EO blend test results

[Mobjack Bay]

When I was testing colorants in cp soap this past winter and spring, I also tested some eo blends. I find it easier to make blends that stick now that I have a sense of which eos stick in general (see this table; and special thanks to @HowieRoll for sharing her insights). A few of the blends I tested are from EOCalc and others are likely inspired by SMF members that I can’t acknowledge based on poor notes (so sorry ). Most of the blends are at the four month mark with good scent retention. All eos are from Camden Grey unless otherwise indicated. All blends were used at 3% of TOW. I have not checked safe usage rates for all of these blends.

I’m still in search of blends that use palmarosa, geranium, and ylang ylang without the addition of less common or expensive eos. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Lavender 40/42/Lavandin dominant:
50% lavandin, 38% clary sage (amazon), 12% patchouli (Indonesian) - more floral than the next one, almost smells like I added geranium (a puzzler); I don’t love it enough…
50% lavandin, 25% patchouli, 25% peppermint - gentle lavender/fresh, not peppermint forward; I like this one better than above and may try adding some amyris to see if it helps to strengthen the lavender scent
50% lavender 40/42, 38% peppermint, 12% anise - ever so slightly lavender floral, peppermint, anise; will use again, probably with lavandin
50% lavandin, 25% bergamot, 12.5% amyris, 12.5% geranium - a variation of EOCalc’s French Kiss - nice, gentle floral; have used in past with good scent retention (> 1 yr) and will likely use again

Clary Sage dominant:
50% clary sage, 25% lavandin, 25% amyris - soft lavender that leans a little herbal; nice; scent retention could be an issue and I will probably try adding some amyris and also try a different clary sage for comparison since I bought the bottle I had on Amazon.

Tea Tree dominant:
45% tea tree, 25% peppermint, 15% lavender 40/42, 15% eucalyptus globulus - EOCalc’s Revive - fresh, minty, tea tree; I’ve been using this in ocean-themed soaps for three years now and like it.

Citrus dominant:
50% litsea cubeba (Brambleberry), 25% rosemary, 18% lime, 7% spearmint - “Irish Spring” possibly from Pinterest - fresh, a little minty with a hint of lime, I’m not sure that I can smell the rosemary (based on EOCalc, this is fine at 3%); I like this one and will use again.
75% litsea cubeba, 25% lemon eucalyptus (BB) - nicely toned down from straight lemon eucalyptus, citrusy with lemon eucalyptus in the background; IMPORTANT NOTES: Lemon eucalyptus is not in EOCalc, but “Tisserand and Young do not indicate any known hazards” per Aromaweb. On eocalc, litsea and lemongrass both go into the red range at >50% of a blend for 3% usage rate. I am one of those people that likes lemon eucalyptus, so I may increase it to 50% of the blend or I will keep it at 25% by adding another eo, like lime, to the blend.
50% litsea cubeba, 25% orange,17% bergamot, 8% basil - gentle citrus with a hint of basil, (this one is in safe usage range at 3%); I like it and will use again.
50% orange 10x (BB), 38% cederwood (Virginian), 12% patchouli - I don’t love it

Cedar dominant:
50% bergamot, 50% cedarwood - a nice way to use cedar; I think the thanks go to @Zing for the inspiration

Floral blends:
50% palmarosa, 25% litsea cubeba, 12.5% geranium, 12.5% ylang ylang III - floral, but a bit weak; try again…
26% palmarosa, 24% patchouli, 19% grapefruit (pink), 18% geranium, 8% cinnamon leaf, 5% pepper (black) - EOCalc’s Black Rose by Kenna; floral with spice; I like it and will use again
20% lavandin, 20% bergamot, 20% rosemary, 10% orange, 10% litsea, 10% ylang ylang III, 10% peppermint - an Aveda Shampure dup inspired by Pinterest; not strong at the 5+ month mark, but acceptable for soap that hasn’t been stored in a box; at this point it smells mostly like rosemary mint to my nose; will use again
33% geranium, 33% patchouli, 20% amyris, 14% palmarosa - sticking well in a soap made in February 2022. Floral patchouli; I like it and have had positive feedback, including from a male friend who loves patchouli; I think I could drop the geranium percentage back a bit and still get a nice scent that sticks.
36% lavender 40/42, 23% petitgrain, 19% ylang ylang III, 19% bergamot - EOCalc’s Fallen by Kenna; floral with a slightly spicy note (possibly from the ylang ylang?); this one really sticks. I came across a couple of bars that I’ve had stashed away since January 2021 and the scent is still strong. Will use again!

edited to add the last floral blend

 

[Zing]

When I was testing colorants in cp soap this past winter and spring, I also tested some eo blends. I find it easier to make blends that stick now that I have a sense of which eos stick in general (see this table; and special thanks to @HowieRoll for sharing her insights). A few of the blends I tested are from EOCalc and others are likely inspired by SMF members that I can’t acknowledge based on poor notes (so sorry ). Most of the blends are at the four month mark with good scent retention. All eos are from Camden Grey unless otherwise indicated. All blends were used at 3% of TOW. I have not checked safe usage rates for all of these blends.

I’m still in search of blends that use palmarosa, geranium, and ylang ylang without the addition of less common or expensive eos. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Lavender 40/42/Lavandin dominant:
50% lavandin, 38% clary sage (amazon), 12% patchouli (Indonesian) - more floral than the next one, almost smells like I added geranium (a puzzler); I don’t love it enough…
50% lavandin, 25% patchouli, 25% peppermint - gentle lavender/fresh, not peppermint forward; I like this one better than above and may try adding some amyris to see if it helps to strengthen the lavender scent
50% lavender 40/42, 38% peppermint, 12% anise - ever so slightly lavender floral, peppermint, anise; will use again, probably with lavandin
50% lavandin, 25% bergamot, 12.5% amyris, 12.5% geranium - a variation of EOCalc’s French Kiss - nice, gentle floral; have used in past with good scent retention (> 1 yr) and will likely use again

Clary Sage dominant:
50% clary sage, 25% lavandin, 25% amyris - soft lavender that leans a little herbal; nice; scent retention could be an issue and I will probably try adding some amyris and also try a different clary sage for comparison since I bought the bottle I had on Amazon.

Tea Tree dominant:
45% tea tree, 25% peppermint, 15% lavender 40/42, 15% eucalyptus globulus - EOCalc’s Revive - fresh, minty, tea tree; I’ve been using this in ocean-themed soaps for three years now and like it.

Citrus dominant:
50% litsea cubeba (Brambleberry), 25% rosemary, 18% lime, 7% spearmint - “Irish Spring” possibly from Pinterest - fresh, a little minty with a hint of lime, I’m not sure that I can smell the rosemary (based on EOCalc, this is fine at 3%); I like this one and will use again.
75% litsea cubeba, 25% lemon eucalyptus (BB) - nicely toned down from straight lemon eucalyptus, citrusy with lemon eucalyptus in the background; IMPORTANT NOTES: Lemon eucalyptus is not in EOCalc, but “Tisserand and Young do not indicate any known hazards” per Aromaweb. On eocalc, litsea and lemongrass both go into the red range at >50% of a blend for 3% usage rate. I am one of those people that likes lemon eucalyptus, so I may increase it to 50% of the blend or I will keep it at 25% by adding another eo, like lime, to the blend.
50% litsea cubeba, 25% orange,17% bergamot, 8% basil - gentle citrus with a hint of basil, (this one is in safe usage range at 3%); I like it and will use again.
50% orange 10x (BB), 38% cederwood (Virginian), 12% patchouli - I don’t love it

Cedar dominant:
50% bergamot, 50% cedarwood - a nice way to use cedar; I think the thanks go to @Zing for the inspiration

Floral blends:
50% palmarosa, 25% litsea cubeba, 12.5% geranium, 12.5% ylang ylang III - floral, but a bit weak; try again…
26% palmarosa, 24% patchouli, 19% grapefruit (pink), 18% geranium, 8% cinnamon leaf, 5% pepper (black) - EOCalc’s Black Rose by Kenna; floral with spice; I like it and will use again
20% lavandin, 20% bergamot, 20% rosemary, 10% orange, 10% litsea, 10% ylang ylang III, 10% peppermint - an Aveda Shampure dup inspired by Pinterest; not strong at the 5+ month mark, but acceptable for soap that hasn’t been stored in a box; at this point it smells mostly like rosemary mint to my nose; will use again
33% geranium, 33% patchouli, 20% amyris, 14% palmarosa - sticking well in a soap made in February 2022. Floral patchouli; I like it and have had positive feedback, including from a male friend who loves patchouli; I think I could drop the geranium percentage back a bit and still get a nice scent that sticks.

and bookmarked for future reference!

 

[Nona'sFarm]

@Mobjack Bay , thanks so much for sharing your results.

 

[gardengeek]

@Mobjack Bay thank you for this. The last one sounds like something my nose would like.

 

[melinda48]

When I was testing colorants in cp soap this past winter and spring, I also tested some eo blends. I find it easier to make blends that stick now that I have a sense of which eos stick in general (see this table; and special thanks to @HowieRoll for sharing her insights). A few of the blends I tested are from EOCalc and others are likely inspired by SMF members that I can’t acknowledge based on poor notes (so sorry ). Most of the blends are at the four month mark with good scent retention. All eos are from Camden Grey unless otherwise indicated. All blends were used at 3% of TOW. I have not checked safe usage rates for all of these blends.

I’m still in search of blends that use palmarosa, geranium, and ylang ylang without the addition of less common or expensive eos. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

Lavender 40/42/Lavandin dominant:
50% lavandin, 38% clary sage (amazon), 12% patchouli (Indonesian) - more floral than the next one, almost smells like I added geranium (a puzzler); I don’t love it enough…
50% lavandin, 25% patchouli, 25% peppermint - gentle lavender/fresh, not peppermint forward; I like this one better than above and may try adding some amyris to see if it helps to strengthen the lavender scent
50% lavender 40/42, 38% peppermint, 12% anise - ever so slightly lavender floral, peppermint, anise; will use again, probably with lavandin
50% lavandin, 25% bergamot, 12.5% amyris, 12.5% geranium - a variation of EOCalc’s French Kiss - nice, gentle floral; have used in past with good scent retention (> 1 yr) and will likely use again

Clary Sage dominant:
50% clary sage, 25% lavandin, 25% amyris - soft lavender that leans a little herbal; nice; scent retention could be an issue and I will probably try adding some amyris and also try a different clary sage for comparison since I bought the bottle I had on Amazon.

Tea Tree dominant:
45% tea tree, 25% peppermint, 15% lavender 40/42, 15% eucalyptus globulus - EOCalc’s Revive - fresh, minty, tea tree; I’ve been using this in ocean-themed soaps for three years now and like it.

Citrus dominant:
50% litsea cubeba (Brambleberry), 25% rosemary, 18% lime, 7% spearmint - “Irish Spring” possibly from Pinterest - fresh, a little minty with a hint of lime, I’m not sure that I can smell the rosemary (based on EOCalc, this is fine at 3%); I like this one and will use again.
75% litsea cubeba, 25% lemon eucalyptus (BB) - nicely toned down from straight lemon eucalyptus, citrusy with lemon eucalyptus in the background; IMPORTANT NOTES: Lemon eucalyptus is not in EOCalc, but “Tisserand and Young do not indicate any known hazards” per Aromaweb. On eocalc, litsea and lemongrass both go into the red range at >50% of a blend for 3% usage rate. I am one of those people that likes lemon eucalyptus, so I may increase it to 50% of the blend or I will keep it at 25% by adding another eo, like lime, to the blend.
50% litsea cubeba, 25% orange,17% bergamot, 8% basil - gentle citrus with a hint of basil, (this one is in safe usage range at 3%); I like it and will use again.
50% orange 10x (BB), 38% cederwood (Virginian), 12% patchouli - I don’t love it

Cedar dominant:
50% bergamot, 50% cedarwood - a nice way to use cedar; I think the thanks go to @Zing for the inspiration

Floral blends:
50% palmarosa, 25% litsea cubeba, 12.5% geranium, 12.5% ylang ylang III - floral, but a bit weak; try again…
26% palmarosa, 24% patchouli, 19% grapefruit (pink), 18% geranium, 8% cinnamon leaf, 5% pepper (black) - EOCalc’s Black Rose by Kenna; floral with spice; I like it and will use again
20% lavandin, 20% bergamot, 20% rosemary, 10% orange, 10% litsea, 10% ylang ylang III, 10% peppermint - an Aveda Shampure dup inspired by Pinterest; not strong at the 5+ month mark, but acceptable for soap that hasn’t been stored in a box; at this point it smells mostly like rosemary mint to my nose; will use again
33% geranium, 33% patchouli, 20% amyris, 14% palmarosa - sticking well in a soap made in February 2022. Floral patchouli; I like it and have had positive feedback, including from a male friend who loves patchouli; I think I could drop the geranium percentage back a bit and still get a nice scent that sticks.
36% lavender 40/42, 23% petitgrain, 19% ylang ylang III, 19% bergamot - EOCalc’s Fallen by Kenna; floral with a slightly spicy note (possibly from the ylang ylang?); this one really sticks. I came across a couple of bars that I’ve had stashed away since January 2021 and the scent is still strong. Will use again!

edited to add the last floral blend

Wow! You have been busy indeed - thank you for sharing your blends!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I was moving things around in my soaping space today and came across the box with the eo-scented soaps I described above. The scent retention has been excellent for all of the blends. Based on what I wrote above, a few of the scent profiles seem to have shifted a little. The rosemary is more noticeable in the Irish Spring blend and the cedarwood in the orange, cedarwood, patchouli blend has mellowed nicely.

 

[Servant4Christ]

And my essential oils wishlist just got so. much. longer thanks to @Zing and @Mobjack Bay!

If only I could just list the blends I want and have someone make me enough of the blend to make a batch of soap, I wouldn't have to buy out every essential oil on Brambleberry's site!

My hitlist includes @Zing's Spring Clean blend and his recommended bergamot/cedarwood 50/50 blend
Also, I really want to try EOCalc's gentlemen's lavender and an ocean scent blend that someone posted... I've got to search all my bookmarks to find it, though.

 

[forestedge]

I've played around with the EO Calc Gentleman's Lavender a few times, moved the % of various EO around, and have one of my fav blends of all time! I have a bottle premixed so I can use a bit and add a different EO to make a totally different scent for special projects. Sometimes I even remember to write what I've done down to replicate.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Also, I really want to try EOCalc's gentlemen's lavender and an ocean scent blend that someone posted... I've got to search all my bookmarks to find it, though.

Did you ever find the ocean scent? I sometimes use Revive for ocean-themed soaps and like it. I also like a blend called "Sea Breezy" that I found on the forum.

I've played around with the EO Calc Gentleman's Lavender a few times, moved the % of various EO around, and have one of my fav blends of all time! I have a bottle premixed so I can use a bit and add a different EO to make a totally different scent for special projects. Sometimes I even remember to write what I've done down to replicate.

I love the way that blend sounds but I don't like the price of Clary Sage. Have you tried it without the Clary Sage or subbed in another EO in place of that one?

 

[AliOop]

I love the way that blend sounds but I don't like the price of Clary Sage. Have you tried it without the Clary Sage or subbed in another EO in place of that one?

Not to jump on someone else’s post, but I almost always make Gentleman’s Lavender without clary sage. I either sub in another grassy EO, or just leave it out. The blend is wonderful either way.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

blends that use palmarosa, geranium,

One of my all time favorites, a tweak of a Rainbow Meadows Blend.

ZANY’S CABRINI ROSE (Lovely in lotion, cuticle balm, transparent soap)
also called BRIDGE LADIES because it's a pleasant, light, floral scent that bridge players wouldn't find offensive or distracting at the table.
1 part Rose Geranium EO
1 part Palmarosa EO
2 part Rosewood EO

Here's one I like with Ylang

ZANY’’S CIAO BELLA (Hello Beautiful) - Clean, fresh, mellow.
1 part Orange 5X EO
1 part Bitter Almond EO (Note: 50/50 Bitter/Sweet)
1 part Ylang Ylang EO

ETA: Found this note in my Files from many moons ago. It's from soaping buddy "Cat", who, like MJB, spent an enormous amount of time developing scents, scent blends and dupes. She shared her pages and pages of fragrances on the Rainbow Meadows site. Unfortunately, it was hacked into and had to be discontinued. RM was similar to EOCalc but waaay better. Far more EOs to choose from and, hence, more variety in the make up of blends.

Have you tried ylang ylang? While not as expensive as jasmine, it smells similar (I think so, anyway). You can also try combining the ylang with a touch of patchouli for a "mock" jasmine. Some use 2 parts ylang to 1 part patchouli, others use 2 or 3 parts patchouli to 1 part ylang to approximate jasmine's heady scent.
Cat

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Not to jump on someone else’s post, but I almost always make Gentleman’s Lavender without clary sage. I either sub in another grassy EO, or just leave it out. The blend is wonderful either way.

Good to know. Thanks!

One of my all time favorites, a tweak of a Rainbow Meadows Blend.

ZANY’S CABRINI ROSE (Lovely in lotion, cuticle balm, transparent soap)
also called BRIDGE LADIES because it's a pleasant, light, floral scent that bridge players wouldn't find offensive or distracting at the table.
1 part Rose Geranium EO
1 part Palmarosa EO
2 part Rosewood EO

Here's one I like with Ylang

ZANY’’S CIAO BELLA (Hello Beautiful) - Clean, fresh, mellow.
1 part Orange 5X EO
1 part Bitter Almond EO (Note: 50/50 Bitter/Sweet)
1 part Ylang Ylang EO

Thanks for catching up with this thread! The blend with Rosewood sounds nice, plus I have all three EOs on hand. Rosewood is a bit pricey for soap, but I like it for solid perfume so I’ll give that blend a try. I long for the good ole days when IFRA didn’t tell us that we can only use a hint of Bitter Almond in soap. Can you recommend an FO that smells like Bitter Almond? I discovered the combo of orange and ylang ylang last winter and have used it in a few batches of soap. Ylang ylang accelerates like crazy in my recipes, but I’m using more like 3:1 orange: yy and it slows down enough to be manageable.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I long for the good ole days when IFRA didn’t tell us that we can only use a hint of Bitter Almond in soap. Can you recommend an FO that smells like Bitter Almond?

Bitter Almond is not safe so most suppliers cut it with sweet almond. I mix it 50/50 and use that.

Here's a nice almond scent that I use for cuticle balm.

JADY'S AMARETTO BLEND
12 parts (BB) Almond Biscotti FO
4 parts Bitter Almond EO (50%)
2 parts Oakmoss Absolute (10%)
1 part (BB) Vanilla Select FO

From my Rainbow Meadow file

ALMOND, BITTER - (Prunus dulcis var. amara)
Heavenly, heavenly Almond, with its toasty-nutty scent that is underpinned with a natural tone of sweet ripe cherries. This lovely oil creates an ambience of comfort like a sweet warm sugar cookie fresh from the oven. Not cloying or overpowering, yet a little goes a long way.

Note: Due to DEA regulations, we must sell this as a 50/50 blend of carrier oil (Sweet Almond) and Bitter Almond. Use as little as 0.4 ounces (translates to 0.8 ounces of our 50/50 blend) per pound of oils and watch Almond lovers swoon with delight. Should not be confused with our Sweet Almond Oil, which is a carrier oil used in soapmaking and body care products.

Blends well with: Allspice, Amber, Cassia, Cinnamon, Clove, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Nutmeg, Oakmoss, Orange, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Spikenard, Vanilla, Violet Leaf, Ylang

 

[Christa10]

Thank you all so much for these ideas. I'm not terribly creative when it comes to scents so I will try these trusted ones with more confidence than I would have trying to come up with something myself.

 

[Servant4Christ]

Did you ever find the ocean scent? I sometimes use Revive for ocean-themed soaps and like it. I also like a blend called "Sea Breezy" that I found on the forum.

Yes, it was called Ocean Wave posted by @lsg

Post in thread 'Cold Water - Bramble Berry' Cold Water - Bramble Berry

 

[forestedge]

Did you ever find the ocean scent? I sometimes use Revive for ocean-themed soaps and like it. I also like a blend called "Sea Breezy" that I found on the forum.

I love the way that blend sounds but I don't like the price of Clary Sage. Have you tried it without the Clary Sage or subbed in another EO in place of that one?

I agree with your Clary Sage comment - love the scent but hate the $$$. I've made it without and have used other EO or FO in place. That's part of my 'make up a new blend'!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Updates on EO scent retention in the soaps I made in early 2022

Blends were used at 3% of total fat/oil weight. Most of the bars also had clay at up to 1 tsp ppo because I was mixing clay with oxides and ultramarines for colorant tests in these same soaps. I can't say the clay increased scent retention since I don't have controls without clay, but I also don't think it hurt. The soaps have been stored together in a shoe box, and without significant swings in temperature or humidity.

Main conclusions:

• scent retention has been good across the blends - the scent is still a feature of the soap and I can pick up various scent notes
• blends have mellowed which makes it more difficult to pick out dominant notes
• I honestly think I can smell faint citrus notes. I can hardly believe it and would find it hard to believe if someone else had written that...

Lavender 40/42/Lavandin dominant:

50% lavandin, 38% clary sage (amazon), 12% patchouli (Indonesian) - more floral than the next one, almost smells like I added geranium (a puzzler); I don’t love it enough… (I haven't tracked this one down for the update)

50% lavandin, 25% patchouli, 25% peppermint - gentle lavender/fresh, not peppermint forward - good scent retention at the 2 year mark; not so different from the next one

50% lavender 40/42, 38% peppermint, 12% anise - ever so slightly lavender floral, peppermint, anise - good scent retention at the 2 year mark

50% lavandin, 25% bergamot, 12.5% amyris, 12.5% geranium - a variation of EOCalc’s French Kiss - nice, gentle floral - good scent retention at the 2 year mark

Clary Sage dominant:

50% clary sage, 25% lavandin, 25% amyris - soft lavender that leans a little herbal; - good scent retention at the 2 year mark; IMHO clary sage is too expensive to use in soap

Tea Tree dominant:

45% tea tree, 25% peppermint, 15% lavender 40/42, 15% eucalyptus globulus - EOCalc’s Revive - fresh, minty, tea tree - good scent retention at the 2 year mark, but without sharp tea tree notes

Citrus dominant:

50% litsea cubeba (Brambleberry), 25% rosemary, 18% lime, 7% spearmint - “Irish Spring” possibly from Pinterest - fresh, a little minty with a hint of lime - good scent retention at the 2 year mark, a little minty, a little green, but wouldn't say obviously citrus

75% litsea cubeba, 25% lemon eucalyptus (BB) - nicely toned down from straight lemon eucalyptus, citrusy with lemon eucalyptus in the background; the lemon eucalyptus is still there, but it's soft/not overwhelming

50% litsea cubeba, 25% orange,17% bergamot, 8% basil - gentle citrus with a hint of basil - surprise, surprise, there's a wee bit of citrus coming through and a note that I would call spice, but not clearly basil

50% orange 10x (BB), 38% cedarwood (Virginian), 12% patchouli - surprise, surprise, there's also a wee bit of citrus coming through for this one, with hints of cedar and patchouli base notes. I wasn't crazy about this blend initially, but it smells good to me now.

Cedar dominant:

50% bergamot, 50% cedarwood - a nice way to use cedar - I find it hard to describe this blend, but it still smells good

Floral blends:

50% palmarosa, 25% litsea cubeba, 12.5% geranium, 12.5% ylang ylang III - floral, but a bit weak - better scent retention than expected at the 2 year mark, a little citrus, a little green, a little floral

26% palmarosa, 24% patchouli, 19% grapefruit (pink), 18% geranium, 8% cinnamon leaf, 5% pepper (black) - EOCalc’s Black Rose by Kenna; floral with spice - surprise, surprise, I think I can smell a wee bit of grapefruit along with floral and cinnamon

20% lavandin, 20% bergamot, 20% rosemary, 10% orange, 10% litsea, 10% ylang ylang III, 10% peppermint - an Aveda Shampure dup inspired by Pinterest; not strong at the 5+ month mark, but acceptable for soap that hasn’t been stored in a box; at this point it smells mostly like rosemary mint to my nose; will use again (I haven't tracked this one down for the update)

33% geranium, 33% patchouli, 20% amyris, 14% palmarosa - sticking well in a soap made in February 2022. Floral patchouli - this one sticks very well. I'm using a bar in the shower now.

36% lavender 40/42, 23% petitgrain, 19% ylang ylang III, 19% bergamot - EOCalc’s Fallen by Kenna; floral with a slightly spicy note (possibly from the ylang ylang?); this one really sticks. I came across a couple of bars that I’ve had stashed away since January 2021 and the scent is still strong. Will use again! (I haven't tracked this one down for the update)

75% geranium, 25% rosewood - wasn't on my original list, but made around the same time (April 2022) - good scent retention for the geranium

 

[not_ally]

I hardly use FO's and this is still an amazingly helpful thread. Thanks, @Mobjack Bay

 

[Hkthomas]

Updates on EO scent retention in the soaps I made in early 2022

Blends were used at 3% of total fat/oil weight. Most of the bars also had clay at up to 1 tsp ppo because I was mixing clay with oxides and ultramarines for colorant tests in these same soaps. I can't say the clay increased scent retention since I don't have controls without clay, but I also don't think it hurt. The soaps have been stored together in a shoe box, and without significant swings in temperature or humidity.

Main conclusions:

• scent retention has been good across the blends - the scent is still a feature of the soap and I can pick up various scent notes
• blends have mellowed which makes it more difficult to pick out dominant notes
• I honestly think I can smell faint citrus notes. I can hardly believe it and would find it hard to believe if someone else had written that...

Lavender 40/42/Lavandin dominant:

50% lavandin, 38% clary sage (amazon), 12% patchouli (Indonesian) - more floral than the next one, almost smells like I added geranium (a puzzler); I don’t love it enough… (I haven't tracked this one down for the update)

50% lavandin, 25% patchouli, 25% peppermint - gentle lavender/fresh, not peppermint forward - good scent retention at the 2 year mark; not so different from the next one

50% lavender 40/42, 38% peppermint, 12% anise - ever so slightly lavender floral, peppermint, anise - good scent retention at the 2 year mark

50% lavandin, 25% bergamot, 12.5% amyris, 12.5% geranium - a variation of EOCalc’s French Kiss - nice, gentle floral - good scent retention at the 2 year mark

Clary Sage dominant:

50% clary sage, 25% lavandin, 25% amyris - soft lavender that leans a little herbal; - good scent retention at the 2 year mark; IMHO clary sage is too expensive to use in soap

Tea Tree dominant:

45% tea tree, 25% peppermint, 15% lavender 40/42, 15% eucalyptus globulus - EOCalc’s Revive - fresh, minty, tea tree - good scent retention at the 2 year mark, but without sharp tea tree notes

Citrus dominant:

50% litsea cubeba (Brambleberry), 25% rosemary, 18% lime, 7% spearmint - “Irish Spring” possibly from Pinterest - fresh, a little minty with a hint of lime - good scent retention at the 2 year mark, a little minty, a little green, but wouldn't say obviously citrus

75% litsea cubeba, 25% lemon eucalyptus (BB) - nicely toned down from straight lemon eucalyptus, citrusy with lemon eucalyptus in the background; the lemon eucalyptus is still there, but it's soft/not overwhelming

50% litsea cubeba, 25% orange,17% bergamot, 8% basil - gentle citrus with a hint of basil - surprise, surprise, there's a wee bit of citrus coming through and a note that I would call spice, but not clearly basil

50% orange 10x (BB), 38% cedarwood (Virginian), 12% patchouli - surprise, surprise, there's also a wee bit of citrus coming through for this one, with hints of cedar and patchouli base notes. I wasn't crazy about this blend initially, but it smells good to me now.

Cedar dominant:

50% bergamot, 50% cedarwood - a nice way to use cedar - I find it hard to describe this blend, but it still smells good

Floral blends:

50% palmarosa, 25% litsea cubeba, 12.5% geranium, 12.5% ylang ylang III - floral, but a bit weak - better scent retention than expected at the 2 year mark, a little citrus, a little green, a little floral

26% palmarosa, 24% patchouli, 19% grapefruit (pink), 18% geranium, 8% cinnamon leaf, 5% pepper (black) - EOCalc’s Black Rose by Kenna; floral with spice - surprise, surprise, I think I can smell a wee bit of grapefruit along with floral and cinnamon

20% lavandin, 20% bergamot, 20% rosemary, 10% orange, 10% litsea, 10% ylang ylang III, 10% peppermint - an Aveda Shampure dup inspired by Pinterest; not strong at the 5+ month mark, but acceptable for soap that hasn’t been stored in a box; at this point it smells mostly like rosemary mint to my nose; will use again (I haven't tracked this one down for the update)

33% geranium, 33% patchouli, 20% amyris, 14% palmarosa - sticking well in a soap made in February 2022. Floral patchouli - this one sticks very well. I'm using a bar in the shower now.

36% lavender 40/42, 23% petitgrain, 19% ylang ylang III, 19% bergamot - EOCalc’s Fallen by Kenna; floral with a slightly spicy note (possibly from the ylang ylang?); this one really sticks. I came across a couple of bars that I’ve had stashed away since January 2021 and the scent is still strong. Will use again! (I haven't tracked this one down for the update)

75% geranium, 25% rosewood - wasn't on my original list, but made around the same time (April 2022) - good scent retention for the geranium

Thank you for this most informative thread!

 

[Marie_with_an_e]

Thank you @Mobjack Bay, this is fabulous information!