# Question about safety of EO's and scent sources



## Iseleigh (Jun 30, 2019)

I'm trying to work out a scent blend for several Appalachian themed soaps (CP, for Halloween) and after poking around on this forum a bit I found this thread (https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/ifra-banned-restricted-oils.39296/) that mentions a few oils I had planned on using. I guess it explains why I can't find true sassafras essential oil anywhere. 
Of the other oils mentioned as being possible sensitizers, does anyone use them regularly in soap (particularly wintergreen, pine, pennyroyal, camphor, and cassia)? Have you experienced any problems?
Also, I'm looking for the following scents (FO or EO) and having a tough time finding FO's especially that don't smell like a cheap candle.
Thistle
Wisteria
BlackBerry 
Strawberry 
Tobacco
Coffee
Clover
Mimosa (the tree, not the drink)
Campfire/smoke
Molasses
Whiskey/bourbon
Even if the name of the scent doesn't include the above, does anyone have suggestions of scents that smell similar? I checked the scent review thread but didn't get much help there.


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## KristaY (Jun 30, 2019)

I have Fireside and Cracklin Firewood from CC. My favorite by far is Cracklin Firewood. It has more of a real campfire scent and behaves very well in CP. It blends well with pine, cedar, birch, etc. A little goes a long way so use a light hand.
I've used Fresh Picked Blackberry from CC but it discolors to DARK brown. I liked the scent ok but the discolor just didn't work in a fruity, summery soap. If I remember correctly, it behaved ok too.
My favorite coffee scent is Espresso from BB. It discolors dark brown but I'm fine with that when making a coffee scented soap. 
I like Tobacco & Bay Leaf from BB. I'm not sure it smells like true tobacco leaves (as I haven't smelled fresh tobacco) but it definitely doesn't smell like the bottom of a dirty ashtray, lol. No A or D.
I've tried a couple of strawberry scents but none have stuck at all in CP. I couldn't smell anything after the 2nd week of curing so used it in wax melts then never purchased it again.
I had something "clover" from hmmm.... maybe NG? I liked it OOB but it morphed into something odd for me so never used it again. Not even sure if I've got it sitting on a shelf somewhere, lol.
Sorry Iseleigh but that's all the info I've got to share!


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## Iseleigh (Jun 30, 2019)

Okay, thank you! I guess I need something that won't discolor unless I change the color schemes for the soaps, which I am open to.


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## earlene (Jun 30, 2019)

Yes, Tobacco & Bay Leaf from BB is a nice one.  I don't know how long it sticks, because I've only just used it recently.

Cassia can accelerate and cause seizing.  I've only used it once and had so much trouble with that batch, decided not to use it again.


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## Iseleigh (Jun 30, 2019)

earlene said:


> Yes, Tobacco & Bay Leaf from BB is a nice one.  I don't know how long it sticks, because I've only just used it recently.
> 
> Cassia can accelerate and cause seizing.  I've only used it once and had so much trouble with that batch, decided not to use it again.


The cassia I have is what Hobby Lobby carries and it is SOOO strong only a few drops (5 in my case) is enough to give the soap a slight  cinnamon scent. It didn't act up on me in that small a dose. 
Has anyone used Bulk Apothecary's Cuban Tobacco scent? I'm looking for something with a sweeter smell, like maybe a cherry flavored pipe tobacco.


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## MGM (Jun 30, 2019)

Cade EO has an incredibly Smoky fragrance... Just a few drops is enough. I've only used in perfumery, though, not soap.


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## KristaY (Jul 1, 2019)

I totally forgot about Santa's Pipe from CC! That's one I blend with Cracklin' Firewood and it really smells like a nice, mellow cherry pipe tobacco I remember from my childhood. I think it was a great uncle that smoked it. I used it at 0.5 ppo and it was plenty strong at that rate. It discolors med/dark brown. If I make it at a non-holiday time of year I call it Grandpa's Pipe.
Another nice one is Cognac & Cubans from NG. I think it's good but didn't sell well at all. It behaved well and no discolor. I used it at 1 oz ppo.


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## Iseleigh (Jul 1, 2019)

MGM said:


> Cade EO has an incredibly Smoky fragrance... Just a few drops is enough. I've only used in perfumery, though, not soap.


Cade was one that was listed as a carcinogen on the list. Since it's going into CP soap I would think only a few drops wouldn't cause an issue, especially of it's being rinsed off. Do you think a 1/2oz bottle would last me a while?


KristaY said:


> I totally forgot about Santa's Pipe from CC! That's one I blend with Cracklin' Firewood and it really smells like a nice, mellow cherry pipe tobacco I remember from my childhood. I think it was a great uncle that smoked it. I used it at 0.5 ppo and it was plenty strong at that rate. It discolors med/dark brown. If I make it at a non-holiday time of year I call it Grandpa's Pipe.
> Another nice one is Cognac & Cubans from NG. I think it's good but didn't sell well at all. It behaved well and no discolor. I used it at 1 oz ppo.


Santa's Pipe sounds like it might be what I'm looking for. What is CC? I looked it up on the abbreviation list but didn't see it...


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## KristaY (Jul 1, 2019)

Sorry Iseleigh, CC is Crafter's Choice which is sold through WSP, Wholesale Supplies Plus.


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## Iseleigh (Jul 1, 2019)

KristaY said:


> Sorry Iseleigh, CC is Crafter's Choice which is sold through WSP, Wholesale Supplies Plus.


I will give it a look. Thank you!
Now if I could just find the other ones...
My local soap/candle scent store has a strawberry scent that smells exactly like strawberry Twizzlers. Maybe I'll capitalize on that.  lol


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## MGM (Jul 1, 2019)

Iseleigh said:


> Cade was one that was listed as a carcinogen on the list. Since it's going into CP soap I would think only a few drops wouldn't cause an issue, especially of it's being rinsed off. Do you think a 1/2oz bottle would last me a while?
> 
> /QUOTE]
> I think that would be plenty. I just made a tiny bottle of oil, maybe 2 drops Cade and 3 drops patchouli to a few tbsp Oo. It was too Smoky so I put 2 drops of that in with another bit of patchouli and another few tbsp OO. I think it was still too strong and I did it yet  again....


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## Iseleigh (Jul 1, 2019)

Between the remainder of the supplies I need my next paycheck might already be spent. Lol
Thanks to everyone for the help so far!
Also, I'm looking on the CC website and it looks like you can't buy unless you're a distributor? Am I missing a page somewhere? If not, where are you all getting the CC fragrances from?


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## szaza (Jul 1, 2019)

I've used pine eo quite a lot and never had any problems with it.

Concerning Cade, I believe there are different kinds of Cade oil. In the list of banned oils it sais Cade oil (crude), while eocalc has a guideline for Cade oil (rectified). So I think there's one that's restricted and one that you can use.


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## Iseleigh (Jul 1, 2019)

I see. All this info gets confusing sometimes.


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## cmzaha (Jul 1, 2019)

earlene said:


> Yes, Tobacco & Bay Leaf from BB is a nice one.  I don't know how long it sticks, because I've only just used it recently.
> 
> Cassia can accelerate and cause seizing.  I've only used it once and had so much trouble with that batch, decided not to use it again.


Tobacco & Bay sticks very well in soap. It is one of my daughters favorite.


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## dibbles (Jul 1, 2019)

Iseleigh said:


> Between the remainder of the supplies I need my next paycheck might already be spent. Lol
> Thanks to everyone for the help so far!
> Also, I'm looking on the CC website and it looks like you can't buy unless you're a distributor? Am I missing a page somewhere? If not, where are you all getting the CC fragrances from?


Wholesale Supplies Plus has CC fragrance oils. https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/


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## Iseleigh (Jul 1, 2019)

I guess I was on the wrong site entirely.  Lol


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## msunnerstood (Jul 1, 2019)

Aztec has an amazing Wisteria.


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## cerelife (Jul 3, 2019)

Hello! I grew up within a few miles of the beginning of the Appalachian Trail in north Georgia.
Other members have given you some great suggestions, so I'll just add my 2 cents on scent suggestions that haven't been addressed.
I used to make a soap called 'Hillbilly Homebrew' with this scent:
https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/witches-brew-type-fragrance-oil.aspx
Family and friends back home loved it, but not a great seller for me outside of the mountains so feel free to steal my soap name if you'd like 
**The WSP website shows a _very _small usage rate for this FO, but I've made several batches at 0.5oz/ppo with no sensitivity issues whatsoever.**
This Whiskey FO is super strong - almost nauseatingly so OOB and in candles since it truly smells like whiskey! But it's a good seller (in candles/tarts), and while I've never soaped with it, the notes say that it soaps well in CP and retains a strong scent after cure.
https://www.candlescience.com/fragrance/whiskey-fragrance-oil
I've not found a Molasses FO, but I do like this Brown Sugar FO. It smells exactly like opening a bag of Dixie Crystals dark brown sugar! 
http://www.daystarsupplies.com/fo-regular-3.htm#BrownSugar
Something to note about Daystar FOs - many of them seem to disappear early in the cure. But don't freak out; they come back strong after about 4 weeks!! This is one of my very favorite FO vendors because she has such lovely complex scents, but you do have to be patient with some of them!


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## soapmaker (Jul 3, 2019)

szaza said:


> I've used pine eo quite a lot and never had any problems with it.


I have also and never had any problems.


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## Iseleigh (Jul 3, 2019)

cerelife said:


> Hello! I grew up within a few miles of the beginning of the Appalachian Trail in north Georgia.
> Other members have given you some great suggestions, so I'll just add my 2 cents on scent suggestions that haven't been addressed.
> I used to make a soap called 'Hillbilly Homebrew' with this scent:
> https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/witches-brew-type-fragrance-oil.aspx
> ...


Awesome! Thank you so much! I will check out the links. 
The soap supply up from me has a Sweet Potato and Brown Sugar scent that I think I like but their Molasses smells like Christmas instead of sorghum. 
I feel like I've seen an actual Hillbilly Homebrew scent somewhere...


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## cerelife (Jul 3, 2019)

Is Rustic Escentuals the company you mentioned as being close to you? I've soaped with their Sweet Potato and Brown Sugar FO and I really liked it! Very rich and warm with spice notes that remind me of pumpkin spice, but better. Strong scent retention and it turns a dark brown as it cures.
https://rusticescentuals.com/Sweet-Potato-and-Brown-Sugar.html
Honestly, I would order much more from RE since they DO have some lovely FOs, but their shipping prices are a little outrageous to me.


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## Iseleigh (Jul 4, 2019)

cerelife said:


> Is Rustic Escentuals the company you mentioned as being close to you? I've soaped with their Sweet Potato and Brown Sugar FO and I really liked it! Very rich and warm with spice notes that remind me of pumpkin spice, but better. Strong scent retention and it turns a dark brown as it cures.
> https://rusticescentuals.com/Sweet-Potato-and-Brown-Sugar.html
> Honestly, I would order much more from RE since they DO have some lovely FOs, but their shipping prices are a little outrageous to me.


Virginia Candle Supply is the one close to me, though I'm in Bristol, Tn. I asked if they mix their own fragrances in-house and the guy said they do some of them, but others they order in bulk and private label. Maybe they get their scents from the same place Rustic does? I was wanting to do a Cushaw Pie soap for Christmas, which is like pumpkin pie but soooooo much better IMO (maybe because I use homegrown cushaws).


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