Mastering The Art Of Fragrance Load Calculation For Soap Making

When making soap, it's important to get the fragrance load right. Too much fragrance oil can irritate the skin, while too little may not be noticeable. It's also important to remember that different fragrance oils have different strengths, so you may need to use more or less to get the desired scent. Once you have the total weight of your soap (lye, water, and oils), you can use a fragrance calculator to work out how much fragrance oil to add. You can also calculate fragrance load based on the total recipe volume.

The difference between fragrance oils and essential oils

Fragrance and essential oils are considered additives, so you don’t need to factor them into your lye calculations. Once you have the total weight of your soap (lye, water, and oils), you can use a fragrance calculator to work out how much to add. You can add approximately 10 drops of fragrance oil per ounce of soap base at the most. However, it's important to remember that essential oils have different safety rates and some smell stronger than fragrance oils, so you should look at MSDS and safe recommended amounts of each essential oil individually before adding it to your soap.

The main difference between fragrance oils and essential oils is that fragrance oils are synthetically manufactured in a laboratory, whereas essential oils are natural extracts from plants and other natural sources. Fragrance oils can hold their scent for much longer and be much stronger than essential oils, but they can also cause adverse reactions due to their synthetic nature. Essential oils, on the other hand, are prized for their therapeutic properties and purity. Aromatherapy essential oils are found in different parts of plants, including the leaf, stem, blossom, fruit, bark, wood or resin.

Using a fragrance calculator

Fragrance and essential oils are considered additives, so you don't need to factor them into your lye calculations. Once you have the total weight of your soap (lye, water and oils), you can use a fragrance calculator to work out how much fragrance to add.

The Bramble Berry Fragrance Calculator is one such calculator. It's important to remember that some fragrance and essential oils are light or exceedingly strong in soap, so you can always use a little more or a little less to your preference. For instance, English Rose Fragrance Oil is very strong, so you don't need to use a full 0.7 ounces per pound of soap to get a strong scent.

When it comes to hot processes for soap making, you have the traditional hot process and the melt and pour method. It's recommended to add approximately 10 drops of fragrance oil per ounce of soap base at the most. However, you can start at this number and work your way down to whatever amount fits your preferences, as long as you stay under the maximum allowed amount per regulation.

If you're making two batches of soap, one to pour directly into the mould and one to make a complicated swirl, you can use more water to slow down the swirl soap. If you calculate the fragrance based on the total recipe volume for each, it would look like this (using 5% but the percentage isn't what's important, it's the variation that's key):

> Basic Pour (5% lye discount, water is 1.5 times lye) 16 oz olive oil, 8 oz coconut oil, 4 oz shea butter, 4 oz avocado oil, 4.45 oz lye, 6.67 oz water.

The maximum amount of fragrance oil per ounce of soap base

When making soap, fragrance and essential oils are considered additives, so you don’t need to factor them into your lye calculations. Once you have the total weight of your soap (lye, water, and oils), you can use a fragrance calculator to work out how much fragrance oil to add.

It's important to remember that fragrance oils can be irritating to the skin, so it's recommended to look at the MSDS and safe recommended amounts of each fragrance oil individually before adding it to your soap.

When it comes to the soap-making process, there are two main types: the traditional hot process and the melt and pour method. The amount of fragrance oil you use may vary depending on which process you choose.

The total weight of your soap

To calculate the fragrance load for soap, you first need to find the total weight of your soap. This is the weight of the lye, water and oils in your soap. Once you have this, you can use a fragrance calculator to work out how much fragrance to add.

It is important to remember that fragrance and essential oils are considered additives, so you don't need to factor them into your lye calculations. However, you should be aware that some essential oils have different safety rates and can be irritating to the skin if used in high quantities. For example, clove and cinnamon bark are very strong and can be overpowering if used in large amounts. Always check the MSDS and safe recommended amounts of each essential oil before adding it to your soap.

You can add approximately 10 drops of fragrance oil per ounce of soap base. However, this is a maximum amount and you may want to use less depending on your preference. Some fragrance oils, such as English Rose, are very strong so you don't need to use a full 0.7 ounces per pound of soap to get a strong scent.

The strength of different fragrances

The strength of fragrance oils varies, so you can use a little more or less depending on your preference. For example, English Rose Fragrance Oil is very strong, so you don't need to use a full 0.7 ounces per pound of soap to get a strong scent.

Essential oils have different safety rates and some smell stronger than others. For example, clove and cinnamon bark can be very irritating to the skin and smell overpowering if used in large quantities. It's important to look at the MSDS and safe recommended amounts of each essential oil before adding it to soap.

The amount of fragrance oil you use will also depend on the soap-making process. For hot processes, you can use the traditional method or melt and pour. For cold processes, you can pour the soap directly into a mould or do a complicated swirl. If you use more water to slow down the swirl, you'll need to calculate the fragrance based on the total recipe volume.

As a general rule, add approximately 10 drops of fragrance oil per ounce of soap base. You can start at this number and work your way down to your preferred amount, as long as you stay under the maximum allowed amount per regulation.

Frequently asked questions