My soap is losing it's sent

[Guest]

When i first make a batch of soap they smell really strong but it seems like by the time they are ready to use I can hardly smell them. Do i need to make them stronger to protect the scent? Could it be the brand of fragrance or essential oils I'm using?

 

[Cathy8]

I've found that when i just leave my soap out in the open it tends to lose it's scent faster. If i leave them in partially covered tupperware containers or plastic drawers they keep their scent better.

 

[Mercedes]

disappearing scent

Hello Destinee
I have had the same problem. I have only been making soap for about
three months, so I have asked a lot of people with more experience for a solution to this problem, but nobody has given me an answer. I thought it must be my supplier as well, so I tried oils from another company and I still have the same problem. I have been told that EO's are more prone to this, but the bulk of my oils are FO's. They are strong for the first three weeks, but by the time they are cured and ready to use, the scent has all but disappeared. I have even tried doubling the amount I use. Its costing me a lot of money, so I need to find a solution.
*If anybody out there is an expert with scenting please let me know how to fix this - its driving me crazy!

 

[copper]

Try using different brands of fragrances. I had that problem too and kept adding more and more fragrance and it was getting expensive to be using that much in each batch. I started experimenting with different brands.

 

[pepperi27]

Yeah I buy fragrances from 3 to 4 different companies but they all work in my handmilled and mp soaps. I made a batch of Coconut dreams a couple of weeks ago and the scent faded within a week. I figured I'm going to let it continue to cure and see what happens. Well after a month I tested one bar and I smelled the coconut! I will probably add a touch more but for the most part the scent came through. I keep my handmilled soaps in a covered box and my mp wrapped in plastic.

 

[Emily Klesick]

I have run across the same problem as well! Has any soapmaker not! I found (if you are using oils) different oils and amounts make a difference as well, so you have to play with the different oils and see how much more than the recipe says you have to add. I buy from one place and they haev real good and strong scents. www.mountianroseherbs.com

 

[PSW]

How many oz. of FO or EO are using PPO (per pound of oils?). Generally, with FO's you should use 1 oz. PPO. I usually make a 4.25 lb. batch of oils and use 4 oz. FO.

EO's you use about 1/3 less.

As someone mentioned above it does depend on the FO quality and strength. I make a dirt scented soap and the FO is so strong that I only use it 1/2 oz. PPO.

Also, CP soap takes more FO than HP soap. I don't make HP soap, so can't give you too much info there. Don't quote me, but I think it's about 1/3 less in HP. With HP you add the FO after the cook, so the scent is retained better because it doesn not go through what it does with the lye in CP.

 

[jellyfish]

After my soap has fully cured, I stick them in tupperware bins with a paper towel soaked in whatever FO/EO i used to fragrance the soap. I've found it helps them keep their scent a little longer.

 

[Guest]

I actually have only had this problem with citrus fragrances, sometimes with floral.. but most part I have FO's that has lasted fine over a year or so.

I think it depends on the supplier perhaps. But I know its commone for citrus and certain FO's to fade..to almost nothing.

I use to buy Peach from Cybilla (now at Brambleberry) that would fade to nothing.. sometimes it would come back, sometimes it wouldnt.

 

[Janice]

I have heard that adding oris root powder at trace helps to bind the fragrance. I did use it for a while, but never paid attention to how much oil I used....so not sure if it helped or not.

 

[Gigi2]

Luckily I haven't had this problem much, but once in a while if the scent isn't as I expected after weeks of curing, once it is used-the scent always seems come back.

 

[soapbuddy]

I have heard that adding oris root powder at trace helps to bind the fragrance. I did use it for a while, but never paid attention to how much oil I used....so not sure if it helped or not.

Please don't add orris root. Many people have allergies to it; including me.

Irena

PS. For longer lasting natural scent, you can add litsea or patchouli

 

[CPSoaper]

Litsea is what you use with other citrus scents since citrus is prone to fade. The litsea will help anchor it so it won't fade or fade as fast.