# How much fragrance and other additives, mica question?



## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

How much fragrance do you add to your soap? Been adding .75 oz per lb- wondering if that is enough....
Also, do you add honey and clay at trace?
and mica....... it seems so nice in the bowl (usually mixed with glycerine) but when added, say 2-3 t in a 3 lb oil batch- you can hardly notice it has been added. 

Trying to get consistent bars for the shop our soaps are in- my competition is with glycerin soaps, which are more consistent and people who use powdered goat's milk- so the shop managers are kind of thrown by the different look of the cp milk soap- (said the clove looks like fudge) 

Does anyone have any links for working out bugs of cp soaps? (or their own tricks of the trade) 
Greatly appreciated!


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

Double post


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I add honey, clay, herbs or botanicals I intend to distribute through the whole bar to the oils. I use FO at .7ppo or less and my bars are highly scented. I don't think mica lends itself to a whole bar colorant. FWIW I add my FO or EO to the oils too. I don't like to add things at trace because it takes up time I need for decorative techniques like swirls, texture or layering etc.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I add most my additives to the oils. Sometimes I will add my EO/FO to botanicals, then add them to the oils. I thin honey with water (honey is water soluble, not oil soluble) and add after I incorporate the lye mixture to the oils (but before trace)

I use .5 oz ppo* for EO/FO

The only time I've had success with mica is when I incorporate it with a color (ultra marine or oxide) and use it in a swirl.

*ppo = per pound oil


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Thanks! 
Been trying to work with the mica's- the only way I really like them is sprinkling them in the bottom of a mold, then spooning the soap in- I thought it was my methods. Can you reccomend a good colorant that people who want a natural soap will be happy with?


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I love clay in soap. It adds beautiful color, lather stability and leaves a smooth finish on the skin. You can use mica to swirl, it works really great for that!


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

For the swirl, do you use straight mica, or mix it in glycerine or water?
I love the feel of clay- how much do you normally use? 
I was reading the thread about vanishing fragrance- when I added clay to an orange soap the fragrance lasted a very long time. I do think it does help bind the fragrance...


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

I mix the mica straight into a small cup of raw soap. I don't use much clay, anywhere from a tablespoon to a 1/4 cup usually does the trick.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Christie!!!!

TBL to a 1/4 cup for how much soap??? LOL!!

I don't use much clay either. When I was trying different recipes for my shave soap, I found that clay would limit the amount & sustainability of lather. I ended up coming up with a recipe that decreased the superfat, increased the lauric & linoleic fatty acids and used about .5 oz of palm stearic in the recipe. . . . no clay. The high lauric gives the big bubbles, the high linoleic gives a low lather and the 'slickery' feel and the stearic sustains the lather.


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## cmharris6002 (Jan 27, 2006)

> Christie!!!!
> 
> TBL to a 1/4 cup for how much soap??? LOL!!


Lol!!! That would be for 88oz of soap.


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