Eucalyptus EO

[smeetree]

Hey everyone. I was going to make my family some soap for Christmas. What scent would you add to a Christmas bar? I only have Eucalyptus and Rosemary EO. Both have a Christmasy smell to me, so I'd like to use them.

Would you add the EOs at trace? And if so, how much? Would you put the loaf in the freezer to stop the gel phase? I have heard it can ruin EO scents. Is this true? Any advice would help a lot, thanks.

 

[Lin]

I used peppermint for a christmas soap, and that was the only one I scented. But the others were still christmas themed in other ways such as shape, color, or type of soap (pumpkin.)

I added the peppermint EO at a light trace. I stuck them in the freezer to prevent gel, this was the first time I've done that and it was suggested to me here. I left them in the freezer for 24 hours, then fridge for 24 hours, then cut one and the other was still too soft so I left it at room temp for another day. Another batch I had in a slab mold and I just stuck it in the fridge because I didn't have room in the freezer (I had another slab mold in the freezer) and figured as a slab mold it would disperse heat. It was a goats milk soap and I didn't have any issues and no partial gel.

 

[smeetree]

How'd you like freezing it?
I am going to let mine gel. I just finished it. The scents are amazing right now; I just hope they don't break down during gel.

 

[Lin]

It worked great! I also stuck my slab mold of goats milk soap in the fridge to prevent gel, and that worked great too. I went with the freezer for the pringles cans because people here said the heat can build up in them. I figured a slab mold dissipates heat better. I'm really happy with how everything came out. I think I'll keep doing that with some soaps, in the fridge or freezer. I'm also interested in trying to insulate to encourage gel or try cpop. But right now my molds are all makeshift so I think preventing gel works better!

 

[smeetree]

It worked great! I also stuck my slab mold of goats milk soap in the fridge to prevent gel, and that worked great too. I went with the freezer for the pringles cans because people here said the heat can build up in them. I figured a slab mold dissipates heat better. I'm really happy with how everything came out. I think I'll keep doing that with some soaps, in the fridge or freezer. I'm also interested in trying to insulate to encourage gel or try cpop. But right now my molds are all makeshift so I think preventing gel works better!

I've only made 5 batches of soap so far, and all have gelled with insulation (just wrapping a towel around the mold). So just do that.

How long are we supposed to keep it in the freezer to prevent gel?

 

[dixiedragon]

I think clove and cinnamon are very Christmasy. They will seize FAST, especially the clove! You can also add the ground herbs to the soap. I make a spiced OMH that I add ground clove and cinnamon to, and I can definitely smell it, though it is a soft smell.

 

[Lin]

My current 'molds' are cardboard cereal boxes, so I'm not sure if just wrapping a towel around it would work well enough lol. Thats why I think I'll keep preventing gel until I get some real molds, so I don't end up with partial gel.

I kept mine in the freezer or fridge for a full 24 hours which worked. I don't think you'd have to worry about after 24 hours. I've seen some posts where people only did 4-5 hours then removed the soap and it did a partial gel, so I'd stick with the full 24 hours just leave it there and don't mess with it.

 

[smeetree]

I think clove and cinnamon are very Christmasy. They will seize FAST, especially the clove! You can also add the ground herbs to the soap. I make a spiced OMH that I add ground clove and cinnamon to, and I can definitely smell it, though it is a soft smell.

My last soap was a clove, cinnamon, nutmeg mix for fall/halloween. At first I really hated the smell, but as it cured it got much better. Did you have a similar experience? It's a little scratchy, too, so I use it to exfoliate.