Fragrance Not Taking
- Thread starter ed.balaun
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Wow. $5 per ounce is a spendy FO, but it doesn't automatically follow that the amount of money spent means the FO will work well in soap.
What supplier are you getting this from? Has the FO been tested in soap? What is the recommended dosage per the supplier? Other people have good results with the Bay Rum blends they use (@IrishLass). Perhaps do some research on SMF to see what FOs have worked for others?
Another thing is your use of clay. I know ... I know ... it's supposed to be an anchor, but I've never been convinced that actually works. It's "common wisdom" that everyone thinks should work but few or no people will confirm it actually does.
And even if clay actually does work as an anchor, what an anchor is supposed to to is SLOW the rate at which fragrance is released into the air, thus causing the fragrance to last longer. If you want a strong scent up front, using an anchor like clay isn't the solution. More appropriate solutions include using more of the fragrance and making sure the fragrance is stable in soap. Not all fragrances are soap-stable.
Also people can become "nose blind" to fragrance. Like if you use cologne, you can smell it for awhile after you apply it, but you can't smell it after some time passes although others might be able to smell it then.
Another issue to keep in mind is that fragrance sometimes fades or changes while the soap is curing and then the fragrance can reappears after some weeks.
What supplier are you getting this from? Has the FO been tested in soap? What is the recommended dosage per the supplier? Other people have good results with the Bay Rum blends they use (@IrishLass). Perhaps do some research on SMF to see what FOs have worked for others?
Another thing is your use of clay. I know ... I know ... it's supposed to be an anchor, but I've never been convinced that actually works. It's "common wisdom" that everyone thinks should work but few or no people will confirm it actually does.
And even if clay actually does work as an anchor, what an anchor is supposed to to is SLOW the rate at which fragrance is released into the air, thus causing the fragrance to last longer. If you want a strong scent up front, using an anchor like clay isn't the solution. More appropriate solutions include using more of the fragrance and making sure the fragrance is stable in soap. Not all fragrances are soap-stable.
Also people can become "nose blind" to fragrance. Like if you use cologne, you can smell it for awhile after you apply it, but you can't smell it after some time passes although others might be able to smell it then.
Another issue to keep in mind is that fragrance sometimes fades or changes while the soap is curing and then the fragrance can reappears after some weeks.
Carly B
Well-Known Member
So much depends on the strength of the fragrance, but I have found that with the exception of very few fragrances, unless IFRA dictates otherwise, I use an ounce of FO per pound of oils. That ends up being about 6.25%.
I've gotten a few fragrances from Bulk Apothecary (I understand they're close to you), but for the most part, although the fragrances are nice, compared to other vendors, the ones I've tried tend to be on the weak side. If you want a good strong Bay Rum, I recommend the one Oregon Trails has. She also has the strongest fragrance I have EVER used, Bonsai. I like it a lot, but even half ounce in a pound of soap can be overpowering for a while.
I've gotten a few fragrances from Bulk Apothecary (I understand they're close to you), but for the most part, although the fragrances are nice, compared to other vendors, the ones I've tried tend to be on the weak side. If you want a good strong Bay Rum, I recommend the one Oregon Trails has. She also has the strongest fragrance I have EVER used, Bonsai. I like it a lot, but even half ounce in a pound of soap can be overpowering for a while.
With the exception of not purchasing the smallest amount possible and making a small test batch first...no. As noted by @DeeAnna, there could be many reasons for the scent not holding. After a couple of expensive mistakes, as much of a PITA as it is to test first, buy later...it's better to have to wait a week for an order than to discover after you bought a 8oz or 16oz bottle that it accelerates to concrete, or discolors to really dark brown or turns a yucky yellow or it turns into a massive bowl of rice or it stinks or it completely fades.
I only purchase 'trial' or 1 oz bottles and only from reputable soap suppliers. And while I do check out the reviews, I also take them with a grain of salt as not everyone is going to have the same results because not everyone soaps at the same temperature or uses the same recipe.
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