Fragrance sample test: AHRE, NG, SoS, BB

[rainycityjen]

I just finished my first fragrance sample test! Usually I go whole hog with a 2-3 lb loaf but this time I actually did it right and tested all of my little dingly fragrances in individual guest soap molds. I tested:

Liberty Naturals: Bee Balm (EO)
Save on Scents: Guy Vanilla Tobacco
Brambleberry: Crisp Cotton
Aromahaven/Rustic Escentuals: Oud Wood
Aromahaven/Rustic Escentuals: Redwood
Nature's Garden: Sun and Sand
Aromahaven/Rustic Escentuals: London Fog
Aromahaven/Rustic Escentuals: Bamboo Cypress
Aromahaven/Rustic Escentuals: Cedarwood Patchouli

I have some notes on pour below, but I'll wait until I can compile them with cure and discoloration notes. I'm excited, guys!

 

[TVivian]

That's awesome! Testing scents is one of my favorite things

 

[ourwolfden]

Can't wait to see the results!

 

[rainycityjen]

I had planned to take photos, but unfortunately the process was a little messy and I got distracted. But anywho here's the narrative:

I mixed these into a sample of a three-oil recipe (lard/coconut/olive) at about a 0.80 oz/lb ratio. No colorant was used; I soaped at about 90 degrees.
Here's the scent strength and A/D report:

Liberty Naturals Bee Balm (monarda) EO: A strong essential oil that almost ate through my plastic stirrer. It smells strongly of oregano and thyme and could substitute for either. This accelerated, discolored to a light beige, and produced a very hard bar. Moderate scent strength, smells the same as OOB.

SoS Guy Vanilla Tobacco: OOB and in the cured bar there is a strong scent; leads with vanilla and caramel notes with very little tobacco (and no cherry or almond, thankfully.) This FO produced the greatest discoloration -- to a dark tan. It did not accelerate.

BB Crisp Cotton: OOB it smelled like a laundry scent; it really smelled like sunwashed fabric. In the bar the top apple note comes through strong. There was no A/D. Produced a pretty, naturally light bar.

AHRE Oud Wood: I was so interested by this OOB. It is aromatic, resinous and sweet-but-woody. In the cured bar, I smell mostly a simpler patchouli-like wood. No discoloration but seemed to reverse trace. The bar was mushy and moldable for three days.

AHRE Redwood: Another sweet wood, almost like dogwood and cedar. I had already put this one in a candle and feel like it's better in a candle than soap. There was slight acceleration and very faint beige d/c. It produced a hard bar with, like the candle, a strong throw of scent.

NG Sun and Sand: Was pleasant but very light OOB. No Coppertone or pineapple notes; just ozonic, linen-like and salty. The oil was yellow and it discolored the bar to a very pale yellow. No acceleration, strong scent.

AHRE London Fog: A dewy cologne scent, no spice, not remarkable but very clean. No acceleration, beige discolor. Produced a hard bar.

AHRE Bamboo Cypress: A fresh and slightly musky unisex scent - I'm thinking like CK One. Nice and strong both OOB and in the bar. This discolored to light tan and accelerated, producing a hard bar.

AHRE Cedarwood and Patchouli: A dupe for the essential oil blend. Pure earthy goodness. No A/D, and like all the AHRE FOs I tested, stayed strong.

 

[not_ally]

Thanks so much for posting these, Jen, I love seeing the results of sampling. I was interested in some of them before you posted (the AHRE ones). I am kind of disappointed to hear about the Oud one, it sounds so complex oob.

 

[lenarenee]

I love AHRE's Redwood!! I bought for men's soaps but it's in my bathroom now!
Also love their lemon verbena - both cured out very well!

(I hear they're having a sale soon...?)

 

[not_ally]

I love their lemon verbena, too, it is my favorite. The sampler sale ($1/1 oz) is on the 24th. Does anyone know if their big bottles are also on sale?

 

[Soap Techniques]

I love their lemon verbena, too, it is my favorite. The sampler sale ($1/1 oz) is on the 24th.

not_ally, where can I learn more about that?

 

[not_ally]

Alas, Fata, I don't know - I am on their mailing list, but did not get notice of the sale. I came across a post about it here, and then posted asking about when the sale actually *was* so that I didn't have to check at the AHRE site every day Someone was kind enough to post with the date, but that is all I know at the moment.

 

[Soap Techniques]

Thank you! I just got their newsletter today.