Enhancing Your Lye Soap With Fragrance: A Step-By-Step Guide

Adding fragrance to lye soap is a fun and creative process, with endless possibilities for swirl designs, embeds, and essential oil blends. There are two main ways to add fragrance to soap: melt-and-pour (M&P) or hot process (HP) soap, and cold process (CP) soap. For M&P and HP soap, fragrance is typically added towards the end of the process when the soap is cooling down, resulting in a stronger and longer-lasting scent. On the other hand, fragrance must be added to CP soap near the beginning of the soap-making process when the lye is still active and the soap is warm, which can cause the fragrance to evaporate more quickly.

Adding fragrance oil to lye soap

Firstly, weigh your fragrance oil in a glass container and set it aside. It is recommended to use up to 2 ounces of fragrance oil per pound of oil used in your recipe. Then, when the lye has cooled, pour it into the mixing bowl with the oils. Insert a stick blender and blend the soap until it reaches a light trace.

Next, add the fragrance oil and blend lightly, just enough to mix it in completely. You can add the fragrance oil directly into the lye solution to help it stay dispersed throughout the entire batch. However, some fragrance oils may not hold well in the lye solution and may separate or discolour, so be cautious.

You can also add the fragrance oil to your oils before adding the lye, which makes it easier to control how fast or slow your soap is thickening and ensures the fragrance oil is fully incorporated.

Finally, whisk the mixture to fully incorporate the fragrance oil, and get the soap in the mould.

Choosing melt-and-pour soap for longer-lasting fragrance

To add fragrance to lye soap, you should opt for melt-and-pour (M&P) or hot process (HP) soap rather than cold process (CP) soap. This is because fragrance is usually added near the end of the M&P and HP soap-making process, when the soap is cooling down. This means that the scent is not exposed to active lye and will not evaporate as much, resulting in a stronger and longer-lasting fragrance.

In contrast, CP soap requires the addition of fragrance near the beginning of the process, when the lye is still active and the soap is warm. This prolonged exposure to lye and heat can cause the fragrance to evaporate more quickly, leading to a weaker scent over time. To compensate for this, more fragrance is often added to CP soap compared to M&P or HP soap.

When adding fragrance to M&P or HP soap, weigh your fragrance oil in a glass container and set it aside. Once the lye has cooled, pour it into a mixing bowl with the oils and blend until the soap reaches a light trace. Then, add the fragrance oil and blend lightly to mix it in completely.

To preserve the scent of your soap during storage, keep it in closed containers that limit evaporation.

Hot process soap for stronger scent

To add fragrance to lye soap, it is recommended to use the hot process (HP) method rather than the cold process (CP). This is because fragrance is usually added near the end of the HP soap-making process, when the soap is cooling down. This means that the scent is not exposed to active lye and will not evaporate as much, resulting in a stronger and longer-lasting scent in the finished soap.

In contrast, fragrance must be added to CP soap near the beginning of the process, when the lye is still active and the soap is warm. This prolonged exposure to lye and heat can cause the fragrance to evaporate more quickly, leading to a weaker scent over time. To compensate for this, more fragrance is often added to CP soap compared to HP soap.

To add fragrance to HP soap, first weigh your fragrance oil in a glass container and set it aside. When the lye has cooled, pour it into the mixing bowl with the oils and blend the soap until it reaches a light trace. Then, add the fragrance oil and blend lightly, just enough to mix it in completely.

To preserve the scent of soap during storage, keep it in closed containers that limit evaporation.

Cold process soap for weaker scent

If you want to add fragrance to lye soap, you will need to weigh your fragrance oil in a glass container and set it aside. When the lye has cooled, pour it into the mixing bowl with the oils. Insert a stick blender and blend the soap until it reaches a light trace. Then, add the fragrance oil and blend lightly, just enough to mix it in completely.

If you are using the cold process to make your soap, you will need to add the fragrance at the beginning of the soap-making process, when the lye is still active and the soap is warm. This means that the fragrance will be exposed to active lye and warm conditions for several hours, which can cause the fragrance to evaporate more quickly, leading to a weaker scent over time. To compensate for this, you may need to add more fragrance oil to your soap compared to other soap-making processes.

To make your cold-process soap smell stronger, you can try adding a higher concentration of fragrance oil. However, it is important to note that too much fragrance oil can make the soap too soft or greasy, so you will need to experiment to find the right balance. You can also try adding a fixative to your soap, which will help to extend the life of the fragrance. Fixatives are substances that help to bind the fragrance molecules to the soap, slowing down the evaporation process. Examples of fixatives include beeswax, salt, and clay.

Another way to make your cold-process soap smell stronger is to store it properly. After you have made your soap, it is important to store it in closed containers that limit evaporation. This will help to preserve the scent of the soap over time. Additionally, you can try to store your soap in a cool, dark place, as heat and light can also cause the fragrance to evaporate more quickly.

Overall, while the cold process may result in a weaker scent compared to other soap-making methods, there are several ways to maximise the fragrance of your soap, including adding more fragrance oil, using fixatives, and storing your soap properly. By following these tips, you can create a cold-process soap with a strong and long-lasting scent.

Preserving soap scent during storage

To preserve the scent of soap during storage, keep it in closed containers that limit evaporation. It is suggested to opt for melt-and-pour (M&P) or hot process (HP) soap rather than cold process (CP) soap, as fragrance is usually added near the end of the process when the soap is cooling down, meaning the scent is not exposed to active lye and will not evaporate as much.

When making M&P or HP soap, weigh your fragrance oil in a glass container and set it aside. When the lye has cooled, pour it into the mixing bowl with the oils. Insert a stick blender and blend the soap until it reaches a light trace. Add the fragrance oil and blend lightly, just enough to mix it in completely.

On the other hand, fragrance must be added to CP soap near the beginning of the soap-making process, when the lye is still active and the soap is warm. This prolonged exposure to lye and heat can cause the fragrance to evaporate more quickly, leading to a weaker scent over time. To compensate for this, more fragrance is often added to CP soap compared to M&P or HP soap.

Frequently asked questions