Improving Your Sulfate-Free Liquid Soap

It's great that you've successfully made a liquid soap with a nice feel by adding glycerin! Let's address the cloudiness and the base odor you're experiencing.

Cloudiness Issue

The cloudiness you observed after adding fragrance oil and apricot kernel oil is likely due to these oil-based ingredients not being fully compatible or soluble in the water-based sulfate-free shampoo base. Oils and water naturally separate, and without a proper emulsifier or solubilizer, they will cause the mixture to become cloudy or opaque.

ClearClean is a thickener and suspending agent. While it can help keep particles dispersed and prevent settling, it does not act as a solubilizer for oils. To achieve a clear liquid soap when incorporating oils like apricot kernel oil or oil-based fragrances, you would typically need to use a suitable solubilizer (such as PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil or Polysorbate 20, depending on the specific oil and base) to help the oil blend cleanly into the water phase.

If you want to keep the apricot kernel oil in the formula for its skin benefits, you might need to accept some level of cloudiness or experiment with a solubilizer. Using a water-soluble fragrance instead of an oil-based one could also help maintain clarity.

Base Odor Issue

Some sulfate-free shampoo bases can have a characteristic raw material odor. The slight rancid smell could be from the base itself or potentially from the apricot kernel oil if it has oxidized or is not fresh. Natural oils can sometimes develop off-odors over time.

Here are a few things you can try:

• Check Ingredient Freshness: Ensure both your sulfate-free base and apricot kernel oil are fresh and stored correctly (away from heat and light).
• Increase Fragrance Concentration: You might need a slightly higher concentration of fragrance oil (within recommended usage rates) to effectively mask the base odor. Different fragrance types also have varying strengths and abilities to cover base smells.
• Use an Odor Absorber: There are specific cosmetic ingredients designed to absorb or neutralize base odors in formulations. You could explore adding a small amount of such an ingredient.
• Consider a Different Base: If the odor is inherent to the specific base you are using, trying a different sulfate-free shampoo base might yield one with a less noticeable smell.

By addressing the solubility of the oils and potentially using a higher concentration of fragrance or an odor absorber, you should be able to improve both the clarity and the scent of your liquid soap.