Essential Oils

[MoonBath]

Are they part of the oil-to-lye ratio, or are they separate?

 

[Hazel]

They're separate because essential oils aren't fats.

 

[MoonBath]

Oh! Thanks. So they don't saponify at all, then? I'm still new to all this.

 

[My Mountain Soaps]

It is suggested that you use no more than 3% of your total weight of your oils. For example, my recipe calls for 56 oz of oils. I only do my essential oils up to 2% of weight, so that puts me at 1.10 oz of essential oils. You add the EO's when you have reached a light trace, unless you are using an eo that is a known accelerator, then put it in slightly before. Hope this helps!

 

[Hazel]

Oh! Thanks. So they don't saponify at all, then? I'm still new to all this.

No, they don't saponify because they're liquids distilled from the aromatic compounds of plants (herbs, bark, berries, flowers). They're called "oils" because they are combustible liquids which are not soluble in water. Here is a link to some articles which you might find helpful. http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/default.asp

The oils used for saponification are vegetable or animal oils from the "fat" which are triglycerides (glycerol and fatty acids). As in the case of vegetable oils, the "fat" parts are the seeds, kernels and nuts and they're generally mechanically pressed to extract the oil.

This is really a simplification because not all essential oils are steam distilled and not all vegetable oils (also called carrier, fixed or base oils) are just mechanically pressed.

Did I confuse you further?

 

[MoonBath]

It is suggested that you use no more than 3% of your total weight of your oils. For example, my recipe calls for 56 oz of oils. I only do my essential oils up to 2% of weight, so that puts me at 1.10 oz of essential oils.

Eek. :shock: The person who taught me used a recipe using about 82 oz. of oils and put in four ounces of EO. roblem: She likes fragrance a lot, and her soaps smell wonderful, but since I've been doing research I'm seeing that this might be a bit heavy.

Did I confuse you further?

No, not at all! Very helpful!

 

[Paintguru]

Eek. :shock: The person who taught me used a recipe using about 82 oz. of oils and put in four ounces of EO. roblem: She likes fragrance a lot, and her soaps smell wonderful, but since I've been doing research I'm seeing that this might be a bit heavy.

Well that is around 5%, and depending on the EO used, it may have been fine. The 3% rule is just a general, overall rule. Some EOs should probably be used at even less that amount.

 

[Tienne]

This link might be useful to you. In the calculator, you can enter not only the oils you want to soap, but also which liquids, FO's, EO's and other additives you want to use and it will give you an overall idea of how much fragrance to use;

http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/resources/creator.asp