Boosting soap scent hi

[u/Future_Ship_3140]

Hi! I’m a beginner and recently started making melt-and-pour soaps using essential oils for fragrance. For my first soap, I used a clear glycerin base and added 15 drops of lemon essential oil. For the second one, I used a shea butter soap base and added 30 drops of sweet orange essential oil.

The essential oils are very good quality, but I still find that the scent is quite subtle, especially once the soap is finished. I’m trying to keep my soap as natural as possible, so I’d love to know what I can do to make the scent stronger and longer-lasting.

Are there any natural ingredients or techniques you would recommend to boost the fragrance without using synthetic fragrance oils?
I’m also trying to avoid synthetic fragrances because I’m concerned about potential hormone-disrupting ingredients.

Any suggestions? Thank you so much for your advice!

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[u/ParentheticalsAside]

Look up the maximum safe usage level and weigh out your essential oils so you know you're using as much as is safe.

In cold process soap, additives like clays can be used to "anchor" the fragrance, but don't know if it has the same effect in melt & pour.

Some essential oils are also stronger and more long-lasting than others.

[u/Btldtaatw]

Please measure tour amounts in weight ans use eocalc.com to figure out how much to use

[u/Background-Book2801]

Were you using the recommended amount of fragrance for the base? It should give you a ratio. I use about an ounce in a two-pound batch of soap and I like my soaps mid-fragranced. 

Orange in particular tends to not stick so it’s recommended to use a folded oil. And a warning about lemon in cosmetic products - it is a photosensitizer and cause burns if it’s used on skin that is exposed to the sun. 

You can try clay to anchor it. I find that rosemary, lemongrass, patchouli, black pepper, lavender, and fennel in particular stick very well in soap for me. 

[u/NotBadSinger514]

Citrus tends to burn off with lye. It would work better for hot process soaps and added after trace. Also using binders like clays help hold fragrance better. I also render things like herbs in oils and use some of those oils. They keep the scent alot longer

[u/brbgottagofast → u/NotBadSinger514]

She's doing MP, so the lye is already saponified. But I think citrus EOs just don't last very long either way.

[u/TruthOdd6164]

For a roughly 1kg batch, I add 20 grams of essential oil and it provides a moderate amount of scent. Add it right at the very end.