You already received some good tips from the previous posters, and since this topic seems to keep coming up, I thought I'd add my 2 cents (or maybe $1 worth) in a condensed Reader's Digest version of a few of my previous posts :wink: :
I'll answer your specific questions first:
I personally find Litsea Cubeba/May Chang to be quite overpowering, and when used to "anchor" other Citrus Oils, it can take over and smell strongly of Lemongrass, so use it sparingly. I do not find Corn Starch or Clays to anchor scent in soap (though Cornstarch helps in dry products like Bath Salts). Some find Orris Root to be irritating in skin products, but it does anchor scent in Potpourri, Herb Pillows, etc. I'd second JudyMoody's author recommendations, and add Robert Tisserand as a great source of information.
Just remember: Essential Oils are NOT just fragrance or perfume. They are the actual essence of the herb or plant they come from, and if that herb/plant has medicinal properties, and most do, then that essential oil will have a concentration of that medicinal property. Some are contraindicated in children, pregnancy, epilepsy, high blood pressure, and other medical conditions...so please do your best to educate yourself on their properties and usages before using them in any product that comes in contact with the skin.
If you are new to soap making or use of essential oils, I HIGHLY SUGGEST you stay away fom potentially toxic oils like Wintergreen, Birch, etc in body products until you are further educated. I have been using essential oils for 12+ years, and I still avoid using certain ones. There are usually viable alternatives to the questionable oils. A good place to start researching is on
http://www.essentialoils.org
Some Essential Oils can be quite irritating to the skin, so you should really educate yourself on their usage if you decide to use them. Essential Oils are more than just fragrance...many have medicinal properties than can interfere with medicines and medical conditions. Some common well known irritants include Clove, Cinnamon, and Peppermint. Some people are sensitive to Citrus oils. You can still use them in soap, just at a lower ratio. For most essential oils, I use 1 oz (by weight) per pound of base oils, which is a 6.25% rate. Some people would think that rate is too high, but in my experiences with safe essential oils, it works fine. I however would NEVER use that much in a leave-on product and would keep it UNDER 3%. So for a 4 pound soap batch, I use 4 oz TOTAL essential oils. Many soapers use 0.7 oz essential oil per pound of soap. If I'm using an oil that can be irritating, I only use it at a rate of 0.25 - 0.5 oz per pound of oils, which is a 1.5% rate.
I'd like to add some easily obtained starter oils with few contraindications that serve a large variety of purposes for those not familiar with essential oils:
Lavender - herbal/floral scent, variety of uses and mostly safe with the exception of allergies and some purported estrogen interactions.
Geranium - floral scent similar to roses, beneficial to skin, gentle though not to be used in pregnancy. Will accelerate in CP.
Rosemary - very herbal scent, great in hand soaps, not for use in epilepsy.
Cedarwood - woody scent (obviously ), very grounding earthy scent, helps balance florals, not for use in pregnancy.
Orange - citrus scent, most gentle of the citrus oils, though it can be sensitizing in some individuals.
Patchouli - earthy scent, helps balance and retain other scents, not for use in pregnancy.
Spearmint - yes, mints can be irritants, but most people can tolerate low doses, not for use on children or during pregnancy.
With just the few oils mentioned above, you could make tons of different blends for different scents and different purposes. The most expensive of the bunch are Geranium or Patchouli, though a little of either goes a long way.
