I Think My Sniffer Might Be Broken

[Juxtapose]

For those that don't know.
I have my first test batch of 4 CP soaps.
Happily curing away in my "awesome" curing cabinet.

I put 1oz per lb of FO in each batch.
I can really only smell my coffee one in the curing bar.
The rest... meh?

My 26 year old daughter however says...
"Mom, your nose must be broken. I can totally smell these and they are super strong"

So, time for a new sniffer? LOL

But seriously WTH?
Anyone else have a similar experience?

I'm thinking I might need to hire my daughter to just smell my soaps.


- Shannon

 

[Misschief]

It's what you become used to. My house (to me) doesn't smell but anyone who comes to visit comments that my house smells amazing. The only time I smell anything out of the ordinary is when my husband cooks dinner. Yesterday, my house smelled of roast beef dinner... yum!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I put 1oz per lb of FO in each batch.
I can really only smell my coffee one in the curing bar.
The rest... meh?

The 1st rule of soaping is "PATIENCE", grasshopper.

Wait a few weeks to lather up. Net weight of 1 oz FO Per Pound Oils (PPO) is plenty. If you still can't sniff anything at that time, then it may be your sniffer or, more likely, the quality of the FOs you used.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Happily curing away in my "awesome" curing cabinet.

How I store FOs and EOs/Blends

Wall mounted shelf for EOs in Laundry Room. Cool & Dark.

I don't have as many FOs. They are also stored in the laundry room -- in a cabinet to the right of the EOs shelf, -- along with Polysorbate 80 and 20 to help them disperse in liquid soap and 2 buckets of premixed oils ready to be soaped.

 

[Juxtapose]

How I store FOs and EOs/Blends

Wall mounted shelf for EOs in Laundry Room. Cool & Dark.
View attachment 71378

I don't have as many FOs. They are also stored in the laundry room -- in a cabinet to the right of the EOs shelf, -- along with Polysorbate 80 and 20 to help them disperse in liquid soap and 2 buckets of premixed oils ready to be soaped.

View attachment 71380

Very nice. I think I have that same wire rack you show on the wall. I may be hanging it in my new curing closet.
That I should have started working on yesterday, but got distracted by a beautiful sunny day and went for a drive with the hubby instead. LOL
Guess I know what I'm doing today.

Thanks for sharing.

- Shannon

 

[MellonFriend]

Are you taking the soaps away from the presence of other soaps to smell them in a neutral environment? I find it hard sometimes to smell a soap right off the shelf that's sitting next to one that I can smell just be being in front of my curing rack. It's like trying to listen to two people talking to at the same time. You're only go to hear what one person is saying at a time.

 

[Juxtapose]

Are you taking the soaps away from the presence of other soaps to smell them in a neutral environment? I find it hard sometimes to smell a soap right off the shelf that's sitting next to one that I can smell just be being in front of my curing rack. It's like trying to listen to two people talking to at the same time. You're only go to hear what one person is saying at a time.

Good point. Maybe I'll take them on a date to another room in the house and sniff them there.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Good point. Maybe I'll take them on a date to another room in the house and sniff them there.

sounds a bit dodgy to me

I was at a market yesterday and everyone kept saying what lovely smells were coming from my stall. I swear I couldn't smell anything!

I do think that some people have a certain 'nose' for some scents over others though. I adore white tea and can smell it strongly in my soap - but my sister can't smell it at all. Mind you - she doesn't like cilantro and I do, so there you go!

 

[Misschief]

One suggestion that perfume counters use.... have a small dish with coffee beans nearby. Sniff the soap, then the coffee; it helps clear your sniffer.

 

[TheGecko]

It's called being 'nose blind'...you get so used to something that you don't smell it anymore. When I go to check on my soap, I grab a cup of coffee grounds...it 'resets' your nose if you will.

Also, FOs can change. I have Autumn Harvest from Elements...smells just like autumn with a rich buttery scent...hmmmmmmmmm, happy place. And then you go out to grab your soap to cut it and OMG...it STINKS!!! Massive chemical smell, enough to make your eyes water. I had only make a small batch, so I just stuck it on the top shelf in the garage and forgot about for a couple of months. What a difference time made. It wasn't quite as 'buttery' as it was in the bottle, but it smelled like autumn.

I've also had FOs that sounded great, smelled like I had stepped in a dog's yard, yet turned out really nice with the cure. I have FOs that seemed to have completely faded over time, but then come back when I washed with them.

 

[Juxtapose]

It's called being 'nose blind'...you get so used to something that you don't smell it anymore. When I go to check on my soap, I grab a cup of coffee grounds...it 'resets' your nose if you will.

Also, FOs can change. I have Autumn Harvest from Elements...smells just like autumn with a rich buttery scent...hmmmmmmmmm, happy place. And then you go out to grab your soap to cut it and OMG...it STINKS!!! Massive chemical smell, enough to make your eyes water. I had only make a small batch, so I just stuck it on the top shelf in the garage and forgot about for a couple of months. What a difference time made. It wasn't quite as 'buttery' as it was in the bottle, but it smelled like autumn.

I've also had FOs that sounded great, smelled like I had stepped in a dog's yard, yet turned out really nice with the cure. I have FOs that seemed to have completely faded over time, but then come back when I washed with them.

Good to know, and I kinda like the thought of my soaps possibly being Chaotic Neutral. Never a dull moment, right?
Ooooo... I know. I could do a whole line of soaps branded just like...

Winsome & Wicked Soaps - A Risk Surprise With Every Handwashing!

 

[melinda48]

For those that don't know.
I have my first test batch of 4 CP soaps.
Happily curing away in my "awesome" curing cabinet.

I put 1oz per lb of FO in each batch.
I can really only smell my coffee one in the curing bar.
The rest... meh?

My 26 year old daughter however says...
"Mom, your nose must be broken. I can totally smell these and they are super strong"

View attachment 71374

So, time for a new sniffer? LOL

But seriously WTH?
Anyone else have a similar experience?

I'm thinking I might need to hire my daughter to just smell my soaps.


- Shannon

My husband and I tell people we have gone “nose blind” to our soap scents. The main time My sense of smell returns is when I make a new batch and then “bam” for a day or two, we smell the soaps again. People coming into our home, however, always comment on how wonderful it smells. Not to worry - you are simply a typical soaper! ~ ; )

 

[KeepItSimpleSoap]

The bedroom that my soap bars are in is almost nauseating because of the mixed FO smells...