HOW TO TEST FRAGRANCE OILS for cold process soap - cold process soap making tutorial

[@triathlete1313]

I’m fairly new to soaping and you have answered so many of my questions, thank you! I have devoured Soap Queen and Soaping 101, take in person local classes, and they are great resources! But I’ve found your videos the most informative and thorough. Kudos!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much, that is so lovely of you to say. I'm keen to build up my 'core knowledge' videos, so if there is a topic you'd be keen on, let me know and I can see if I can make a video.

[@oulibemusic1257]

I totally agree.

[@justaddlivingwater]

I found her a year ago and I love her precise and great tips tricks and the basics and Keeping everything tidy and easy..

[@cryingbroken8824]

@@justaddlivingwater exactly, although or me! wish it'd been MUCH earlier in my soaping journey! (only about 8 months ag for me)😪. If she's *not* a teacher(or hasn't been; likely in science,or mathematics) in real life beyond her soaping hobby, I'll be shocked!

[@izibear4462]

I agree. I have been soaping for at least 12 years and still watch as I learn new ways of doing things.

[@tubingtomtom]

I’ll bet a lot of kids tried cheating off your school work back in the day. Because I want to copy your soap notes very badly! You are an asset to the soaping community on a global scale!

[@tassiegirl1991]

Another well thought out and beneficial information. Something I will think about doing as I expand my soap making.

[@Roseypoo]

you are a awesome teacher . this was very informative and helpful

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey Rosealee, thank you so much, so pleased you found it useful. Thanks for taking the time to leave me another comment :-)

[@twylahcampbell2277]

I absolutely love these “test” videos! They are so well done and takes the guesswork out of trying new colors and fragrance. This is the very difference is making a good bar of soap and making an exceptional bar of soap. Especially essential for those that sell their soap! Thank you for doing this and sharing your knowledge

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Twylah , that's very kind of you.

[@Kaileynorriscreates]

I have been avoiding doing this for month. I tested 10 fragrances today and it was super fun! The calculations and everything! You’re so right! The key is ORGANIZATION and having everything set up and ready to go. Thank you so much. You really set the standard for me when it comes to soap making. 💕

[@nooshinkhoveini338]

Very useful method to test fragrance oil

[@susancote3864]

I love your wise and practical soaping knowledge. It helps so much to understand the importance of building a solid foundation of understanding that guides to creating successful experiments in designing soap recipes in the future. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. You have a heartfelt thank you!🎉

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thanks for the support. ;-)

[@janetcaird6807]

Lisa , very helpful information. You certainly cover and answer questions and give us information that most of us want to know but most other soap makers never talk about. Thank you so much

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Janet, so pleased it helped :-)

[@annwild8577]

Simply amazing. I would never have thought there could be so much discoloration. In fact, my thought of discoloration was only immediate discoloration, not realizing what could happen over time! (Thus my comment of simply amazing 🙃). Thank you kindly for the attention to detail as it is so very important...I’m learning 😊 I bet that drawer smells awesome❣️😻

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hello again Ann, so pleased you found it helpful and yes discolouration can sometimes take quite a while to sneak in. I have fragrances that I've tested, looked ok even a week later, then you see them again maybe 2 or 3 weeks later and they're really dark

[@dwanngriffin1455]

Great video - I love all the tips you share in all your video's and how organized you are! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Dwann, so pleased you find my videos useful :-)

[@sonicamy4518]

I really found this useful . We get lots of reviews in the USA. However in one scent you have a variety of reviews . From doesn't discolor to turns light tan to turns brown all on the same scent. So on these I test myself. If all reviews are pretty standard to what the developer of the scent says, in general I go for it. I do see the importance now of testing all fragrances, because your batter could be so different from what others are using. Mine tends to be higher in cocoa butter and it traces quicker than most. I do also have one that has just a little cocoa butter and it stays fluid for quite a while. Very interesting video.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Jill, yes I quite agree, even if there are reviews, how something acts in your soap at your temperature can be quite different, so pleased you found it useful.

[@janelaffan7274]

Very very interesting indeed. Thanks once again to share your knowledge so we can all navigate the complicated but addictive soap-making.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you Jane, yes sooooooo addictive

[@Misssha123]

Omg I am sooo happy I found your Chanel,the wealth of info is just amazing

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW that's lovely to hear, thank you so much Miss Sha, and thank you for taking the time to leave another comment for me 😊

[@Sheaxeensoapery]

You are simply AWESOME, Lisa! Thanks for sharing your tips. You are making my life a whole lot easier!💖

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW, that's lovely, so pleased you find my videos a help, makes me happy. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment

[@AuntTine]

You have become my favorite soap maker and really an incredible coach to me. I have done a couple of melt and pours. I purchased everything for cold process but so far too chicken to actually do it. The oils are expensive and I don’t want to ruin it. Thanks for your videos. I am learning a lot.

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW, such a lovely comment, thank you so much that's really kind of you. I agree oils are expensive, but maybe just start with a small 500g (1lb) loaf 1st to see how it goes. Then you'll have the problem that once you start it's so addictive :-)

[@AuntTine]

I Dream In Soap, thank you for the tip. I just finished my first cold process soap. Cherry almond with melt and pour cherries. So excited!

[@tanyabonnett4174]

I'm in my first 12 Months of my CP soaping and I found this video fantastic an idea and a definite thing I would Like to try doing thankyou for sharing Lisa.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi again Tanya, it is so worth doing, saves having any of those disaster batches (well disaster from fragrance surprises anyway. I hope you and your family are staying safe and well :-)

[@katrinakerr5589]

I just did this a few days ago as suggested by you as well as making small soaps of each colour mica I had. Now I know how one of my EOs behave it meant I could accelerate trace in 1 colour to support a column embed. So fingers crossed I will have made my first landscape design and it's all thanks to your clear and easy to follow videos. Thank you so much, I'm about to start a blog myself, please can I mention your videos as they are a fantastic teaching aide . Thanks Lisa 😊

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey Katrina, I'm so pleased you took the time to do this. It will be so helpful and pay off so many times in the future. Good luck with your blog and yes of course feel free to mention my videos

[@bernward5797]

Absolutely love your videos! Very meticulous and educational! Thank you so much Lisa! 👍👍👍

[@IDreamInSoap]

Aw, thank you so much Bern, that's lovely to hear.

[@shirleyedwards1490]

Thank you for your clear explanations of how you do things and why things work the way they do. It is so inspiring for a beginner to be able to understand what is happening. Your tutorial on emulsion was a real light-bulb moment.

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome, thanks so much 💛

[@wendyg4706]

Great tips. Thankyou. Just found you after Tiggy recommended one of your videos. Great to find another talented soap maker in the UK as well as Tiggy. 🙂

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Wendy, and thank you for leaving me another comment, I do appreciate it, so pleased you found my video useful. I love Tiggy, isn't she great :-)

[@katherineahrens9062]

I'm obsessed with your scale!!! Where did you get it? Is it one you can calibrate to verify its accuracy? Thank you for all you do to share your knowledge, skill, and experience!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Katherine, This is the scale I use, it’s fab (I use the little precision bit all the time). I haven’t added a purchase link as I’m in the UK so my link may not be of any use, but anyone who I have recommended the scale to before has been able to find it easily once they know what it is www.salterhousewares.co.uk/heston-blumenthal-precision/salter-heston-blumenthal-kitchen-scales/heston-blumenthal-dual-precision-scale.html. It has no facility to carry out a calibration function (which you may need if you are selling products) but I do test it regularly and it seems to stay accurate (I have another scale that can be calibrated, so I do that and then compare the 2)

[@traceyjackson8552]

Hi Lisa, great video, I take a photo of my samples for discolouration at different timeframes, as I was struggling to ‘file’ the, away lol. Thanks for your video, oh and by the way.......my soaps arrived and I absolutely love them, stunning, thank you I will be certainly ordering more! 💐

[@IDreamInSoap]

I think the photos is a great idea and to be honest just recently I have been using up the samples etc rather than trying to store them as I was getting quite a few, so I made sure I went through them all and updated my spreadsheet for the discoloration and going forward I will keep them for about 8 weeks or so and then use them Ooh I'm so pleased everything arrived safely and thrilled that you like my soaps :-)

[@constancejimenez7361]

Again, another great idea! Thanks again for sharing. As I fairly new soaper I appreciate any new and brilliant ideas that help to make soaping more efficient and effective. Thanks again for sharing.

[@IDreamInSoap]

So pleased you found it useful, you get commenter of the day award :-) (no prize I'm afraid) If you think of anything that would help a new soaper out, let me know and I can see if I can do a video, always keen to build up my 'how and why' videos.

[@ceciliaguzman1366]

Good Afternoon Lisa!!! (or is it evening in the UK?) I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy watching your you tube channel. Of all the soapers online with tutorials, I find yours to be the most useful, detailed and brilliant. I also think you are such an unpretentious, kind and gifted teacher. Kudos to you my dear :) May you continue to be successful in your business so that I may be in mine. I'm a huge fan :)

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW, such a lovely comment, thank you so much that's really kind of you and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment :-)

[@leannab3865]

Thank you fir this video! It’s incredibly helpful! I need to do this and trying to figure out the measurements.

[@IDreamInSoap]

You're welcome. I do like maths! :-D

[@datbat1]

Thanks for this, Lisa. Testing fragrances seems like a pain, but it's more of a pain when you use a fragrance without knowing that it's going to do something awful in your soap. Sadly, I learned this lesson the hard way before I saw this video. One additional thing I like to put in my notes is what each fragrance does to my silicone molds. I once used a jasmine scent for gift soaps, and the sickly-sweet scent stuck in my mold. I soaked the mold in vinegar, scrubbed it with baking soda, even put it in a 250 degree oven for an hour. Nothing worked. The scent did get overwritten by the next FO I used in that mold, but that clingy odor in my mold scented the whole room for several days, and it was pretty upsetting. I've started making a note when that happens, but I think I might invest in a few individual silicone molds for testing.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey Rustian, yes testing is such a pain, especially when you're starting out as it's a lot of money searching for something that works well. I do find quite a few fragrances to stay in the mould and you can't get them out, it's the nature of silicone, but they don't affect the next soap.

[@louiseruediger3378]

Another great lesson. Thankyou so much 😀

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Louise, and thank you for taking the time to leave another comment for me, I really appreciate it . Stay safe and well :-)

[@ChetanaBangera]

Thank you once again for this wealth of information. I recently made a batch of soap and discovered the scents had completely disappeared after saponification. Thats when i decided I need to do fragrance testing, needed guidance and found your video. Appreciate the effort. Can I ask if this process will work for blend testing (ie. Fragrance combinations) as well?

[@7slaper]

Excellent video. 👌 Exactly how I've been doing it! Years ago there was literally no info on the behaviour of FO. (Some suppliers still don't sadly enough). And I do make a FO behaviour list per supplier in Excel. When the MSDS and Technical data sheets became a must and the listings of allergens obligatory, a lot of the tests I did became useless. Well it meant a fresh start 🤣 I mostly buy from UK suppliers as there are not that many in the Netherlands. Keep up the good work and stay safe!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Corry. I still find that information on fragrance oils is sadly very poor in the UK and often when you read any reviews or comments from suppliers they can be inaccurate, which is annoying and I think it puts a lot of people off when something doesn't behave as expected. I'm so pleased to meet someone else who tests before using :-)

[@7slaper]

@@IDreamInSoap I learned the hard way 😜🤣 Captivate turned my white Dover Cliffs into dirty peaks; pink cherry cake became dark brown, and a "Zebra" soap I had to rename to "dirty Zebra". LOL Not to speak about soap on a stick ... You're absolutely right when you say that often the info given is inaccurate. We've got a BrambleberryNurture soap distributor over here, those customer reviews at least give you an indication before you buy. Do you know about the soap-scent-review board? Occasionally there are Gracefruit/sensory Perfection reviews too. soapscentreview.obisoap.ca/index.php Have a good day! Cool to meet you :)

[@tassiegirl1991]

Well Lisa you now have me sold. I just had a disaster with oil split my first large mould qty made the day I watched your video. recipe used before bar fragrance I used combination fragrance oils Both the slab and individual moulds did same thing. Looked fine when pouring although did thicken a bit too much with last bit but soap stayed soft and a bit sticky 3days later after removing slab and making one cut, disaster. So I will now 1: not combine fragrance oils: 2: purchase little pots and put aside a day to test all that I have even if already used. I always when using never add max allowable I have recommended another soaper in the US watch your video as she reported same problem So Lisa a very big thank you for producing this video.

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW no, I'm sorry you had a disaster, that's such a pain. Testing is always a little bit of a pain, but so worth doing

Thank you, this is fantastic. I will do it. No more batches lost. I suscribed. Thanks from Cdmx, Mexico.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Perfect, that's such good news and it's so nice to be able to choose a fragrance oil for your soap and be confident to use it because you know exactly how it's going to behave. I hope you and your family are keeping safe and well :-)

[@bbat2822]

You're an excellent teacher. Thank you

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much :-)

[@camifit8974]

Mashalahh..God bless you...I hope I was so clever and prepared to make everything as in your way...this is a good lesson for taking step by step everything seriously when creating your soap. I enjoyed watching a lot of your videos and when I have any doubts I am coming back to your videos over and over again. God give you back everything you are sharing with us. 🌺🙏😍

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW, such a lovely comment, thank you so much that's really kind of you and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment :-)

[@jackiehodgkinson7074]

Another great video 😀 One thing I have noticed though, in the UK the maximum fo or eo we can use us 3% or less if ifra states so. Why do you, therefore, test at 5%?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Jackie, you are quite correct about the maximum UK useage if you are selling, this video was made before I started selling and also as 94% of my audience is in the USA 5% is the typical amount that is used there. Nowadays I test at the 3% as I'm testing fragrances for soaps to sell, or like my recent magnolia and orange blossom that was 2% as that's the IFRA limit.

[@kardou1]

I like that you explain by details. It’s nice 👍 for other people does give give u lots of 👍. I have seen your work and they are beautiful. Thank You for ur time.

[@IDreamInSoap]

That's so kind of you to say Karla Doucet, thank you so much 😊

[@malktaltabeaa2438]

تعلمت منك الكثير شكرا لك

[@SimplyLovedSoaps]

I really like the way you test your fo’s. I normally test mine in a 2 pound batch because I am a swirly kind of girl. I also like to pour a a very thin trace (close to just an emulsion). I like to see how thick it will thicken by the end of the pour. Your recipe has a great pour and set up time. I do do a log sheet such as your notebook. Because I do the 2 pound test, I log my oil dates, fo information and the weight loss of the cure as well.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Ha, that's so funny, I've just watched your video on testing micas. Must be that kind of day.

[@allthethingslisa]

I enjoy watching our videos, and I appreciate how detailed you are. What is the brand of the dual scale you use in this video?

[@IDreamInSoap]

thanks a lot Lisa. The scale is a Salter dual precision scale. Best wishes

[@rrutaba]

Hi. I really liked your video on testing FOs. Im totally a newbie, if u dont mind to tell a recipe of your soap batter just for testing. It would be a great help. Thank U ☺🙏

[@ritherrijgers5168]

Hello, thank you for your video's. I'm new to soapmaking and I love to learn from you. You explain it all in a way tha even a newbie as me understand it. I was wondering where I could buy a scale as yours. I've looked and tried a few ones but none of them seem to be very accurate. I love all your creations but "the scream" blew me away. That's not only soap, that's art!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Rit. My scale is the 'Salter dual platform precision scale' it's also known as the Heston Blumenthal dual platform scale. I'm not sure where you're based, I'm in the UK and doing a search for that comes up with lots of results, but most people who watch my videos aren't UK, but hopefully you should be able to find something similar from the name. Thank you for your lovely comments, I hope you and your family are staying safe and well :-)

[@ritherrijgers5168]

@@IDreamInSoap thanks for your quick response. Found it on Amazon. Looking forward for more of your interesting video's. Hope you and your family stay safe also in this weird times

[@MorganBrockmann]

Awesome video, I’m so excited to get to testing! Think it would be okay if I poured my fragrance oil first? I’d calculate how much I need and pour into my cups just before combining the oils and lye solution (to save time). I suppose I’d have to be careful that the FO didn’t melt the plastic...

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you, Oh and I'm so pleased you are going to do some testing, it's really worth it. I think as long as you don't leave it in the cups too long it should be fine. I would try to add it quite late, just before pouring the batter.

[@MorganBrockmann]

I Dream In Soap ok great I’m going to try it! Thank you 😊

[@rachwilson2009]

Great info. I found it interesting how the BRV behaved from different suppliers.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you Rachel, yes it's quite amazing isn't it, just shows that all the formulations can be quite different. Stay safe and well :-)

[@warriorgoddess6449]

Another great video....i agree use my own ingredients...i had a huge fail....and another soaper same fragrance and supplier had a very fluid soap....i have had to take a break from soaping...😔 so thank you

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much. I agree different recipes can cause a completely different reaction, I always prefer to test 1st. AW hope you can get back to soaping soon. Stay safe and well :-)

[@JahleeyahKalonji]

Very detailed and informative as usual. I read on a forum, that for fragrance oils that might have a reaction/behave badly, to add it to the lye water. It said doing this eliminates any issues. I haven't tried that yet and would probably do it once the lye cooled a tad. I just found the concept interesting. Has anyone tried this?

[@IDreamInSoap]

It will not help with any acceleration in fact it will make it worse as you are allowing the fragrance oil to spend longer in your soap. If you have an accelerating fragrance oil you need to put it in as late as possible

[@JahleeyahKalonji]

@@IDreamInSoap really.., ok, good to know

[@miznakatsu]

Very useful tip! I was wondering how to test the fragrance oils because I had bought some that seized and rice and smelled like death!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Oooh excellent, I hope now you won't get any unwelcome surprises. I hope you and your family are all keeping safe and well :-)

[@Arthen1ce]

Very helpful and rigorous 👍

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you for your kind comment ❤️

[@gwen525600]

Hi Lisa, I know this video is going to help so many beginner soap makers. I didn't have much info when I started making soap and wasted a lot of raw material as well as time. I am happy that people can follow you on any level and learn something new. You should see the HUGE bag of samples I have! I used to think it was a waste of time but I know now that is better to make a lot of one ounce samples rather than a 2lb batch only to realize the reviews were incorrect ending up with a batch I can't use for it's intended purpose. Glad you pointed that out. Thanks again for a great informational video. May I ask when you started posting videos to youtube? I'd like to go back and watch your earlier posts. Thank you, Bye!

[@IDreamInSoap]

HI Gwen, thank you so much. I like you have a whole drawer full of samples and I don't consider them a waste and agree with you, they could be a lot of saved money. I often find reviews innacurate, but I do realised that sometimes that's do do with recipe so peoples' experience may be different. Also the main suppliers who do test test at room temperature with full water. I would never use that much water and room temp gives me false trace, so those two things mean I can't rely on their testing. I did my 1st video in Nov 19 (it was the how to mix TD video), but my 1st ever video actually making soap was Dec 19 which was my Soap Challenge 'The Scream'. Best wishes. Lisa

[@cauldronhillcraftworks]

Very helpful. Thank you so much!

[@IDreamInSoap]

That's so kind of you to say Sharon , thank you so much 😊

[@DreamAndCreateDAC]

Hi,Lisa, I am new to soapmaking and I would like to know if I can add the FO or EO at the begining with my oils so i can mix to the trace I want and dont risk a thick trace at the end. Thank you very much for all the information!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Vlad, yes you can add your fragrance to the oil, but the longer the soap and the fragrance is together the more you risk things thickening up. I would only add a very slow fragrance to my oils as by the time youve emulsified your lye water in, split, added colours etc, that's quite a bit of time. So it's safest to add the fragrance as late as possible if you don't know how it behaves.

[@lizpym5326]

Very informative. Thank you for your time and sharing . 😀

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you Liz, so pleased you found it useful, stay safe and well :-)

[@sanoberkhan2304]

Excellent video .. very helpful!! So I have encountered separation in my batter when i add my fragrance at medium trace. Next time Im gonna test it on just a portion of the batter like you showed! Thank you!! Is there anything else that could cause separation?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Excellent, it always helps to test. Some fragrance oils just do it, so should be avoided. Also soaps with a high level of olive oil and high water can separate too

[@bbpierson5903]

Hi Lisa, I'm not sure if I possibly am just not looking in the right spot but it would be great to get your perspective on essential oils for fragrance in CP soap. Something like this is wonderful and I know you use some essential oils in previous videos but nothing dedicated.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi. I do use essential oils, but not that many. The problem with trying to do a dedicated video like this for essential oils is that I'd have to buy quite a number of them, with the problem that I wouldn't get to use them in the soaps that I sell, so it would end up being a rather costly exercise.

[@Hilary_ClarbySoaps]

Ooh I love those little pots you use!! I’ve been testing my fragrances with full bars 😁. I have a question...in all your fragrance testing have you managed to find a lemon scent which doesn’t fade? I thought I’d found one...Candleshack sparkling lemon. Smells gorgeous and sherbety and doesn’t discolour...although it does accelerate, but 4.weeks in and it’s starting to fade, so I’m guessing it will have gone in a few more weeks. Just wondered if you’d had any success with UK lemon fragrance oil? 🙏💕

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Hilary, hmmm citrus can be a pain. I guess the closest I have to lemon is Avobath from soap supplier. It does accelerate a bit, but doesn't rice or discolour (in my recipe) and sticks around pretty well. Not sure if that's any good?

[@Hilary_ClarbySoaps]

Ah, I’ve heard good reports about that fragrance, but unfortunately it contains one of the banned allergens, so wouldn’t be any good for putting forward for assessment...rats. I’ll stick to lemongrass and Bergamot essential oils 😉 xx

[@Hilary_ClarbySoaps]

Good news is they’ve reformulated avobath so it’s now compliant 😁😁

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@Hilary_ClarbySoaps Ooh, thank you for that Hilary, that is excellent news :-)

[@christinebowes2528]

I see you worked out your FO % by the oil weight of your soap batter. I’m wondering why you didn’t test at 5 % of you total batter batter weight. Great tutorial video.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey Christine. Yes, that's correct the FO usage rates should be done as a % of oils, not total batter weight. The reason for that is people use all sorts of water amounts in their soap and the water cures out. So if you had used 5% of batter weight you would end up with much more than 5% in your final bar. Also someone using full water 38% would use a lot more FO than someone using say 25% (like me) and when both bars had cured (and the water all gone) the 38% bar would have a lot more FO in.

[@christinebowes2528]

I Dream In Soap ....Boy oh boy you’re making me think lol, I just checked my SM3 program and it is calculating FO based on oil weight. I do reduce that if it’s EO. Whew. Yes it makes sense that it’s oil weight. Thanks Lisa

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@christinebowes2528 perfect 😊

[@nehabhati1975]

I had the same issue , thanks for clearing it.

[@crystalbelle1883]

Hi Lisa loving your videos you have encouraged me to make soap where did you buy your jacket with Velcro sleeves please

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Crystal, thanks so much. My jacket is a chefs jacket, I actually altered the sleeves myself and added the velcro to them

[@crystalbelle1883]

@@IDreamInSoap thank you Lisa

[@dawndunn3261]

This was really interesting, I only use M&P soaps at the moment but I also test more or less the same way. We ought to do a uk database !!!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thanks Dawn. I do sometimes get frustrated with the limited information in the UK, but I guess it will only get better as more people add information. I spoke to one of the fragrance suppliers and they said they find it really difficult to get reviews for fragrances in soap as it seems no-one wants to share, which is sad. In a way I can see why, if you spend a lot of money buying lots of fragrance samples and then more money on the ingredients to test, you kind of feel why should you just then let everyone else have that info for free. I think a lot of people resort to buying FOs from the US because it's too difficult in the UK, but that comes with it's own problems. Oh well. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@twylahcampbell2277]

Can you please tell what kind of scale you are using? That is fantastic!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Twylah, This is the scale I use, it’s fab (I use the little precision bit all the time). You can get them in quite a few places if you search for the name, so this may not be the cheapest (or useful if you're not in the UK) but hopefully knowing what they're called will help. salterhousewares.co.uk/heston-blumenthal-precision-dual-platform-digital-kitchen-scales/

[@maggiemassouh2471]

Hi Lisa 😊. How many numbers after the comma does your detailed scale give you?because i can not buy a similar one from Amazon. _you will be checking the samples for 2 months or longer? _in my country its not written on the bottels if the fragrance oil makes acceleration or discoloratio. Any advice? Or i just have to test them. I hope you will understand me because English is my second language . Thank you for your channel 😍😍 you are the best❤️🌹❤️

[@IDreamInSoap]

Mine does to 2 decimal places, I keep checking the sample for several months. We have very reviews here as well, so you just have to do the testing yourself :-(

[@darlas5762]

Hello Lisa! I have a question I hope you will be able to answer. I have a fragrance oil called 'English Rose'. In the performance information area it says 'hot'. What does that mean? Another question if I may, what does adding kaolin clay do for your soap or maybe how does it alter the original recipe outcome. Thank you for your videos, I am learning a great deal.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi, I'm sorry, I have no idea what that would mean. I generally test all of my new fragrances myself in a very small sample of soap. That way you know how it behaves in your recipe and don't need to rely on other people's notes which aren't always acurate

[@tico25]

Thanks a lot for the info

[@IDreamInSoap]

My pleasure, I'm pleased you found it useful :-)

[@zoeweir3486]

Hi Lisa! I am a Scottish soap maker and so happy to find you. Please would you be able to recommend one or two red micas for CP soap? I use a palm-free recipe with cocoa butter, shea, coconut oil, olive and castor. I have tried The Soapery's fiery red and also some carmoisine from Soap Kitchen, but neither seem to integrate very well in my recipe. It's just reds that I'm stuck on, I use other colourants from these suppliers with good results. I'm looking for a Peacock butterfly red or any red for autumn leaves or fire. ps love your soap bees!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Zoe, oh gosh red in CP soap, nope we can't get a really red one. I have tried quite a few. It's one of those colours that no-one seems to make. The only red that seems to be a good 'proper' red. Is Trial by Fire by Nurture soaps in the US, two problems, lots of money to ship it and also it's not regulated to be able to use in soaps in Europe. YOu could use it for home use but not if you wanted to sell your soaps at it will not get passed in a cosmetic assessments. I have had to play around and make my own red that works well in my recipe, so it may be worth you doing that with some little soap samples.

[@zoeweir3486]

@@IDreamInSoap Righto, thank you, I will do that. Good to know it's not just me! Limiting to have to mix things when we are only allowed four... Good job we love a challenge ; ) Thanks again.

[@transitvandoors]

Hi Lisa, another great video for a newbie like me. Using your example If I want to combined two fragrance oils at the same 5% rate, do I share the 2 gram amount or can I add up to 4 grams. Many thanks Robin

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Robin (good to have a name :-) ) If you use 2 fragrance oil then you should use them combined to give your fragrance amount, so that would be 2.5% each. Best wishes - Lisa

[@transitvandoors]

Hi Lisa, thank you for the quick reply. I'll try to keep my questions to a minimum, but I am sure I will have more as I watch all your videos :-) Keep safe during this troubled time Robin

[@samples3030]

Love this! I just did my testing. But I have a question. I see you did fo % of OILS. I'm seeing others who do % of total batch. Which is the correct way and what is the reasoning for that way??? (I can't find anyone to answer this question)

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Kathy. It is a common things that's done in a variety of ways and as long as you do it right when needed either can be OK, unfortunately a lot of people do it incorrectly. When you use a fragrance oil you should check the maximum safe usage rate given by IFRA. If the safe usage rate is high (let's say 20%) then the way you add your fragrance oil doesn't really matter and will be down to whether you prefer a stronger fragrance, because you are never going to use anywhere near 20%. So say you want 5% fragrance, you could in theory do 5% of oils or 5% of total soap, both would be safe, obviously 5% of total soap would give a stronger fragrance. Where is does matter is when there are restrictions, so say for example the IFRA limit on a fragrance was 5%, now it DOES matter what you use. That 5% limit is based on the FINISHED product, so after the cure, so in that case you should use 5% of oil weight. If you use 5% of total soap weight you are adding more than the limits allow this is because most of the water in your soap evaporates during the cure, so if you have added fragrance calculated on the total soap weight you will have fragrance in you soap relating to water that is no longer there after the cure and your fragrance % in your soap will be above the safe limits. I always use oil weight as it's consistent, again imagine people's recipes, if someone uses a bigger water discount than someone else, if the both use oil weight the fragrance will be consistent, if they both use total batter then the soap with more water will have more fragrance and a higher % left in the final bar after the cure. I hope this makes sense - Best wishes. Lisa

[@samples3030]

@@IDreamInSoap Wow! What an amazing detailed answer! Thank you for taking the time to post this. You are truly an exceptional teacher and artist! Have an amazing day!

[@lovereigns4017]

Hi. Which fragrance supplier would you recommend? Love your soaps and videos 😊

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi, I'm in the UK, not sure where you are, but my main suppliers for Fragrances are Scent Perfique, Sensory Perfection, Gracefruit, Candleshack and NI Candles. Best wishes

[@lovereigns4017]

@@IDreamInSoap Thank you so much! I'm in Northern Ireland.😊 Will try those suppliers.

[@l.a.intexas7649]

Ok lovely video but question on the multiplication you have 60 x .72 of oils how do you get the .72 of oils? Sorry I’m really confused. Thx you are so talented btw

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi, for me the 0.72 is the amount of oil in my recipe. So if you look at your recipe on soapcalc (or whatever lye calculator you use) you should have a total soap weight figure lets say 1200g and a total oils figure say 1000g if you do 1000 divided by 1200 x 100 you will get your oil % in this little example it would come to 83% (mine comes to 72%) I hope this helps. Best wishes

[@l.a.intexas7649]

I Dream In Soap thank you so much for responding, I’m sure you are a very busy artist and you taking the time to explain really THX!!

[@rrutaba]

Hi Lisa. I have formulated my recipe as per your advice for SAT:UNSAT. Kindly help to guide me which WATER METHOD u applied in your recipe for testing FO. It wud be a great help for me. TYI

[@IDreamInSoap]

HI Rahat. I always use 25% of water to oils, but when testing you should really just use the normal recipe you use to make your soap so that you get the same result in your test as you would in a larger batch

[@rrutaba]

@@IDreamInSoap thank u 🙏

[@dolphinwoodhousesoaps2595]

I just found your page on a blog post for Lovin Soap and have already watched 3 videos lol. Thank you for sharing all your info! I do have a question...what are the little things (pink, purple, etc) that you are using to stir the batter with?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi, I'm so pleased you find my videos helpful, that really makes my day :-) The little spatulas are great, excellent for mixing micas etc. They're little make up spatulas (used for scraping-out makeup bottles) I'm in the UK, not sure if you're in the US, but I'm sure you can get them there. Here's a link to my ones, so you can use that to find them wherever you are. www.amazon.co.uk/599801-Beauty-Spatulas-Black-Piece/dp/B07DVZY5Y5/ref=sr_1_3?crid=15K75DLSFZI1V&keywords=spatty+spatula&qid=1581916119&sprefix=spatty%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-3

[@dolphinwoodhousesoaps2595]

@@IDreamInSoap Wow I would have never thought to use those. Thank you!!🐬

[@dolphinwoodhousesoaps2595]

@@IDreamInSoap I found them in the US, thank you for the link!!!!

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@dolphinwoodhousesoaps2595 Brilliant, they're really useful :-)

[@dolphinwoodhousesoaps2595]

@@IDreamInSoap Yeah they look it!!

[@SvetaTrueSoap]

Thank you for sharing! May I ask you where did you get your double - weight? I looking for one like this! Thank you!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much, my scale is the Heston Blumenthal Dual Platform Precision Scale by Salter, I'm not sure where you are based, so hopefully giving you the name is the best way for you to search for it wherever you are. Stay safe and well :-)

[@SvetaTrueSoap]

@@IDreamInSoap I find it on Amazon! Thank you very much for your help!

[@kasirojkt9245]

So you add FO/EO at light trace ? Not at the oils before add Iye ?

[@IDreamInSoap]

No, I vert rarely add it into the oils, unless you know if definitely doesn't accelerate you want the fragrance oil to go in as late as possible, unless you don't mind if your batter gets thick

[@margaritaespinoza1745]

You can do a book with that information and the colors ......

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Margarita, I love trying and testing new fragrances and things.

[@justaddlivingwater]

Thaaannnkkk yyoouuu!!🎆❤

[@IDreamInSoap]

Glad you found it useful :-)

[@meadowyck]

I have everything in alphabetical order as well. I have to in order to function and fine things in the least amount of time!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Excellent, glad I'm not the only one :-)

[@bebobim8773]

During the video, you said that you have a recipe that can stand without hardening for 45 mins. Would you please mind sharing that?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Bebo Bim. I'm afraid that's the one thing I don't really just want to post openly I'm afraid. I really hate saying no, but I spent a lot of time and money getting it how I like it. To be honest though I really think a lot of it has to do with how well you spot emulsion and therefore don't blend too much and temperature, you can have the slowest recipe, but if you don't manage those elements it will still move quickly. However, I will try to give you some tips so you can maybe change your recipe a bit. Try not to have too many hard oils and butters, I find it's better to keep an eye on your saturated : unsaturated fat ratio rather than just hard vs liquid oils, you will find it on the top right hand side when you view a recipe in Soapcalc, Mine is 41:59. If you don't mind using lard (it makes excellent soap) that will trace very slowly, also make sure you use olive oil, rather than pomace olive oil. Temperature is also a big factor, you may need to play around a bit until you find the best range, do you soap cool, either at room temperature or say between 80-90 degrees. Butters, like cocoa butter and Shea butter etc will accelerate, so will castor oil, so use those sparingly. I hope this helps a bit, I'm always willing to look at your recipe and help you tweak it a bit. Best wishes. Lisa

[@madtabby66]

@@IDreamInSoap so you mean 41% hard oils?

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@madtabby66 NO, not quite. YOu will find that hard oils mainly contribute to your saturated fats, but liquid oils do too (castor oil for example is quite high). So it is best to look at the saturated:unsaturated ration that you see when you put your recipe into a lye calculator

[@rrutaba]

@@IDreamInSoapU mean 80 - 90 degrees equal to 180-190 F? Am I correct?

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@rrutaba No, it's 80-90 F

[@Alicia-jn9rf]

Hi, could you tell me how do calculate the per cent of you oils please?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Alicia. If you go into your lye calculator e.g. soap calc, you will see 2 figures that you need. The soap weight before cure (ie weight of your total batter) and your oil weight. If you take the oil weight, divide it by the total soap weight the x 100 that will give you your %. It may be a bit of a pain, but if you use the same recipe, the figure will always be the same, so you only have to do it once.

[@Alicia-jn9rf]

@@IDreamInSoap Uff! It sounds so complicated! 😅 Thank you very much! Maybe next time you could explain that in a video! Thank you for for beautiful hard work!

[@somarose7146]

how are you determine this value 0.72% of oils and what is 5% i can not understand this calculation

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Some. When you look at your recipe you compare the oil in your recipe with the total weight of everything. In my measuring a soap mold video I go through this in detail. The 5% is the amount of fragrance oil I was using, so 5% compare to the oil used.

[@veenupareek7748]

What oils/ butters you use to test fragrance??

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Veenu, it's important to use your normal soap recipe as different recipes will cause them to react differently and you want to know how they will behave for you, so just use what you normally do to make soap. Best wishes, stay safe and well

[@GB-pl9yv]

If You want reviews You Can shop at youwish.nl with is Brambleberry’s european dealer. Not only fragrances have impact on the soap, but also colour. I did a test on neons the other Daly using same fragrance in all of Them but only the yellow had rising.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Not heard of that supplier before, will be checking them out.

[@orlas6173]

@@IDreamInSoap Hi Lisa, I am such a fan of yours! I think I'm just joining the bandwagon on that one! Lisa, I started soapmaking during lockdown ! (I suspect that's actually a phenomenon - we were all back to home-based activities!) However, in my short (three-month) time as a hobbyist soaper, I already have experience of the scent retention problem. I have only used EO, but I've moved toward scent combinations - some EOs stick it out beyond the cure time, but others not. I saw a message on a forum by someone who to her astonishment discovered that a soap she'd made in 2014 with a particular fragrance was still doing wonders! That is VERY UNCOMMON. As she pointed out, BB (not to name them) test after 6 weeks or something. That is very short. Far too short a time obviously. I think most of us would be interested in fragrances that last at least (the very least) six months. Also, she mentioned the fact that some fragrances lose their fragrance as they go through saponification, but get it back as they cure. Sorry. Very long comment. I think I will buy fragrances at some stage but it seems like a huge leap in the dark (even with US firms)...Thank you again for your truly excellent, brilliant, entertaining and superbly pedagogic videos!

[@orlas6173]

Oh, and Lisa, I know that the majority of your fans must be US based, but don't forget us Europeans (because we are here!) when you indicate temperatures!!! all my very best, Orla