Good lavender other than 40/42?

[AshleyR]

I have been using lavender 40/42 and while I love it, a few others have told me it is too strong and smells too medicinal.

I remember ordering a nice lavender from (I can't remember where?) about a year ago. It had the normal lavender scent but it almost smelled a little bit "powdery" and softer than 40/42. I really liked it! I wish I could remember where I got it from.

I know there are a few different types of lavender - can anyone recommend one that is a little softer smelling than 40/42? I'm still going to use the 40/42 for my more natural "herb-y" soaps, but am looking for something else for my fancy coloured soaps.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[TessC]

I like Bulgarian, but it's a little more pricey than 40/42. I just don't like the almost medicinal smell of the 40/42, and the Bulgarian is less sharp and camphor-ish.

 

[Avalon]

I prefer Bulgarian, also. The Scent Works has a good price on it. Which reminds me, I need to order some!

 

[carebear]

I hate 40/42. Love High Altitude French, but cannot afford it.
I've compromised with Bulgarian, which I get at New Directions Aromatics.

 

[oldragbagger]

I was happy to see this thread because I have only purchased Lavender once and I splurged and bought the fine french, but only 2 oz. It is all gone, I need more but there's no point in ordering only 2 oz. It only made 2 small batches and everyone loves my lavender soap, so I definitely need to find a cheaper alternative. Will try the Bulgarian.

 

[SoapMedic]

I love the bulgarian, it has a bit more 'floral' scent to it. I get it from ScentWorks also, it is always lovely. The bulgarian is the one I use to make just a straight lavender soap. I also use NDA french lavender which does not have the more camphor-y tones of the 40/42, and that is what I use to blend for my tangerine-lavender and lavender-tea-tree. But, I think yearly crops will vary...I've got some NDA 40/42 that is less 'medicinal' than previous years. (I use a LOT of lavender, as you can see...!)

 

[oldragbagger]

Jiminy Christmas, just got done checking some prices and this stuff is REALLY expensive. How much do you usually use? Is .5 oz ppo sufficient to create a good long lasting scent?