Hot Process Better idea with Essentials?

[Carl]

I've been doing some reading about essentials vs fragrance oils. One of the drawbacks of essentials is that the scent does not hold up as long as fragrance oils.

Do you think hot processing when you use essentials could help change this a little bit and make an essential last longer since the essential would not be coming in contact until after sanctification?

 

[Dawni]

I've been doing some reading about essentials vs fragrance oils. One of the drawbacks of essentials is that the scent does not hold up as long as fragrance oils.

Do you think hot processing when you use essentials could help change this a little bit and make an essential last longer since the essential would not be coming in contact until after sanctification?

It's very possible. And being new, I only say this because I have one HP soap that I made sometime in September that still smells lovely, and one of my CP soleseifes made late October already doesn't seem to smell much so that I can't even remember what I had used without consulting my notes lol

I guess it could also depend on which oils are used?

I've read that citrus doesn't stick for long but one of my failed batches (overcooked and looks horrible) still smells lemony after 3mos.. Or is that too short of a timeframe?

I hope someone with more experience gives you a more satisfactory answer though

 

[Obsidian]

With essential oils, it not so much the lye that affects the longevity. Many EO's are volatile, meaning they easily evaporate away. Citrus is the worse for this, thats why many people use lemongrass EO instead of lemon EO.

@Dawni three months is a bit short of a time frame to really judge sticking power. Check back with the scent retention at 6 and 12 months. I'm happy with a scent if it has good retention at 12 months though some will last many years.

 

[dixiedragon]

I do think HP helps some. But you need to check out the EO's flashpoint and make sure the soap is cooled below that temp before adding it.

 

[DeeAnna]

Flashpoint is the temp at which a chemical will burn in the presence of a flame. It has nothing to do with volatility of the scent (how fast a chemical evaporates.) The property that tells you something about volatility is the vapor pressure of the chemical. MSDS sheets have to include the flash point but don't have to include the vapor pressure. I get the feeling that's why soapers have come to believe the flash point tells them something about volatility.

Flash point is used to determine what chemicals can safely be shipped via air, where flammability is a concern. If you make soap over an open flame, you should be concerned about flashpoint -- for safety's sake, take the soap off the flame before adding scent. Otherwise all you need to remember is to cool your soap as much as you possibly can before adding any scent, regardless of its flashpoint.

 

[Loralei]

@DeeAnna You are such a golden fountain of knowledge - I'm so grateful for your willingness to share!!!

 

[DeeAnna]

I'm working on an article that provides concrete examples of flash point temperatures and vapor pressures for various chemicals. I want people to see for themselves that the two properties aren't related, rather than just take my word for it.

Flash point temps are easy to locate. Vapor pressures, especially for chemicals of interest to soapers (EOs and FOs), are harder to find so it's taking awhile.

 

[Dawni]

With essential oils, it not so much the lye that affects the longevity. Many EO's are volatile, meaning they easily evaporate away. Citrus is the worse for this, thats why many people use lemongrass EO instead of lemon EO.

@Dawni three months is a bit short of a time frame to really judge sticking power. Check back with the scent retention at 6 and 12 months. I'm happy with a scent if it has good retention at 12 months though some will last many years.

Ah yes I thought so. Let's see if any of these stick around at that much.

I have a question? Why 12mos? My naivete tells me that if a scent sticks around til you start using the soap then it's all good. Or do people buy scented soap and keep it around for years? I can see that happening if you hoard, but otherwise?

 

[Obsidian]

Some people do keep soap around for years or maybe they sell and a certain scent doesn't sell well right away, you want the scent to last as long as possible. Then there is my salt bars or castile, they both do best with a 12 month cure.

If you have older soap like that, you want it to be scented when you do get around to using it. I have soap that is 4+ years old, some is still lightly scented but most isn't at that point.

 

[shunt2011]

I too have soap that is many years old. I like to keep one from each batch just to see how it performs. I have a couple that are at least 6 years old.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

...until after sanctification?

Holy Soap, Batman! This cracked me up! I hope you meant to write "saponification".

 

[Kafayat Adebowale oyeniyi]

I too have soap that is many years old. I like to keep one from each batch just to see how it performs. I have a couple that are at least 6 years old.

6 years....i need to start keeping one each then.I just sell it all off....1 eo i love is tea tree in my clay bars.....i just love it

 

[shunt2011]

I also find that my salt soap or high salt like solseif

6 years....i need to start keeping one each then.I just sell it all off....1 eo i love is tea tree in my clay bars.....i just love it

One of my favorites is a charcoal bar with lavender, tea tree and peppermint.

 

[Dawni]

I also find that my salt soap or high salt like solseif

One of my favorites is a charcoal bar with lavender, tea tree and peppermint.

Ooh one of mine just switches the peppermint with spearmint!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I once made lavender & anise, 50/50. A gal bought a bar then contacted me later to buy the 5 bars I had left.

 

[Noora]

I've been doing some reading about essentials vs fragrance oils. One of the drawbacks of essentials is that the scent does not hold up as long as fragrance oils.

Do you think hot processing when you use essentials could help change this a little bit and make an essential last longer since the essential would not be coming in contact until after sanctification?

yes, the hot process is better, try to mix with glycerin oil then add to the soap. just wait till the temperature release

 

[reeeen4]

When distilling EO heating up an EO to a high temperature would be lethal for the thermolabile constituents and the aromatic compounds. It varies a lot for the type of EO also some you would want to heat over 40-60c (104-140f) and others not over 80-100c (176-212f) so waiting until the soap cools down would probably be best depending on the EO.
Also some of the compounds of EO are essentially alcohols which evaporate when exposed to air, I haven't had the chance to try this but once a soap has been cut up you could try shrink wrapping them or wrapping them up somehow to minimise contact to air? maybe not sure how that effects curing though.