not out too much money. Maybe you should consider a lotion with the ones she likes, if she likes them.


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## dibbles

Let the rest of us addicts know how you/she like them!! I've used Butterfly Flower, and although it is a soft scent it sticks pretty well. I also have worn and liked VS Bombshell - it is, to my nose, a juicy fruity floral. So maybe if you find a nice floral, blending it with something like a bit of peach or orange might appeal to her.


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## makemineirish

Have you tried MO Snow Queen or Nurture's dupe of it (Winter Wonderland)? Most of your wife's preferences are fruit-centric with florals. However, her recent interest in VS Paris suggested that she might want something a little different. I have not smelled it, but the profile on Fragrantica suggested that it was unisex, fresh, and woods-centric with some spruce and floral undertones. Snow Witch came to mind for me. FYI - it smells better soaped than OOB. I would not suggest it as a lotion or spray.


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## SunRiseArts

lol   I only buy the 1 oz samples.  As I only make 1 pound batches, so they are perfect for me, and I can use a different one every time.  Now please, do not ask hoe many I have ....


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## Guspuppy

Also I want to know if Hyacinth smells like the actual flower, please!


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## Susie

BrewerGeorge said:


> I figure I'll make a 4lb batch and split it into 4 pieces with a cardboard divider in my two 1501 molds, each with its own scent.



OK, I didn't tell you this, but if you go sweet talk the person that cuts the plexiglass at Lowe's or Home Depot, they might just give you some of the "waste pieces".  They make excellent dividers.
I have not tried bribery yet, I just found out about it when I got some cut for the aquarium.


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## Steve85569

I will not ask which ones of those *might be* for you my brother soaper.

I sympathize with your search. Mine has decided she likes the ones the ACCELORATE. 
It's a challenge but the rewards are worth it.
After 43 years I still haven't figured her out...


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## Steve85569

DeeAnna said:


> Hey, soaper dude -- I'm glad it's not just us girly soapers.
> 
> edit: I think Patrick calls himself a "FO Ho." I haven't seen him post in awhile -- he's good folks and funny as all get out. I hope all is going well with him.



I was just wondering about him the other day. I'd kinda like to let him know I finally figured out how to fold freezer paper.:mrgreen:


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## makemineirish

A couple of citrus-oriented fragrance oil suggestions from Nurture might be the orange patchouli and 25:43.  I am not really a patchouli fan, but appreciate this iteration.  While I personally love the latter and often get compliments while wearing it, the scent borders on gourmand and is probably a bit more polarizing.


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## SheLion

I get it. My first FO order I had to pare down my shopping cart from 28 samples. It was difficult. Then I turned around and ordered samples from another company just a day or two later. 

I'm not familiar with any of your wife's scents that you named but I can say that Breath of God type from Nurture smells absolutely fantastic. I ordered a sample of it and I'll definitely be ordering a big bottle. Their Oudh Heart type is also phenomenal. I want to make myself some perfume with it.


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## dibbles

makemineirish said:


> Have you tried MO Snow Queen or Nurture's dupe of it (Winter Wonderland)? Most of your wife's preferences are fruit-centric with florals. However, her recent interest in VS Paris suggested that she might want something a little different. I have not smelled it, but the profile on Fragrantica suggested that it was unisex, fresh, and woods-centric with some spruce and floral undertones. Snow Witch came to mind for me. FYI - it smells better soaped than OOB. I would not suggest it as a lotion or spray.



Snow Witch is such a great fragrance. It's a favorite of both my son and I. I am really curious about Nurture's dupe. I have a fair amount of Snow Witch to use up before I order that one though.


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## makemineirish

dibbles said:


> Snow Witch is such a great fragrance. It's a favorite of both my son and I. I am really curious about Nurture's dupe. I have a fair amount of Snow Witch to use up before I order that one though.



I am in the same boat.  I have only used MO Snow Witch and have yet to try Nurture's dupe.  It is one that I am more curious/worried about, because it is mostly pine OOB and morphs into something more interesting in the cure.  I have had great experience with Nurture, but wonder if they managed to replicate the fragrance of the finished product.

Now that my curiosity is aroused, I am going to have to place my own order...despite the fact that I am nowhere near out of Snow Witch and have MORE than enough FO's to play with.  I am trying to re-organize my soaping supplies this week and am a bit disturbed to realize exactly how many I have...even while there more on my wish list to try.  Maybe I'll try an FO swap with another "FO Ho" on SMF to keep the cumulative volume equivalent.  That's a reasonable solution (rather than blatant rationalization) right?


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## WeaversPort

Hi, my name is Kaye and I'm a fragrance addict... 

I just ordered the Brambleberry spring and best sellers sample packs, because I want to play with fragrances and couldn't decide on just one. I think fragrance is going to be what kills me as I move forward into this hobby. Now if only I could find a dupe of Voluspa's Mokara..


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## ibct1969

SheLion said:


> I get it. My first FO order I had to pare down my shopping cart from 28 samples. It was difficult. Then I turned around and ordered samples from another company just a day or two later.
> 
> I'm not familiar with any of your wife's scents that you named but I can say that Breath of God type from Nurture smells absolutely fantastic. I ordered a sample of it and I'll definitely be ordering a big bottle. Their Oudh Heart type is also phenomenal. I want to make myself some perfume with it.



:bunny:What does Breath of God and Oudh Heart smell like?


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## LilyJo

ok I think I have fragrance envy!

So many I want to order but postage is just too high


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## Susie

I have a plastic tote that all sample bottles must fit into.  Therefore, I must reduce my sample bottles.  That is why I am trying to blend those pesky last little bits together to get rid of them.


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## WeaversPort

Susie said:


> I have a plastic tote that all sample bottles must fit into.  Therefore, I must reduce my sample bottles.  That is why I am trying to blend those pesky last little bits together to get rid of them.



I might borrow this strategy. Otherwise I see my fragrance attraction getting out of control.


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## dibbles

WeaversPort said:


> I might borrow this strategy. Otherwise I see my fragrance attraction getting out of control.



This strategy works well...until you go to Target and get another plastic storage tote.


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## Susie

dibbles said:


> This strategy works well...until you go to Target and get another plastic storage tote.



LOL.  I only have ever found two opaque plastic totes that fit on my soaping cart (to prevent UV damage on those costly scents), the other one has my EOs and larger bottles of FOs that I know I love.  It is not full.  But I can't order more samples until they other has room in it.

My question is this:  What do y'all do with FO samples that you hate, and don't even want to blend them?  I have quite a few.


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## IrishLass

Susie said:


> I have a plastic tote that all sample bottles must fit into.


 
Yeahhh... that's what I told myself, too..... in the beginning. The strategy worked for me for about a year until the 'tote' turned into a much larger box. Then the larger box turned into a stand-alone 3-shelf wall cabinet; then the 3-shelf wall cabinet turned into a 3-shelf cabinet plus 9 boxes (10 if I include my box of reject FOs that I'm still debating what to do with). 


IrishLass


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## SunRiseArts

Welcome to the madness......  I have been thinking I need to start a group called fragrance anonymous .....  hahahahahaha


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## mx5inpenn

Susie said:


> I have a plastic tote that all sample bottles must fit into.  Therefore, I must reduce my sample bottles.  That is why I am trying to blend those pesky last little bits together to get rid of them.



I do this too! Unfortunately it hasn't curbed my ordering much, I've been buying bigger bottles of ones I know I like. The biggest trouble I'm having with them is picking a favorite between a bunch of citrusy ones to order in a larger size. Everyone in the house likes citrus, but there 5 different favorites between 5 people.


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## makemineirish

Susie said:


> I have a plastic tote that all sample bottles must fit into.  Therefore, I must reduce my sample bottles.  That is why I am trying to blend those pesky last little bits together to get rid of them.



I'd love to congratulate you on your restraint, but think it might be prudent to ask a question first:

How big is the tote (lest I imagine a shower cubby when you are actually referencing a giant storage bin)?

My FO's, EO's, and other small bottles (high-end oils, preservatives, extracts, etc) all occupy a cabinet that is roughly 18" square.  It's getting a little messy in there, so I bought shelves. Technically, I am still utilizing the same space...but I'll be able to fit a lot more in it : )


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## BattleGnome

Susie said:


> My question is this:  What do y'all do with FO samples that you hate, and don't even want to blend them?  I have quite a few.



Gifts. 

I don't currently have too many scents that I dislike, I'm too new to soaping for that. My first batch of salt bars will be cured in 2-3 weeks. If those turn out well I'd use the hated scents in salt bars since you tend to need more PPO to combat fading.


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## makemineirish

Susie said:


> My question is this:  What do y'all do with FO samples that you hate, and don't even want to blend them?  I have quite a few.



I haven't done it yet, but am tempted to do some selective editing soon.  My plan would be to utilize one of three options depending on how much work I am willing to do:

1.  I could post a "swap" ad on the forum with lists of FOs that I have to trade and those that I am most interested in from other vendors.  However, this seems a bit cumbersome to manage and is really only cost-effective if someone has a decent number to exchange with me.

2. I could post them for sale on Craigslist as a group.  Some beginner will be happy to buy the lot for a reasonable price.

3. I could just post them on here for free to anyone within driving distance...such as snappyllama did when she was moving.


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## Zany_in_CO

BrewerGeorge said:


> I just ordered like 6 or 8 (I don't even know) fragrance samples from Nurture. :shh:   I've got 3 or 4 fragrances already in line to try at home, too.  Stop Judging Me! It's a sickness. :crazy:


LOL If you're looking for sympathy, George, ya ain't gonna get it here. Enablers, that's what we are. So, on that note... ONLY 6 or 8??? ONLY 3 or 4 at home? 
(Just teasin' ya  :mrgreen: )


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## Zany_in_CO

SunRiseArts said:


> lol   I only buy the 1 oz samples.  As I only make 1 pound batches, so they are perfect for me, and I can use a different one every time.  Now please, do not ask hoe many I have ....


Oh do tell! Maybe others will 'fess up too! I think George hasn't got a clue what a REAL FO HO is likely to have in his/her cache... (the misspelled word "hoe" at the end says it all! LOL)


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## SheLion

ibct1969 said:


> :bunny:What does Breath of God and Oudh Heart smell like?



Breath of God is a sophisticated floral that has a green and woody undertone that balances it and keeps it from being 'flowery'.

Oudh Heart is a slightly spicy woody scent. It has a very slight musty note which reminds me of the smell of old wooden bookshelves, actually.


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## kchaystack

Sorry BG - but I can't agree you have a problem yet.  Here is a pic of my fo stash, on the left hand cart. 

Yes there are some lotion supplies and my mb lye there... But most of it is fo and eo bottles.


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## cherrycoke216

kchaystack said:


> Sorry BG - but I can't agree you have a problem yet.  Here is a pic of my fo stash, on the left hand cart.
> 
> Yes there are some lotion supplies and my mb lye there... But most of it is fo and eo bottles.




 FO Hoarder! I have a cart envy now! This is is a neat display and storage cart!


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## WeaversPort

kchaystack said:


> Sorry BG - but I can't agree you have a problem yet.  Here is a pic of my fo stash, on the left hand cart.
> 
> Yes there are some lotion supplies and my mb lye there... But most of it is fo and eo bottles.



I have lust in my heart....


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## WeaversPort

SheLion said:


> Breath of God is a sophisticated floral that has a green and woody undertone that balances it and keeps it from being 'flowery'.
> 
> Oudh Heart is a slightly spicy woody scent. It has a very slight musty note which reminds me of the smell of old wooden bookshelves, actually.



Drat it... I've been looking for a nice floral that doesn't overwhelm with flower notes.. 

Dangerous, dangerous...


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## lenarenee

SheLion said:


> Breath of God is a sophisticated floral that has a green and woody undertone that balances it and keeps it from being 'flowery'.
> 
> Oudh Heart is a slightly spicy woody scent. It has a very slight musty note which reminds me of the smell of old wooden bookshelves, actually.



That Oud Heart sounds great - gotta try that!  I have some cured BB spiced mahogany that I really like and was wishing for more wood scents.


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## kchaystack

cherrycoke216 said:


> FO Hoarder! I have a cart envy now! This is is a neat display and storage cart!



I got it at Michaels.  They had a sale for 60% off.  They are really nice.


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## WeaversPort

You guys are evil. I had no idea about Nurture Soap's fragrance collection until this thread, and now I have a growing wish list of fragrances. I haven't even scented my first batch yet!!

Evil, dangerous, fabulousness..


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## BrewerGeorge

It's here!  It's here!


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## Arimara

WeaversPort said:


> Hi, my name is Kaye and I'm a fragrance addict...
> 
> I just ordered the Brambleberry spring and best sellers sample packs, because I want to play with fragrances and couldn't decide on just one. I think fragrance is going to be what kills me as I move forward into this hobby. Now if only I could find a dupe of Voluspa's Mokara..



I have to go to Ricky's to check that scent out.



Zany_in_CO said:


> Oh do tell! Maybe others will 'fess up too! I think George hasn't got a clue what a REAL FO HO is likely to have in his/her cache... (the misspelled word "hoe" at the end says it all! LOL)



Technically, the slang term "ho" is normally spelled without the 'e' in singular. A 'hoe' is a gardening tool. It should be the same spelling for both words in plural but I honestly can't remember. I hardly use slang.



BrewerGeorge said:


> It's here!  It's here!



Congrats! :mrgreen::clap:


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## WeaversPort

Arimara said:


> I have to go to Ricky's to check that scent out.



I have a hard time finding perfume, especially florals. They either end up becoming powdery, and I smell like dead powdery old ladies, or they become sickeningly cloying and sweet on me. I can't wear any of the Bath and Bodyworks products because something about them ends up making me smell like a 16 year old who should not be allowed to pick out her own perfume.

Mokara is one of the few I'm not desperately trying to wash off in 20 minutes. 




BrewerGeorge said:


> It's here!  It's here!



Yay!!! Is it a boy or a girl?  

Even if we can't partake of the scents, I hope we can enjoy some soap pictures soon!


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## dibbles

BrewerGeorge said:


> It's here!  It's here!



AND???? C'mon BG, tell us what you think. The struggle is real.


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## Susie

makemineirish said:


> I'd love to congratulate you on your restraint, but think it might be prudent to ask a question first:
> 
> How big is the tote (lest I imagine a shower cubby when you are actually referencing a giant storage bin)?
> 
> My FO's, EO's, and other small bottles (high-end oils, preservatives, extracts, etc) all occupy a cabinet that is roughly 18" square.  It's getting a little messy in there, so I bought shelves. Technically, I am still utilizing the same space...but I'll be able to fit a lot more in it : )



The tote is roughly 13" x 7.5".  The FO samples are in a single layer.

I have the EOs and larger bottle FOs of stuff I know I will re-use in another tote just like that one.  I would dearly love to have more of these, but I can't find them anywhere.


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## SheLion

WeaversPort said:


> Drat it... I've been looking for a nice floral that doesn't overwhelm with flower notes..
> 
> Dangerous, dangerous...



I just grabbed my test bar from the curing rack since that description was for OOB. It has morphed a bit and now smells more flowery, like the woody undertone is gone. It still smells good, but not as good as OOB, at least to me. The recipe was olive/coconut/shea/castor with FO at 3%, soaped on 2/9. A heavier usage might help so when I try it again, I'll be heavier handed with it.



lenarenee said:


> That Oud Heart sounds great - gotta try that!  I have some cured BB spiced mahogany that I really like and was wishing for more wood scents.



The Oudh Heart stayed true to the OOB smell and at 3% smells medium strong (same recipe and batch as above), though next time I'll go heavier with it too. It is a really nice wood scent. When I was sniffing the bottle the other night to write the scent descriptions, the Oudh Heart reminded me of something but I couldn't put my finger on it. I figured it out tonight. It's reminiscent of the smell of a pencil when it's being sharpened.


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## BrewerGeorge

dibbles said:


> AND???? C'mon BG, tell us what you think. The struggle is real.



Turns out that I don't have enough lard on hand, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow. Everything smells good OOB to me, but I'm not picky. Off the top of my head, my favorites are Butterfly and Honey... 

Hyacinth does smell right from the bottle, but it will be a bit before I test on soap because I'm sure it's a huge accelerater. 

I've only ever ordered events from BB before, and I'll say that these seem more "complete." As in, many of BB's events smell like components of finished perfumes whereas the Nurture stuff smells like curated, finished perfumes. 

I'll keep you updated.


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## Arimara

BrewerGeorge said:


> Turns out that I don't have enough lard on hand, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow. Everything smells good OOB to me, but I'm not picky. Off the top of my head, my favorites are Butterfly and Honey...
> 
> Hyacinth does smell right from the bottle, but it will be a bit before I test on soap because I'm sure it's a huge accelerater.
> 
> I've only ever ordered events from BB before, and I'll say that these seem more "complete." As in, many of BB's events smell like components of finished perfumes whereas the Nurture stuff smells like curated, finished perfumes.
> 
> I'll keep you updated.



It's too soon for me to agree but so far, I'm apt to believe the same thing. Of the 8 (give or take) scents I have from BB, only 3 would be definite reorders and two of them would be strictly to blend together. The others smell fine and all but I would have to send them to people who would be interested in them.


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## WeaversPort

Arimara said:


> It's too soon for me to agree but so far, I'm apt to believe the same thing. Of the 8 (give or take) scents I have from BB, only 3 would be definite reorders and two of them would be strictly to blend together. The others smell fine and all but I would have to send them to people who would be interested in them.



My Spring and Best Sellers sample boxes just came today and I think this nails my perception of what I've been smelling. They're nice, but they feel a little bit like my critique of Bath and Bodyworks - very single notes. Unlike Bath and Bodyworks, I think they could be excellent to blend, if one has the chops. As a beginner, however, I think I was hoping for something a little more complex. Not something that could become beautifully complex with the right knowledge set.

It feels like an odd critique, but because I'm already feeling stretched just learning to make soap, I kind of wanted the car assembly kit instead of the big lego set of infinite possibility. My infinite possibility buffer is full trying to figure out things like: how much shea is too much, what the difference between palm oil and palm kernel oil is, and what I think about coconut oil in soap.


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## WeaversPort

SheLion said:


> I just grabbed my test bar from the curing rack since that description was for OOB. It has morphed a bit and now smells more flowery, like the woody undertone is gone. It still smells good, but not as good as OOB, at least to me. The recipe was olive/coconut/shea/castor with FO at 3%, soaped on 2/9. A heavier usage might help so when I try it again, I'll be heavier handed with it.



I'm looking forward to hearing your further experience with it! The woody undertone is particularly part of what I'm curious about. I tend to do well with unisex or things in the Sandalwood/Amber/Purple (is purple a scent description??) range. Some sweetness, but definitely more an accent than a lead in.


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## Arimara

WeaversPort said:


> My Spring and Best Sellers sample boxes just came today and I think this nails my perception of what I've been smelling. They're nice, but they feel a little bit like my critique of Bath and Bodyworks - very single notes. Unlike Bath and Bodyworks, I think they could be excellent to blend, if one has the chops. As a beginner, however, I think I was hoping for something a little more complex. Not something that could become beautifully complex with the right knowledge set.
> 
> It feels like an odd critique, but because I'm already feeling stretched just learning to make soap, I kind of wanted the car assembly kit instead of the big lego set of infinite possibility. My infinite possibility buffer is full trying to figure out things like: how much shea is too much, what the difference between palm oil and palm kernel oil is, and what I think about coconut oil in soap.



Palm oil is a hard oil that lends to creamy lather and bar soap longevity whereas palm kernel oil is a much more cleansing oil and lends to bubbly lather. Both oils can lead to a waxy feeling bar.

Too much shea can lead to a tacky bar but that's also highly dependent on the recipe.

Coconut oil... I cap it at 15% but I'd also have to use the refined variety. It's safer for my daughter.


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## BrewerGeorge

dibbles said:


> AND???? C'mon BG, tell us what you think. The struggle is real.



Ok, so I made the big four-test last night.  I went simple with solid colors so I can easily tell them apart.  The only new thing I did was use TiO2 for the first time.

I made:
*Honey I Washed the Kids* in pure white - This one smells delicious.  Really lovely.  This is a definite re-buy.
*Butterfly Flower* in yellow vibrance - This one smells awesome!  A complex floral-type that didn't accelerate at all.
*Sex Appeal* in rose pink - At this point not very memorable. Floral, perfumy.  Not bad, per se, but doesn't stand out among the other 8 scents.  Maybe it will stand out more when using the soap.
*Hellstone *in vibrant red - Again, not super-memorable.  At this point, just masculine cologne.  It's much more subtle than the others so it's hard to even smell in competition with the others in the same mold.

Pics to follow tonight!


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## BrewerGeorge

Went home for lunch 






I don't know why I wasn't more careful with the tops.

ETA: The red is on top.  It's got a bit of ash.


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## WeaversPort

BrewerGeorge said:


> Went home for lunch
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't know why I wasn't more careful with the tops.
> 
> ETA: The red is on top.  It's got a bit of ash.



This is so exciting!! And I can't even smell it!!


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## BrewerGeorge

Round Two complete.






*Breath of God* - blue vibrance
*Hyacinth *- purple vibrance
*Potion *- green vibrance
*100 Kisses* - natural

Left the TiO2 out this time because Hyacinth and Potion are both accelerating, and didn't want to add additional accel from the TiO2.  The Hyacinth is the single-most accelerating FO I've ever used.  I was lucky to get it into the mold at all.  I would never try using it for CP again.

My nose is blow out after cutting the first four and making these.  I'll report on the scents after I get them separated.


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## doriettefarm

Thanks for the update and pics BG.  That hyacinth looks like it moved crazy-fast!  I'm glad you posted about Potion because I recently bought some and was debating whether to soap it or use it for bubble bars.


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## BrewerGeorge

Second Pass incoming

Devious  
Nurture Soap's Silky Underwear Type  
Nurture Soap's Euphoria Type  
Winter Wonderland  
Nurture Soap's The Smell of Freedom Type  
Nurture Soap's Old Delhi Station Type  
Nurture Soap's Fire Tree Type  
Nurture Soap's Oudh Heart Type


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## LilyJo

Oh dont do this to me!

I have been trying so hard to resist buying anything from Nuture because of the postage but all of these descriptions are making me thing that just maybe I ought to do a sample order. Think if I keep the number of samples down as low as I can I can get away with postage of about $18....

So many I want to try and the notes about complex fragrances are just what I am looking for.


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## dibbles

I have fire tree and old Delhi station to try, so am anxious to hear how they behave. They are both so nice OOB.


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## Arimara

LilyJo said:


> Oh dont do this to me!
> 
> I have been trying so hard to resist buying anything from Nuture because of the postage but all of these descriptions are making me thing that just maybe I ought to do a sample order. Think if I keep the number of samples down as low as I can I can get away with postage of about $18....
> 
> So many I want to try and the notes about complex fragrances are just what I am looking for.



If you do cave, Afternoon Tea is a must. It's amazing.


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## WeaversPort

Arimara said:


> If you do cave, Afternoon Tea is a must. It's amazing.



Oh, danger! Afternoon tea?


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## WeaversPort

BrewerGeorge said:


> Round Two complete.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Breath of God* - blue vibrance
> *Hyacinth *- purple vibrance
> *Potion *- green vibrance
> *100 Kisses* - natural



I'm anxious to hear how Breath of God turned out.. How does it compare to Butterfly?


----------



## BrewerGeorge

WeaversPort said:


> I'm anxious to hear how Breath of God turned out.. How does it compare to Butterfly?



Without having them in front of me....

They are nothing alike.  Butterfly is strong, sweet and generically floral.  It's very much a B&BW sort of scent, if you know what I mean.  It's really, really good, but...simple.  Almost certain to buy this one again, as both wife and daughter have expressed interest, but it's too feminine for me to pick for myself.

Breath of God smells like incense.  It's much more subtle and layered.  I'm still on the fence with it.

Part of the problem with doing them in batches like this is that they blend together - on their curing racks and in my mind.  There's just too many at once, and they tend to form a pack.  However, Butterfly stands apart from that pack in that I remember it clearly and separately.  Breath not so much. (You can see that play out in the paragraphs above.)


----------



## WeaversPort

BrewerGeorge said:


> Without having them in front of me....
> 
> They are nothing alike.  Butterfly is strong, sweet and generically floral.  It's very much a B&BW sort of scent, if you know what I mean.  It's really, really good, but...simple.  Almost certain to buy this one again, as both wife and daughter have expressed interest, but it's too feminine for me to pick for myself.
> 
> Breath of God smells like incense.  It's much more subtle and layered.  I'm still on the fence with it.
> 
> Part of the problem with doing them in batches like this is that they blend together - on their curing racks and in my mind.  There's just too many at once, and they tend to form a pack.  However, Butterfly stands apart from that pack in that I remember it clearly and separately.  Breath not so much. (You can see that play out in the paragraphs above.)



Hmm, interesting. I'm generally not a fan of B&BW because of their generic two dimensional scents. There are maybe two that I can wear without immediately needing to take a shower. I'm wondering what would happen if you did a mix of Butterfly and Breath of God? It might give the Butterfly an added complexity and the Breath of God an additional "something" to it. 

(I say this out of complete ignorance, since I can't smell either of them )


----------



## Soapmaker145

WeaversPort said:


> Hmm, interesting. I'm generally not a fan of B&BW because of their generic two dimensional scents. There are maybe two that I can wear without immediately needing to take a shower. I'm wondering what would happen if you did a mix of Butterfly and Breath of God? It might give the Butterfly an added complexity and the Breath of God an additional "something" to it.
> 
> (I say this out of complete ignorance, since I can't smell either of them )



You'll never know until you try but from experience I can tell you that more often than not, you end up with something that is lesser than the originals or nothing at all.  Sometimes strong FOs just cancel each other out and you can't smell either one.  Once in a while, you get something unusual and worth having.  It's not easy creating a scent that is harmonious and is liked by a lot of people.

 I haven't smelled either of these FOs but I wouldn't mix a complex floral with Breath of God.  I had FB's version of BoG and I ended up using it in a rebatch just to get rid of it.  It didn't do much in CP.  Hopefully, the NS version is nicer.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Well, that didn't go as well as I'd hoped...

Made the third batch of four scents tonight - Fire Tree, Oudh Heart, Old Delhi Station, and Smell of Freedom.  All are supposed to be non-accelerating and I used all lard instead of the GV shortening, but they were still really fast.  Freedom was already solidifying when I went to pour it.:-?  So that had me frazzled enough, then I realized I'd forgotten to cut the dividers.  So I half-assed them into the molds and prayed.  This is going to be some ugly soap.

On the plus side, they all smell really good.  My favorite is Fire, with Delhi my least favorite.  All pretty good, though.

I'll show you some sorry pics after I cut them Sunday.

Still have Silky Underwear, Devious, Euphoria, and Winter Wonderland to go.


----------



## Arimara

Totally wishing I could smell them. Thanks for the descriptions


----------



## BrewerGeorge

I just remembered I'd promised you pics of the most recent, ugly bars...











Red is the Fire Tree, green (top) is Oudh Heart, orange is Old Dehli Station, and blue is Smell of Freedom.

I'd wanted to swirl them with about 1/3 unscented white to differentiate them in looks, but things moved so fast that was problematic.  The blue, especially, was a rocket and only has a hint of lighter marbling.  Red, orange and blue gelled, but green didn't - even though it was in the same mold as blue.  If you look carefully, you can see that the white _didn't_ gel, even when the bulk color it was mixed with did.  And look at those stearic spots!  Still, they're better looking than I feared they'd be.  A plane across the top and a good rinse and they should have some rustic charm.

This process has taught me that I don't really have the requisite vocabulary to describe scents well, but I'll do my best. Fire is my favorite by far, with Oudh and Freedom tied at 2nd, followed by Dehli.  I would say that in general these smell more like full-on perfumes than soaps (as they should, given they are Lush dupes.)  They're all pretty sweet. I would say more oriental/spicy rather than fresh, herbal, or musky. Usage rate for all these was approx 5%, and I'm concerned that they will leave too much of their assertive scents behind after washing - the few slivers I've played with have done so.  We'll see how they are in the shower.


----------



## WeaversPort

I think the green one is rather pretty! 

Thank you for updating! I'm enjoying discovering fragrances with your updates.


----------



## smengot0

BrewerGeorge said:


> I just remembered I'd promised you pics of the most recent, ugly bars...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Red is the Fire Tree, green (top) is Oudh Heart, orange is Old Dehli Station, and blue is Smell of Freedom.
> 
> 
> 
> I'd wanted to swirl them with about 1/3 unscented white to differentiate them in looks, but things moved so fast that was problematic.  The blue, especially, was a rocket and only has a hint of lighter marbling.  Red, orange and blue gelled, but green didn't - even though it was in the same mold as blue.  If you look carefully, you can see that the white _didn't_ gel, even when the bulk color it was mixed with did.  And look at those stearic spots!  Still, they're better looking than I feared they'd be.  A plane across the top and a good rinse and they should have some rustic charm.
> 
> 
> 
> This process has taught me that I don't really have the requisite vocabulary to describe scents well, but I'll do my best. Fire is my favorite by far, with Oudh and Freedom tied at 2nd, followed by Dehli.  I would say that in general these smell more like full-on perfumes than soaps (as they should, given they are Lush dupes.)  They're all pretty sweet. I would say more oriental/spicy rather than fresh, herbal, or musky. Usage rate for all these was approx 5%, and I'm concerned that they will leave too much of their assertive scents behind after washing - the few slivers I've played with have done so.  We'll see how they are in the shower.





Yours are pretty compared to my ugly bars..... A dual lye Castile with Smell of Freedom. As ugly as it looks, it smells amazing. Wonderful fragrance...


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Alright, last pass (for a while) is in the molds.

This time went much better than last.  I remembered the divider, and I paid a lot more attention to temps so I had plenty of time to work - except with Silky Underwear.  I think I've solved my working time problem, but I think I'll put that into the other thread.

Devious 
Nurture Soap's Silky Underwear Type 
Nurture Soap's Euphoria Type 
Winter Wonderland 

As usual, pics at cutting.


----------



## Soapprentice

dibbles said:


> I have fire tree and old Delhi station to try, so am anxious to hear how they behave. They are both so nice OOB.



Really, they named a fragrance 'old Delhi station?' Do you mind describing the scent? Just curious.


----------



## Millie

BrewerGeorge said:


> This time went much better than last.  I remembered the divider, and I paid a lot more attention to temps so I had plenty of Underwear.



Hehe, my computer screan cut off part of the sentence


----------



## littlehands

BrewerGeorge said:


> Round Two complete.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Breath of God* - blue vibrance
> *Hyacinth *- purple vibrance
> *Potion *- green vibrance
> *100 Kisses* - natural
> 
> Left the TiO2 out this time because Hyacinth and Potion are both accelerating, and didn't want to add additional accel from the TiO2.  The Hyacinth is the single-most accelerating FO I've ever used.  I was lucky to get it into the mold at all.  I would never try using it for CP again.
> 
> My nose is blow out after cutting the first four and making these.  I'll report on the scents after I get them separated.



Is this the first time you've worked with such a seizer?? Great fun, no? LOL The very first soap I made was with BB Carnation, which is a strong accelerator, but doesn't seize. Nice baptism by fire there. Heh.

 My first straight seizer was a fabric softener type scent, and it was like that- pretty much soap on a stick, and I had to cram it into the mold.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

littlehands said:


> Is this the first time you've worked with such a seizer?? Great fun, no? LOL The very first soap I made was with BB Carnation, which is a strong accelerator, but doesn't seize. Nice baptism by fire there. Heh.
> 
> My first straight seizer was a fabric softener type scent, and it was like that- pretty much soap on a stick, and I had to cram it into the mold.



It was the first, yes!  And Silky Underwear a few days later was even worse!!


----------



## dibbles

Soapprentice said:


> Really, they named a fragrance 'old Delhi station?' Do you mind describing the scent? Just curious.



I'm not always the best at describing scents, but I'll give it a shot. Nurture describes it this way:  It is a smoky blend of clove, ginger, pepper, patchouli, sandalwood, jasmine and cinnamon.

The notes I pick up are mostly the spice notes - clove, ginger, pepper and cinnamon - and a little jasmine and sandalwood. I'm not getting smoky or patchouli. The smoky descriptive is subjective though, and what I call smoky could very easily be different than others. 

I think I like this more than BG does. To me it is deep and complex OOB. I haven't soaped with it yet. It is the type of spice scent that I am usually drawn to.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

dibbles said:


> I'm not always the best at describing scents, but I'll give it a shot. Nurture describes it this way:  It is a smoky blend of clove, ginger, pepper, patchouli, sandalwood, jasmine and cinnamon.
> 
> The notes I pick up are mostly the spice notes - clove, ginger, pepper and cinnamon - and a little jasmine and sandalwood. I'm not getting smoky or patchouli. The smoky descriptive is subjective though, and what I call smoky could very easily be different than others.
> 
> I think I like this more than BG does. To me it is deep and complex OOB. I haven't soaped with it yet. It is the type of spice scent that I am usually drawn to.



I'm sorry I overlooked that question.  I'm not great at scents, either, but I'll try now that dibbles has reminded me of my failure. 

First, I don't dislike it, per se, it's just my least favorite among the four. It is very complex and well-named, and it's hard for me to pick out individual pieces. My overall impression is walking through the spice aisle at an Indian market.  It's a "dry" scent compared to the other three, which are sweeter and "wetter/greener."  Among the four, the difference is rather stark, and that difference alone could be contributing to me saying it's my least favorite - just because it's the outlier.  I can get a bit of smokiness in that it reminds me of burning incense, with a touch of those sandalwood or jasmine sticks that were so popular in the 70's.  But there is no assertive, phenolic "smoke" character like a smoked food would have.


----------



## Zany_in_CO

Pics are off the screen for me. Can someone please re-size? TIA


----------



## shunt2011

I like the green one. We've all had soaps that bomb. It can be frustrating for sure. I've certainly had my share.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

I pulled the first tester last night, at one month exactly.  Honey I Washed the Kids is really fantastic.  It is _such _a pleasant, soapy scent, unisex and sweetish without being at-all "foody".  Leaves a subtle scent behind on skin, even with our soft water rinsing clean.  I can't imagine anyone being unhappy with this fragrance, and I think it would be especially good for kids (natch) who might want to avoid assertive fragrances.  This one is going to become a permanent fixture at our house.

The soap itself could use a bit more time.  At four weeks it's nice and mild, but the lather isn't where I want it yet.  Still a bit too "fluffy."  Although I'm comparing it to the 10-month old soap I've been showering with, which isn't quite fair.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Tried *Sex Appeal* in the shower this morning.  It is not my favorite scent, by any means.  Not-my-favorite as in, I'll keep the tester to see how it ages, but I'm probably going to give all four of the big bars away.  Nurture describes it as the floral for people who don't typically like floral scents.  I guess that's not *too* far away because it does smell somewhat floral.  But to me it smell like flowers you find pressed in a book at your grandma's house that even she forgot were there.  It's old, dusty and muddled with a really strange sharpness.  Actually, what it smells most like to me are the flowers from Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot) that grow like weeds all over the Midwest - not pleasant.  The slight scent it leaves behind on skin is a bit better.  The sharpness is gone, leaving a barely-there hint of Grandma's powder.  Would not recommend for CP.

Hellstone tomorrow.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Alright, *Hellstone *this morning.  I was all set to give this a solid "Meh" or wonder if I was beginning to catch a cold because there wasn't really anything memorable in the shower with this bar.  Not unpleasant, not "nothing" just "not much" and certainly nothing that stood out enough for me to separate.  That impression synchs with what I get from the bar itself - and indeed from the bottle before soaping.

But as I now smell the scent left behind on the skin an hour later my interest is definitely piqued.  It's complex, so I'm still struggling to define individual descriptors, but it's good... masculine.  Smokey but not phenolic, a hint of frankincense, slightly musky but with a cleanness.  This is a scent that I would pay $50 for in a bottle and wear as men's cologne.  I hesitate to make this comparison because of the negative connotations those of us of a certain age might have, but I just keep thinking of Calvin Klein's Obsession.  It's not nearly as sweet or musky - and doesn't evoke 90's flashbacks - but there's *some *similarity that keeps bringing it back to mind.

So all-in-all I do like this scent quite a lot on the body.  However, part of the reason for using these scents in soap for me is to get that sensory kick in the morning to help wake me up.  Hellstone, unfortunately doesn't have that kick.  And for those of you who sell, I think it would be a major challenge to get a guy to buy just based on the dry bar scent - especially among a display of other, stronger scents.

ETA:  I forgot to add that interestingly, this soap is definitely not a well-cured as its mates I made on the same day.  I don't know if that has anything to do with the scent or not, but this one did not accelerate and might not have gelled like the others. (There's too much color for me to tell for sure.)


----------



## BrewerGeorge

*Butterfly Flower* smells like lilac with depth.  Even though the official description doesn't mention lilacs, my tester happens to be sharing a soap dish with a bar made with BB's Lilac about a year ago, and they smell very similar.  Similar enough that although I can tell them apart with my eyes open, I wonder if I could separate them in a blind test.  Butterfly  certainly has more base and top notes going on than the straightforward flower of BB's Lilac, but they're subtle.  If BB's scent smells like the lilac flower, then Butterfly smells like a lilac perfume.  Still, a nice feminine scent overall, but off-putting for a man to use.  Not much scent left on the skin after drying.  This FO *did* accelerate as you would expect of something with 'flower' in its name, but by that floral standard it wasn't too bad.  It's the least accelerating floral I've used.


----------



## littlehands

BrewerGeorge said:


> However, part of the reason for using these scents in soap for me is to get that sensory kick in the morning to help wake me up.  Hellstone, unfortunately doesn't have that kick.  And for those of you who sell, I think it would be a major challenge to get a guy to buy just based on the dry bar scent - especially among a display of other, stronger scents.



Have you tried Perfect Man from Nature's Garden? It's a huge favorite with my peeps. I've sold entire loafs several times, and had people buy out every bar in my booth at once. It's usually ladies buying it for their man, but it seems to be quite a visceral favorite when sniffed.


----------



## IrishLass

littlehands said:


> Have you tried Perfect Man from Nature's Garden? It's a huge favorite with my peeps. I've sold entire loafs several times, and had people buy out every bar in my booth at once. It's usually ladies buying it for their man, but it seems to be quite a visceral favorite when sniffed.


 

I second Perfect Man! It became my son's "signature scent" at first sniff. lol


IrishLass


----------



## shunt2011

I third Perfect Man. It's my top seller hands down.  Plus it's strong so you don't have to use as much


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Alright, alright, alright :mrgreen:

I ordered a sample of Perfect Man, and Pheromones and Deadly Weapon to fill the box.


----------



## kchaystack

I also like Green Tweed.  But Perfect Man is pretty good.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Still working my way through the fragrances.  I've been using *1000 Kisses* for the last two days.

This is a strong scent which leaves comparatively a lot on the skin after washing. As usual with these Lush dupes, it smells like perfume - complex instead of a strong single note or few notes.  It is definitely a feminine scent, but light not sweet.  The primary impression I get is orange, but not sweet orange fruit.  More bitter like orange pith when you haven't peeled your orange well enough  and left a lot of white behind but you're eating it anyway.  Combine that with a fresh sort of indeterminate floral that reminds me of tree flowers and serves largely to give a "Spring/Blooming" impression.  However, I definitely would not call this a flowery scent, and indeed it did not accelerate at all the way florals typically do.  As I said, this is feminine, too feminine for me.  I will be sending this upstairs for Daughter #4 to finish off while I move on to the next scent.


----------



## WeaversPort

BrewerGeorge said:


> Combine that with a fresh sort of indeterminate floral that reminds me of tree flowers and serves largely to give a "Spring/Blooming" impression.  However, I definitely would not call this a flowery scent, and indeed it did not accelerate at all the way florals typically do.  As I said, this is feminine...



I can see something like that being too feminine. I wonder if it would be more appealing balanced with something like Frankincense, Sandalwood, or a Tobacco & Bay blend? You might be able to take the light citrus notes and darken them down to be less feminine. 

You could always do some cotton ball mixes, knowing what you know now about how it turns out in soap?


----------



## BrewerGeorge

It's my second day with *Breath of God*.  This one is hard to categorize.  In use it's sweet and a little flowery, but what it leaves on the body is less flowery and more like incense.   It does leave a strong scent on the skin, too.  There's sandalwood and cedar, but also floral and citrus. It's one of those where you can't pick out anything until you read the description, but then get each one as it's read.  It's called unisex and that's not unfounded, but I think it's more like 60/40 women/men.  I'll use it up, but I wouldn't buy it again.

In CP soap,  Nurture says no acceleration, but for me it moved pretty fast.  Not a rocket but swirls would have been difficult.


----------



## jewels621

BrewerGeorge said:


> It's my second day with *Breath of God*.  This one is hard to categorize.  In use it's sweet and a little flowery, but what it leaves on the body is less flowery and more like incense.   It does leave a strong scent on the skin, too.  There's sandalwood and cedar, but also floral and citrus. It's one of those where you can't pick out anything until you read the description, but then get each one as it's read.  It's called unisex and that's not unfounded, but I think it's more like 60/40 women/men.  I'll use it up, but I wouldn't buy it again.
> 
> In CP soap,  Nurture says no acceleration, but for me it moved pretty fast.  Not a rocket but swirls would have been difficult.



I totally agree with your review. I bought this purely to see what someone else's idea of what the "Breath of God" would smell like. Not my idea at all. There's nothing really fresh about it. To me it's a heavy, unidentifiable scent that isn't really pleasing at all. And, same here.....I'll use it up, but won't ever buy it again.

Keep these posts coming, BG! Great information!


----------



## WeaversPort

Out of curiosity, BrewerGeorge, is there a particular fragrance profile you're looking for? Or are you enjoying the process of discovering what you like? 

I know I'm addicted to all of the different scents and profiles, but since I'm so new, I'm also on the hunt for my "best in class" in a few different categories. (eg. masculine, woody, clean, floral, unisex, delicious, comforting, natural)


----------



## BrewerGeorge

WeaversPort said:


> Out of curiosity, BrewerGeorge, is there a particular fragrance profile you're looking for? Or are you enjoying the process of discovering what you like?
> 
> I know I'm addicted to all of the different scents and profiles, but since I'm so new, I'm also on the hunt for my "best in class" in a few different categories. (eg. masculine, woody, clean, floral, unisex, delicious, comforting, natural)



I am enjoying trying new scents, mostly.  I was originally trying to find a scent that my wife would like to use, but this process has caused me to resign myself to the fact that she just doesn't want to use bar soap.  Several of these have elicited "okay" reviews from her - which is a positive from her picky nose - but she'd still rather use her Caress body wash. (Yes, I've made liquid soap, but I don't enjoy the process enough; I'm not _drawn_ to make it like I am with bar soaps.  Since I don't love it, and it's more expensive to boot, she can keep buying her Caress.)

As I'm not selling and with no intentions to, I may never use the same scent twice again*. :mrgreen:  With three adult girls w/ boyfriends and a large extended family, I've not yet had a problem unloading scents I don't care for.  Somebody always likes them. 

As of now, my biggest problem is making the test bars visually different enough that I can remember which is which, and that's a good problem to have.


*Does not include *Honey I Washed the Kids*.  That one is definitely worthy of repetition.


----------



## WeaversPort

BrewerGeorge said:


> ... As of now, my biggest problem is making the test bars visually different enough that I can remember which is which, and that's a good problem to have.



That sounds like the best problem ever! I'm glad you have an extended family that can help you with all that soap! 

Maybe the next step is getting into soap stamps! You could have a different stamp for each production month.. 

_It's a blue bar with a fleur-de-lis stamp, must be Salty Mariner! _


----------



## BrewerGeorge

I've used *Potion* three times now and the overarching impression is "nothing." The only thing I can get from it - in spite of lots of trying - is a hint of lard from the oils. It's not unduly old and I used the recommended amount, but there is NO scent. I don't know if it failed to survive CP or what, but I would not recommend it.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

*Hyacinth* is hyacinth.  This is not a perfume smell; this is the flower.  This scent is the grocery store in reeaallyy early Spring when they've brought in the hothouse hyacinth to entice winter-weary shoppers, leading you by the nose through half the store to the little floral alcove with its pots of pink and purple and white.  This scent smells good, Folks!  It is very strong in the shower and leaves quite a lot of its sweet scent behind on skin.  As such a strong floral, I think most people would consider it quite feminine.  However, I think that because it smells so much like the flower itself rather than a floral perfume, it somewhat transcends the masculine/feminine dichotomy.  I know that I plan to use it all, and I'm slightly upset that I gave away the two bars that I did.

Now for the bad news...  This FO was almost impossible for CP.  It instantly riced, and getting into the mold was tough. Back on page 6 of this thread you can see the pic of how bad it was.  Have your kids ever played with Moon Sand? It's in the top two of most accelerating FO's I've ever used. 

Additionally, lather seems to be affected by this scent.  I don't know if the seizing/ricing during production somehow changed the crystalline structure of the soap, or if the FO itself is affecting lather, or something else entirely, but the quality of lather is definitely changed.  Remember that I didn't just use the same recipe for these soaps, but the same actual batch was split into four parts with four scents, and this one (and Hearthstone a bit) are different from the other two and from what I expect from this recipe in general.  This is a hybrid recipe with a good mix of lather depending on what you do to make it, but with the Hyacinth FO the lather feels suppressed.  I have to work harder to get it and the bigger, fluffier bubbles are much less possible.  This soap is 8 weeks old at this point, and I would expect it to be better than it is - as indeed its mates from the same batch are.

I gorgeous as this smells, I can't recommend it for CP.  I would be very interested in seeing what it did for HP, to see if the lather issues carried over.


----------



## Rusti

BrewerGeorge said:


> *Hyacinth* is hyacinth.  This is not a perfume smell; this is the flower.  This scent is the grocery store in reeaallyy early Spring when they've brought in the hothouse hyacinth to entice winter-weary shoppers, leading you by the nose through half the store to the little floral alcove with its pots of pink and purple and white.  This scent smells good, Folks!  It is very strong in the shower and leaves quite a lot of its sweet scent behind on skin.  As such a strong floral, I think most people would consider it quite feminine.  However, I think that because it smells so much like the flower itself rather than a floral perfume, it somewhat transcends the masculine/feminine dichotomy.  I know that I plan to use it all, and I'm slightly upset that I gave away the two bars that I did.
> 
> Now for the bad news...  This FO was almost impossible for CP.  It instantly riced, and getting into the mold was tough. Back on page 6 of this thread you can see the pic of how bad it was.  Have your kids ever played with Moon Sand? It's in the top two of most accelerating FO's I've ever used.
> ...
> I gorgeous as this smells, I can't recommend it for CP.  I would be very interested in seeing what it did for HP, to see if the lather issues carried over.



Are we talking about Mad Oils' Hyacinth? If so, that's not surprising to hear, but really disappointing. I got a sample of it with some micas and it has an amazing 'green' smell that a lot of florals don't have and it's one of my favorite things about wild flowers like honeysuckle or the hedges of star jasmine at the Mouse parks in Florida. If I could find a nice jasmine with that 'green' smell I'd be over the moon.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

Rusti said:


> Are we talking about Mad Oils' Hyacinth? If so, that's not surprising to hear, but really disappointing. I got a sample of it with some micas and it has an amazing 'green' smell that a lot of florals don't have and it's one of my favorite things about wild flowers like honeysuckle or the hedges of star jasmine at the Mouse parks in Florida. If I could find a nice jasmine with that 'green' smell I'd be over the moon.



It's Nurture Soaps dupe of Mad Oils Wild Hyacinth.


----------



## dibbles

That is interesting about the lather. I have an FO blend that I believe does that, although which of the two I blended it is I'm not sure. I thought it was my imagination. 

I also experienced this with NS Dirty Type 2 (discontinued) FO. Granted, it was also a recipe test for a palm free vegan soap, but this soap does not - at this point - lather. It gets a few, thin bubbles. The purple discoloration is kind of cool (just because it's not brown), but it will eventually turn to tan. I wanted to see how long the purple lasts, but at this point - for me - I don't like it enough to care. Others may like it, it's just not for me.


----------



## BrewerGeorge

It's too late for me to edit the post, but I want to retract the comment about *Hyacinth *affecting lather.  Apparently it was suffering from the "First Use" phenomenon we've discussed before; it just took a little longer to overcome it.  I used it for the fourth shower this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find lather back up to expectations for this recipe.  I haven't had one take this long before, but whatever works.


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## Soapmaker145

I noticed that different FO testers poured from the same batter can feel very different, from nice to not so nice or worse.  I think some FOs affect the feel of the soap more than the oils we use.  The solvents used for aroma molecules can affect the superfat and the cure.  Fractionated coconut is one of the most common culprits.  We try to avoid or limit short chain fatty acids and unknowingly, we dump them into the batter with the fragrance.  FCO will also affect the superfat and reduce lather particularly at the surface where the lye can react with air.


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## BrewerGeorge

*Fire Tree* is fantastic!  I like it so much that I've continued using it past the time I should have moved to the next sample, but I just can't switch it out.  

The scent is very strong in the shower and smells like spice and sweet smoke, like burning spice- and fruit-woods.  This warm smokiness *is* slightly phenolic, but pleasantly so.  It's more spicy than sweet, but I get a hint of purple grapeskin fruitiness.  The official description lists several floral notes, but for me they're not discernible on their own, they're just part of the complex, wonderful whole.  If somebody told me this is what Frank Herbert's _melange _spice actually smelled like, I'd believe it completely. 

This scent smelled good from the bottle, great in soap and even better in the shower.  Once the warm water hits, it opens up and is truly just wonderful.  However, it does seem to use up all of its magic inside the shower, leaving almost nothing behind on the skin afterward.  I would definitely call it unisex.  I can't rightfully judge acceleration because the process that day was so screwy.


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## dibbles

BrewerGeorge said:


> *Fire Tree*
> I can't rightfully judge acceleration because the process that day was so screwy.



I made a small batch to test a few fragrances. I didn't notice any acceleration, but it did noticeably discolor.


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## BrewerGeorge

dibbles said:


> I made a small batch to test a few fragrances. I didn't notice any acceleration, but it did noticeably discolor.



Thanks, I forgot to mention.  My batter was quite red, but the discoloration DID bleed a bit into the unscented white batter that was swirled into it.


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## BrewerGeorge

I guess I should continue these descriptions until all the scents are represented...

I've been using *Scent of Freedom* for 3 or 4 days and it's nice.  It smells like what it's supposed to smell like, which is a combination of Fire Tree, Oudh Heart, and Old Delhi.  I can pick each separate scent when I think of them, but they merge into a pleasant whole.  Overall, that merged scent has pushed more into the foodie realm than are the three separately.  I could imagine it as an unusual flavor or gum, for instance.  I am reminded of Clark's Teaberry gum, if anyone remembers that.  Not because Teaberry is the same as Freedom, but because they are both unusual - but yummy - foodie flavors/scents.  It's a nice scent, but not really my style; I like the components better separately.  All three of my testers have given positive reviews.  It leaves a goodly amount of scent behind on the skin that lasts for a couple of hours.


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## Susie

I LOVED Teaberry gum!


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## BrewerGeorge

Update on *Old Delhi Station* after having finally used it in the shower.

I said this two months ago, smelling the bars:


> First, I don't dislike it, per se, it's just my least favorite among the four. It is very complex and well-named, and it's hard for me to pick out individual pieces. My overall impression is walking through the spice aisle at an Indian market. It's a "dry" scent compared to the other three, which are sweeter and "wetter/greener." Among the four, the difference is rather stark, and that difference alone could be contributing to me saying it's my least favorite - just because it's the outlier. I can get a bit of smokiness in that it reminds me of burning incense, with a touch of those sandalwood or jasmine sticks that were so popular in the 70's. But there is no assertive, phenolic "smoke" character like a smoked food would have.


I stand by the above description, but after trying the others in the series, Delhi is no longer my last choice.  It's just pure, dry spice - subtle in the shower - that leaves behind a slight woody/spice scent on skin.  I can actually still smell a bit of it three hours later.  That subtleness has earned it a promotion past Freedom's foody assertiveness.  Delhi is not really a better smell, but it's a better smell for _soap_.  (IMO, of course.)


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