Struggling with FO Purchases

[BritS]

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading reviews and trying to find scents that I want to use consistently. This has led me to spend a good bit of money on FO, most of which I don’t end up liking.

What do you do with scents that you don’t like? Was it an arduous process to find companies that carried FOs that you like at a reasonable price?

 

[lsg]

You can buy one ounce sizes of fragrance oils for a reasonable price from Nature's Garden. This will give you an idea of what you like without spending a lot of money on a FO that you don't want to use again.

 

[LynetteO]

This is where I read how fragrances behaved for others & more. It helped me to purchase fragrances that “stick”.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/fo-and-eo-important-threads.84453/post-899072

 

[BritS]

You can buy one ounce sizes of fragrance oils for a reasonable price from Nature's Garden. This will give you an idea of what you like without spending a lot of money on a FO that you don't want to use again.

That might be what I have to do. Some companies only offer 1/3oz samples trial sizes, which isn't enough to make a full batch on my smallest mold at 3%.

What are some of your favorite FOs from them?

 

[mx5inpenn]

Nurture and Micas and More also offer 1 oz samples. They both give good descriptions and tell you how they perform in soap. I use Nature's Garden for a couple scents still, but they were my go to when I first started just because there were so many.

Everyone likes different things. I like sweet or fruity scents, so vanilla bean (I get mine from nature's garden) and citrus (burst of energy from m&m is my favorite).

 

[TheGecko]

It is always best to purchase Trial or 1 oz bottles. I have purchased from BrambleBerry, Nurture Soap, Shay and Company, Rustic Escentuals, Elements Bath & Body and from stashes. Shipping is high for the last two and Shay is local to me so I don't know what they charge. BB and Nurture have a great selection, BB's shipping is reasonable for me at least (I'm on the same coast) and Nurture offers free shipping over $30.

I have a couple of 4" Square Silicone Molds (20 oz) that I use for testing (totally worth the extra money) and have used some of the smaller bottles with success because it isn't just about having a strong scent, but scent retention (along with discoloration, ricing, acceleration, etc).

My problem is that I have a ton of 1oz and 2oz bottles in my quest to find my scents. But that's okay, I'm working my way through them.

 

[BritS]

It is always best to purchase Trial or 1 oz bottles. I have purchased from BrambleBerry, Nurture Soap, Shay and Company, Rustic Escentuals, Elements Bath & Body and from stashes. Shipping is high for the last two and Shay is local to me so I don't know what they charge. BB and Nurture have a great selection, BB's shipping is reasonable for me at least (I'm on the same coast) and Nurture offers free shipping over $30.

I have a couple of 4" Square Silicone Molds (20 oz) that I use for testing (totally worth the extra money) and have used some of the smaller bottles with success because it isn't just about having a strong scent, but scent retention (along with discoloration, ricing, acceleration, etc).

My problem is that I have a ton of 1oz and 2oz bottles in my quest to find my scents. But that's okay, I'm working my way through them.

Agreed. I also have a 20oz mold. That’s where I try to do some of my testing. I like quite a few FOs from Wooden Wick (Makesy), but the prices are dreadful on some of them. BrambleBerry also has some great ones, but I’m on the east coast, which makes shipping awful sometimes.

I’ll check out some of the other companies that have been suggested. I tend to like scents that invoke deep florals in an exotic tone but with something woody at the end. Then again, I bought lemongrass EO and fell in love with that, too, and I don’t normally care for citrus.

 

[dibbles]

Fragrance Buddy is another company that has 1 oz. samples. The prices and shipping costs are reasonable. I've had good luck for the most part with the FOs I've ordered from there, and there are a couple of threads from a few years ago when a couple of members were testing a lot of the FB fragrances if you do a search.

Nurture Soap is my favorite. Majestic Mountain Sage also has very high quality FOs - they are higher in price though.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Some companies only offer 1/3oz samples trial sizes, which isn't enough to make a full batch on my smallest mold at 3%.

I buy 6 FO samples at a time and test them all at once using a 6-cavity round silicone mold, 1 scent for each cavity. 1/3 oz sample size is good and saves investing $$$ in fragrances that you don't like.

TESTING EOs/FOs & COLORANTS

Majestic Mountain Sage is known for high quality fragrances, i.e., EOs, FOs and Flavor Oils for lip balm. They have been around since "forever" and are on their second generation of ownership. Be sure to choose USPS Priority Mail ($8) for shipping. The checkout defaults to UPS Ground ($16)

I find their recommendations for fragrance rates to be spot on, no matter what bath & body product I make.

MMS Fragrance Calc

ETA: Search "MMS" for reviews about their FOs. Be sure to tick the "Search Titles Only" button.

Since you are in Florida, you may want to check out

Camden-Grey Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils

Located in Ft Myers and Doral. I haven't shopped there in ages due to the cost of shipping from FL to CO but I always liked their products and customer service. It might be worth a look?

ETA: Set the "Sort" Option at the top to "Best Selling".

They have a $35 order minimum. Just for fun, I entered 6 FOs, 2 oz. from the Best Sellers list. I was pleasantly surprised at the cost -- $5-$8 each.
2 fl. oz. = 59 mls. Use 3 mls for testing; enough leftover for a 30 oz. oils batch.

See PDF attached for shipping from FL to CO and Total amount of order.

 

[BritS]

Thank you for the help, everyone! The tips are going to help me so much.

 

[AliOop]

Since you are in Florida, you may want to check out

Camden-Grey Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils

Located in Ft Myers and Doral. I haven't shopped there in ages due to the cost of shipping from FL to CO but I always liked their products and customer service. It might be worth a look?

ETA: Set the "Sort" Option at the top to "Best Selling".

They have a $35 order minimum. Just for fun, I entered 6 FOs, 2 oz. from the Best Sellers list. I was pleasantly surprised at the cost -- $5-$8 each.
2 fl. oz. = 59 mls. Use 3 mls for testing; enough leftover for a 30 oz. oils batch.

See PDF attached for shipping from FL to CO and Total amount of order.

I second this. I love Camden Grey - great quality oils, and they often run specials with free shipping over a certain amount (not hard to do), or significant discounts.

 

[Pseal]

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading reviews and trying to find scents that I want to use consistently. This has led me to spend a good bit of money on FO, most of which I don’t end up liking.

What do you do with scents that you don’t like? Was it an arduous process to find companies that carried FOs that you like at a reasonable price?

The Flaming Candle has great FO & have 1 ounce bottles. They are in FL. Candle Science in NC have 1 ounce bottles. I buy a lot of my fragrance oils from Natures Garden, they offer 1 ounce bottles

 

[lucycat]

I think it is a lot easier to pick sweet fragrances or woody fragrances. Deep florals are difficult, and probably the definition differs between people. Consider becoming more familiar with fragrance notes in commercial products, such as Bath and body works and how they are described. It may help you when reading scent descriptions of fragrance oils. Fragrance oil companies carry a large variety but they follow current trends. So, finding a commercial product you like may lead you to something similar by a fragrance company.

 

[chigirl]

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading reviews and trying to find scents that I want to use consistently. This has led me to spend a good bit of money on FO, most of which I don’t end up liking.

What do you do with scents that you don’t like? Was it an arduous process to find companies that carried FOs that you like at a reasonable price?

I either put them on the free for the taking table at work or chuck them

 

[Vicki C]

I buy 6 FO samples at a time and test them all at once using a 6-cavity round silicone mold, 1 scent for each cavity. 1/3 oz sample size is good and saves investing $$$ in fragrances that you don't like.

TESTING EOs/FOs & COLORANTS

Majestic Mountain Sage is known for high quality fragrances, i.e., EOs, FOs and Flavor Oils for lip balm. They have been around since "forever" and are on their second generation of ownership. Be sure to choose USPS Priority Mail ($8) for shipping. The checkout defaults to UPS Ground ($16)

I find their recommendations for fragrance rates to be spot on, no matter what bath & body product I make.

MMS Fragrance Calc

ETA: Search "MMS" for reviews about their FOs. Be sure to tick the "Search Titles Only" button.

I recently did some similar FO testing - link with photos here Fragrance testing

 

[ArcticBanshee]

I know what you mean, about spending lots of $$ on FO’s. I will say this: many FO’s change.. not only when you put them in the soap, but as time goes by. What first makes me unhappy might suddenly change after a couple of weeks in m&p.

Also, personally, I have come to realize that it can take a few days for my sense of smell to “shake hands” with a new scent. This happens with perfume lol take a chance on as well.

Recently I purchased some product from another soaper. Lavender and Sage. At first all I could smell was the sage so it didn’t jazz me.

Then after 24 hours, my nose detected the lavender too and now I really like it.

 

[chigirl]

I know what you mean, about spending lots of $$ on FO’s. I will say this: many FO’s change.. not only when you put them in the soap, but as time goes by. What first makes me unhappy might suddenly change after a couple of weeks in m&p.

Also, personally, I have come to realize that it can take a few days for my sense of smell to “shake hands” with a new scent. This happens with perfume lol take a chance on as well.

Recently I purchased some product from another soaper. Lavender and Sage. At first all I could smell was the sage so it didn’t jazz me.

Then after 24 hours, my nose detected the lavender too and now I really like it.

I so agree with you!! I am pretty new to this and my recent love of WSP’s Cupcake scent went over with friends like dynamite so I made several products with that scent. It’s very different with each product. Even from one body butter to another variety of butter (different oils) it changes. All good but different.

 

[ArcticBanshee]

I so agree with you!! I am pretty new to this and my recent love of WSP’s Cupcake scent went over with friends like dynamite so I made several products with that scent. It’s very different with each product. Even from one body butter to another variety of butter (different oils) it changes. All good but different.

Wow I did not even think of the possibility of it changing between products, but I absolutely believe you! Also, I think that depending on where you ship your product to (if you sell online), it can further change when it is used in a different environment.

I used to live in the south of the U.S. Now I live in the desert southwest and things do not smell the same to me. In the south, scents were a lot stronger and longer lasting. To me, anyway.

 

[BritS]

I so agree with you!! I am pretty new to this and my recent love of WSP’s Cupcake scent went over with friends like dynamite so I made several products with that scent. It’s very different with each product. Even from one body butter to another variety of butter (different oils) it changes. All good but different.

I would have to say this is the next most difficult part. OOB you may think it’s horrid, but put it in soap and it’s gorgeous. On the other hand, put it in a lotion or candle abs suddenly it’s different again. I’m testing a few candles, and I’m curious as to how those same FOs would do in soap, bath bombs, or shampoo bars, but I only ordered 1oz bottles. To my surprise, the ones in the candles weren’t my favorite, but the cold throw smells wonderful in these candles.

 

[math ace]

I de-stash my fragrances that either I don't like or don't do well and CP on the destash Facebook groups.

What doesn't do well for me and CP, can do well for others and lotions bath bombs candles freshies etc if it's a case of I just don't like the smell then to each their own. For example I don't like oatmeal, milk and honey; however a lot of people do. I don't like patchouli, however a lot of people do I'm not a big sandalwood fan, but other people are.