Spearmint EO experiences

[Ant]

When I visited MO a few months ago, I purchased a tallow bar of soap scented with spearmint eucalyptus from a local butcher shop. Smelled amazing, made the whole large bathroom smell like spearmint gum.

I assumed it was EOs that was used but now I'm wondering if it was a FO. I bought a big bottle of spearmint eo from BB. Looked at the usage rate and the maximum, using their fragrance calculator, was 1.5 ozs for 50 ozs of soap. Normally I'm using 2.5 ozs to 3 ozs for 50ozs.

So my question is, for those who have used just spearmint eo, would 1.5 ozs be enough to scent it strongly? Worried that it won't smell like anything after the cure at that rate.

Wishing I got the FO for WSP.

 

[sarahmarah]

I’ve only used the Eucalyptus Spearmint EO/FO from WSP and it is eyewateringly strong. It’s like really in your face gum smell. I wish I liked it!

 

[dibbles]

According to EOcalc you can safely use 2.5 oz for 50 ounces of soap. I don’t think there would be anything different about BBS spearmint EO from others. In my limited experience with it, I find spearmint to be very strong.

 

[Ant]

I’ve only used the Eucalyptus Spearmint EO/FO from WSP and it is eyewateringly strong. It’s like really in your face gum smell. I wish I liked it!

Which blend was it, 608 or 101 of WSP?
Did you ever end up trying it in soap, was it too strong in the soap?

According to EOcalc you can safely use 2.5 oz for 50 ounces of soap.

I wonder why brambleberry is listing that amount. Didn't think to check a different source.

Does spearmint cause a cooling sensation like some of the other mints?

 

[sarahmarah]

Which blend was it, 608 or 101 of WSP?
Did you ever end up trying it in soap, was it too strong in the soap?

The 608. I put it in a soap about 2 weeks ago at 6% and it’s pretty strong. I should have used a bit less. I’m not sure what the cure will do but I can’t imagine it fading past distinction. It’s Wrigleys gum.

 

[dibbles]

@Ant, I haven't used it too much so I'm not too sure, but not that I've noticed. Peppermint contains a lot more menthol than spearmint does, which is what I think causes the cooling/tingling sensation.

 

[Ant]

It’s Wrigleys gum

Pretty much the scent I was looking for. So would you say 4% instead of 6%? Eye watering isn't usually a good thing lol

I haven't used it too much so I'm not too sure, but not that I've noticed.

Good to know. Ive used some peppermint products and that will make a tingle. I've tried some of BB menthol crystals at I think 1% and it tingled very slightly but had to leave the later on the skin to notice.. The smell was overpowering at first (used it with BB blueberry thyme FO) but now after 6 month cure its faded a lot. Thanks again for replying with the eocalc. Didnt know about that resource.

 

[Becky1024]

Spearmint EO is very strong. I stay well under the IFRA limit and my soaps still have a a strong minty scent.

 

[sarahmarah]

Pretty much the scent I was looking for. So would you say 4% instead of 6%? Eye watering isn't usually a good thing lol

I think I’m probably a little sensitive to spearmint but I would imagine 4-5% being ok. Could be a preference thing.

 

[lucycat]

No, Spearmint doesn't cause the tingle that Peppermint does. I blend Peppermint 2 to Spearmint 1 so that I can reduce the amount of peppermint and reduce the tingle. Spearmint is sweeter and I think that causes it to be a nice fit in blends with woody EO's such as cedar and rosemary.

Spearmint EO is strong but I do think it fades more than peppermint EO. I usually use 5% total blend amount when spearmint is the dominant scent.

As much as I like spearmint I find a lot of customers prefer peppermint and think of spearmint only as gum. I suspect it would be a slow sell to scent straight spearmint in a soap.

 

[Jennifer Chambliss]

When I visited MO a few months ago, I purchased a tallow bar of soap scented with spearmint eucalyptus from a local butcher shop. Smelled amazing, made the whole large bathroom smell like spearmint gum.

I assumed it was EOs that was used but now I'm wondering if it was a FO. I bought a big bottle of spearmint eo from BB. Looked at the usage rate and the maximum, using their fragrance calculator, was 1.5 ozs for 50 ozs of soap. Normally I'm using 2.5 ozs to 3 ozs for 50ozs.

So my question is, for those who have used just spearmint eo, would 1.5 ozs be enough to scent it strongly? Worried that it won't smell like anything after the cure at that rate.

Wishing I got the FO for WSP.

I currently make a cp Spearmint soap. I did not realize it was not recommended and can not find out why. It is my best seller. I use it at 86-90 grams in a 1447.48 total batch.

 

[lucycat]

The not recommended is because of the IFRA49 limits. The limits under IFRA48 when this thread was active were much higher. If you use eocal.com for your blends you will see that even 5g of spearmint in a 1447g oil batch shows higher than the current IFRA limits on spearmint EO.

Like you I never had issues with spearmint and love it but won't sell it with the current limitations.

 

[dibbles]

I currently make a cp Spearmint soap. I did not realize it was not recommended and can not find out why. It is my best seller. I use it at 86-90 grams in a 1447.48 total batch.

The IFRA usage rates changed, and now the safe usage rate is extremely low. At .2% (the current safe usage rate) in a batch of 1000 g oils you could only use 2 grams to be within the IFRA guidelines.

 

[Marie_with_an_e]

Does anyone know why the usage rates for spearmint dropped, or have a link to the studies the IFRA used to determine that spearmint is somehow dangerous now?