White Tea & Ginger FO from Fragrance Buddy

[SoapSisters]

I purchased White Tea & Ginger FO from Fragrance Buddy this past summer when I was in the USA, based on enthusiastic recommendations here on the forum. And I love it! And my friends and family love it! It's fresh and unisex and lovely!

The issue: I recently logged onto the FB site to check usage rates because I wanted to use the FO in conditioner bars. I was very surprised to find that the max rate for soap is 0.72%! I feel certain I wouldn't have purchased it for use in CP soap if I had seen a usage rate of 0.72% when I purchased the FO this summer. (And I've since ordered another one – before I saw 0.72%. )

I reached out to the company to ask if the usage rate has changed since the summer of 2023. To their credit, they responded promptly, with the following response:

"Thank you for reaching out. The IFRA guidelines actually changed about a year or so ago. We had been working in that time on getting all of our information updated. When we updated to our new site, we were then able to show the updated IFRA. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused."

So I'm left wondering what I should do about this. Use 0.72% and hope I can smell it? Use it as the previous rate? (Does anyone remember what that is?) If I sold soap, I would absolutely adhere to the usage rates. But I'm a hobby soaper, so I feel I maybe have a bit more leeway. Your thoughts?

 

[katili]

Oh what a bummer! I personally wouldn't use it in soap with that low of a safe amount, I've never gone below 3% with any of my FOs and suspect at less than 1% it wouldn't survive saponification.

I don't know how the scents compare, but Cierra Candles and Soap carries a White Tea and Ginger rated for 6.5%, though it looks like their IFRA cert is from 2021 so maybe it's not so high based on the updated standards. They also have a White Tea and Verbena that is one of my favorite scents, yum. It is also very unisex IMO. edit: Oh, just saw you're not in the US anymore, I sadly don't know what their shipping is like out of country

 

[SoapSisters]

Oh what a bummer! I personally wouldn't use it in soap with that low of a safe amount, I've never gone below 3% with any of my FOs and suspect at less than 1% it wouldn't survive saponification.

I don't know how the scents compare, but Cierra Candles and Soap carries a White Tea and Ginger rated for 6.5%, though it looks like their IFRA cert is from 2021 so maybe it's not so high based on the updated standards. They also have a White Tea and Verbena that is one of my favorite scents, yum. It is also very unisex IMO. edit: Oh, just saw you're not in the US anymore, I sadly don't know what their shipping is like out of country

Thanks so much for your suggestions! I'm not in the US, but I can order sometimes and ask my parents to ship to me. So I may be able to check these FOs out in the future.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Brambleberry‘s calculator is still showing White Tea & Ginger with 6% as safe usage, based on IFRA 49th. FB’s WT&G and the one from Brambleberry are very similar to my nose.

 

[dmcgee5034]

I don’t know if I’d go over the usage rate, even if it’s just for me. Am I too concerned? I see that as a question in your post, wondering what others think?
I’d use it for candles, if I had it.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'd go over it if it was for me, and even for friends if i told them that it was over, and they agreed to use it anyway. But I would not sell it.

 

[dibbles]

I love that FO, and it is one of the few I try to always have available. The last time I ordered it I guess the new IFRA rates weren’t listed and I am a little disappointed that they weren’t updated in a reasonable time. I’m pretty sure the last time I ordered it was well past the new rates were in effect. That said (I do not sell) I have used it at 5% for years with no problems and will probably continue to do so until it is gone. After that I will look at other options.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I’m guessing that it’s very tempting for a supplier to drag their feet on updating to the latest IFRA standards. I’m also starting to wonder if any of the FOs I like will be around in another year

 

[paradisi]

The standards give two years from publish date to date the standard will take effect, for finished product to be sold through. (And a year for new formulations.) Read any of the standards, they all give the dates.

Which ought to give a little comfort; if they really thought a material was dangerous, they'd have the standards take effect immediately.

 

[SoapSisters]

I love that FO, and it is one of the few I try to always have available. The last time I ordered it I guess the new IFRA rates weren’t listed and I am a little disappointed that they weren’t updated in a reasonable time. I’m pretty sure the last time I ordered it was well past the new rates were in effect. That said (I do not sell) I have used it at 5% for years with no problems and will probably continue to do so until it is gone. After that I will look at other options.

Thank you for this. I'll probably do the same, or maybe lower my usage rate to 4%. I'm disappointed too. I discovered the new rate as I am literally waiting for a new bottle to arrive. A 16 oz bottle!

I'll also take @KiwiMoose 's suggestion and just tell people.

 

[SoapSisters]

The standards give two years from publish date to date the standard will take effect, for finished product to be sold through. (And a year for new formulations.) Read any of the standards, they all give the dates.

Which ought to give a little comfort; if they really thought a material was dangerous, they'd have the standards take effect immediately.

This gives me a lot of perspective and comfort! Thanks so much for this!

 

[melinda48]

I purchased White Tea & Ginger FO from Fragrance Buddy this past summer when I was in the USA, based on enthusiastic recommendations here on the forum. And I love it! And my friends and family love it! It's fresh and unisex and lovely!

The issue: I recently logged onto the FB site to check usage rates because I wanted to use the FO in conditioner bars. I was very surprised to find that the max rate for soap is 0.72%! I feel certain I wouldn't have purchased it for use in CP soap if I had seen a usage rate of 0.72% when I purchased the FO this summer. (And I've since ordered another one – before I saw 0.72%. )

View attachment 76132

I reached out to the company to ask if the usage rate has changed since the summer of 2023. To their credit, they responded promptly, with the following response:

"Thank you for reaching out. The IFRA guidelines actually changed about a year or so ago. We had been working in that time on getting all of our information updated. When we updated to our new site, we were then able to show the updated IFRA. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused."

So I'm left wondering what I should do about this. Use 0.72% and hope I can smell it? Use it as the previous rate? (Does anyone remember what that is?) If I sold soap, I would absolutely adhere to the usage rates. But I'm a hobby soaper, so I feel I maybe have a bit more leeway. Your thoughts?

I would definitely try it in a small batch and see how it goes. It seems silly to me to assume it won’t be good until I try it.

 

[paradisi]

Further, that product that's sold on that last day stays in consumers' cabinets for however long; IFRA are not telling people those items are unsafe to continue using, or asking for recalls based on old fragrance levels.

IFRA standards are to make an already safe product (fragranced cosmetics) a bit safer going forward.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I only ever use 3% -3.5% of FO anyway. If it's not strong enough at that level I find an FO that is. And don't get me wrong - I like strong smelling soap.