Question about smell...noob here.

[Bukawww]

So I made my first batch of soap Friday and I think it went really well! It looks like soap, smells like gum (I did lavender and spearmint) and came out beautifully out of the freezer paper lined pvc pipe I used.

So of course I couldn't help but fiddle with it a little...and then had a bit of 'soap' on my hand that I washed off in the sink.

It smells terrible! It reminds me of this stinky kid in school that smelled like raw soap...I'm wondering if his mom had a soap addiction Its TOO soapy smelling. Is that just how CP soap smells? Cause if so, my addiction has been cut off short at the knees. Which would stink cause it was so fun and such a useful craft.

Was it the oils? Castor, Olive, CO, PO.

I don't remember exactly how the handmade soap I last purchased smelled...maybe I should buy some and compare notes. I know hubby won't go for this smell and I'm not keen on it either.

Talk me down from the ledge, fellow soapers!

 

[Bukawww]

I should mention that my hands smelled awful...the soap still smells great!

Please tell me, it will lose that smell as it cures...

 

[carebear]

some oils have an odor of their own in soap, but let your soap cure out a bit and see if it lingers.

olive oi, in particular, needs a good long cure if you used a lot of it.

care to share your formula?

 

[Bukawww]

Ok, I will be patient then.

Here is what I used for 26 oz of oils:

40% OO
35% PO
25% CO
5% Castor

7% sf
1oz EOs

My next batch is going to be OMH so maybe the honey will sweeten the deal...I hope so as that is the soap I had planned to use most of the time in our family.

 

[dagmar88]

That's a very decent recipe; of course it will smell like soap, but shouldn't be super stinky.
I've once over heated my soap very badly and that batch did have a foul soap smell...

 

[andreabadgley]

I would say let it cure a few weeks. In my experience, scents tend to mellow out and get just right after two or three weeks.

 

[Bukawww]

Thanks everyone...I will let it sit a while before doing anything rash

I will still attempt the OMH soap tomorrow...then I'll let them both cure and see where we are then. Hopefully I can wait 6 weeks...GAH!

And dagmar - my family is from Holland! My mom was imported at the age of 6 but we have plenty of family still over there. Last time I was there, was about 15 years ago but I have very fond memories. I understand quite a bit of Dutch but sadly, do not speak it very well. That is one of my goals this next year Anyway, just thought that was neat - take care!

 

[unmouton]

I know you already got your answer, but I just want to say I soap a VERY similar recipe frequently, and it does have that peculiar soap smell right out of the pot. I attribute it to the olive and palm oils (as they smell pretty "weird" to me right out of the jug.) It gets better with a good cure!

 

[Bukawww]

Thanks Heather! Every bit of reassurance is appreciated!

 

[dagmar88]

And dagmar - my family is from Holland! My mom was imported at the age of 6 but we have plenty of family still over there. Last time I was there, was about 15 years ago but I have very fond memories. I understand quite a bit of Dutch but sadly, do not speak it very well. That is one of my goals this next year Anyway, just thought that was neat - take care!

Heeey fellow Dutchie!

 

[reallyrita]

Question about smell....OONB here

One more thing to check: use light colored olive oil. The darker green extra virgin oil can make your soap smell. I get mine in jugs at Sam's Club or Costco. Don't overheat your oils while melting. Take off heat as soon as last bit melts. Dont heat the olive oil. I use a double boiler to keep the heat directly away from the melting hard oils. I use a lot of lard in my soaps and this definitely helps to keep the piggy smell at bay. I understand, though, that you are dealing not with piggy but with that icky soap smell. Could be the olive oil. A full one ounce of FO and a long cure could make a difference too. Always hard to judge a soap when it is freshly made.