When you get the recommended usage rate for a FO, say 3.6%, would that usage rate be on the total weight of the base oils or the total weight of the base oils including lye+water (initial batch weight). Common sense tells me to use the total weight of the OILS, which is what I did yesterday in my very first batch of soaps. I guess I will find out, but just wondered what folks out there think is the right way to go about this. There is conflicting information about this on-line.
Usage Rate
- Thread starter DonS
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Carly B
Well-Known Member
Usually fragrance amounts are calculated just on the weight of the oils.
Thank you. I did it right!
LilyJo
Well-Known Member
Don't forget that no matter what the IFRA recommendation is, if you are selling you will need to comply with your CSPR which can state a range of 0.5% - 3% depending in fragrance.
Thank you! I am not selling, and this is just a hobby for me. I might give away some, but definitely not selling.
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amd
Looks like you're in the US, in which case you won't need to worry about the CSPR mentioned by LilyJo - I believe that's an EU regulations that she's referencing.
I calculate mine to be 3% of the total batch weight (that's how my calculator gives me percentages is based on the total batch weight), for a 5-6% usage rate FO. It typically comes out to 1 ounce PPO. Either way, I figure I'm in a safe usage rate for either calculation.
I calculate mine to be 3% of the total batch weight (that's how my calculator gives me percentages is based on the total batch weight), for a 5-6% usage rate FO. It typically comes out to 1 ounce PPO. Either way, I figure I'm in a safe usage rate for either calculation.
IFRA guidelines are on total weight of product when it is received by the consumer. If you want to use total weight of product to calculate scent for bar soap, you have to estimate the final weight of the soap when it's in the consumer's hands and that can be difficult. For example, a bar of soap that weighs 150 grams when cut might only weigh 130-135 grams at the time it's packaged after curing for a month or two.
For this reason, handcrafted-soap makers often base measurements on "ppo" instead because the amount of fat in soap is a constant.
For this reason, handcrafted-soap makers often base measurements on "ppo" instead because the amount of fat in soap is a constant.
I base mine on ppo. I fragrance at 6% generally.
...which makes total sense. In other words, base the usage rate upon what will be in the actual product. This means sans most of the water. Since water content can be rather difficult to estimate by the time the cure is done, and is environmentally dependent as well, it would be best to base the usage rates off of the oil weight total and NOT batch weight total (batch weight being what you START with, not END with.)
Yeah, that seems to be the general across the board rate for WSP. I like to hold it to 1 oz per ppo (assuming PPO means per POUND) as a max, which often will match the rate of 5 to 6% I typically see. I just don't want to sit there with a pipette to drop drop drop drop the scent in. If the usage rate is less, then I will use that rate instead of the 1 oz per ppo, as there is now a written reason for not using 1 oz per ppo in that case (safety?).
Yep, some fragrances are not skin safe at a 5-6% dosage rate. Gotta look at the documentation for each FO to make sure.
I don't buy fragrances with IFRA recommendations that are lower than about 5%. I was looking at one tonight that was 3.6%. It sounded like a nice FO, but I passed on it and bought ones with higher IFRA limits.
I don't buy fragrances with IFRA recommendations that are lower than about 5%. I was looking at one tonight that was 3.6%. It sounded like a nice FO, but I passed on it and bought ones with higher IFRA limits.
