Losing scent

[HorseGal]

I really hope someone can answer my question about what to do about my soap losing it's wonderful smell. I am new to soap making, just been at it for about six months. I was lucky and found a wonderful recipe for fresh goat's milk soap but am having a problem getting it to smell strong enough. I have done alot of research and at this time I am adding about 3 oz of FO for a 4 lb recipe. One time I tried to add more to a rebatch and it would not set up. I have some friends that use my soap and they are always asking can I make the smell stronger. Any suggestions?

 

[AshleyR]

Have you tried more than one FO? I find that some smell stronger than others, and you never really know until you test them all out.

3oz of FO in 4 lbs of soap sounds about right. I usually use 1 oz PPO depending how strong the FO smells out of the bottle.

Also, if you are using citrus FO's by any chance, those tend to fade very quickly in CP no matter how much you use. I haven't tried this myself, but I know that others sometimes "anchor" their citrus scents with another scent. Hopefully someone else will come along with a recommendation for that!

 

[reallyrita]

Ok, I am going to go out on a limb here....but I know I have read somewhere (and where that "somewhere" is now, I can't remember) that you can anchor FO with a bit of kaolin (french white clay). I have some and I am going to try this. I don't want to use enough to make a drying out type soap so I will need to do some experimenting. I make a facial soap with rose clay and I do scent it and the scent has lasted beautifully for about 7 months now. So, I am hopeful that this white clay addition will do the same thing. It is worth a try. I guess I won't know for sure for some months out...but I will post my results when I get them.

 

[Jeremy]

Where to start, hmm, okay, here goes, there are many many resources on Essential Oils , one of the best is anything related to Aromatherapy. I believe that creating scent stories is a challenge for all of us.
Go online and research aromatherapy and you will find any answer you are seeking, anchor scents, top notes, bottom notes, what blends with what, senstivities and much more.
I am, like you, going through the frustrating part of this hobby and finding the wonderful aromas I create at the beginning of the process don't always come through in the final product.
Another great resource I was given by my wife is a book called
Aromatherapy
A practical guide to essential oils and aromassage
By, Jan Balkam
Copyright 1995
So I am not sure if it still around but I'm sure there are others like this one out there.
Good luck and if you figure out the fading orange question let me know, and I'll do the same as I'm working on just that right now, using Sandalwood, or Cedarwood, Or bergamot, or Patchouli....Somethings gotta work..lol

 

[honor435]

I really hope someone can answer my question about what to do about my soap losing it's wonderful smell. I am new to soap making, just been at it for about six months. I was lucky and found a wonderful recipe for fresh goat's milk soap but am having a problem getting it to smell strong enough. I have done alot of research and at this time I am adding about 3 oz of FO for a 4 lb recipe. One time I tried to add more to a rebatch and it would not set up. I have some friends that use my soap and they are always asking can I make the smell stronger. Any suggestions?

horsegal, what was the fragrance? and where did you buy iy, i made the mistake of buying cheap grag, at michaels and found out that it is only good for melt and pour.
Iam also frustrated with scent, but it depends, i used a lot of fuzzy navel(fruity) and it faded, some, then i made a spicy one and is very strong, almond is also strong, if its strong smelling from the bottle, use less, mild smelling use more? Good luck!

 

[smellitlikeitissoaps]

Well I know essential oils (i.e. citrus scents) Most part all citrus scents do loose its scent. You can always try to anchor it with patchouli EO, or GSE which has been said helps with the scent to last longer. I dont loose scent really after 6 months. I use 1oz PPO of FO and .7PPO EO (when I do use it)

 

[unmouton]

Unfortunately, its a trial and error process, finding out what to use more of and what to use less of in your soap. I can add up to 1 oz. ppo of my grapefruit lily FO and after a 4 week cure, it's perfect. However, I once made the mistake of adding Brambleberry's "relaxing" FO at 1 oz. ppo, and it made my whole entire house reek of vanilla, and I actually had to throw the soap out because the smell just permeated everything. (Nothing against the FO, I now add .5 oz. ppo and it is lovely.)

When first using an FO, judge how heavy/strong smelling it is, and go from there! Sorry there isn't a more concrete answer.

Also, I am inclined to use less with "foody" scents. I always start at no more than .5 oz. ppo when working with a vanilla or sugary scent and then work up, if I even need to. I am more heavy handed with citruses and floral FOs, I might use .7 oz. ppo as my minimum and work up from there.

Good luck!

Heather

 

[christellita]

litsea EO works well to anchor citruses, in my experience

 

[HorseGal]

Thanks Everyone

I really appreciate all the replies. When I am losing the scent is right after the cure. I have tried good quality FO from more than one source, and have tried different combinations. I never use any "food" smells, not my thing. I did make a clove soap with grounded apricot seeds, smells great but one of those scents that some like it, others don't. One of my favorite has been orange almond, this stayed fairly well, but could have been stronger. I will continue to read everything that is posted, will try everything, just love making soap. Wish I could quit work and make soap all day, lol.

 

[surf girl]

Hi Horsegal, welcome to the forum! I love making soap too - it's addictive.

I'm no help, but I did a double-take when you said you never use food smells, just things like clove, orange, and almond Food, no?

 

[HorseGal]

You're right of course, what was I thinking. I guess what I meant to say was that I did not use "food" scents like Angel Food Cake, Cotton Candy, Banana Nut, things like that. Remember I am new to all of this and I just know I will make all kinds of mistakes, lol, but that is what I am here for, to learn all I can from everyone else. I sure have read alot about how hard it is to use goat's milk. I guess I got lucky, the recipe I found uses fresh goat's milk, but I did make a few minor changes, like when I added it, and it discolors very little now. This makes the best soap, I probably will be using this recipe for a very long time.

 

[carebear]

where are you letting your soaps sit? there is a condition known as "candle nose" (among candle makers) which is when you have become so acclamated to a scent that you can no longer smell it. this happens when you have been exposed to a lot of it, or to it for a period of time.

have you asked people outside your household about the strength of the fragrance?

 

[surf girl]

Congrats on the goatsmilk success - it can be tricky! Again, wish I could help with the scent fading issue, but I'm no expert there...