Soap Samples

[J.Mac]

So i went on a bit of a soap sample binge and picked up quite a few different brands and scents.
My question is, is a sample always a good scent representation of a full tub scent?

The reason i ask is that a number of the samples, to my nose, have 0 scent at all. Just the plain soapy smell. Could this be due to the scent not being mixed through sufficiently to this small portion of soap?

 

[alfredus]

I really think it depends how the sample is cut and packaged. I don't think it will be a different soap mixture than a regular puck, because usually it is just cut off a regular puck.

But: by being cut in the wrong way, you don't have the same surface area. This makes not only loading harder, but you could also miss out on the scent.

For example Stirling samples have the same diameter like their normal pucks, just thinner. They are also sealed the same way they shrink wrap their normal samples and are therefore very representative of the soap.

Mike's samples on the other hand are cut like a small hotel soap bar and wrapped just in paper. For me his samples never worked, both scent wise and loading wise. I actually almost gave up on this soap because of this - and what a horrible shame it would have been, because I absolute love it.

 

[filobiblic]

My question is, is a sample always a good scent representation of a full tub scent?

No. This is one reason why some soap makers don't do samples... (Other than the time involved in making them!)

Could this be due to the scent not being mixed through sufficiently to this small portion of soap?

No. Usually because of several reasons (freshness of sample; original strength of scent; type of scent) including some that @alfredus has already mentioned (surface area; wrapping material). But even samples in ziplock bags sometimes have little to no scent.

For any sample, I would take them out and smear them on the base of a bowl (usually the entire sample). Then I'd bloom it (with a little warm water) in the bowl. Pour the water into your hand and rub on your face. Then bowl lather. If you can't smell anything, then it's a write off... Even if you do smell something, it's bound to be a fraction of what it really smells like.

If you can smell the scent of a sample, it's got to be a very strong or distinctive scent. But even then it's likely to be only a fraction of what it really smells like...