Antonio Mcgowan
Fragrances in soap are a fun and easy way to personalize your body care products. However, some fragrances are known to dissipate after a week or less, with citrus essential oils being the worst offenders. To avoid this, some soap makers use a method called anchoring, which involves pairing lighter scents with a deeper, earthier, or more complex scent to make them last longer in soap. It is also important to respect the dosages and methods to avoid any alteration of the soap base.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Added fragrance in soap | Good and bad |
| Types of fragrance | Oil-based, aqueous-based, essential oil-based |
| Dosage | For solid soaps, Melt and Pour bases, or cold or hot saponification, it is best not to exceed 5% perfume. For liquid soaps, the perfume is incorporated cold into the base. |
| Scent retention | Use a sufficiently high dose of scent, blend essential oil fragrances with base, middle, and top notes, store scented soap in closed containers to slow evaporation during storage, use an anchor to store scent and release it slower |
| Scent fading | Cold process is a harsh environment, as it goes through several pH changes. Straight coconut fragrances and citrus essential oils like lemon tend to fade. |
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What You'll Learn
How to add fragrance to soap
Adding fragrance to your soap is an easy and fun way to personalise your body care product. It is important to respect the dosages and methods to avoid any alteration of the soap base. It is also crucial to choose the fragrance that best suits your soap base, whether it is an oil-based, aqueous-based, or essential oil-based fragrance.
Firstly, weigh out your fragrance oil and set it aside in a glass container as undiluted fragrance oils tend to eat away at plastic. Ensure that all soap-making safety measures are in place, including gloves, long sleeves, safety glasses, and coverings for the surfaces on which you are working. Weigh the water in a heat-resistant container and add lye to it, stirring with a stainless steel spoon to dissolve completely. Do this in a well-ventilated area and do not inhale the fumes. Set the mixture aside to cool to about 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
For liquid soap bases, the perfume is incorporated cold into the base. Simply mix the perfume well with the base for perfect homogeneity. For Melt and Pour bases, add the fragrance after the base has melted, and stir the mixture for a few seconds. For cold or hot saponification, there are two possibilities: either incorporate the fragrance into the oils and butters before adding the soda or add it at the trace (when the mixture forms a soap paste).
Some soap makers mix the fragrance directly with the fixative material, letting it sit for a while so the fragrance is absorbed, and then add this mixture to the soap batter. Anchoring fragrances can be done using colloidal oatmeal, soft botanicals, or fine clays like kaolin clay, which is highly absorbent and gives the fragrance oils something to "hold on to" while the excess liquid cures out of the soap.
You can also add essential oils with base, middle, and top "notes" to create a longer-lasting fragrance. However, not all fragrances are safe for use in high amounts, so be sure to check the IFRA guidelines or the supplier's recommendations and stay within skin-safe limits.
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Tips for a long-lasting fragrance
While added fragrance can make soap smell nice, it's important to be aware that not all fragrances are safe for the skin, so it's essential to do your research and choose a fragrance that is.
- Use a sufficient amount of fragrance oil. The amount of fragrance or essential oil used in the recipe plays a big role in scent retention. For a strong scent, you can add 50g of fragrance or essential oil per kilogram of cold-process soap. This equates to 5% by weight. For melt-and-pour soap, you can add 15g of essential oil per kilogram (1.5% by weight), or 30g (3% by weight) of fragrance oil. These amounts are based on safety guidelines created by the IFRA and RIFM.
- Choose a fragrance known to be long-lasting. Not all fragrances are created equal when it comes to longevity. Some scents, like citrus, are known to be short-lived, while others, like wood, resin, and spice scents, are known to last longer.
- Blend essential oils with base, middle, and top notes. By blending essential oils with different evaporation rates, you can create a longer-lasting fragrance. Top notes, like citrus and floral scents, are the most volatile and evaporate quickly. Base notes, like wood, resin, and spice scents, are the least volatile and last the longest. Middle notes, like herbs and grasses, evaporate at a moderate rate.
- Store the soap in a closed container. To slow down the evaporation of the fragrance, store the soap in a closed container. You can also put a cotton ball dosed with a few drops of scent into the storage container to help release the scent more slowly.
- Use an anchor. An anchor is a material, such as arrowroot powder or cornstarch, that is added to the soap batter to help the scent last longer. However, it's important to note that an anchor will not make a weak scent stronger.
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Common fragrances that fade quickly
While adding fragrance to soap can make it more appealing, it's important to note that fragrances, especially those from essential oils, tend to fade over time. This is because the fragrance chemicals in an oil-based or water-based infusion are highly diluted when added to soap.
Some common fragrances that are known to be short-lived and fade quickly, especially when used in soaps, include:
- Citrus fragrances: Citrus notes, such as those found in perfumes like Dolce&Gabbana Light Blue and Kenzo L'Eau par Kenzo pour Homme, tend to fade very quickly. Citrus-based fragrances are estimated to last only around 1-2 days on the body.
- Floral, green, and aquatic fragrances: These notes have been shown to be less durable than others, with fragrances lasting only a few hours to a couple of days.
- Fragrances with high alcohol content: Alcohol can cause fragrances to fade faster. Perfumes with citrus notes and high alcohol content, like those from Atelier Cologne, can fade quickly, although this doesn't apply to all fragrances with alcohol.
- Cheap perfumes: Unnamed, inexpensive perfumes often use lower-cost synthetic fragrance ingredients. While these can be less volatile than natural ingredients, they still tend to fade faster once applied.
To make fragrances last longer, some strategies include using a sufficiently high dose of scent, blending essential oil fragrances with base, middle, and top notes, and choosing hot process soap-making methods. Additionally, storing scented soap in closed containers can help slow down evaporation and preserve the fragrance.
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Methods to prevent scent fading
While added fragrances to soap can be a fun part of the soap-making process, the scent can often fade or change over time. This can be due to the pH level of the soap attacking the components of the oil, causing them to smell different. To prevent this, there are several methods you can use to make the scent last longer:
Usage Rates and Dosage
The amount of fragrance or essential oil you use in your soap recipe plays a big role in scent retention. For a strong scent, it is recommended to add 0.7-0.8 ounces of fragrance or essential oil per pound of cold process soap. For melt and pour soap, you can add 0.3 ounces per pound. However, this number will vary based on the type of oil you choose. For example, Cherry Almond Fragrance Oil is a strong fragrance, and it is recommended to use no more than 0.2 ounces per pound of cold process soap.
Anchoring
Anchoring is a technique where you pair lighter scents with deeper, earthier, or more complex scents to "anchor" them in the soap. Examples of anchoring fragrances include Amber Fragrance Oil, Ginger Patchouli Fragrance Oil, and Sensuous Sandalwood Fragrance Oil.
Clay
Clays, such as kaolin clay, are known for their ability to capture and absorb molecules, including odours and scents. Adding clay to your soap can help trap the scent and make it last longer. To use clay, mix 1-3% clay (by weight of oils) with your essential oils and add this mixture when you reach the trace stage. Kaolin clay can also add a nice slip and subtle colour to your soap.
Temperature
Temperature is an important factor in scent retention. The aromatic molecules in essential oils are volatile compounds that evaporate quickly as temperature increases. Therefore, it is recommended to work at low temperatures (around 30°C) when making soap to prevent the scent from evaporating. Additionally, some fragrances have a low flashpoint, which is the temperature at which they can ignite when exposed to an open flame. It is believed that heating a scent to its flashpoint can cause it to burn off and fade, so using lower temperatures and avoiding the gel phase can help prevent scent fading.
Cure Soap in a Cool, Dry Place
To ensure the scent stays strong, cure your soap in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. You can also place a cotton ball or balled-up paper towel dipped in fragrance oil near the soap while it cures to help the soap absorb more of the scent.
Choose Stable Oils
Some oils and butters are more prone to oxidation and can cause the soap to develop a rancid smell. To avoid this, choose oils that are not sensitive to oxidation, such as hemp seed oil, evening primrose oil, or rosehip oil.
Blend Essential Oils
Creating fragrance blends with essential oils that have different evaporation rates can result in longer-lasting scents. This involves blending base, middle, and top "notes" to create a well-rounded fragrance.
Storage
To slow down evaporation and prevent scent loss, store your scented soap in closed containers. You can also wrap individual soaps with bands and then store them in boxes.
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Anchoring fragrances
Adding fragrance to soap is a fun part of the soap-making process. However, not all fragrances are created equal, and some may be better suited to particular types of soap than others.
An "anchor" is a strategy for making a scent last longer. It is important to note that anchoring does not make a weak scent stronger but rather slows down the rate of evaporation, thus prolonging the scent.
One way to achieve this is by using an "anchor" scent, such as kaolin clay, which can be mixed with the fragrance oil to give it something to "hold on to" while the soap cures and evaporates excess liquid. This helps to prevent the fragrance oil from evaporating along with the liquid.
Another strategy is to use a sufficiently high dose of scent while staying within skin-safe limits. It is also recommended to blend essential oil fragrances with base, middle, and top "notes". This can be done by using melt-and-pour soap or hot process soap, as cold process soaps may not be as effective in retaining fragrance.
Additionally, storing scented soap in closed containers can help slow evaporation during storage. You can also add a cotton ball dosed with a few drops of scent to storage containers to prolong the fragrance.
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Frequently asked questions
Adding fragrance to soap is a great way to personalise your soap and create a unique product. It can also be a fun process.
The amount of fragrance added depends on the base chosen. For solid soaps, it is recommended to not exceed 5% perfume. For liquid soaps, the perfume is calculated by weight. For cold process soap, you can add 0.7 ounces of fragrance or essential oil per pound. For melt and pour, you can add 0.3 ounces per pound.
Some scents tend to fade away over time, especially citrus essential oils. To make the fragrance last longer, you can use a higher dose of scent, store the soap in a closed container, or add an anchor to the soap to slow down the release of the scent.
It is important to respect the dosages and methods to avoid any alteration of the soap base. It is also crucial to choose the fragrance that best suits your soap base, whether it is oil-based, aqueous-based, or essential oil-based.
