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DIY Lemon and Strawberry Body Mist Spray

There’s something so refreshing about a light, fruity body mist, especially when it’s homemade with your favorite scents. In this post, I’ll be showing you how to make a Lemon and Strawberry Body Mist Spray that smells divine, feels light on the skin, and leaves you feeling fresh all day.  This body mist combines the sweet notes of strawberries with the crisp, clean scent of lemon, a perfect match for anyone who loves bright, cheerful fragrances. The best part? You can make it easily at home using simple ingredients and safe formulation techniques! Why Make Your Own Body Mist? Commercial body mists can sometimes contain unnecessary synthetic ingredients that may irritate sensitive skin or cause dryness. Making your own gives you full control over the ingredients, you know exactly what’s going into your product. This Lemon and Strawberry Body Mist combines fruity, cheerful notes of strawberry and zesty lemon with gentle moisturizing and refreshing agents. It’s perfect for hot days, ...
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How to Calculate Fragrance Oil for Cold Process Soapmaking

Cold process soapmaking is so amazing, because it allows you to create soap from scratch with just three core ingredients (lye, distilled water, and oils). These three ingredients alone can give you a nourishing bar of soap, but the soaps are  usually scentless. To elevate the bathing experience, many soapmakers add fragrance oils. These oils not only make your soap smell irresistible but also allow you to create unique blends that reflect your personal style.

However, one of the biggest challenges beginners face is figuring out how much fragrance oil to use. Adding too little leaves your soap with a faint scent, while adding too much can cause skin irritation or affect the performance of the soap. In this article, I’ll walk you through what fragrance oils are, how they’re made, the different types available, how to calculate the right amount for your recipe, and tips to make the scent last longer in your soap.



What Are Fragrance Oils?

Fragrance oils are specially formulated aromatic oils designed to give products a specific scent. Unlike essential oils, which are extracted naturally from plants, fragrance oils are typically man-made blends of natural and synthetic ingredients. They are designed to be stable in soapmaking, meaning they can withstand the high pH of cold process soap without losing their scent too quickly.


How Fragrance Oils Are Made

Fragrance oils are made in laboratories where perfumers combine aromatic chemicals, resins, and natural extracts to create consistent, safe, and long-lasting scents. Some are “all synthetic,” while others are “natural fragrance oils,” which combine plant-based extracts with man-made compounds to stabilize the scent. The goal is to give you a fragrance that holds up in soap and is safe for skin contact.


Popular Types of Fragrance and Scent Notes

Fragrances are often categorized by scent notes, which describe how the smell unfolds:

  • Top notes – the first scent you smell (e.g., citrus, herbs, light florals).

  • Middle notes (heart notes) – the core of the fragrance that gives character (e.g., lavender, rose, spices).

  • Base notes – the deep, long-lasting scents that linger (e.g., vanilla, musk, sandalwood).

In soapmaking, combining these notes creates a balanced fragrance blend that doesn’t disappear quickly. For example, pairing a citrus top note with a woody base note helps the soap smell fresh and stable for longer.


How to Calculate Fragrance Oil in Soap Recipes

This is the part that confuses most beginners. The amount of fragrance oil you should use depends on:

  • The recommended usage rate provided by the fragrance supplier (usually between 3–6% of the oil weight in cold process soap).
  • The total oil weight (not the water or lye).

Formula:

Fragrance oil (grams) = Oil weight (grams) × Usage rate (%)

Example:

If your recipe contains 1,000g of oils and your fragrance supplier recommends a 5% usage rate:

1,000g × 0.05 = 50g fragrance oil

Always check your supplier’s documentation because some fragrances are stronger, and some may have lower skin-safe limits.


How to Make Fragrance Last Longer in Soap

One common frustration is that fragrance seems to fade over time. Here are a few tips to make scents stick:

  • Anchor the fragrance with fixatives: Add base notes or natural fixatives (like benzoin resin, kaolin clay, arrowroot powder, or even a small % of castor oil). For example: blend your fragrance with 1 tsp kaolin clay before mixing into your soap batter. This helps the fragrance bind better and last longer.
  • Choose the right fragrance type: Essential oils like citrus oils (lemon, orange) fade quickly, but patchouli, cedarwood, lavender, and ylang-ylang last longer. For fragrance oils, stick to ones labeled “soap-stable” or “good cold process retention.

  • Add fragrance at the right time: Add your fragrance at light trace (not too early, when lye is still very strong). This reduces evaporation. Stir well to ensure even distribution.

  • Curing and Storage: Longer cure = weaker scent unless anchored. Store soaps in an airtight container or shrink wrap after initial curing to preserve scent.

  • Blending top, middle, and base notes: A blend of 20% top notes, 50% middle notes, and 30% base notes works well.          Example: Orange (top) + Lavender (middle) + Patchouli (base)  = longer-lasting scent.


Some Popular Fragrance Blends for Soap

  • Citrus and Vanilla: Fresh and sweet with good staying power.

  • Lavender and Peppermint: Relaxing yet refreshing.

  • Rose and Sandalwood: A floral-woody blend with depth.

  • Eucalyptus and Lemon: Uplifting and crisp.

  • Coconut and Lime: Tropical and energizing.

Experimenting with fragrance blends is part of the fun of soapmaking. You can create scents that are uniquely yours!


FAQ

1. Can I use essential oils instead of fragrance oils?

Yes, but essential oils can be more expensive and some don’t perform well in cold process soap.

2. What happens if I add too much fragrance oil?

Your soap may become irritating to skin, weep oil, or fail to set properly. Always stick to safe usage rates.

3. Why did my fragrance accelerate trace?

Some fragrance oils (like florals or spices) can speed up soap thickening. Mix carefully and be prepared.


Fragrance oils are an easy and fun way to customize your soaps, but the key is balance. By learning to calculate the right amount, adding it at the right stage, and choosing smart blends, you can create soaps that not only look beautiful but also smell amazing long after curing.

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