For those who use FO from EO...How many oz. do you use per LB of soap? If I go by what they say & use .03%...it would only call for 0.0156 oz. of FO for my 52 oz. soap batch. This seems way low but have never used FO from here or have never made soap before. I'm making my first batch today after I figure out the correct amount of FO to use. Thanks!
Quick question on FO from Essential Oils..Help =)
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Dr.J
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There isn't a rule of thumb for FOs. (Rule of thumb for EOs is 2% or less unless you're very knowledgeable about EOs and know the contraindications and potential irritation).
It's not .03%. It's 3% (or even 2% or 5% or whatever). The amount you use for a FO should be based on recommended maximum usage or personal preference if you don't want to use up to the maximum amount. For example, Peak's Black Canyon is so strong that I found it overwhelming at .5 oz per pound of oil (which is approximately 3% of the total oil amount). I could have easily used .25 oz ppo (1.5%). I generally use slightly less than 5% for most FOs and add .7 oz ppo per batch.
As examples for a 52 oz batch:
5% would be 2.6 oz
slightly less than 5% would be 2.275 oz
3% would be approximately 1.6 oz
However, some people use 1 oz ppo (which is approximately 6% of total oil weight) for lighter scents or because they prefer stronger scented soap/products. It really depends on the FO's strength and personal preference.
Where did you buy the FOs? Some sites list maximum usage while others you would need to ask the supplier. Also, you want to make sure the FOs are safe to use on the skin. Not all FOs are manufactured for cosmetic use. Some are just for wax.
It's not .03%. It's 3% (or even 2% or 5% or whatever). The amount you use for a FO should be based on recommended maximum usage or personal preference if you don't want to use up to the maximum amount. For example, Peak's Black Canyon is so strong that I found it overwhelming at .5 oz per pound of oil (which is approximately 3% of the total oil amount). I could have easily used .25 oz ppo (1.5%). I generally use slightly less than 5% for most FOs and add .7 oz ppo per batch.
As examples for a 52 oz batch:
5% would be 2.6 oz
slightly less than 5% would be 2.275 oz
3% would be approximately 1.6 oz
However, some people use 1 oz ppo (which is approximately 6% of total oil weight) for lighter scents or because they prefer stronger scented soap/products. It really depends on the FO's strength and personal preference.
Where did you buy the FOs? Some sites list maximum usage while others you would need to ask the supplier. Also, you want to make sure the FOs are safe to use on the skin. Not all FOs are manufactured for cosmetic use. Some are just for wax.
dagmar88
Well-Known Member
It's very important to follow the usage rates.
With some scents the percentage that is considered body safe, is too low for a proper scent.
What type of scent is is?
TVivian
Well-Known Member
For FO's I've been using 1oz per pound of oil. This seems to be a good amount (I like soap really scented) for fruit and vanilla scents, for florals and "manly" scents it may be too much. It really depends on how strong your fragrance is. For EO's I use about 1/2oz per pound of oils. A good way to tell how strong your scent is,is to put a little on your wrist. If it almost disappears and you either can't smell it, or only faintly smell it within the hour use the maximum amount. If you can still smell it hours later, definitely use less
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dagmar88
Well-Known Member
dagmar88
Well-Known Member
Undiluted EO's and FO's could seriously damage your skin.
I got my FO from...http://www.bulkapothecary.com/categories/soap-making-supplies.html
This is what it states:
Many people ask us what makes our oils so much different from the competition and the facts are pretty basic. Many suppliers of fragrances dilute their product with cheaper carriers. This allows them to sell their product at prices that are sometime lower than our amazing wholesale price. However don't be fooled. In most cases you will need 5 to 10 times as much oil to get the same effect in your products. Our Be Enchanted fragrance oil can be used at .3%. That means that 1 of our .5oz. Be Enchanted fragrances can scent an entire gallon of our unscented bases. That is because our pure Be Enchanted oils are 100% pure. We never cut our products and that means we have the absolute best quality available anywhere online. This also ensures that our Be Enchanted oil will not negatively impact your final product. Many products have a salt curve and inferior grade fragrances can often break that salt curve and consequently break the viscosity of your product. Because our products are 100% pure, they are less likely to cause any issues with your final product.
This is what it states:
Many people ask us what makes our oils so much different from the competition and the facts are pretty basic. Many suppliers of fragrances dilute their product with cheaper carriers. This allows them to sell their product at prices that are sometime lower than our amazing wholesale price. However don't be fooled. In most cases you will need 5 to 10 times as much oil to get the same effect in your products. Our Be Enchanted fragrance oil can be used at .3%. That means that 1 of our .5oz. Be Enchanted fragrances can scent an entire gallon of our unscented bases. That is because our pure Be Enchanted oils are 100% pure. We never cut our products and that means we have the absolute best quality available anywhere online. This also ensures that our Be Enchanted oil will not negatively impact your final product. Many products have a salt curve and inferior grade fragrances can often break that salt curve and consequently break the viscosity of your product. Because our products are 100% pure, they are less likely to cause any issues with your final product.
Thanks for the correction. I've never seen .03% but I have seen 1% to 3% on spicy cinnamon type FOs.
So not .03% but .3%. That's a lot different.
The bottle came in Natures oil bottle
http://naturesoil.com/product/fragr...fragrance-oil-version-of-bath-and-body-works/
http://naturesoil.com/product/fragr...fragrance-oil-version-of-bath-and-body-works/
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dagmar88
Well-Known Member
I stay away from them, but for example NG's cinnamon yum yums is 0.5% for wash off products.
I misread 0.03 for 0.3
I misread 0.03 for 0.3
dagmar88
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure I would trust their statement....:???:
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
I use Kathy Miller's guidelines if I don't have specific usage rates:
http://www.millersoap.com/soapdesign.html#Scents
Average Essential Oil
.7 oz. per pound of oils used in soap
* Strong Essential Oil (like cinnamon, clove, mint, etc.)
.4 oz. per pound
* Citrus Essential Oils
.9 oz. per pound
Average Fragrance Oil
.5 oz. (1 T./Tablespoon) per pound
Strong Fragrance Oil
1 - 1.5 tsp. per pound
I prefer to use a "per pound of oils" number rather than a percentage.
http://www.millersoap.com/soapdesign.html#Scents
Average Essential Oil
.7 oz. per pound of oils used in soap
* Strong Essential Oil (like cinnamon, clove, mint, etc.)
.4 oz. per pound
* Citrus Essential Oils
.9 oz. per pound
Average Fragrance Oil
.5 oz. (1 T./Tablespoon) per pound
Strong Fragrance Oil
1 - 1.5 tsp. per pound
I prefer to use a "per pound of oils" number rather than a percentage.
TVivian
Well-Known Member
We'll maybe I have tough skin.. But I take a tiny bit from the lid.. Never had any sort of burning or itching. Just my opinion and suggestion. You could mix with a little oil if you're worried. There's really no other way to know how long a scent lasts IMO.
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This may be your opinion but it is not the opinion of this forum. Please do not suggest unsafe practices on this forum. It is really bad advice since fragrance oils and essential oils should never, ever, ever be used undiluted. They are concentrated! Using undiluted FOs and EOs can cause sensitization, irritation and skin problems. Even using a higher than recommended percentage can cause problems. Example: when I was at school, two of the students were giving each other facial massages. One of the students added peppermint EO to the oil because she wanted to "stimulate" the other student's skin and increase blood flow. These students had limited knowledge of EOs, didn't know only a few drops was enough and assumed because it was natural, it wasn't harmful. To make a long story short, screaming, running down the hallway, crying, frantic washing of the face. The student's face was red. I mean a bright red which looked like a sunburn. Her skin was very irritated and took quite awhile to return to normal.
I was sent some soap for feedback and the soap irritated my skin because the member used too much FO. The only way to know how long a scent will last is to actually use it in soap, lotion or whatever. Then keep a bar or a few ounces for an extended period of time (months, year, longer, etc) to see when and if the scent fades. This is why we recommend testing. There is also info about FOs which stick and those that fade on this forum. You can also join the Soap Scent Review Board for info on which FOs last and which fade.
I know the link below is to an article about essential but it's still helpful to apply it to FOs.
http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/dilutingessentialoils.asp
BTW, please don't be upset by my post. I'm not saying this to be mean. I just don't want someone to be hurt.
judymoody
Well-Known Member
OK, if they are talking about gallons of unscented bases, I'm assuming they're referring to lotion base or body wash or something? Lotion, for example, is fragranced at MUCH lower levels than CP soap. .3% sounds about right for lotion. I use 3% for CP soap. This seller doesn't provide maximum use rates for varied applications like, for example, NG and WSP do.
BTW, this copy sounds like a lot of marketing fluff. There are many, many reputable vendors of fragrances that are skin and soap safe that are just as potent. If you like their fragrances, fine. There are many other quality options at this price point.
dagmar88
Well-Known Member
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