Flora Fix™ vs DPG for Essential Oil Scent in Organic Soap: Heat Sensitivity & Naturalness

Asked by: jan_nazyy On: July 22, 2014 Product Type: Cosmetics

Question

I am making an organic soap product using essential oils for fragrance. I am considering using either Flora Fix™ or Dipropylene glycol (DPG) to help with scent longevity. I have the following questions:

  • Which ingredient (Flora Fix™ or DPG) is more effective at making the essential oil scent last longer in the soap?
  • Which ingredient is more aligned with the goal of creating a "most natural" or organic product?
  • I understand that Flora Fix™ can be affected by high heat during mixing. How does heat, especially in the soap making process (like hot process), affect both Flora Fix™ and DPG, and ultimately the essential oil scent?
  • I received information that DPG helps reduce evaporation for scent longevity, but also heard that scent fixatives like Flora Fix™ can be affected by heat. Could you clarify the impact of heat and the effectiveness of each ingredient regarding scent stability and longevity in a soap base, considering the desire for a natural/organic product?

Answer

Hello,

Regarding your question about using Flora Fix™ and Dipropylene glycol (DPG) with essential oils in your organic soap product, focusing on scent stability and natural origin:

  1. Flora Fix™ and Heat: The information stating that high heat should be avoided when mixing Flora Fix™ with fragrance to prevent scent damage likely refers to the initial mixing process. However, this also indicates that the fragrance/Flora Fix™ mixture, and thus the final product, can be sensitive to high temperatures. High heat generally causes volatile fragrance compounds to degrade or evaporate more quickly, altering the scent profile. This sensitivity applies during mixing and potentially to the finished product when exposed to heat (like during hot process soap making or storage).

  2. Comparison (Scent Stability & Naturalness):

    • Dipropylene Glycol (DPG): DPG is a synthetic solvent often used as a fragrance carrier. As the staff mentioned, it can help reduce the evaporation rate of the fragrance, contributing to longer-lasting scent. However, DPG is not naturally derived and may not align with your goal for a "most natural" or organic product.
    • Flora Fix™: Flora Fix™ is described as a fragrance fixative, intended to help stabilize and prolong the scent. Information regarding the natural origin of Flora Fix™ is not available through the tools I have access to. Like fragrances, it is also susceptible to degradation by high heat.

Conclusion:

  • If your primary goal is the "most natural" ingredient, DPG is a synthetic chemical and would likely not be suitable for an organic product. The natural origin of Flora Fix™ is unknown based on available information.
  • Both fragrances and the substances used with them (fixatives or solvents) can be negatively affected by heat, potentially changing the scent. The warning about Flora Fix™ and heat highlights this general principle. Your soap-making process, especially hot process, involves heat, which is a factor to consider regardless of the additive used.
  • The staff recommended DPG for scent longevity by reducing evaporation, but this conflicts with a strict "natural" requirement.

Choosing between them depends on balancing your naturalness criteria with desired performance (scent longevity/stability) and considering the heat in your soap process. If naturalness is paramount, DPG is less suitable from a natural perspective. You would need to research the composition and origin of Flora Fix™ further to see if it meets your organic standards.

Tags

Fragrance Longevity Heat Sensitive Ingredient Comparison Natural Ingredients Soap