How much scent to use?

[shau]

No matter how much fragrance I add to my soap they just don't smell like the ones in the store. Any suggestions?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

How much are you using at the moment, as a % or ppo? What sort of scents are you using and what are you comparing it to?

 

[shau]

I am adding 20g of fragrance. To a oatmeal recipe soap. I just unmolded the soap and there is no smell to it.
INGREDIENTS
Fats, oils and butters
420 grams olive oil
90 grams coconut oil
60 grams castor oil
30 grams cocoa butter
Lye – Water solution
81 grams lye (sodium hydroxide)
228 grams distilled water
Additive, scents and oatmeal at light trace
½ cup of ground oatmeal.
2 tablespoons of honey.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

That is about 3% of the oil weight.

What scent is it? Where from? How hot are you soaping? Are you CPOPing or generally gelling?

 

[osso]

That is about 3% of the oil weight.

This - typically 5 or 6% depending on the FO will get you a strongly scented soap. Some stronger fragrances you can use at lower amounts or if you are looking for a lighter scent. Some will not survive in cold process soap.

 

[kchaystack]

This - typically 5 or 6% depending on the FO will get you a strongly scented soap. Some stronger fragrances you can use at lower amounts or if you are looking for a lighter scent. Some will not survive in cold process soap.

You also have to consider the safe usage rate for some FOs and EOs. There are some out there that are not safe in the 5%+ range.

 

[TBandCW]

I will usually check out the reviews for fragrances and see what amounts other soapers use. I have some fragrances that use 1oz ppo and others that use 1/4 oz ppo. Lots of trial and error!

 

[dixiedragon]

I usually use 5% (.8 ounce PPO). I wish Soap Calc had a feature than calculated the FO as percentage as well, but it doesn't. I have the numbers written down in my soaping notes so I don't have to memorize them or recalculate them.