Scent problems - help!

[PacificSoaper]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to combine a few scents to get a blend, and something very odd is happening. When I smell the bag in which the scents arrived (with the bottles in the bag, caps closed), the blended scent given off is perfect for what I want. But when I blend the scents together in an actual soap, it smells nothing like what's given off from the bag containing the same scents in the same ratio (assumed to be 1:1 in air). I'm using a 1:1 ratio in the soap as well.

I've tried varying the concentration from higher to lower, and I get the same, funky smell, which is nothign like the scents I started with.
I've been using a recipe with 100% coconut oil (76), superfatted at 20% and ingredients mixed at 100 deg F. I've been adding the scents at light trace.

Any suggestions? I'm really new to soap making so I feel like there could be something really obvious that I'm missing.

Thanks!!

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Lye does funky things to EOs (and some FOs). Can you post what oils you're using? That may help us help you.
Also, what you are smelling "out of the bag" probably isn't a 1:1 ratio of whatever oils are in there. Scent is much more complicated than that. In layman's terms, there are Top Notes (Most volatile and fleeting, such as citrus notes), Middle Notes (the "heart" of the scent, like many florals), and Base Notes (the "anchors" of the scent, like Vanilla or Patchouli). Blending in the "Trinity Method" of a top, middle, and base note will make your scent last longer...something like 40% Top Note/40% Middle Note/20% Base Note (or some varying degree of similar percentages) can be a well rounded, balanced, and long lasting scent.

 

[PacificSoaper]

Lye does funky things to EOs (and some FOs). Can you post what oils you're using? That may help us help you.
Also, what you are smelling "out of the bag" probably isn't a 1:1 ratio of whatever oils are in there. Scent is much more complicated than that. In layman's terms, there are Top Notes (Most volatile and fleeting, such as citrus notes), Middle Notes (the "heart" of the scent, like many florals), and Base Notes (the "anchors" of the scent, like Vanilla or Patchouli). Blending in the "Trinity Method" of a top, middle, and base note will make your scent last longer...something like 40% Top Note/40% Middle Note/20% Base Note (or some varying degree of similar percentages) can be a well rounded, balanced, and long lasting scent.

Thanks so much for the input. I'll study up on fragrance notes. I had no idea there was so much science to scents! Sounds like my ratios might be the issue, as you pointed out. I'm using scents like coconut, vanilla, and raspberry fragrance oils.

Can their scent qualities be preserved after lye exposure, perhaps by taking some preventative measures of some kind?

Also, is there a listing of what fragrances oils should be used at what level (top, middle, base) when blending?

Thanks again for the help

 

[ThenCameJen]

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert, and it's been several years since I've read these things, so someone more knowledgeable may come along and correct me here.

Instead of experimenting with blending FOs in your soap to come up with a good mixture, and ending up wasting good fragrances that don't mix like you want them to, try this. First, figure out what scent combinations you want to try. You mentioned coconut, vanilla, and raspberry. So you can take those, and decide what ratio you want to test for a blend. 1:1:1 is a good start, but also try 1:2:1 or 1:1:2, or any other combination you think is what you want to have - list each one on paper. Then, gather a handful of cotton swabs and a bunch of ziplocks or small paper bags. Consider each swab as 1 part. Do one blend at a time, and place all the swabs for that blend into a LABELED bag. Repeat with your other blends. For instance, if you want two parts coconut, two parts raspberry, and one part vanilla, dip two swabs in coconut, two swabs in raspberry, and one swab in vanilla, then put all FIVE swabs in a bag. Smell it right before sealing it (a good example of what the blend would smell like OOB) then come back in an hour or two to smell again. You may also find the scent is more true if you place each bundle of swabs in a small envelope - something that would allow any of the volatiles (top notes?) to disperse, revealing the middle and bottom notes that would be more indicative of an end result.

Like I said, it's been several years since I read anything about fragrances (and I'm definitely due for a refresher) but the books I bought back then are:
Essence & Alchemy A Book of Perfume by Mandy Aftel
The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless (have NO idea why this one is so expensive!)
There are probably newer versions to those books, but I linked the ones I personally own.

I can't say whether or not the community at large likes those books, but I found them interesting, and a good way for a beginner to gain a grasp of the differences in scents.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Those are 3 great books. I also think you may want to check out a scent review board, as well as the Fragrance Oil board on this forum:
http://soapscentreview.obisoap.ca
Your FO manufacturer can tell you usage rates (up to 5% usually) for your FO's. Also, with the myriad varieties of FO's out there, you probably shouldn't have to blend much anyway. There's probably one out there already blended with the components you're looking for...unless you just like the challenge and creativity of blending your own (which I do!).

As for perfumery and blending info:
http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/aromaticblending.asp
http://www.perfumersapprentice.com/