Which Essential Oils Work Well In Soap Making (2024)

FAQs

Which Essential Oils Work Well In Soap Making? ›

Lemongrass, geranium, lavender, rosemary are all examples of mid notes. Base notes are much heavier, tend to be woody or spicy but can include floral such as Ylang Ylang. These tend to be the longest lasting and can work very well in soap making especially when combined with some of the lighter notes.

Lemongrass, geranium, lavender, rosemary are all examples of mid notes. Base notes are much heavier, tend to be woody or spicy but can include floral such as Ylang Ylang. These tend to be the longest lasting and can work very well in soap making especially when combined with some of the lighter notes.

I do not recommend using benzoin or orris root as both are skin sensitizers and have potential to induce allergic reactions. If you choose to use either, please label your soap accordingly. (Want to dive deep and learn everything about using essential oils in soap and cosmetics in one place?

With its light, uplifting scent, jasmine fragrance oil is the perfect fit for homemade soap. Take one look at the product range in the skincare section of any supermarket or chemist and you'll see just how regularly it features in the ingredients.

Oils like coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, tallow, lard, and shea butter are rich in saturated fats, creating a solid structure in your soap. The increased solidity results in a longer-lasting bar that holds its shape.

To ensure the scent stays strong, cure soap in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Learn more in the How to Store Handmade Bath Products article. You can also dip a cotton ball or balled up paper towel in the fragrance oil and place it by the soap while it's curing.

As a rule of thumb, 22 drops of essential oil will make 1.1ml, or 1g. So, to make 3g of essential oil (which is 3% of a 100g bar), you will need 66 drops. It is worth noting that, if you are making essential oil soap for the first time, then it might be worth lowering the percentage to 1% (22 drops).

Yes, you can put too much essential oil in soap. If you add too much oil to your soap, it can be overpowering and even cause skin irritation.

What oil makes the hardest bar of soap? ›

Tips for Choosing the Best Oils for Soap Making

For example, if you are making bar soap, you'll want to use a saturated fat, such as coconut oil or palm oil, as these will help make your soap harder and last longer.

Ultra cleansing oils include babassu oil, coconut oil, murumuru butter, palm kernel flakes and tucuma seed butter. Condition predicts how well the soap will condition skin.

Ultra bubbly oils include babassu oil, castor oil, coconut oil, murumuru butter, palm kernel flakes and tucuma seed butter. Creamy also predicts the lather. A normal soap bar falls between 16 and 48 with the higher number meaning a creamy lather and a lower number meaning more bubbles.

Enhance your soap with fragrance by adding essential oils. As a rule of thumb, use 2 to 3 teaspoons of essential oils for every pound of soap. Be cautious with oils like peppermint, which can irritate the skin (use 2 teaspoons per pound of soap base if using peppermint).

Both oils are perfect in their own ways, it's just that they serve different purposes. But in the matter of soap making, there's no question that fragrance oils are the best pick if you wish to succeed in your soap making business. If profit is highly important, then fragrance oils can help you reach your growth goals.

Longest: Roots, resins and barks

Tree essential oils last for many years, up to 6-8 years (or more) when in a protective/dark bottle at room temperature. These essential oils are extremely shelf stable and can be used for many years without any degradation.

You can also dip a cotton ball or balled up paper towel in the fragrance oil and place it by the soap while it's curing. That's thought to help the bars absorb some of the scent as it cures. Just remember that fragrance oils and plastic do not get along, so be sure your cotton ball is not sitting on a plastic surface.

Carrier oils such as coconut, jojoba or grapeseed are rich in fatty acids which have a similar structure to the natural oils found on the skin. This means they can penetrate the top layer of skin, and retain the essential oil fragrance for much longer than other forms of dilution.

What is the shelf life of common essential oils? Many essential oils will last about 2–5 years if stored in closed, dark glass bottles kept out of direct light and heat. Some oils like Patchouli, Sandalwood, and Vetiver can last 6–8 years.