Lavender fragrance

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I haven't tried candle science - @KiwiMoose when you say it sticks reasonably well, do you mean +6 months without a lot of fading?
@Basil If you are open to blends, I have tested lavender sage from Fragrance Buddy and it seems to be pretty strong and sticking, but it is only a couple of weeks old. I like it. Lavender sage from WSP is very nice and lavender sage from Nurture is probably my favorite of the 3, but is also the most expensive. So far, both of them are sticking. Lavender Chamomile from Nurture is quite nice, but a FO on the lighter side. Lavender chamomile from WSP has faded since it was poured.

Good luck with your search for the perfect lavender for your mother.
It’s been almost a year since my post about finding a lavender scent for my mother, and since then I’ve added fragrance oils and micas. It’s been a fun learning experience. I just cut my first soap made with lavender and sage from Nurture and I’m sure my mother will love it! Her 91st bday in December and I think she’ll be pleased. I’m going to call it Secret Garden as that was one of her favorite books. I need to perfect the mica line a bit more , but she’s going to be happy . Thanks!
 

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Merry Christmas!!! So, after talking with my mother today, she told me she showered with the soap I gave her and said she loved the way it felt and lathered! It was @Zany_in_CO no slime soap with the goat milk. BUT she told me she couldn’t smell the lavender I put in it. I use essential oils and understand they lose their scent.. I can still smell it, but it’s faint. Maybe because my mother is 90.. so I asked her if she had problems with me using fragrance oil instead. Her answer was “ I don’t see why not.. I used to use Dove.. it has fragrance in it right?” ( shes 90!) But she likes my soap , so my question is, what’s the best lavender fragrance oil I could get for her soaps only? I used the max essential oil I could use with hers and lavender is her favorite. No other choices there. Thanks all and again, Merry Christmas to all!
I love the lavender 40/42 I get from New Directions Aromatics.It is a Canadian company and, in my opinion, has some of the nicest (best) fragrances/essential oils out there!
 
Do you ever anchor your fragrance with kaolin clay? I have pretty much always soaked my fragrance in kaolin clay, but I never knew if it really worked. About a year ago, I tried a small experiment with blood orange essential oil in 2 soaps. One with the EO “marinated” in clay, and the other no clay. 10 months later, the soap with the clay still has a lovely blood orange scent and the one without the clay has no scent.
 
Do you ever anchor your fragrance with kaolin clay? I have pretty much always soaked my fragrance in kaolin clay, but I never knew if it really worked. About a year ago, I tried a small experiment with blood orange essential oil in 2 soaps. One with the EO “marinated” in clay, and the other no clay. 10 months later, the soap with the clay still has a lovely blood orange scent and the one without the clay has no scent.
I recently started making it a habit! Thanks linne!
 
Do you ever anchor your fragrance with kaolin clay? I have pretty much always soaked my fragrance in kaolin clay, but I never knew if it really worked. About a year ago, I tried a small experiment with blood orange essential oil in 2 soaps. One with the EO “marinated” in clay, and the other no clay. 10 months later, the soap with the clay still has a lovely blood orange scent and the one without the clay has no scent.
Is this tip specifically for essential oils, or does it work for fragrance oils as well?
 
I just cannot wrap my mind around soaking fragrance oil in clay, which btw, never worked for me and I do not like adding clay to all soaps. To my thinking so you soap your fragrance in clay then add the clay to your oils which now disperses and the fragrance floats away, or you add it to the batter and it is hard to mix thoroughly. Just not my thing as I found it never made a difference, either FO holds or it does not.

I just opened a lavender soap that is 3yrs old and it still smells lavender. The outside of the bar is not strong, but once I started using it the lavender scent is still there. This is my Camden Grey 40/42 with The Sage Tassi Lavender FO blend.
 
I love this Lavender' from amazon. it comes in a glass bottle. & a little glass bottle w/ a roller ball, glass dropper, & if thats not enough perks too. all for a great price.
 

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I just cannot wrap my mind around soaking fragrance oil in clay, which btw, never worked for me and I do not like adding clay to all soaps. To my thinking so you soap your fragrance in clay then add the clay to your oils which now disperses and the fragrance floats away, or you add it to the batter and it is hard to mix thoroughly. Just not my thing as I found it never made a difference, either FO holds or it does not.

I just opened a lavender soap that is 3yrs old and it still smells lavender. The outside of the bar is not strong, but once I started using it the lavender scent is still there. This is my Camden Grey 40/42 with The Sage Tassi Lavender FO blend.
The idea behind it is, the clay absorbs the fragrance giving the fragrance something to hold onto. Also, water discounting helps, less water means there is less liquid to cure out of the soaps. Other additives work as well. If you don't want to use clay, maybe try colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is very absorbent as well.
https://nurturesoap.com/blogs/nurture-soap-blog/anchoring-fragrances-in-cold-process-soap
 
Various “anchors“ didn’t have a noticeable effect on retention of BB orange 10x used at 3% in some test soaps I made early this year. I’m hoping to have time this winter to set up similar trials with 10x at 6% and 10x mixed with patchoul.
I've only been using 1 teaspoon per pound of oils, but I am seeing others are using 1 tablespoon with good results. What is your usage rate?
 
The idea behind it is, the clay absorbs the fragrance giving the fragrance something to hold onto. Also, water discounting helps, less water means there is less liquid to cure out of the soaps. Other additives work as well. If you don't want to use clay, maybe try colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is very absorbent as well.
https://nurturesoap.com/blogs/nurture-soap-blog/anchoring-fragrances-in-cold-process-soap
I had read the same about clay absorbing the fragrance and anchoring. I've watched Ellen Ruth videos and she always puts clay and colloidal oatmeal in her recipes. She doesn't anchor the scent first though. I've been using 1 TBS per 2 pounds, but I've read 1 TBS per pound too. I'm pretty sure I tried it last year, but not regular. I'll have to go back and look at the recipes and smell the soaps again.
 
I just cannot wrap my mind around soaking fragrance oil in clay, which btw, never worked for me and I do not like adding clay to all soaps. To my thinking so you soap your fragrance in clay then add the clay to your oils which now disperses and the fragrance floats away, or you add it to the batter and it is hard to mix thoroughly. Just not my thing as I found it never made a difference, either FO holds or it does not.

I just opened a lavender soap that is 3yrs old and it still smells lavender. The outside of the bar is not strong, but once I started using it the lavender scent is still there. This is my Camden Grey 40/42 with The Sage Tassi Lavender FO blend.
I saw you like Camden Grey 40/42 . I ordered it awhile back and plan on using it in the same recipe as the one I just made, except not with micas this time. I don't intend on coloring it. I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen. After I made this one, I sent a picture to my soon to be 91 year old mother and she said "oh that's nice....But I like soaps that are white because I have white washcloths..." I wish she had said that awhile back. It took a few to get the bright green and bright purple toned down...back to the drawing board LOL.
 
I had read the same about clay absorbing the fragrance and anchoring. I've watched Ellen Ruth videos and she always puts clay and colloidal oatmeal in her recipes. She doesn't anchor the scent first though. I've been using 1 TBS per 2 pounds, but I've read 1 TBS per pound too. I'm pretty sure I tried it last year, but not regular. I'll have to go back and look at the recipes and smell the soaps again.
I'm going to test out the tablespoon per pound of oil and see how that works.
 
It’s been almost a year since my post about finding a lavender scent for my mother, and since then I’ve added fragrance oils and micas. It’s been a fun learning experience. I just cut my first soap made with lavender and sage from Nurture and I’m sure my mother will love it! Her 91st bday in December and I think she’ll be pleased. I’m going to call it Secret Garden as that was one of her favorite books. I need to perfect the mica line a bit more , but she’s going to be happy . Thanks!
Gorgeous soap and what a clever name! I'm sure your Mom will love it. Better give her a bunch of bars, so she'll be sure to use at least one and won't save it because "it's too pretty to use."
 
That’s a pretty soap @Basil. I hope your mom loves it.

Has anyone ever tried BB’s Peaceful Lavender? The posted reviews lean favorable. I bought some a few months ago, but it’s still in the cabinet with entirely too many other FOs. No one is going to mistake the scent for lavender EO, but I like it. Here’s the description:

This sweet and soft scent will be your new go-to. It's a mix of lavender, eucalyptus, star anise, hemp seed, oat milk, and fresh hay. Bottom notes of cedar, musk, patchouli, and tonka bean round it out nicely.

Label says it accelerates.
 
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