"Perfume Oils"

[cg_lem]

I'm new in this forum. I posted this question the other day in the CP forum, but only just now found this group! I'll probably receive the same answer here, but thought I'd post the question here anyway.

My mother gave me a couple of "perfume oils" she came across some time ago and has done nothing with. As the design of the product is a small cylindrical glass bottle with a roller at one end, I'm assuming these are simply scented oils designed to be rolled on for use as a perfume. I looked up the company, and it appears to be a self-proclaimed "hippy"-type company from northern California. But I'm finding no listing of what exactly these are made from.

Does anyone here have any ideas about these? The two scents my mother gave me are a rose-type and a honey-almond type (which smells nothing like honey nor almond). They're both pleasant scents.

I'm just wondering if anyone would have any idea if these could be used in soaps??

While not a "hippy", I do like making my soaps with all natural/organic ingredients-- and I doubt I'll actually use these in my soaps.

I'm just wondering anyone's thoughts/input on these "perfume oils".

Thanks!

- Cathy

 

[judymoody]

They are probably fragrance oils that are diluted in some sort of carrier oil at a % that is skin safe. The actual amount of fragrance is probably a pretty small percentage - maybe 1-5%? No way to tell for sure but at that ratio, probably very little scent would remain in your finished soap. Also, they might not be soap-safe - meaning that the scent might morph or could cause your soap batter to accelerate or seize. If I had the choice, I'd opt for fragrances from a reputable soaping supplier. Just my 2 cents!

 

[cg_lem]

Thanks for this. This is kind of what I've been thinking about these.

I'll just stick with the essential oils, I think. ;-)

Can you tell me what is meant by "accelerate" and "seize" in reference to soap batter?

Thanks again!

- Cathy

 

[judymoody]

Acceleration is when the addition of a fragrance oil causes your soap to go from barely emulsified to thick pudding very quickly. Seizing is even worse - when you begin stirring in the additive and it becomes a solid block - some call this "soap on a stick." Floral fragrance oils are notorious for this as are additives like pine tar. Essential oils like clove, cinnamon leaf, black pepper and ylang ylang can also cause acceleration and seizing. If working with a known ornery additive, the best advice is to soap cool, use a slotted spoon or whisk instead of stick blender, and don't discount your water.

Hope this helps!

 

[cg_lem]

Yes, this helps a lot for my beginnings into soapmaking! Thank you! I'll probably only be scenting my soaps with the essential oils. But I have already noticed several of my soaps thickening up quite quickly once I saw trace setting in. Maybe this was acceleration. . . . . But this one soap that started setting very quickly, I don't recall if I scented it at all I thought it may have had something to do with our goats' milk that I've been using in most of my soaps. But that couldn't be the case, as I've made several batches since this one-- all with goat milk, and none started setting as quickly.

Guess I'll just watch things as I go along. ;-)

When you say to soap cool, do you simply mean to combine the oils and lye mixture at a lower temperature, then?

I appreciate your help very much!

- Cathy