Thread: Adding EO to soaps & creams

So I'm wondering what effect if any adding essential oil to a soap or cream would have on lather. I have some soaps I love the smell of but want to make them a little stronger. I also would rather not re-melt the soaps...cream I assume would be easier to just mix in. Thoughts? And has anyone done this??? Thanks!

It may be a little too much to add it every time you make a lather. If you were melting the soap, I'd say go ahead and add a few drops. But to add directly to the lather you made, it might be a bit strong and depending on the EO, could cause minor to severe irritation.

i add a drop or 2 of EO to AOS unscented soap prior to making lather and it works fine. more than 2 and it's overwhelming scent to me, as far as skin irritation, i didn't have any from the lather, but who is to say how others will react.

I do this quite often. I like to add a couple drops of EO on top of the puck sometimes before whipping up the lather. How much depends on which EO you're adding. Also, as they're highly concentrated plant extracts, different oils have vastly different properties besides scent. My favorites to use for this are Myrrh, Lavender, Clary Sage, and Patchouli. Pretty much in that order too. Just be sure to do a bit of research before picking an oil to try, as many can be irritating to skin without being diluted first with a carrier oil.

Originally Posted by Doghouse

being diluted first with a carrier oil.

what type of carrier oil do you use??

Argan, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, Grapeseed, even Olive Oil.

Fractionated coconut oil is supposed to be a really good carrier oil.

That seems like a good idea. You would not end up wasting the cream if you didn't like it and you could use lots of different EO's. Just buy some unscented shaving cream and a bunch of EO's and have any type of scent you want. The only caveat I might offer is make sure it won't irritate your skin. I had no problem with the one drop of either essential oil but if Krissy and/or Liddy see this post then perhaps they can add more knowledge than I have.

Thanks,
Andrea

I like to add a few drops of glycerin and a drop or two of EO to my shaving mug prior to making lather. It works great and I can get the scent I want every time.

Vetiver has become my favorite.

I could shoot myself for throwing out most of my essential oils this summer when remodeling my kitchen. I had all sorts of fruit and spice essentials that I discarded. All I kept were the sandalwood, sage, juniper berry, lavender, ylang ylang, Chinese tea tree, frankincense, myrrh and a couple of yogic blends.