First - ((((((( big hugs ))))))))))))))))
It's going to be okay. Now this is mama talking - get back on that horse, er, I mean get back in that kitchen, make your 12 oz's of soap and add 3 TABLESPOONS of scent. And then add three more DROPS for good measure. I'll be waiting to hear by tomorrow night how it turned out and I'll lay money on it that it's going to be heavenly! LOL!
Seriously Jill, I know you can do it. I think you're conserving your scents and that's the one thing you can't do in soapmaking. As for colorants, I've found that the darker I try to make it, the uglier the soap. So I'm sticking with the soft colors for now - no navy blues or dark greens for me.
Please don't give up and turn to wind spinners - I know you can do this!!!!!
Mama Dukes (as the teens call me)

I agree with pistil. Add more fragrance oil. I must tell you, though, that I make candles and I have quite a collection of fragrance oils. All of mine are safe for wax and soap/bath products. However, I have found that some of my candle scents that smell wonderful in my candles smell terrible, and I mean terrible, in soap! I am not sure why, unless its the difference in the chemical composition. One that comes to mind is BitterCreek's Water Blossom Ivy. It is a wonderful fragrance that smells great in a candle. It is a fragrance that would be a great soap smell, so I thought I'd give it a try. I used the clear glycerin base. It smelled horrible, no matter how much fragrance oil I put in. The only way I salvaged it was by remelting and using another fragrance oil. So, it may not be you, it may be the particular fragrance oil you are using. Don't give up! Keep experimenting!
Susan

First off, let me apologize for whining and ranting last night.

After battling PMS all day, and then a good night's sleep, I decided to maybe cut back a little on the amount of base and try to get the basics down. I'm not really writing down what I'm adding to what, and I think I need to do that. I also need to send DH into the shower with a bar and let me know what he thinks in use.

Jill

Hi Jill - sorry to hear you were so down in the dumps yesterday. A couple weeks ago, I had the same feelings after working with that WSS base...I hated it, and the soaps I made with it were *nothing* like what I wanted and hoped for. So I gave myself a 2 week break - I'm ready to pick it up again this weekend, and feeling much better about the whole thing. :-)

My first bars weren't very fragrant either - I figured out that you have to use a *ton* of FO's to get the smell...you have to be very liberal with it. So just pour it in there - you'll get it.

Good luck...just go back to making a few small bars and try to regain that excitement over the whole thing - I'm sure you'll feel much better once the hormones even out (I know that can send me into a tailspin faster than just about anything). :-)

just remember, there is a limit as to HOW much oil you add to soap, & still have it turn out ok. Too much will make it cloudy, sticky, & while it may SMELL great, don't know how SAFE it is to use.........oils made for soapmaking ARE skin safe, but ONLY within acceptable limits.

Hazel

LOL Hazel - are you trying to tell me that the 3 tablespoons are a tad too much? ROTFLMBO!!!!!!!! I know, it is a tad too much - I just wanted Jill to make something that she'd be able to smell. Once she posted that she could smell it, I was going to tell her to cut down the amount of FO. I don't want her to give up on soaping....
Susan

Jill, don't give up!! Your efforts have been so inspiring.
Everyone has bad days. Heck, I've made such awful bars, they don't even make it to the junk pile, they get thrown right out! And my first loofah bars in a pringles can, (maybe one of the easiest to do) I was so depressed. I thought what they he** am I doing? Hang in there, Sandra

Jill, what scent were you using? I'm finding that some scents are way stronger than others and have better lasting power. My Oatmeal Almond bars that I made a month ago are still very strong...the scent was honey almond from Michaels. I got a Buttercream scent from Joannes that is to die for as well as a Raspberry. I do have one scent that faded almost immediatley called Joyous, or Joyful or something like that. Luckily I only used it once. I'm gravitating toward strong scents with staying power for sure! LOL Hope it gets better for you...keep smiling!
Kristi