Is this bay laurel berry oil?

[Nao]

By chance I found a supplier for bay laurel berry oil and I thought, why not, so I bought a 100g bag for 5 euros to try making a small batch of Aleppo styled soap. It arrived a couple of days ago but I'm not sure it's the real thing I've got.
If I understand it correctly the real bay laurel berry oil is dark brownish green and sort of solid while what I've got is more jelly like and brighter green.

 

[Britannic]

It looks like it, but hard to tell from the colour in the photo. Mine was a viscous, brownish green and had a very strong earthy, nutty smell.

 

[Nao]

It looks like it, but hard to tell from the colour in the photo. Mine was a viscous, brownish green and had a very strong earthy, nutty smell.

Mine smells sort of medicinal, my first thought was eucalyptus or tea tree but it doesn't smell quite like those either if I compare it to my bottles of eo.

 

[Britannic]

Medicinal is also one of the aroma qualities. The brownish tinge is from oxidation and if it was bottled/bagged quickly, it will just be dark green. The smell persisted in my soap, I made Aleppo style soap and the bar once aged (6 months plus) is really good.

 

[shunt2011]

The oil I have too smells medicinal. It's a brownish green and quote thick. Hard to tell from your photo. I would give it's a try.

 

[Britannic]

I had to warm my oil up just to shake it to combine the separated liquid and get it out of the bottle.

 

[Nao]

Okay, I will give it a try then and see how it goes. Thank you!

 

[BattleGnome]

In the last swap Theresa made laurel soap. She described the smell as wet cigarettes. It's definitely earthy, like a forest without the "green" smells.

 

[Britannic]

I found it traces quite quickly, but I usually go with 33% lye conc.

 

[Nao]

I found it traces quite quickly, but I usually go with 33% lye conc.

Ugh, tell me about it, I got the batter to light trace, turned around to grab my chelating agent, when I turned back the batter had become pudding!

 

[Nao]

Also, some updating for whoever is interested:

My recipe was:
Castor 5%
Laurel berry 20%
Olive 75%
95/5 NaOH/KOH
1:2 lye:water ratio

I poured the batter into single cavity moulds, wrapped in a heating pad to gel it but then forgot about it, so I think it overheated a bit. Every couple of days I took one piece of soap out of the mould to check if they where hard enough to take out without messing with its shape. After a week I gave up and just put them in the freezer. I don't know if the "overheating" maybe made them slower to set up properly?
I zap tested and it was fine so I assume that confirms it is real laurel berry oil?
It also lathered very well after just a couple of days, this far colour and scent is intact.

I kind of feel I maybe should have skipped either the castor or the KOH to make it a little more traditional?

They're so ugly, lol.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I buy my laurel berry from Be Scented. I've tried other sources but this is the best buy and good service. You can kinda see the color. The texture is hard to describe... tomato paste kinda? There is a bit of dark sediment on the bottom of the container. To me, both the oil and the finished soap have a camp-fire smokey scent... I'm quite addicted to it!

https://bescented.com/shop/clays-powders-additives/butters-carrier-oils/laurel-berry-oil/

The laurel berry oil in this video does not look like the real thing... to me it looks like she used the essential oil -- maybe? Fast forward to about 3:40 to see what I mean.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcaEQsynDdY[/ame]

FOR DAHILA: This is my favorite Aleppo making video. Note that he warms the laurel oil before adding it.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnxPGLRsafw[/ame]

 

[Nao]

I buy my laurel berry from Be Scented. I've tried other sources but this is the best buy and good service. You can kinda see the color. The texture is hard to describe... tomato paste kinda? There is a bit of dark sediment on the bottom of the container. To me, both the oil and the finished soap have a camp-fire smokey scent... I'm quite addicted to it!

https://bescented.com/shop/clays-powders-additives/butters-carrier-oils/laurel-berry-oil/

The laurel berry oil in this video does not look like the real thing... to me it looks like she used the essential oil -- maybe? Fast forward to about 3:40 to see what I mean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcaEQsynDdY

FOR DAHILA: This is my favorite Aleppo making video. Note that he warms the laurel oil before adding it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnxPGLRsafw

Thanks for the link, though I think shipping to Europe would be way to expensive for me.

What soapmaking101 uses looks more like what I used, if I would warm it to make it completely fluent. Mine doesn't smell very strong at all, least of all like camp fire.

Hm...:neutral:

 

[CTAnton]

Nao ,you're closer to the source which I imagine to be the Mediterranean region.
Laurel berry oil, with it's supposed antiseptic/therapeutic qualities , well, I'm imagining it in some sort of ethnic market on your side of the pond. Good luck on your search. With thousands of years of use in some cultures I think it's simply a matter of poking around...