Well behaving EO/FO in LS

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lilyandlove

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I've been making unscented, uncolored LS.
I'd like to venture into adding some scent into them.
What are some EO/FO's that behave well in LS? I've read that lavender EO can be tricky.
I don't know why I'm so nervous about adding scent to them! I use EO/FO's in CP soap all the time lol.
Any help would be much appreciated!
 
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Hi Lily,

The short answer is, it depends! There are as many ways to make LS as there are LS-ers! Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to your question.

For example, my basic (Dr. Bronner type) LS formula is 50/50 coconut oil/liquid oil(s); Water (no glycerin) to make the KOH solution; 40% soap to 60% dilution water. When bottling up, I use 2.5 ml EO or FO per (warmed) 8 oz LS, generally with no problem. If the fragrance forms an oil slick on top, I add Polysorbate 80 at a rate of 1-3 teaspoons, stirring for 1 full minute after each addition until it incorporates.

So, the best advice I can offer you is that you test your fragrance in a bit of (warmed) diluted LS to see if it incorporates or not. Keep good notes.

PS: I use MMS Fragrance Calc to determine the amount of fragrance recommended for the size batch I'm scenting. Here' a link:

https://www.thesage.com/calcs/FragCalc.html
HTH
 
I agree with Zany- it depends. So far, I've had very good results with all of the FOs I used, but then again, I always mixed my FOs with PS80 as a given before adding them to my finished LS.


IrishLass :)
 
I add eo or fo after I bottle the soap. Its the laziest method I know. I don't make a lot of ls, but so far only one fo didn't mix in well, wsp's pink grapefruit. It left a layer of fuzzy looking soap on the top. Probably not too skin safe to use it at that point so I'll try Zany's method with polysorbate 80.
 
I also agree that it depends. Some EOs I've used haven't had a noticeable effect on the consistency of the diluted soap, but others have. For instance, lately I've been loving an EO blend of 80% lavender and 20% dark patchouli, but this blend will cause the diluted soap to thicken up so I'll have to add a few extra grams of water to slightly thin it out again. The result is a nice honey-like consistency, so the effect works in my favor. Results like that, however, may vary depending on the base LS recipe.

One thing I noticed early on is that LS using some citrus EOs dried my hands out. Soap from the same batch left unscented was just fine. So now I prefer to stay away from citrus, but it could be a personal issue. I've also never used Polysorbate and have had no issues with EOs separating out, but I also dilute relatively small batches at a time as we need it and it's just for home use (therefore not sitting around for multiple months before being used).
 
I’ve made LS for several years just for us, too. Just now getting around adding scent as well. I dilute up to 8 oz in a canning jar to use in a foam pump. I get tired of the same scent all the time and like to change it up when I refill the bottle.
 

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