Some serious scent retention!

[cerelife]

Like most of y'all, the first time I use a new scent I keep a bar aside to see how it behaves over time. After a year that bar of soap goes into a box with other 'sample' bars once I've updated my soap notes. With the pandemic going on and working 6 days a week at the hospital some weeks, I haven't had time to make soap in months. That combined with the fact that the last festival I attended before Mardi Gras I sold out of a lot of my soaps meant that for the first time in years I'm actually running out of soap!! So out comes the old sample box to the rescue.
A couple of days ago the new bar of soap in the shower was scented with Belle Morte FO from Daystar and I was beyond shocked that it still smelled amazing! Especially considering that this was a subtle scent to begin with AND it's one of those sleeper scents that disappears after soaping and blooms during cure. I forgot how much I really like this scent and even my husband was like "This smells really good." I had to go look up when I made this soap and was shocked again that it was made 07/19/2014 - yes indeed this soap was made almost 6 years ago and still smells great!!
I don't know how to describe this scent. It's delicate, dry, and crisp all at the same time. Very ethereal for lack of a better word to describe a scent.
Anyway I just bought a big bottle of this for when I can get back to soapmaking and wanted to share for those of you who are looking for FO's with great scent retention - @math ace I'm looking at you!
http://www.daystarsupplies.com/fo-regular-2.htm#BELLEMORTE

 

[cerelife]

Forgot to add that per my soap notes from 2014 (I'm still just flabbergasted by this, lol!), I used 1oz of FO ppo and there was no A/D.

 

[Susie]

Thank you for your service down there! I know your area was super hard hit by Co-vid 19! Just know that y'all have been in my thoughts and prayers!

 

[math ace]

Like most of y'all, the first time I use a new scent I keep a bar aside to see how it behaves over time. After a year that bar of soap goes into a box with other 'sample' bars once I've updated my soap notes. With the pandemic going on and working 6 days a week at the hospital some weeks, I haven't had time to make soap in months. That combined with the fact that the last festival I attended before Mardi Gras I sold out of a lot of my soaps meant that for the first time in years I'm actually running out of soap!! So out comes the old sample box to the rescue.
A couple of days ago the new bar of soap in the shower was scented with Belle Morte FO from Daystar and I was beyond shocked that it still smelled amazing! Especially considering that this was a subtle scent to begin with AND it's one of those sleeper scents that disappears after soaping and blooms during cure. I forgot how much I really like this scent and even my husband was like "This smells really good." I had to go look up when I made this soap and was shocked again that it was made 07/19/2014 - yes indeed this soap was made almost 6 years ago and still smells great!!
I don't know how to describe this scent. It's delicate, dry, and crisp all at the same time. Very ethereal for lack of a better word to describe a scent.
Anyway I just bought a big bottle of this for when I can get back to soapmaking and wanted to share for those of you who are looking for FO's with great scent retention - @math ace I'm looking at you!
http://www.daystarsupplies.com/fo-regular-2.htm#BELLEMORTE

Lol... Thanks for watching out for me! Lordy, you are gonna force me to try another vendor!

I'll add Belle Morte FO from Daystar to our list of long lasting FO thread.

 

[math ace]

Since it looks like I'm going to be trying Daystar for the first time,
Is there another fragrance or two that you'd recommend I Toss in the shopping cart with the Belle Morte FO ?

I checked the long last FO thread and found these recommendations:
Daystar
Milk Sugar Kisses
Paradise
Salty Sailor
Woods and Bitter Coffee
Toffee Sugar Crunch

 

[math ace]

@cerelife,

Girl, you are killing me! I went to Daystar's website, but I don't see the IFRA information. Do I have to email her to get it or is there a tab on the web site that I am not seeing?

 

[cerelife]

@math ace, I think Stacy is old-school like a bunch of us. 1oz ppo was the max recommended rate for most FOs in soap, and you just played around to see if you actually needed that much. I've used her FOs for years at this amount without any problems, but you can call or email her to get the IFRA information - she's a total sweetheart and will help you in any way possible!
Per your shopping cart, the ones I can't live without are Milk Sugar Kisses (on its own or blended with Daystar Brown Sugar FO for a Praline soap and in IL's absolutely divine OMH blend - I adore this FO!!), Woods and Bitter Coffee (LOVE this one!!), and Salty Sailor. I'm kind of meh about Paradise but lots of people love it and it sells well; it just smells chemically to my nose. Same with Toffee Sugar Crunch. I don't love it but it's a popular scent and sells well.
Salty Sailor can be difficult to work with but it's doable and I always sell out of this soap at festivals even though I make multiple batches. I actually prefer the Ahoy, Matey FO since to my nose it's a richer, more complex version of Salty Sailor (and behaves better in CP), but it used to be almost twice the price. Stacy has lowered the price on this one so I would recommend adding it to your order to compare. I keep a few pounds of Milk Sugar Kisses, Woods and Bitter Coffee, and Salty Sailor on hand at all times. But when I ordered Belle Morte and saw the price on Ahoy, Matey I bought a couple of pounds of it as well!

 

[math ace]

Thanks cerelife!

I noticed that milk sugar kisses contains DEP. How many people / customers do you have (percentage wise) that ask you about DEP in your soaps? Is this a big factor for the average customer?

Remember, I only got into soap making as a fluke...I wanted good smelling soap that my sister with supersensitive skin could use. I've got no dog in the fight other than great long lasting fight and friendly to sensitive skin.

 

[cerelife]

That's an easy answer! Not one single person has ever asked me anything at all about DEP or phalates in general.
That said: I've worked in healthcare for 20 years and would never intentionally use a product in my soaps/lotions, etc. that I felt was harmful. My understanding is that the amount of DEP in fragrance oils is negligible.
I realize some people may not agree with me but I personally have no issue using FOs with DEP. But it's a personal choice and I certainly have no problem with people who choose to avoid them.

 

[lucycat]

I use the Blood Orange and Patchouli and like a lot. If she has Hunter's Moon (been out for a long while) then it is an excellent masculine fragrance.

 

[math ace]

Thanks Lucycat! Blood orange and patchouli does sound interesting. I'm picturing a brighter dragons blood type of scent.. Does that sound right? Or is it more along the lines of hippie chick from RE?

 

[lucycat]

It is more of deep orange compared to a sweet juicy one. I amplify the earthy and blend it 4:1 with more patchouli. It has ended up selling better than my straight patchouli EO soap. I don't use dragons blood or hippie chick but yes, that direction. I don't think of it having other spice notes in it and I do like to blend it with other oranges just to get that deepness. I also think it retains scent fairly well. I definitely sell it when 6 months old.