Vanilla soap smells like play-doh!

[Becky]

Anyone else have this problem? No matter what soap recipe or vanilla FO I try, I can't seem to get a good vanilla scented soap!

[topofmurrayhill]

Anyone else have this problem? No matter what soap recipe or vanilla FO I try, I can't seem to get a good vanilla scented soap!

I suspect it's difficult to formulate a really great vanilla for soap, because the rich, round, delectable scent and flavor of vanilla comes largely from a substance called vanillin. When you put it in an alkaline environment like soap, the vanilla fragrance pretty much goes away. They must have some trick to make vanilla soap fragrance, but play-dough often results.

[Candybee]

You know I always blended mine. I never used a straight vanilla FO by itself. I guess its probably because I wanted to minimize the dark discoloration and the tanish colored lather.

 

Maybe thats why I never got a plastic or play doh scented vanilla soap.

 

The blends and vanillas I've used that worked really well for me are Vanilla Lace and French Vanilla. One time I blended with sandalwood FO and another I blended with allspice and patchouli EOs. I usually used vanilla at 50% of the blend.

[Becky]

Ahh.. that's what it is...the vanillin!

 

Ok. Now I'm on the hunt for a good vanilla with little or no vanillin!

[TallTayl]

Tonka bean has many of the same notes as vanilla. It's kind of hard to find though the Eo/absolute got ungodly expensive and the FO source dried up.

A real vanilla bean has hundreds of scent and flavor components (which is why when you compare artificial vanilla extract with the real deal the artificial one tastes flat). Most of the vanilla FO i have smelled are buttery, like French Vanilla. As a vanilla lover with bottles infusing all the time, i like more realistic vanilla.

Which have you tried?

Brambleberry Vanilla Select is nice, not so buttery. I use it mostly in blends for CP.

Sweetcakes Vanilla Fruity is a different take on traditional vanilla. It is supposedly non discoloring.

Sweetcakes White Vanilla is also supposedly non discoloring. I don't love it OOB, but have smelled way worse.

Sweetcakes Special Edition is the nicest OOB of the three IMO. I have to soap all three of these to see how they "really" are.

[Candybee]

AH used to carry the white vanilla for CP soap. Last time I looked for it it was gone. But they recommended blending white vanilla with their other vanilla for a more rich vanilla with little discoloration. So maybe try SC white vanilla mixed with another.

[SueH]

I always got the playdough smell with straight vanilla

[Becky]

I don't even know how many I tried...Vanilla Select from BB is ok, but I can still smell the play-doh.

 

I'm looking for a french vanilla, buttery and bakery...anyone have success with HP? Heck, any vanilla scent I would be happy with! I don't even care if it turns black, lol!

[Sonoma Roses]

has anyone used the Lavender Vanilla that was discontinued from Candle Science? I have an 8oz. bottle, but if it smells like play dough I guess that I could use it for wax melts. I purchased it for soap, and know it will go dark brown, but that is OK.

[Candybee]

Has anyone soaped Soapalooza's Bourbon de Vanille?

 

http://soapalooza.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=9

[Becky]

Sounds luscious! I'd like to try that one!

[TallTayl]

Trying to remember if i bought a "cheap thrill" of that one.

Sometimes the best vanilla is a blend of many failed individuals. It was like that for me with sandalwood.

[chuck_35550]

I love Creme Brulee in my goat milk soap. The vanilla is rich and very realistic. It discolors to a dark chocolate on the outside but is a creamy color inside with no bubble discoloration. I see that Fragrance Buddy has a soap formulation with 4% vanillin. All of their fos have been really perfect for me and haven't had a problem so far with acceleration or discoloration (love Karma). I may have to soap some this week-end. Customers do get a little confused by a bar of soap that looks like a chunk of milk chocolate. HTH

Steve

[Becky]

Is that Creme Brulee from Fragrance Buddy?

Do you use HP or CP?

 

Never tried Fragrance Buddy, may just have to jump in and get some samples!

[chuck_35550]

I haven't tried that Creme Brulee from FB but just saying that so far so good. I cp soap. Any good Creme Brulee which is safe for soaping should do the trick.

[Candybee]

I just checked my notes and the vanilla I had that worked the best for me was Vanilla Lace from CS. I blended it with Peaks Asian Sandalwood.

 

But I also used real vanilla bean and scraped out the paste and put it in my batch. I also tempered some eggs and added those. So I had a really creamy vanilla soap. It did turn dark brown like vanilla pod brown and the lather was a light tan color so I didn't make it anymore. But my customers really loved the vanilla scent and wanted it even when I explained the lather turned tannish.

 

I'm not sure if the vanilla paste actually scented the soap but I want to believe it helped anchor it. The paste/seeds had a real pretty look in the soap until it turned so dark you couldn't see them anymore.

 

Anyway, it was the best smelling vanilla soap I made and the vanilla overpowed the sandalwood without a fake or plastic smell. As I said, that might have been due to the vanilla paste.. just not sure.

[Shar]

I quit offering a vanilla besides Pink sugar due to the playdough factor. I've tried many other different vanilla's and wasn't happy with any, even The Scent Works Madagascar vanilla. Pink sugar is a bestseller for me in lotion, and sells decent in soap too.