What are your favorite scents for a shave soap?? Do you prefer essential oils (EO) or fragrance oils (FO)? Some I've seen listed on Shave Den are Dragon's Blood I have this in an FO, the EO is so high priced! Bay Rum I've noticed quite the variety of scent Bay Rum in my fragrance oil suppliers. Somewhere I have the EO mix for bay rum Amber I usually think of this as a low note to combine with something else! Almond Nice! How about combo fragrances?? Or mints, patchouli?? You folks have really inspired me!
Some of my favorites are: Mama Bear's Dragons Blood Mayan Gold Pearberry Egyptian Musk Colonel Conk Amber Almond Tabac I really like the scent of Burt's Bees Bay Rum, but I wouldn't recommend that soap to anyone! As far as EO versus FO, I really don't care. I haven't had any problems with either yet so I guess I don't have a preferrence, it's all just alphabet soup to me! -Fred
At least you need Bay Rum Something minty Something Leather-ish Woods and earth.. And a whole lot more I cant figure out just now
Bay Rum - Pimenta Racemosa EO is preferred :happy088 Pathchouli EO I try to use essential oils over frag.
Thanks guys! I've just whittled down my EO/FO selections (I was known as a scent slut). Thankfully there are some EO I won't be without. DragonBoy - I think MB carries some 'Dirt' soap! I had two different FOs - one was 'dirt', the other 'earth'. One smelled like fresh tilled garden dirt, the other was a 'greenier' forest dirt scent.
They both sounds like great scents - can I have both please Do you have a E.T.A on you shaving soaps.. Wanna try...
Bay Rum and Lavender are two basics that I like. I also think a Lavender/Peppermint/Rosemary combo would be nice. And a combo scent using Tea Tree would be great as well. Leather and/or earthy scents are nice too. Cyndi, will your shaving soaps include some which are made with lard or tallow and the fresh milk and cream? I certainly hope so, 'cause the bar of 100% Coconut Bath Soap is one of the most moisturizing bars I have ever used. A shaving soap with those moisturizing properties and super latherability would be a most unique skin conditioning shaving treat.
Some of my favorite scents are Anything Bay Rum. For soap, I really like the Burts Bees scent, but the soap sucks. The Old Dominion Bay Rum soap has a great smell. Something piney. Giovanni's Tuscan Memories, QED Cedarwood/Pine EO Lime/Lemon I also LOVE the TOBS St. James scent Throw in a good rose soap every once and a while too.
Some of my personal favorites: Bay rum with orange Cedarwood and lemon Orange patchouli (hmm...I'm beginning to see a citrus pattern here....never noticed that) Myhrr Amber with vanilla Those are just the ones that I open and go:"aaaaaaahhhh" at.
Yes, all my soaps contain lard - it is such a moisturizing oil. Likewise, I use fresh, whole milk as the only liquid carrier of the lye. Sometimes, I add extra cream (if we're well stocked in butter and don't need the cream for that!) That 100% coconut soap is actually a 115% coconut made just for MB - no other oils except coconut and superfatted at 15%. I'm pleased you are liking it. It's made exclusively for MB and can be bought only on her site I planned on experimenting with new shave soap recipes yesterday, but my feet were cold so I knit myself a pair of socks .... I have high expectations from the new soaps (because you all have given me such great recommendations). The first test batches will not have a scent - I want to get a good recipe down. Some folks are swayed more by the scent and I want my testers to concentrate on the soap itself, and not the scent. Maybe if I get snowed home tomorrow, I'll put up my test batches.
I'm still working on what "scent" I like best. For me, it's finding the right equipment, technique, pre-product/cream/soap/post product and worry about scent later. I have to say though from the ones, I have bought I have not found a bad scent yet. The ones I got from Mame Bear in essential oils are definitely pleasing. Bay Rum & Tangerine, Rosemary and Lime, Patchouli & Lavender.
I personally like using a bath soap that has the more base scents in it -- woods (sandalwood, patchouli) , amber, etc (vetiver). I can then layer up with my shaving soap and EdT using the "mid & top note" scents.
I love the 115% Coconut as it's left me feeling moisturized right out of the shower. And I love the coconut scent as well. That would even make a great shave soap scent. Very great approach in making the shave soap. In my book, a good shave soap must first produce a thick, rich, creamy, slick lather that is irritation free. The scent is indeed secondary. Best of luck in your latest venture in the soap business. I look forward to what may very well be the first tallow and cream based shave soap being made; at least I've not heard of any others with this base. There's plenty of goat milk shave soap producers, but I have found their products generally produce a thin, bubbly lather which I have been unable to use.
Thomas, You'll have to get a hold of MB - she carries it! It's labeled 'dirt' soap but the fragrance oil is 'earth'. It is the one my son chose of the two. The shaving soaps are yet to be produced and tested. When we have a winning combination, MB will be the only place they can be purchased, same as the coconut soap.