Well behaving EO/FO in LS

[lilyandlove]

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!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

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

 

[IrishLass]

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

 

[lenarenee]

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.

 

[HowieRoll]

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).

 

[lilyandlove]

Thank you everyone for your input!!!!

 

[cjisler]

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.