Natural Sweet Notes?

[MellonFriend]

I'm currently trying to formulate a lavender lemonade scent using essential oils for a lotion I'm planning on making and I'm trying to find something to add to it to give a note of sweetness. I was hoping to maybe get vanilla absolute, but where I'm looking to purchase from (stillpoint aromatics) is out of stock in it. All of their vanilla products seem very expensive too, so it might have been out of my price range. Any suggestions?

 

[lsg]

Your soap will probably discolor if you use vanilla absolute. Have you tried https://www.eocalc.com/

 

[MellonFriend]

Your soap will probably discolor if you use vanilla absolute. Have you tried https://www.eocalc.com/

It's lotion that I'm trying to find this scent for.

Yeah, I have tried eocalc, but they don't have a browse by fragrance notes option, so it wasn't very helpful.

 

[AliOop]

If you were open to using an FO, my most-requested combo is lavender + coconut. Blended at 50-50, I call it Tropical Lavender. Apparently it appeals to males and females of all ages.

If you are sticking just with EOs, then an issue with using actual citrus EOs in lotion will be the phototoxicity of most citrus EOs. You could try litsea cubeba for a lemony scent that isn't phototoxic. I'd add just a titch of some floral to bring up the sweetness, or start with a lavender EO that is sweeter and less medicinal (varies by variety).

 

[MellonFriend]

If you were open to using an FO, my most-requested combo is lavender + coconut. Blended at 50-50, I call it Tropical Lavender. Apparently it appeals to males and females of all ages.

If you are sticking just with EOs, then an issue with using actual citrus EOs in lotion will be the phototoxicity of most citrus EOs. You could try litsea cubeba for a lemony scent that isn't phototoxic. I'd add just a titch of some floral to bring up the sweetness, or start with a lavender EO that is sweeter and less medicinal (varies by variety).

Stillpoint Aromatics has their lemon labeled as "not phototoxic". And they seem like a very reliable company based on how up front they are about their testing and all.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Do you have any Peru Balsam? It will add hints of vanilla.

I have not done a deep dive on the research, but based on what I've read, not all citrus oils are phototoxic. The risk of phototoxicity is mostly associated with the presence of furanocoumarins, which don't make it into, or are greatly reduced in distilled oils. Here's a nice list from the blog at Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve:

"Here’s a quick guide to phototoxicity in citrus essential oils according to the research reported in the book Essential Oil Safety by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young and the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).

Some citrus essential oils that are NOT phototoxic:​

• Bergamot FCF or BF (Citrus bergamia) essential oil (furocoumarin and bergaptene free)
• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oil, steam distilled
• Lemon (Citrus limon) essential oil, steam distilled
• Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) essential oil, steam distilled
• Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) essential oil, cold-pressed or steam distilled
• Neroli (orange blossom) (Citrus x aurantium) essential oil
• Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), cold-pressed or steam distilled
• Petitgrain (orange leaf) (Citrus aurantium) essential oil
• Tangerine (Citrus reticulata) essential oil, cold-pressed or steam distilled
• Yuzu Oil (Citrus junos) essential oil, cold-pressed or steam distilled

Essential oils like May Chang (Litsea cubeba), Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora), and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) may have a citrusy aroma but they are not citrus oils and are not phototoxic.

Some of the citrus essential oils that ARE phototoxic:​

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oil, cold-pressed
• Bitter orange (Citrus x aurantium) essential oil, cold-pressed
• Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) essential oil, cold-pressed*
• Lemon (Citrus limon) essential oil, cold-pressed
• Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) essential oil, cold-pressed

*There is some controversy as to whether grapefruit essential oil should be included on the phototoxic list. Some professionals in the field of essential oil research believe that an analysis of the chemical breakdown of grapefruit oil and the existing literature do not show concerns of phototoxicity for grapefruit essential oil."

 

[AliOop]

Such great info, @Mobjack Bay! I had no idea there was any difference between steam-distilled and cold-pressed.

@MellonFriend sounda like you found some that is safe per the guidelines @Mobjack Bay listed above. Thanks for educating me on this, as I love citrus scents but have shied away from them in lotions. Looks like I’ll be ordering more soon!

 

[MellonFriend]

That's a whole lot of great information! Thanks @Mobjack Bay!

Do you have any Peru Balsam? It will add hints of vanilla.

I do not have any of these, oils. I'm trying to decide what to shop for. I'll look and see if I can buy Peru Balsam from Stillpoint Aromatics. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[SoapSisters]

What about geranium EO? I find it very sweet-smelling. That said, I think it's a very distinct scent, so you have to make sure you like it first.

 

[lsg]

If you are looking for a vanilla-type fragrance, you might try Styrax Benzoin.