# Some noobie questions about scents



## Arthur Dent (Jul 16, 2015)

I ordered some FO's from FragranceBuddy strictly based on reviews (from here and elsewhere on the web) plus a little "that sounds good" factor.  These are my very first scents, so I really had no idea what to expect, just wanted something to play around with.
Opening the bottles, I have to say that they all smell like heavy incense to me rather than any soap I have ever smelled.  Do scents morph after the lye gets finished with them, or do they always smell like they do in the bottle?
I know someone will ask, so here is what I got:

Coffee Bean   - smells like a heavy vanilla / hazelnut flavored coffee
Patchouli Passion  -  smells nothing like patchouli at all
Sun And Earth  -  a review said it was patchouli and orange, I don't get either one
Apple Cider  -  this actually smells like apples and cinnamon to me, the only one of the bunch that I actually like

Did I just make some bad choices?  I didn't get much of each, so I'm not out much if I hate the soaps.  I'm sure I can give them to someone.


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## snappyllama (Jul 16, 2015)

Some FOs can change in finished soap. Personally, I haven't found one I disliked oob and liked in soap... If I don't like it oob, I just don't like it. Sometimes I love it oob and hate it in soap. FOs are really hit or miss as far as the descriptions at sites go.  Some smell nothing at all like their description, even in the finished soap. 

When you sniff the bottles, try putting the cap a good distance from your nose and slowly moving it closer until you get the first whiffs. I get more accurate results that way and keep from overwhelming my nose.


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## doriettefarm (Jul 16, 2015)

I've used plenty of the FragranceBuddy FOs but none of the ones you ordered.  Their Beeswax & Propolis smelled insanely sweet OOB but almost vanished after soaping with it.  After curing almost a week the scent is starting to come back so I guess you really can't tell for sure until you try it.  Sorry that was absolutely no help at all


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## TeresaT (Jul 16, 2015)

This is of no help to you.  Thanks for your post.  I will now have to buy Coffee Bean and Apple Cider from Fragrance Buddy.  (I have a few FOs that I purchased.  One, Autumn Fig from WSP smells great oob; however, when I made the soap it smelled nasty.  It's been a couple of weeks and the pleasant scent is back.  However, the soap smells different from the bottle andI can't figure out exactly what the difference is.  Something got lost in the saponification, I think.)


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## spenny92 (Jul 16, 2015)

Same thing happened to me. I ordered my first FOs a few days ago - Chocolate, Coffee, Raspberry and Green Tea/Lemongrass. I wasn't particularly enamoured by any of the scents OOB. Coffee, in particular, smells horrible - nothing like "freshly brewed coffee" like the website said hah. But I'll try it in soap and maybe when it's not as concentrated, it will smell good.


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## Seawolfe (Jul 16, 2015)

So far I have only found two FO's that I like, the rest smell like gramma's boudoir to me. I'm sure it's me, because I've seen people rave about the ones I don't like. So I stick with EO's and pretend that it's just my yearning for the simple things.


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## TheDragonGirl (Jul 17, 2015)

Seawolfe said:


> So far I have only found two FO's that I like, the rest smell like gramma's boudoir to me. I'm sure it's me, because I've seen people rave about the ones I don't like. So I stick with EO's and pretend that it's just my yearning for the simple things.



you and me both


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## MtnSoaper (Jul 17, 2015)

Seawolfe said:


> So far I have only found two FO's that I like, the rest smell like gramma's boudoir to me. I'm sure it's me, because I've seen people rave about the ones I don't like. So I stick with EO's and pretend that it's just my yearning for the simple things.


 
LOL!  Most of the masculine FO I've tried smell like the 20-somethings I work with that wear too much Axe body spray.  And I do have one stashed away from The Scent Works that smells like grandma:  Dutch Clover.  It gives me an instant headache.  I bought it because I like the smell of clover, but this smells nothing like it.  The bottle's well over 5 years; why haven't I dumped it yet?

I stick with either EOs or FOs versions of EOs (or a blend of the two).


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## julieanne (Jul 17, 2015)

You guys are funny. I, too, have had the same experiences: smells ok to very good OOB, then in soap- stink-eee, or like "grandma's boudoir" as someone else said. I search and search again for those scents that are unlike the boudoir smell. When I get one I think is heading in that direction, I make test batches with silicone ice cube trays and mix the fragrance into the soap poured into each cube, sometimes that will get me through ~ 10-15 new fragrance test batches. This way, I don't waste butters, oils, and lye. At Farmer's Markets where home made soaps abound, I can smell the perfumey soaps a couple of booths away. 

In my experience, I found that fragrances that use "musk" or "powdery" or "sweet" in their descriptions are almost always perfumey/grandma's boudoir or smell like car airfreshners from Wal-Mart. I seem to prefer those that are a mix of essential oils and fragrance oils since EO's on their own, can vaporize from the cured bar over time. Good luck, and you are on your way to owning ~100 fragrances like us all in your search for the special, lovely fragrances that made us all try soaping at home! LOL. Best of luck and search for recommendations/ask for opinions here. I often do. 

J


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## Arthur Dent (Jul 17, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies.  I guess I'll chalk this one up as "lesson learned".  I will of course reserve final judgement for the cured soaps, I suppose it's possible that I will like one.  I plan to make some sample batches over the weekend, will report back in a month or so.


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## Seawolfe (Jul 17, 2015)

Well and even if you dont like it, someone else just might like it a lot.


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## LittleCrazyWolf (Jul 17, 2015)

I have a few FO's that smell different in cured soap than OOB. Sometimes it's a good thing because a scent that seemed cloying and overly perfumy OOB will mellow in soap to something very pleasant. But usually it's a disappointment when the lye and/or heat in the soap making process burns away some of the notes and/or morphs them. 

Two things I have learned...read reviews (if available) before buying any FO's AND don't pass final judgement on a scent until you have soaped it.


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## Arthur Dent (Jul 18, 2015)

Note to self:  Do not store the weighed out fragrance oil in a disposable Solo cup while mixing the soap.


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## nsmar4211 (Jul 19, 2015)

I've got a few I just ordered from fragrance buddy and did a test batch. The smells have changed in soaping so don't lose hope! They've gotten better than the bottle for the most part. Banana smelled like cleaning product oob but smells like banana candy in the soap... black coconut def. morphed but I cant describe it other than to say I don't think that's coconut. Apple mango lost the sharp overtone and makes me want to eat the bar. Winterfestival hasn't picked a scent in the soap yet. Asian sandalwood smells better in the bottle I think, but it's also changing (tests are only 10 days old). 

Test time!


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## not_ally (Jul 19, 2015)

Nsmar, coconuts are notorious for not sticking/morphing.  I don't want to tell you to give up the search for a good one, but I'm afraid many of us fo  ho's have.  TV Vivian did a good thread on testing a bunch of coconuts here:  http://www.soapmakingforum.com/archive/index.php/t-52323.html

Sandalwoods change a lot in soap, too ...


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## nsmar4211 (Jul 19, 2015)

Yea, I learned about the coconut thing after I bought a 4oz bottle of cybilla coconut. Was curious to see if "black coconut" would have SOME sort of stick, but I think that's going with the other coconut to be rebatch only......

Did not know sandalwoods change.... going to have to try a rebatch on the two I have and see if they are better in the rebatch category... *makes note*


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## Arthur Dent (Jul 19, 2015)

So... Saturday I made a test batch with the Sun and Earth fo, and I unmolded and cut it about an hour ago.  So far I kind of like the scent.  It smells nothing like patchouli or orange _to me_, but is interesting in its own right.  This gives me hope for the others.


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## OliveOil2 (Jul 19, 2015)

You might be surprised once they are soaped, patchouli passion is honey & patchouli, and for me is very popular. The orange in Sun and Earth will come out more once it is soaped, and it is a very nice scent. I soap with a strong amount of FO and usually go 1 ounce per pound unless the recommended usage is less. I left some of the reviews on the Fragrance Chart, and sorry if that mislead you. I have tried so many different FO's and those two Moonworks Collection are some of the most popular that I have ever used, so someone will like them for sure.


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## Arthur Dent (Jul 19, 2015)

Thanks OO2, I appreciate your input.  These are my first scents, so I really didn't know what to expect.  I guess I was a bit harsh in my initial comments, didn't mean to be.


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## cmzaha (Jul 19, 2015)

Papaya Nectar, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Pink Sugar, Clove, Caribbean Coconut are all wonderful from soapsupplies.net. Caribbean Coconut is a bit tricky to soap with but would gladly share hints. I have never used FB fragrances so I am absolutely no help there.


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## not_ally (Jul 19, 2015)

Arthur, if you decide you like scents in your soap, I think you'll eventually come to decide what types/families you prefer, ie; green, warm, fruity, floral, unisex, water, bakery/food, etc, etc.  Once you do you can post and ask what people's favorites are  in the types you prefer (also which ones stick/accelerate/discolor), there is a pretty good collective body of knowledge here.     I would recommend that as a way to check out some FOs without ordering 300+ samples like some idiots (ahem) do.  DON'T go by seller's descriptions, whatever you do, I did that more than I want to remember on my road through all those samples.


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## Arthur Dent (Jul 20, 2015)

Excellent advice from everyone.  Thanks all.  It seems that the world of soap scents is quite complex, possibly more so than the soap itself.  It's too bad the scent names can't be more factually descriptive.


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## dixiedragon (Jul 20, 2015)

nsmar4211 said:


> I've got a few I just ordered from fragrance buddy and did a test batch. The smells have changed in soaping so don't lose hope! They've gotten better than the bottle for the most part. Banana smelled like cleaning product oob but smells like banana candy in the soap... black coconut def. morphed but I cant describe it other than to say I don't think that's coconut. Apple mango lost the sharp overtone and makes me want to eat the bar. Winterfestival hasn't picked a scent in the soap yet. Asian sandalwood smells better in the bottle I think, but it's also changing (tests are only 10 days old).
> 
> Test time!


 
Don't let this batch deter you. Three of those scents - banana, coconut and mango - are notoriously unstable in CP and difficult to find.


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## Arthur Dent (Oct 17, 2015)

Update:
After 3 months cure, the Sun and Earth fo has mellowed out, and I have to say that I like it a lot.
I still don’t like the Patchouli Passion at all, but my wife just loves it, as do several of her friends.
Today I’m making a batch with the Apple Cider, we’ll see what that’s like.


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## Arthur Dent (Apr 27, 2016)

Update:

I made a couple of batches with the FB Apple Cider fo last October.  High lard soap of course.  
It smelled very nice after soaping, a nice blend of apple and cinnamon.  Over time the apple has faded a little so the cinnamon is dominant, but the apple is still there in the mix.  I like it.  I have gifted several bars to friends and have gotten enough requests for more to mark this fo down as a keeper.  
I still despise the Patchouli Passion.
The Sun and Earth is still my favorite.


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