Scenting the unscented baby soap

[Consuela]

Aren't babies supposed to avoid honey for a while? I think it might just be eating, but does that translate in to topical use, too?

Just for eating... (as stated about the bacteria and botulism concern)

Agree that honey gives a small kind of nice sweet smell to unscented soaps..

And also agree on the not having any nut oils in there...

I made some "baby" soap for my little person...but because I couldn't make a "tear free" version, I didn't use it for her beyond one bath (this saddened me). We were both far too nervous...such teeny little eyeballs...teeny little head...so I ended up buying baby wash (first product I've bought..in a LONG time.)

However... I thought infusing the olive oil with lavender and chamomile might be nice....the smell did not stick however But the bar is lovely..

 

[HerbalEarthling]

I read recently someone using buttermilk in their soap. They didn't go into detail about what it actually smelled like but they said it smelled nice. Not sure if it was powdered or liquid.

 

[happyshopper]

From what I can remember you don't actually use soap on a baby. I used to put a small amount of baby bubble bath in the water, that is enough to clean a baby, they don't need to be washed with a soap (I remember the midwife telling me that to just wash with water was best). You could put the bar in the water to make the water 'soapy' but with the hard water we have here it wouldn't work.

However if a customer has requested it, it is up to them how they cleanse their baby.

 

[SA-Soaper]

I made an unscented soap (fo/eo free) but used lavendar hydrosol for lye mix and it did have a faint smell of it after cure. I have seen baby products with lavender. Or maybe rosewater? Not sure if you have it in USA but Rooibos tea has nice smell and can be consumed by babies. Also has other benefits.

 

[not_ally]

I have never had a baby, so this may be totally unhelpful. But if I did I think I would must make a very basic bar (maybe the trinity or change it to add lard if the baby has rash/skull cap) and no scent at all. Babies don't care abut scent, they smell heavenly all by themselves, and why take any chances?

 

[IrishLass]

they smell heavenly all by themselves, and why take any chances?

True that! If only I could bottle that heavenly baby scent! Heavy sigh! I once wrote to the Demeter fragrance company and asked if they had ever tried making a newborn baby smell, and they wrote back to me to tell me that they actually had been trying to do so, but hadn't been able to get it 'just right' yet. That was back around 2006 or so, and I don't know if they were finally able to come up with one. It would be awesome if they ever did.

I have 1 child- a son who is 21 now- and I never used any soap on him until after he was a year old. Water alone was just fine to get him clean, and he kept that heavenly natural baby scent for quite some time....except for a day or 2 out of every week when his grandma would come for her regular Sunday visit. She wore a strong perfume which would get all over him and it took that long to air him out. lol


IrishLass

 

[SoapyWater]

I use to make baby soap years ago. I did sale a lot of it and also made it for my nieces when they were born. I infused Chamomile and Calendula herbs in Olive oil.

My recipe was 90% Olive and 10% Castor Oil. I use .5oz ppo of 5 Fold Orange Essential Oil. It was extremely light. I also let my herbs soap for about 2 months before I strained and used them.

I did a heavy water discount and the soap moves pretty fast which is ok since I don't do any swirls or add colorants. Remember all baby soap do not have to be unscented. :grin:

 

[Susie]

I would not use any citrus EOs in baby soap! I know the smell fades, but citrus EOs can be an irritant!

 

[SoapyWater]

All essential oils can be irritant lol. Making soap for over 15 years I have not hurt one single baby lol.

Lavender and 5 fold orange is very popular in baby soap. Google it lol

 

[Susie]

People do things all the time that are not necessarily the safest choice out there. You have the right to make and sell what you like. If someone comes to this forum, and asks for safe advice on something to scent a baby soap with, we are more than likely going to err on the side of caution. You have the right to disagree, but I am still going to say something. ESPECIALLY with newer soapers reading it...

 

[SoapyWater]

Ok. We can agree to disagree. Burts Bees, Johnson and Johnson, one of the original soap making companies "SunFeather Soaps" (which was sold a few years ago) also carried 5 fold orange baby soap.

Every essential oil is a skin irritant if used improperly. Every fragrance. Heck even natural soap if not made properly.

So you can say "NO NOT IN BABY SOAP"

And I can say

Lavender, 5 Fold Orange, Herb infused Calendula & Chamomile, and Chamomile EO does not hurt the lil ones

Newbies and research and chose their own direction such as you did when you started making soap and such as I did when I started making soap.

No need to get defensive doesn't bother me either way....

ETA to say "Who are We"? Are their teams here? Something that has changed over the years?? Oh is it because Im a newbie all over again to this group? But was here when this forum started... not sure "Who We" are.... me against the "We" lol

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Newbies research....on forums like here. You just said that you used it, with no mention about any amounts. So a newbie could very easily see that and chuck it in at the max amount allowed in soap - assuming that they have found that would and don't just chuck a load in there willy nilly.

 

[navigator9]

My friends smell my unscented soap, and say "Oooo, that smells good!". I tell them it's unscented, and they insist it has a smell that's really nice. Babies don't care about how soap smells. I'd leave it unscented.

 

[SoapyWater]

Newbies research....on forums like here. You just said that you used it, with no mention about any amounts. So a newbie could very easily see that and chuck it in at the max amount allowed in soap - assuming that they have found that would and don't just chuck a load in there willy nilly.

When this forum was created I was well into pass my 7th year of making soap. I was a soapmaker who helped out the newbies.

If a newbie read this thread that person would see a full recipe I provided with the amount of EO to use. On page three of this thread is the recipe with the .5oz per pound of oils of EO to use.

2lbs soap = .7oz-1.0oz EO

 

[Obsidian]

There is no way I would use orange EO in a baby soap, even at .50 oz PPO it burns my skin. I'm not against scenting baby soap but I wouldn't use any EO that is known to cause sensitivity.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

When this forum was created I was well into pass my 7th year of making soap. I was a soapmaker who helped out the newbies.

If a newbie read this thread that person would see a full recipe I provided with the amount of EO to use. On page three of this thread is the recipe with the .5oz per pound of oils of EO to use.

2lbs soap = .7oz-1.0oz EO

Indeed you did, but then you also went on to mention other things which don't hurt babies, with no indication of safe amounts.

I find it odd that you consider a 4% lye discount to be very dangerous on one hand and yet are less concerned about things like possible sensitizers and irritants.

I know a lot of talk of soap in general and additives/scent in particular is often being over cautious with little ones, maybe far more than required. But, personally, I say better to be safe than sorry, especially with very delicate skin.

 

[SoapyWater]

Ok I can accept that.

4% lye discount will cause a lye heavy soap and will burn someone. That is more severe than just a tiny amount of essential oil that is diluted during the soap making process.

Everything is a possible sensitizers or irritant is all that I was saying. But of course its better to be safe than sorry we gotta love the little ones!

 

[not_ally]

Soapy Water, I am sorry you felt teamed up on. You are clearly someone with a lot of experience (I have read and learned from some of your other recent posts), so it is good to have you here. As a relative newbie (less than a year on the board), my experience has been that when people disagree they are doing it out of conviction rather than just wanting to be right. Eg, I almost always agree with a couple of long-time posters here (susie and dory), but we respectfully disagreed on one topic, see http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53579&page=5

And I still think they are the bomb. So welcome back!

ETA: IL, I think it would be impossible to replicate baby smell. That is just a heaven scent (pun intended) evolutionary device, I think. I even noticed it w/my dogs, when their breath went from milky puppy kisses to regular dog breath. I still love the kisses, though

 

[HappyHomeSoapCo]

If going for an unscented, scented soap, whether it's for babies or anyone else. What about using lavender eo at .25 oz/poo. I've never tried going that light so I don't know if it would be wasted money for going too light. But if it were me, that's what I would do off the cuff. Or maybe the same ratio with chamomile eo.

 

[SoapyWater]

Soapy Water, I am sorry you felt teamed up on. You are clearly someone with a lot of experience (I have read and learned from some of your other recent posts), so it is good to have you here. As a relative newbie (less than a year on the board), my experience has been that when people disagree they are doing it out of conviction rather than just wanting to be right. Eg, I almost always agree with a couple of long-time posters here (susie and dory), but we respectfully disagreed on one topic, see http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53579&page=5

And I still think they are the bomb. So welcome back!

Well thank you Cuddlebug! In the world of soap making we are always going to disagree on something. Our chemistry is just so interesting. I tend not to push anyone into agreeing with me. I will just say my peace and drop it. Hey everyone will do what they want to do ya know? Just as I did when I was a newbie. Its nice to meet you! I look forward to chatting with you!