Attention Canadians!

[John Harris]

I hope this is in the right section.

Do any of you deal with Candora Soap in London, Ontario? I've been examining them and, even with shipping, they seem cheaper than where I shop here in Montreal. (I bought an 8 ounce bottle of patchouli EO from my Montreal store for $100. Candora had a 16 ounce bottle for the same price!)

If not Candora, do you shop at some other place that is notably low priced?

 

[Millie]

Not Canadian but very happy with the EOs from this company. Been 2 yrs since I ordered from them, looks like some prices have gone up but still pretty nice!
https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.ca/products/essential-oils/patchouli-essential-oil-dark.html
https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.ca/products/essential-oils/patchouli-essential-oil-light.html

 

[Ashleigh]

I haven't used Candora yet, the few times i've looked they seemed higher for the items that I wanted or were sold out. I regularly use Windy Point and New Directions.

- ND is where I get most of my oils, I find them cheapest and they usually ship really fast. I find their prices really good for FOs and EOs too, but to be honest a few of the recent FOs I bought I found really weak smelling.
-Coconut and olive oils I buy from Costco most of the time, they work out the same for the quantities I purchase. Lard I've got from Walmart in a pinch but i'm looking into a few food service places to buy it in larger quantities.
-I have bought from Voyageur for some things that I couldnt find elsewhere but usually after shipping from that end of the country it's not cost effective but their customer service is amazing.
- Windy Point has free shipping over $125, and I find their surfactants and extracts are usually well priced, along with some packaging items. But it can take a long time before they even ship the orders and then with the wait to get to Ontario I have to plan well in advance. Last time I placed an order it was about three weeks before I got it, but it is heading into the holiday season and I anticipated this so ordered before I headed out on vacation.

So all that to say I don't really have a go-to supplier for everything that is notably low priced, it really depends on what item i'm looking for.

 

[Misschief]

I've used Candora (and Windy Point, and Voyageur) and have been happy with all of them. I get most of my FOs from Candora.

 

[Ashleigh]

I've used Candora (and Windy Point, and Voyageur) and have been happy with all of them. I get most of my FOs from Candora.

@Misschief May I ask if you have any recommendations of FOs to try from Candora?

 

[MGM]

New Directions all the way. I've got 60+ FOs from them and are pretty impressed with most of them. I recently ordered 20 FOs from Nature's Fragrance (USA) and was a lot less impressed than I was with ND, in general. Their prices have been increasing a bit, but I still find them to be the cheapest around, including US places, for carrier oils, FOs and EOs.

 

[DKing]

I have lately been leaning towards Windy Point, mostly because they now have free shipping on orders over 125, which I never have difficulty doing. I do like New Directions as well, but the shipping charges can up the cost substantially.

 

[Misschief]

@Misschief May I ask if you have any recommendations of FOs to try from Candora?

Oh gosh... it really depends on what you're looking for. Black Raspberry Vanilla is a popular one for me... Tobacco Leaves (guys loved it), Dancing Water (everyone likes it), Lemongrass Verbena, Caribbean Escape, Apple Mango Tango (I use this one in my shampoo and conditioner bars and it always sells out first), Green Apple, Karma (personal fave), Dragon's Blood, Nag Champa... so many nice ones.

 

[Saponificarian]

@MGM what fragrances stick from NDA. I know their His Urban Beat is great and it sticks. Anything else? I am not a big fan of fruity scents though my little girls love them.

 

[cmzaha]

In the past, I have used a few from NDA and never been very impressed. Unless they have changed they do not have their own fragrances made. But their Essential Oils are quality and their Peppermint Japanese is my favorite Peppermint.

 

[There's Soap]

I shop almost exclusively from Candora. I live within driving distance, so I can avoid all the shipping nonsense. Lucky, I know! It is a lot of fun to go to the showroom and smell all the scents. I've been really happy with everything I've gotten from them.

Fun tip: Candora has a lot of the same stuff as WSP. Candora recently updated their website and lost all of their reviews. If you want to read reviews on something Candora sells, just look it up on WSP (Wholesale Supplies Plus).

 

[Ashleigh]

@Misschief thanks for the recommendations! I've tried a few of those from other suppliers but there are some new ones i'll have to try out when I try Candora.

Thanks for sharing that tip about the reviews @There's Soap! It must be so awesome to live within driving distance to a soap supply place (though i'd probably be way too tempted to buy way too much stuff)...

 

[MGM]

@MGM what fragrances stick from NDA. I know their His Urban Beat is great and it sticks. Anything else? I am not a big fan of fruity scents though my little girls love them.

Orange and ginger is fantastic and super strong, since Feb. Urban Beat is also good.
I had honeydew fade away in CP (too bad, as it's so good OOB), but most are in good shape. Here, I happen to have my order history open, so let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

Lemongrass Verbena--also very strong, but discolours! I didn't know that. Pink Sugar, strong and good, also discolours. Both those bars look like moldy cheese. Pomegranate mango is good, as is mango madness. Amber romance lasts really well (since March, anyway). Woodland themes is also good. Citrus Mist is terrible but I don't think they sell it anymore. Eucalyptus Spearmint is good and STRONG. I don't love the vanillas, any of them, but I'm very very picky with vanillas (of course I bought 3 to try....). Green Mint is FANTASTIC, although I've never tried it in CP bc it gives you soap on a stick. Happy Men I've only tried in M&P and lotion. Frank & Myrrh is lasting Ok so far (about a month). Ocean Breeze is nice enough. Manchurian Dragon is great, but I can't remember if I've used it in CP yet. Ditto with Watermelon. Honey was very strong when using it, but has kind of faded. I love fruit slices. Red Currant and Thyme has faded when dry; I haven't tried it wet lately (only 1 bar left of that soap). Champaka is very strong....oh wait, haven't done it in CP, just M&P. Christmas Eve I do not like. Cucumber is nice and lasts well enough. Midnight Jasmine is very strong still, as is Japanese Cherry Blossom. Peaches & Cream is soft, but ok. Discolours tho, so it looks like a bruised peach. Acai Berry is nice, both in soap and esp in lotion. Workmates walk around sniffing when I use that lotion. English Garden is also lasting. I tried their Dragon's Blood but didn't find it as interesting as everyone says DB usually is, so maybe theirs isn't good (expensive htough!)
I do not like Pear Fantasy (weird spice). And I never buy the apple cider/pumpkin spice/etc ones. I didn't think I liked fruit fragrances, but the ones I have are quite nice.

So for long-lasting: Lemongrass-Verbena, Orange-Ginger, His Urban Beat, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Pink Sugar, Woodland Themes...those are the ones that I've done in CP, have lasted 4+ months, and that I like.

 

[Millie]

@MGM thanks again for another scent review! I really want to like their FOs because they are the cheapest when you only want a few ounces.

I haven't tried as many FOs from them, but I'll second that Woodland Themes sticks, as does Midnight Jasmine. I loved the Midnight Jasmine (I think I might love all jasmines, I have a serious love of this scent). I tried the plain Jasmine too which was also wonderful but I couldn't resist using the last bar instead of saving it to see how long the scent would last.

I'm not a fan of Woodland Themes but my neighbor loves it and it smells pretty good combined with Lemongrass EO.

I tried 2 roses from them, I'll have to track down my notes though because one smelled good, despite crazy accel, and the other was easier to work with but was merely ok scent wise. Both were pretty generic though.

Bitter Almond FO was really strong initially but was totally gone in less than half a year - probably closer to 4 months.

I have a bunch waiting to be soaped.... OOB most are not too exciting but of course that isn't the best way to judge. Pineapple is next in line

Eta: I tried their Lime FO mixed with spearment EO and the Lime had faded completely before I even molded the soap. Plooey.

 

[Saponificarian]

Orange and ginger is fantastic and super strong, since Feb. Urban Beat is also good.
I had honeydew fade away in CP (too bad, as it's so good OOB), but most are in good shape. Here, I happen to have my order history open, so let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

Lemongrass Verbena--also very strong, but discolours! I didn't know that. Pink Sugar, strong and good, also discolours. Both those bars look like moldy cheese. Pomegranate mango is good, as is mango madness. Amber romance lasts really well (since March, anyway). Woodland themes is also good. Citrus Mist is terrible but I don't think they sell it anymore. Eucalyptus Spearmint is good and STRONG. I don't love the vanillas, any of them, but I'm very very picky with vanillas (of course I bought 3 to try....). Green Mint is FANTASTIC, although I've never tried it in CP bc it gives you soap on a stick. Happy Men I've only tried in M&P and lotion. Frank & Myrrh is lasting Ok so far (about a month). Ocean Breeze is nice enough. Manchurian Dragon is great, but I can't remember if I've used it in CP yet. Ditto with Watermelon. Honey was very strong when using it, but has kind of faded. I love fruit slices. Red Currant and Thyme has faded when dry; I haven't tried it wet lately (only 1 bar left of that soap). Champaka is very strong....oh wait, haven't done it in CP, just M&P. Christmas Eve I do not like. Cucumber is nice and lasts well enough. Midnight Jasmine is very strong still, as is Japanese Cherry Blossom. Peaches & Cream is soft, but ok. Discolours tho, so it looks like a bruised peach. Acai Berry is nice, both in soap and esp in lotion. Workmates walk around sniffing when I use that lotion. English Garden is also lasting. I tried their Dragon's Blood but didn't find it as interesting as everyone says DB usually is, so maybe theirs isn't good (expensive htough!)
I do not like Pear Fantasy (weird spice). And I never buy the apple cider/pumpkin spice/etc ones. I didn't think I liked fruit fragrances, but the ones I have are quite nice.

So for long-lasting: Lemongrass-Verbena, Orange-Ginger, His Urban Beat, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Pink Sugar, Woodland Themes...those are the ones that I've done in CP, have lasted 4+ months, and that I like.

Oh wow! @MGM Thank you so much! This really, really helps. You are the best!

 

[Ashleigh]

@MGM Eta: I tried their Lime FO mixed with spearment EO and the Lime had faded completely before I even molded the soap. Plooey.

The lime FO really faded for me too. It's there, but really faint. Margarita is the same and i've tried that one with a couple different recipes. Mango has faded to almost nothing. Watermelon and green tea and pear are ok so far but not terribly strong. That's what I can remember off the top of my head.

 

[MGM]

I need to keep track of OOB vs in M&P vs in CP. Most of them are very vibrant and great in M&P and lotion, but have faded in CP. I'm trying a new trick of doing scented (FO and EO) M&P embeds in a CP bar. That way, you still get the fragrance loud and clear from the M&P. I've had M&Ps that have been sitting open for a year and are still strong.
I never had lime and haven't done CP with Margarita, but it is good in lotion (although I don't love-love the fragrance).
Overall, my NDA fragrances are stronger OOB than NF, but that may not last in CP soap.
Bottom line is...I need to soap more to test old NDAs and new NFs!

Bitter Almond FO was [U]really[/U] strong initially but was totally gone in less than half a year - probably closer to 4 months.

I'm surprised about this, because it is so strong OOB! Hard to imagine it could ever fade.
Honey was very strong, too, though, and it did :-(