Over the last few months, I have encountered a few folks that have commented that they prefer unscented products, or had a preference for certain scents in the things I’ve made. Since I’m usually not selling my products, it hasn’t been an issue…my feelings aren’t hurt when my gifts have been turned down. When I think about it, I’ve added scents to a few of my products that could have been left unscented. Curious!
When I look back over the last 10 months of web posting, many of my body products either start with an organic olive oil that has been infused with either calendula flowers or lavender buds; or they begin with beeswax and shea butter that also have their own subtle scents. To those products, I add a scent or two…not just for the smell but for the healing properties of the essential oils.
My soaps all start with a melt-and-pour soap base of some kind…my favorite is an aloe vera base. I also use goat’s milk, shea butter and a clear glycerine base. Each of these has a mild scent, with probably the glycerine soap base as the least scented.
My specific interest has been in the various healing properties of the essential oils that I add to all these products. The natural bug spray used 5 different scents of essential oils! (https://marykisner.com/natural-bug-repellent-for-dogs/)
My latest product was the travel soap tin that had an insert to allow a small bar of soap to dry better between uses. Since the focus of the product was the tin with insert, the kind of soap included really didn’t matter. I first used my aloe vera soap:
So, while I was thinking about unscented products, I grabbed a 1-pound chunk of clear organic glycerine soap from my stash and melted it down in two glass containers.
The first container I left absolutely plain. Hopefully, the mild scent of the glycerine soap would be OK for folks that preferred unscented. The second container I added a yellow soap tint and citrus blend essential oil just for variety. I now have a way to offer the travel soap tin to someone who prefers unscented. That felt good!
I will try to pay attention to where I use scents in my products, or at least mention ways to leave them unscented if possible. I also make a point to include a card with each item that tells exactly what is in each product. For example, when I made the eye pillows for headaches or toothaches, I added lavender buds to the flax seeds so when they were heated in the microwave they smelled good. It would be just as easy to leave the lavender buds out…the flax seeds are what held the heat/cold. (https://marykisner.com/making-a-hot-or-cold-eye-pillow-for-headaches-or-toothaches/)
As time goes on, I’m sure I’ll find other ways to reconfigure my products without scents. At the moment, I will continue to identify all the ingredients in my stuff so folks can make their own choices. Enjoy!
Please comment or email me directly at marykisner@comcast.net.