# Best FOs for sensitive skin?



## AmyW (Feb 10, 2011)

I'm sure there's many soapers with sensitive skin, and I'd like to pick your brains about what, if any, FOs you've found that don't make you itchy/rashy. I'm open to anything but florals unless it's a spectacular scent. Just FOs please, most EOs seem fine for our skin, and I like funky scents like WSP's Coffee Mocha. Thanks!


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## krissy (Feb 10, 2011)

there are so many different variables to deciding if it's an FO you are sensitive to or not, but maybe using a lower amount would help??


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## soapbuddy (Feb 10, 2011)

Some vendors offer sample packs. That might work for you, since fragrance likes/dislikes depend on each person.


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## Tabitha (Feb 10, 2011)

Oh gee, everyone is going to be sensitive to different chemicals. 

I would stay FAR away from anything with cinnamon though.


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## AmyW (Feb 11, 2011)

Thanks for the advice! I'll look into getting some samplers.

I used .4oz/ppo of the WSP Coffee Mocha and my teenage son was one giant itch from the neck down. No rash, just itchy. He wasn't happy, he loves that scent. Lowering the amount might help, but I'm not sure how much scent would come through. It's got a light scent as it is.


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## judymoody (Feb 11, 2011)

Off the top of my head, common sensitivities are cinnamon, clove, citrus, and mint (the last in high %).  This is WRT to EOs, not FOs.  FOs, go phthalate free as much as possible as it can give some people headaches.

If you're talking uber-sensitive skins, it might be better to go fragrance-free but with some botanicals or other things added to jazz it up a little.  I did a beer/honey with rosemary and sage (not for pregnant women!) that was nice.  I've seen goat's milk/carrot puree/honey that was pretty.  And I've done cucumber and avocado puree which has a very faint scent of both and my friends with sensitive/eczema skin rave over it.  You could also do a mint EO (doesn't take much) maybe with some mint tea as liquid and the tea leaves as gentle exfoliant.

Otherwise, it's trial and error.


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## honor435 (Feb 18, 2011)

orange is skin sensitive also( but thats eo, I dont know about fos, if they use real orange?)
 I have sensitive skin and never had a problem with fos in my soap, I use 1oz pp , try some nice oils, like 10% hemp or some shea or cocoa butter? Maybe a higher sfat?
Peakcandles.com has a nice sampler pack, 10- 1 ouncers for 20$, many of us like peak, so ask us if you are curious about a certain scent.
Natures garden is also very nice.


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## carebear (Feb 19, 2011)

AmyW said:
			
		

> Thanks for the advice! I'll look into getting some samplers.
> 
> I used .4oz/ppo of the WSP Coffee Mocha and my teenage son was one giant itch from the neck down. No rash, just itchy. He wasn't happy, he loves that scent. Lowering the amount might help, but I'm not sure how much scent would come through. It's got a light scent as it is.


Since that's about half the typical amount I'd say that ZERO ounces ppo is the right level for him. 

Frankly, if some has very sensitive skin I would try as much as possible to limit the ingredients in anything as the more he's exposed to, the more likelihood there is of a rxn and the greater chance of developing a new sensitivity.


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## Tabitha (Feb 19, 2011)

What about using lipsafe oils? I would expect them to by way more gentle if they are suitable for lip applications & ingestion. A lot of WSP fragrance oils are also flavor (lipsafe) safe. Just athought. You should be able to get both coffee & chocolate for lip safe applications.


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## GreenScene (Feb 19, 2011)

Have you thought about doing M&P? You can use much less EO/FO to achieve the same level of scent, so that might be a compromise for y'all if there are certain FOs you really love but can only handle in small amounts. I made a great M&P bar that smelled just like pumpkin pie without using any FO/EO at all - just a little canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves - and I know those scents would never have held up so well in CP. Not saying you should try that particular combination, but a M&P base for sensitive skin might be something to look into for those FOs you just don't want to give up on yet.


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## Genny (Feb 19, 2011)

I've tried the strawberry smoothie flavor oil and chocolate devils food cake from WSP in a soap made for my dd because she really liked the smell and it irritated my dd's skin.  But she's fine when using a soap with Mega Melon flavor oil from Bittercreek.  When I make things for her and she wants it scented, I add fragrance at about 2%, which just gives it a slight smell, but barely noticeable.

I don't know if it's odd or not, but her skin gets irritated by eo's more than fo's.  Even eo's like lavender & tea tree oil.


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## Tabitha (Feb 19, 2011)

I would say skip the scent al together. Fragrance in soap is not a necessity. There is no reason to irritate a childs skin. If they want to smell nice, after they get out of the bath they can put a dab of fragrance on their clothing.


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