Scent experiments

[John Harris]

As I have often mentioned, 13-15 years ago I was an avid soapmaker. Life changed and I stopped making soap. Then for some inexplicable reason, 2 years ago I started again and I found this group. I pulled all my soap making gear out of storage and among all the stuff was MANY bottles of EOs and FOs. Well over a thousand dollars, I am sure. I figured after all that time, they must have gone bad. Still, they smelled ok from the bottle. I was going to dump them out, but then I couldn't bring myself to do it. I decided to do some "experiments". I started to make soap with the old scents and I monitored their behaviors. As far as the actual soap making, they were fine. They also cured ok. The color was (and remained) good.
Now, it is 2 years later and and all the bars are just fine, with good, strong, proper-smelling scents. I made 200 or so bars using a dozen or so scents. I use them all the time and my friends beg me for more.
What amazing shelf life!

 

[soapmaker]

I agree. Fourteen years ago when I started into this, I bought 500 ml bottles of E.O.s not having the experience to know some of them would not be used very often. Some are just now running out. They worked fine as far as scent/rancidity goes. As far as beneficial properties I have no idea. I don't know that about fresh ones either.

 

[Becky1024]

Wow! That's good news!

 

[Carly B]

As I have often mentioned, 13-15 years ago I was an avid soapmaker. Life changed and I stopped making soap. Then for some inexplicable reason, 2 years ago I started again and I found this group. I pulled all my soap making gear out of storage and among all the stuff was MANY bottles of EOs and FOs. Well over a thousand dollars, I am sure. I figured after all that time, they must have gone bad. Still, they smelled ok from the bottle. I was going to dump them out, but then I couldn't bring myself to do it. I decided to do some "experiments". I started to make soap with the old scents and I monitored their behaviors. As far as the actual soap making, they were fine. They also cured ok. The color was (and remained) good.
Now, it is 2 years later and and all the bars are just fine, with good, strong, proper-smelling scents. I made 200 or so bars using a dozen or so scents. I use them all the time and my friends beg me for more.
What amazing shelf life!

That's wonderful news. My soaping has pretty much followed your timeline exactly, and I have a ton of fragrances in the basement, including some fragrances I love from a vendor that no longer exists. When I started up again two years ago, I bought new stuff, but it's nice to know that after I retire in three weeks, when I will then have the time to go through the old fragrances and powders and stuff, I'll be able to salvage some things.