Fragrance Oils & Descriptions

Just a few things I feel I need to keep track of.  This is "some" not all of the oils I have used, this list is never ending.  Many suppliers will discontinue a fragrance oil and I try to make sure I keep a hard copy of scent descriptions.  I have experienced many fragrances that I cannot find a description on.  So I feel that I should keep this blog going for a scent description.  It is so unnerving to have a fragrance and can't find the scent description anymore.  So this is basically what this blog is about.  I hope it can help someone else out too when they might have a scent they need to reference. 





Vanillian-
there is a big percentage of fragrance oils that contain a vanilla content. This cannot be avoided due to the make up of a certain scent. Most vanilla will darken or discolor a soap. There is absolutely nothing you can do about it. For example the Victoria Secrets Pink Sugar dupe will discolor to a really dark brown. You can’t change this in anyway. I use some of my soap batch and color it pink and swirl pink in with the soap blend. I do not scent the pink colored soap to give it some highlights and add some contrast to the soap. Please beware of this it happens more than not. So please inquire if this will discolor or not so you know what to expect. I did not take the time to explain this in the description.
*****************************************************************
Men’s Fragrance Oils-

Black Tie Affair-
fragrance begins with top notes of Kaffir lime, lemon, and ozonic notes; followed by middle notes of basil, black pepper, and cucumber; sitting on base notes of vetiver and spice. This is a very sexy scent. I have several 16 oz bottles in stock and love this scent. This is a Discontinued Fragrance Oil and I am extremely lucky to get a few bottles in stock.  
Blue Sugar(type)-compaired to the popular Aquolina Blue Sugar.
A Wonderful harmony of caramelized sugar and vanilla blended with heady notes of cedar and tonka bean. The heart of the fragrance is rich with energetic notes of licorice, patchouli, lavender, and coriander, freshened with crisp bergamot and mandarin, and finished with soothing notes of anise. Blue Sugar is a fragrance of contrasts - fun and effervescent, yet supremely masculine. Only one bottle in stock about  

Bay Rum-
Resinous bay leaves infused in the mellow woody smell of rum that has been aged and matured for months in wooden kegs. The quintessential cologne aftershave lotion scent, this fragrance is all about exotic spices - Allspice, Capers, Cloves, Nutmeg and mix with Crushed Orange, Crisp Pine Needles and just a touch of Patchouli and Vanilla to add a deep base note for staying power.

Barbershop 1920-
Heart notes of amber and rum with a light top note of musk and Bay make this irresistible! If you are a Bay Rum lover, you’ll be surprised at how this fragrance oil is clean and fresh. Beautiful!!

Madagascar Spice-
If you all love Oriental Seduction you will flip over Madagascar Spice. This delightful blend is all those exotic spices rounded out with a very smooth vanilla. I detect subtle notes of saffron, allspice, nutmeg, clove, and more. Men especially like this complex and spicy blend. Some have reported aphrodisiac effects on their significant other.  

Mayan Gold-
This luxurious fragrance is a mix of rare woods, spices and amber. It is considered an oriental fragrance with a very unique note: chocolate! This fragrance blend contains a large amount of essential oils (Sandalwood, Patchouli, Clary Sage, Vetiver, Mandarin, Lemon, Grapefruit, Neroli) along with synthetic notes of Vanilla, Chocolate and Musk.

Dragons Blood-
This smells just like the resin you'll find in New Age and health food stores. A soothing oriental blend of orange, rose, and carnation on a warm exotic dry down of patchouli and creamy vanilla. (Vanilla haters, take heart, you can't smell vanilla!)
Great Unisex scent.

Mambo for Men-
was created by Liz Claiborne in 2001. Mambo Cologne by Liz Claiborne is a zesty blend of bergamot, lime, sage, thyme, cinnamon leaf, cumin, cedarwood, patchouli, musks, sandalwood, and fir balsam. Very Very Sexy.

Earth Musk-
sensual and alluring clean scent. Earth Musk-this deep, hearty scent is comprised mainly of Amber and Vetivert. Good Unisex scent.   

Patchouli Dusk-
This fragrance is a straight Patchouli fragrance with the traditional deep, sensual, almost dirt-like aroma. Good Unisex scent. The cost of Patchouli has steeply gone up and this oil is now very expensive to buy. Just one ounce of this fragrance cost $6.40 for one ounce so this will be more of an expense to you. Well worth it if you love the scent of Patchouli.

Fresh Cut Grass-
Fresh, green, and summery. The scent of a newly mown lawn. Can be a Unisex scent.   
***********************************************************************

Various fragrances:
(these are not for sale)
Listing is what I have soaped or will soap.

Flannel Sheets-
fragrance oil is a fresh linen and clean cotton type that will leave you smiling. This scent has the beautiful aroma of fresh clothes just pulled from a sun drenched drying line and has been a consistent top seller for many years.

Flower Child-
Everyone digs this groovy scent! Patchouli, Sandalwood, Amber, Ylang Ylang, Musk, Violet, Cedarwood, and Vanilla notes round out this cool, far out fragrance. A hippy scent but a fun one!!

Welcome Home-
This is honestly one of the BEST scents we've ever smelled! Toasted graham crackers, vanilla frosting, creamy caramel, and juicy raisins. This scent is perfect all around.

Mandarin Twist-
A tangy mandarin orange and fruit blend with a Cabernet wine essence and undertones of designer perfume. This is NOT a tutti-frutti type scent. This fragrance is a very sensual, sophisticated scent. It is very unusual and alluring. It is an absolute MUST HAVE for your spring and summer soap.  

Honeysuckle & White Patchouli (type)- Victoria's Secret type 
a beautiful, soothing blend of fragrant Chinese honeysuckle and relaxing patchouli. This sophisticated feminine scent is absolutely divine in a warm and indulgent way.  

Of a Woman (FES)-
This wildly feminine fragrance is a sweet bouquet of lavender, wild jasmine, peony and wildflowers resting on a base of warm musk and exotic woody notes.

Black Raspberry & Vanilla-
A luscious blend of raspberries, strawberries, coconut lemon, peach and vanilla.     

Monkey Love-the best way to describe this scent is the candy called Runts. Which is just a blend of hard fruity candies. This fragrance oil is a banana scent and it is absolutely wonderful. It smells just like a banana runt candy. If you love bananas this is a scent you will love!!  

Butt Naked-
This fragrance is a fruity Pineapple fragrance with coconut notes. It has a sweet baked vanilla base note.  

Red Lipstick-
A sassy scent that lives up to its name! Notes of dark sweet cherry, violet, sweet coumarin, pink raspberry, light brown sugar, cotton candy, sensual musk, and a hint of French crème and tonka bean. This fragrance oil is sweet, sassy and fun!

Sandalwood Vanilla-
There's something about the smell of Vanilla that brings to mind the innocent pleasures of childhood. But there's nothing innocent about this fragrance! It's a sensuous assault on your senses! While the strong notes of Vanilla are as rich creamy as they should be, their purity is complimented by the sexy scent of West Indian Sandalwood. The end result is a fabulous, and rather intoxicating provocative blend. 

Calabrian Bergamot & Violet-
A fabulous hidden treasure from the heart of Tuscany! The lavish floral heart pairs sweet bergamot and delicate violet with no perfume undertones - it's a fresh, gentle breeze from a lush Italian oasis. The middle notes of sparkling citron and fresh pear are seated upon a delicate base of soft sandalwood. A beautiful soft undertone to round out the florals, I can blend with a hint of Vanilla Bean....really! 

Grannies Green Apples-
Just think of biting into a crisp, juicy Granny Smith apple. Sweet green apple with a touch of tart and peel. Smells just like the real thing!  

24 Carat-
Sparkling bergamot, orchid and rose dance on top of sandalwood and sensual amber in this warm, fuzzy fragrance.  

Aqua Floral-
No scent description available. I will describe it this way: I smell Pears, fruity, clean and fun. Not a bad scent. Would make a nice Summer fresh scent.

Creamsicle-
Warm vanilla blended with sparking fresh orange. A summer classic that smells fabulous all year round.

Applejack & Peel (Type): Claire Burke Type.
This smells just like the yummiest apple you have ever had the privilege of eating and then some. It has hot and spicy top notes of cinnamon and cloves rounding down to the mellow scent of red apples. Men love this one! It is especially popular during the fall and winter months when all anyone wants to do is cuddle up in front of the fire!

Cream Cheese Frosting-
Other sugar loving notes in this fragrance are freshly churned butter, buttercream, cream cheese and an intriguing finish note of butterscotch for a warm and smooth after-note.  
　
Oatmeal Milk & Honey-
Blended with utmost care, this is the perfect melding of three fabulous scents. Sweet and toasty, this is one soap that you'll want to take a bite out of! This is one of our absolutely best seller.  

Violet-
This is a great, delicate floral with no other top notes. Just a straight violet that smells like your English grandmother.  

Tropical Vacation-
A mix of mango, coconut and pineapple rolled into one sweet scent. Men and women both go crazy for this scent. It's one you won't want to miss! Has been
said it smells just like Bath and Body works "true blue" Tahiti Sweetie!  

Spellbound Woods-
Talk about a wonderfully sexy scent- this is it! Spellbound Woods is a blend of Amber, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Cedarwood and the barest hint of light floral on the dry down. Can be considered a Unisex scent.  

Chocolate Orange-
I love this scent. A nice true chocolate scent mixed with orange. The scent just reminds me of the holidays, but it is really perfect for any old day. It is truly mouth watering.  

Frosted Raspberry Clover Tea-
this is a special blend of Candy Cane and Raspberry Clover Tea. It smells strongly of the raspberry with a zing to it. Should be very refreshing in the shower.  

Amber Romance-One of the Victoria's Secret Garden Collection favorites! Another Victoria's Secret Temptation in a bottle! Sensual, seductive, alluring blend of smoky black cherry, Creme Anglaise, and sandalwood, with a smooth dry down of warming, sensual amber and an Egyptian Musk end note. The slightest hint of vanilla bean anchors the musk note to soften the impact and entice you to take another sniff! Beloved by both men and women! A sultry, mood-warming blend, with mildly aphrodisiac qualities. 

Badedas-
A bracing blend of "clean" from European spas. Badedas is a classic blend reserved for body washes in the spas of Germany, France, and Belgium. This scent is an upscale blend of fresh, invigorating leafy greens& florals, basil, citrus, amber, and musk. A brilliant, invigorating, and sparkling scent that will make you feel romantic throughout the evening. This is beautiful one of my favorite scents!!!!

Bayberry-traditional Christmas bayberry scent. "Sweet French Herbs" is also a name we might give it in soap or candle tarts.

Cashmere Mist (type)-Inspired by DKNY (Donna Karan, New York).
A refreshing, woody, arid scent blending fresh floral jasmine with sandalwood and vanilla. Very feminine! This is a hot process soap only due to complications with fragrance oil.  

Childhood-
Fashioned from a ritzy hand-blended boutique perfume. This fragrance is everything from childhood, and more! If you have children and have ever rested your chin on the top of their warm little heads and sniffed the sweet smell of a well-loved child, you have an idea of the nature of this scent. It is based on a bouquet of the most exotic, rare wild flowers background, with notes of caramel and musk on the dry down. It is indescribably innocent and naughty!  

Chocolate Nut Brownie-
This fabulous fragrance smells JUST like you are baking brownies with fresh nuts. The scent is so real that you can even taste the chocolate & nuts. Your neighbors will be dropping by to ask you for the recipe. This is a chocoholics delight!

Christmas Fantasy-
Smells like a combination of ribbon candy, spiced tea, a hint of cinnamon, and a flower shop at Christmas.  

Toasted Marshmallow-
A fragrance oil so true to its name! Imagine a marshmallow on a stick, just slightly toasted by the fire.

Coconut Cream Easter Egg-
We can't believe that there's actually a fragrance that captures the smell of a gooey centered, Cadbury egg....but there is! Mmm! Perfect at Easter and year 'round. Sweet scent but not sickly sweet.  

Crystal Blue Waters-
Imagine your own private getaway on a lush tropical isle of white sand and crystal blue waters. This scent will whisk you away to that place. The aroma is a fusion of fresh salty air, bouquets of exotic flowers, hints of citrus and sea kelp, and an undertone of white lily musk. Close your eyes and smell - you can dig your toes in the sand and feel the sea lapping gently on your feet. This is beautiful, and incredible, and quite honestly blew me away!   

Coconut Lime Verbena-
is a beautiful lime accord sat upon a gentle base of coconut and tart citrus notes. Wispy hints of lemon verbena tie it all together. Does not have a suntan-lotion note to be found! This is a deceptively formulated fragrance oil.

Crystal Blue Waters-
Imagine your own private getaway on a lush tropical isle of white sand and crystal blue waters. This scent will whisk you away to that place. The aroma is a fusion of fresh salty air, bouquets of exotic flowers, hints of citrus and sea kelp, and an undertone of white lily musk. Close your eyes and smell - you can dig your toes in the sand and feel the sea lapping gently on your feet. This is beautiful, and incredible, and quite honestly blew me away!  

Daydream-
No description available. From my point of view it is a woman’s scent. Fruity and Floral. I think it would make a superb soap. Feminine scent.

Gingerbread- A delicious, warm Gingerbread with notes of buttery vanilla, raisins, spices, and ginger.  

Imagine
Introduced in 2001 and later discontinued as a perfume on the market, this now hard-to-find fine fragrance will blow your mind! Top notes of sweet pineapple & bergamot leads to a soft floral blend of white cedar, passion fruit, peony, woody violet & night blooming jasmine. The dry down is a sweet balsam, rare amber, sandalwood & musk. This fragrance oil is expensive to buy due to the company could not find a supplier to buy from and they had to re-make the original perfume scent which is costly to do. Beautiful scent.

Interlude-
Do you love Theirry Mugler's Angel? This is the scent for you! Interlude is a dead on dupe - All the romance, love, and passion that is in the perfume is also in this Fragrance Oil. Notes of soft, sweet woods and florals balanced by citrus and tropical fruits underscored by patchouli. Powerful scent.

Pink Sugar-
The much-sought-after duplication of Pink Sugar, Aquolina's runaway hit perfume! Top notes of smooth Jamaican vanilla and caramel are chased by Bergamot, Sicilian Orange, Raspberry, Fig leaves, Licorice, Strawberry Candy, Barbe-a-Papa, and musk with a dry down of Lily of the Valley, rich woods, and delicate powder. This is a very complex fragrance, at once childlike, playful, and mischievous.... with a touch of irresistible romance.  

Sweet Amber Musk-
A deeply sensual and erotic scent, this is an emotional fragrance that invites you to sniff again and again. This oil smells EXPENSIVE! This scent smells to me a little more floral than just the Amber I have. Just a little more to it, to make it sexy. I love the womanly scent.

Yuzu-
is a Japanese citrus. Our version is traditional with wonderful sparkling overtones of grapefruit, citron, and a hint of mandarin orange.  

Apple Butter-
Just as the nane describes a really nice apple butter scent. Dead on dupe.
Must be hot processed when soap making.

Hot Cocoa-
I can smell the rich chocolate cocoa in this bottle. Hard to soap so this would be a hot process soap if my last resort.  

Brown Sugar-
just as it states smell dead on.  

Bergamot Rosewood-
Rich spices, warm earth and soothing woody tones combine for this enchanting blend. Orange and mandarin lift the heart of ginger, cinnamon and patchouli to create a sensual tone. Traces to geranium and jasmine add texture to the spiced blend, as a wood complex dramatizes the composition. Finishing touches of golden amber and soft vanilla bean complete the autumn sensation. Very nice scent I love Bergamot so this is such an nice rounded scent.

Vanilla Bean-
The yummiest vanilla fragrance oil you can imagine. Very popular fragrance! Rich and smooth, very warm. It does have a buttery scent and so rich.  

Water-
The clean, fresh scent of a cool mountain stream. A rich clean scent. I am so glad I took a chance on this fragrance. Well worth it.  

Woodstock '69-
The ultimate hippie fragrance blend! A rich, beautiful blend, with an earthy hint of patchouli and sweet smell of nag champa. I absolutely love this blend.  

White Linen-Estee Lauder dupe-
A classic and sophisticated perfume. Blend is comprised of citrus, peach and rose with jasmine and lily. This is definitely a feminine scent so pretty and just smells expensive. Worth trying!! Worth having!!  

Beautiful-
Another Estee Lauder type. Crisp citrus notes and plums with a base of mixed florals, including rose and jasmine. This is classic and womanly, not a "frilly" scent at all.  

Cherry Blossom-
A bright floral reminiscent of spring's first blossoms bathed in soft sunlight. Aromatic Notes: Smells like Cherry Blossom Flowers. Just a little on the sweet side.

Got Milk? (type)-
Just love at first sniff; this version of this fragrance can be easily one the best comforting fragrances in the market. This sophisticated milky fragrance is a wonderful combination of sweet and creamy fresh milk notes, wrapped in fluffy clouds of delicate powdery notes with a warm soft background of pristine florals and sweet buttery musks. All the nice sweet cream notes of the fragrance stay in the soap perfectly with no acceleration problems and discolors only to a creamy light tan.  

Lime Cooler-
this smells just like the life saves (green) lime candy. Identical!! It smells clean and refreshing and very nice lime scent. If you love fruity scents this one is for you!!    

White Chocolate Cherries-
this is a discontinued fragrance oil. If I were to give my opinion on this one I would say it is very sweet scented and smells more like Almonds which would be like the Jergens lotion that has that clean Almond scent. I have soaped this before and the soap turns a light tan but the scent is really nice.   

Banana Raspberry-
this is a discontinued fragrance oil. I love this fresh fruity scent. Both are strong in banana and raspberry. Great combination. This does rice in soap so this has to be a hot processed soap.   

Harvest Moon-
Top Notes: Orange Oil, Pumpkin, Accord. Middle Notes: Nectarine, Hay Accord, Nutmeg. Base Notes: Cinnamon, Clove, Vanilla.  
************************************************************************
Larger quantities of fragrance oils:

Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific-
first became available in the mid 1970's and it was an instant winner! The women loved it! Why? Because men loved the smell! No wonder people’s hair smelled so terrific! GYHST shampoo and conditioner were instant successes, especially because of the heavy TV advertising campaign that brought around a lot of fans for the products!

By the mid-1980's the products disappeared from the store shelves. Jergens had discontinued manufacturing the product. After that, the only place in the world where the items were still available was in the Philippines! Jergens had licensed the product to a manufacturer in the Philippines, and up until today the product has remained available for purchase there!
So, if you remember that wonderful, fragrant shampoo from back during your childhood, why not get some soap made, You won’t regret it!   

Verbena Berry-
Verbena is a lemon scent in case you did not know. Lemon and Berry scent is so pretty in soap. A clean fruity scent.  Discontinued
 
Lavender-
this is a fragrance oil and it is not like the essential oil scent or herbal scent. More of a sweeter Lavender. Very pretty mixed with Lemon.    Discontinued

Persimmon Fruit-
I know this doesn’t sound like something great but trust me when I soaped this is was a beautiful floral fruity scent. I liked it so much I bought two bottles.
Discontinued

Amber-
Reminiscent of the divine scent of ambergris, a sweet layered scent, with spicy, earthy rich undertones. This is a very nice fragrance to soap, and the smell is intoxicating  Discontinued

Voodoo Love-
"A unique, mysterious floral fragrance! Very clean and smooth. This one is said by many to smell just like a fresh cut yellow rose!" The rose scent is in the background. You can faintly smell it. This is a nice romantic floral scent. I was really surprised when I bought my first bottle and had to buy another one.
Discontinued

Pink-
again I had to buy more than one bottle of this fragrance, it is absolutely beautiful, romantic, feminine, fresh and clean. If the color of pink had a fragrance it would be this one.    Discontinued

Autumn Afternoon-
OMG what can I say this is another Discontinued scent you will only find here. This is a beautiful Fall scent it is fresh and it just smells oh so good. I had to buy 3 bottles of this one it was that good!!   

Honeysuckle Peach-
just as the name describes. It is so fresh and fruity and clean. What a great choice this was!!
Satin Sheets-
A OMG truly romantic, seductive blend. With base notes of white and dark chocolate, it smells almost edible! Other notes include violet, fresh jasmine, musk, blackberries, vanilla, and just a hint of fresh green top notes. Again this is a feminine scent so beautiful and makes the most wonderful smelling soap. I have stocked up on this one.  

Strawberries & Champagne (type)-a Victoria Secrets fragrance.
A popular fragrance from VS, this interpretation is dead on -- a fresh aquatic, yet lightly fruited strawberry, grapes, and sparkling wine in an base of aquatic accord. One of my favorites. Such a pretty womanly scent. A must have!!  

Dazzling Diamonds-
A soft yet crisp white flower scent with exotic ingredients like Amazon lily, Egyptian tuberose, Turkish rose and Italian orris. Patchouli, amber and sandalwood add a rich and sensual brilliance. Sophisticated and upscale smelling. A womanly scent you will love. I love this one very much!!   

Lemon Sugar & Candied Violets-
Amazing! This scent is gorgeous! It is true to it’s name! Hint of lemon sugar with sweet, sticky notes of candied violets. This scent has just a touch of perfume to give it an added “upscale” note. Beautiful for the summer months.
Discontinued


French Vanilla Crunch-
Delicious is the best way to describe this scent! Creamy, crunchy vanilla! So very vanilla with hints of yummy crunchy goodness! Does not soap well, but can be used in other products.  Discontinued


Pralines & Cream-
Toasted pecans, caramelized brown sugar, and vanilla! What more could you ask for? Delicious combination.  Discontinued

Woodland Orange Spice-
Deep blend of balsam, fresh orange peel, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Perfect for cool fall nights. Beautiful scent if you like a fall scent.  

Chanel No.5-
described as "the world's most legendary fragrance". Chanel No. 5 was the first fragrance from Parisian couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, and has been on sale continually since its introduction in 1921. It has been described as "the world's most legendary fragrance", and remains the company's most famous perfume.The company estimates that a bottle is sold worldwide every 55 seconds.  

Passionate Kisses (type)-Victoria SecretsA playful fragrance which is alluring, energetic, and fun. This fragrance begins with top notes of raspberry, blackberry, and fresh strawberries. Followed by mid notes of coconut milk and freshly picked roses. Ending in bottom notes of Egyptian vanilla and amber musk.   
Amazing Grace (type)-Philosophy dupe-You want a scent that makes you feel like a girl, ... Embrace your beauty, and express your femininity with amazing grace fragrance. Amazingly clean, beautifully feminine scent. ...An elusive clean,floral blend with notes of delicate flower blossoms including jasmine, violet and rose grounded in a very sensual but sheer musk. A very accurate dupe of the philosophy fragrance.

Karma Sutra Misbehavin’-A flirtatious, fruity, sexy fragrance. A tantalizing aroma of sweet juicy candied apples and pomegranate, with nuances of fresh ivy and oakmoss. This is another clean scent that is just right. Beautiful!!

Chance by Chanel-Chance (type)perfume inspired by Chanel ...
notes of white musk, hyacinth and citron, pink pepper, jasmine, fresh vetiver, orris absolute and amber patchouli. Although familiar, these raw materials are perceived in a completely original way, due to the unexpected accord, which gives the fragrance its unique character.

Understanding Soap and the Soap Maker

Hi to everyone who subscribed, or is new to my blog. I had to take time out to reflect on how I wanted to keep everyone updated and share some upcoming things. I haven't posted on my blog for a few months and I have to say I am sorry. Life is not easy as we hoped it would be. With so many twists and turns and ups and downs, a person can get lost in just getting through life. I don't want to be that person who gets lost in life.

With this said, I wanted to take a few minutes to educate those who do not know the ways of soap making. By doing so you can understand this is not a fast nor easy process to achieve. If you better understand how the whole process goes then you will understand the time it takes and what is involved in getting from point A to point B.

Saponification happens when lye and water meets the oils. As the two become mixed and blended a new process takes place. Your oil and water now become soap. It takes 24 hours for the process to be complete. Your soap will have harden and is ready to be removed from the mold and cut into bars.
Cold process soap making is the most creative way to make soap. The batch is liquid and can be divided up to make various colors and you can achieve just about any creative idea you want. This is the method I prefer. Cold process soap once poured into a mold, it sets up for 24 hours, then it is taken out of the mold, and cut into bars. Generally soap must cure out for 4-6 weeks. The longer it cures the harder the bar. Soap can be sold early in as short as one week, but you must know the curing will then depend on the buyer to let their soap harden off. There is no fast way around this. Curing is important so that all the water that was used to make the soap has time to evaporate out.

As soap makers know anything can go wrong in the soap making process. Most generally it will be the fragrance oil. And we don’t know until we use a particular fragrance if there will be a problem. You can get two problems if the fragrance oil is not compatible with your oil blend. This is called Ricing or Seizing. Ricing happens when your soap all of a sudden becomes like runny mashed potatoes. It will separate and look mushy. Seizing is when your batch of soap will harden within seconds of pouring the fragrance oil. Now with this said not all is lost. At least we have a way to save our oils and continue to make soap. This is not my preferred method but one that would have to be done so save the soap.  

Hot Processed is a method that many soap makers like. The nice thing about hot process is that while the soap cooks in the pot it is also evaporating out much of the water and the cure time is cut down to 2 weeks. The soap itself can be used immediately since the cure time is eliminated, but the soap will be soft some what and may not last as long. A general 2 week cure is all that is need to harden up the bar of soap, longer cure if you want which will make it last longer too.

The only problem I see with hot processed is that you have hardly any creative methods this way. I have about 4 crock pots and have divided up the soap to make various colors in each. The soap comes out like mashed potatoes and you literally have to glop it into the mold. Spoonful after spoonful is a glop here and there. So you can make some colored choices in this method, but the soap comes out more rustic looking than smooth and creamy as with the cold process method. When I make my hot processed soap I add in coconut milk. I love this in soap, it makes it creamy and when it goes on your skin it is creamy. Anytime I offer a hot processed soap please know that my fragrance oil was hard to work with. Either method that is used still has it’s own great qualities to the soap bar. But each will definitely look different. And I should mention that either way it is a matter of esthetics. Either one is and has it’s own qualities to it, I don’t think one is better over the other.
When buying fragrance oil as a soap maker it is really hard to judge what someone would like. We can only go by the description and yes I have made choices that I was not pleased with. Also I should add that due to the nature of oils, a soap maker cannot send back any fragrances they do not like. If the scent does not suit me then I am stuck with it. Not to say that others may not like it, most generally if I don’t like a fragrance I don’t soap it. I have successfully made little candle tarts and sold the fragrance that way. And there is some fragrances that sit in my cabinet that I have not figured out a use for as of yet.

It is a gamble on the part of the soap maker and we cross our fingers that we like the fragrance and also hoped to not have any trouble from the fragrance as well. I recently bought a fragrance called Honey Bee, it seized my soap quickly and within an hour I could take it out of the mold. It had this oriental smell to it and reminded me of the incense I smelled in Iraq. I had to throw the whole loaf away or lose my sanity if I had to keep smelling it. It was not for me I couldn’t take it.  I won’t soap it again. I cannot tell you how much money is spent on supplies for soap making. It might be easier to just go buy a bar of soap and be done. Let me explain:

I make soap because it is so much better for the skin. Soap makers use such wonderful oils, we have so many choices. And No the oils do not come cheap, I think for me the shipping is never fair either. We pay such high prices on shipping. I would love to be able to buy all my supplies locally, but that is not ever going to happen.
Each oil I use does have a quality all it’s own. So I use various oils for a face soap, or a organic soap, a baby soap and so forth. Each batch is thought about before making. What colors to use, will it just be an unscented bar or a fragranced bar? Also I should add that Essential Oils or Synergy Oils can be used too. Essential oils are natural oils made of plant matter such as Rose, Lavender, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Patchouli, and such to make a bar of soap with healing qualities. Essential Oils do not last as long as Fragrance Oils will, scent wise, but most people who prefer the Essential Oils will use up their soap quicker to retain the healing qualities. Not to say this is the standard for all Essential Oils.
Imbeds are a term we use when we make an extra molded item of soap to give our soaps a different look. Most popular is the glycerin soap called Melt & Pour. We melt down the soap in the microwave and color, scent and mold the soap for various looks. I make a Victoria Secrets dupe called Strawberries & Champagne, so I make little strawberry melt and pour imbeds to place on top of my soap loaf when molding. It just gives the soap another boost esthetically. The other method is using cold process soap to make the imbeds too. Which not all the time but sometimes it is tricky. Depending on your molds you use. This is one of the fun things to do for my soap, but again it takes time to get everything lined out and ready to do soaping. To me it is worth the effort.  

Also I need to bring up one thing when it comes to decorating soap.  I usually put cosmetic glitter on the tops of my soap just to add that extra sparkle.  Cosmetic glitter is made especially for the skin but in the case of using it for soap, I must tell you this will wash right off the soap when wet.  Now think about the bath tub and how this would be different, the glitter would be in the water on your first initial use and yes you may get it on the skin, but you can always do a quick rinse in the shower to make sure you get the glitter off.  Once it is washed off the bar it is gone.
Lets talk about the various ways to design soap. Most people can relate to a bar of soap. But there are other things we soap makers do to make soap fun. I can make a soap cake, and decorate it like a cake. I have been a cake decorator in the past so this is something I can bring into my table. They can come in various sizes from small, medium and large. So the normal way to sell a soap cake is in slices. How do you use this soap? Some people would display their soap slice. And this is fine but the soap makers heart breaks when a buyer doesn’t use the soap. Here is my insight on how to use a soap slice. You need to lay the soap cake slice down on it’s side. Then take a knife and carefully cut a slice off big enough for you to use in the shower. You should cut this horizontally not vertically. Put the other piece up for later use and enjoy your soap cake slice.

Cupcake soaps are my favorite to use. I had an elderly lady ask how to use them in the shower. She thought you had to use it as it was made. I had to let her in on the secret. With a cupcake soap you need to cut the cupcake straight in half vertically and not horizontally. If this is confuses you then as with a real cupcake if you were going to share it with someone you would cut it in half so both would be equal. The flat side of the cupcake soap or cut side is face up when you go to shower. It makes the perfect size for your hand and is extremely easy to use.
There are other ways to make soap too, with various molds. I like making a bundt cake and selling it whole. All you need to do is cut off the size you want and it is ready for use. When buying soap in larger quantities you really do save more money than one bar at a time. The general rule for soap making is to charge one dollar per ounce of soap so a 5 ounce bar is not uncommon to cost $5.00. If you find that the soap is less than that price just know the soap maker is giving you a real good deal. I also make mini soap loaves, and sell them at reasonable prices. They normally weigh over 1 to 1 1/2 pounds, and are priced very reasonable. So special orders are not uncommon and if you like a particular fragrance and want more than one bar of soap then I suggest inquiring about a soap loaf. These are not tiny in size due to calling them a mini loaf, they are a good reasonable size of soap. Again you must factor in the cure time too. So these can be made and sent out in as little as a week. Just harden off a bit to withstand the shipping.   Then you cut the soap in bars if you prefer, or I can do that, and you would let you soap bars cure out the 4-6 weeks.  As a buyer you get to be included in the soap making process so to speak
Never judge soap by it’s looks. There is certain ways to use soap as described above. So the main thing is to do something that is good for your skin, you won’t find hard detergents in handmade soap as you would in store bought soap. Your skin will be much healthier. I always tell the story about store bought soap and if you agree then this should tell you something. 

When you use store bought soap it becomes a vicious cycle on your skin. Manufacturers when they make soap they take out the natural glycerin and sell it as a by product. So you do not get the natural glycerin in store bought soap as you would in handmade soap all that goodness is retained. Store bought soap dries out your skin due to the detergents they add. So once you are done showering you then find your reaching for the lotion. Due to the dryness in your skin and the flaking of the dry skin. If this is happening then you need to take a long look at what your doing to your skin. There are so many ingredients in store bought soap you can never pronounce all those ingredients. In handmade soap you can read the ingredients and know exactly what the soap has in it. Chemistry plays a big part in making up our recipes, we can make a more creamy bar of soap or a more bubbly bar of soap without detergents. We do this by formulating our recipe to do exactly what we need it to do. So much research we do in order to bring the right soap to the buyer. I spend countless hours searching and researching and I never stop learning.  And if you need to know yes I do have to do test batches of soap, to make sure I am delievering exactly what I intend to give to the buyers. 

I would like to add that I started making soap back in the early 1990’s. I don’t give a certain year due to how long it’s been, and when I re-entered the work force. But I can tell you those were hard years or buying and building my soap library, and also learning the trade also lead me down the path of Aromatherapy. I studied for 13 years on the aromatherapy and natural healing. I used to work in the herbs at a greenhouse to learn the ways of growing herbs successfully and building a medicinal garden at home. 

Since I left the workforce I am starting back at my beginning roots to do the things I love to do and to try to make my families life a lot less toxic. I truly believe what you put on your skin is absorbed into your body and as a result you can see what your skin in telling you. Homemade soap may not be as cheap as buying a store bought soap, but you reap the rewards ten fold when you do something that is more natural for your skin.  Handmade soap does last quiet a long time.  If you keep it away from a water source when not in use, as with any soap.

We soap makers do make other items too.  Such as Salt Scrubs, Sugar Scrubs, Sugar Scrub Cubes to rub on problem areas, Whipped Butters, Whipped Soap Frostings, Massage Bars, Whipped Lotions, Scented Linen Sprays, Solid Perfumes, Roll on Perfumes, Body Oils, the list goes on and on.  Which for me I plan to break this down in another blog. 

If you have gotten this far then I thank you for your time in reading this.  I just felt most people don't understand the process soap makers go through to deliver that one single bar of soap.  If you understand then you will realize that it does take time especially for a custom order.  Not all things only the soap part/curing part/ etc...

My next blog will be upcoming very soon within a few days I plan to take inventory of all my scents and then list them on another blog so you too can see what I have and the descriptions of the scents.  Since I own so many bottles of fragrance oils right now,  I would like to at least use up what I have now, and get my inventory down somewhat, so that I may get to a more standardized scent list.  I have so many best sellers right now and I want to get down to just those particular scents then offer speciality scents along the way.  Which would be more cost effective and would benefit everyone. 

So please keep my blog in mind and come back often as soon as I get my list made and up for viewing I hope to offer you scents you might have never thought of.  Please leave comments if you would like.  Open communication is the best way for many of us to share our thoughts and wishes.  Thank so much and I look forward to hearing from you and to serve you in any way possible. 

Debby