# Palm kernel flakes substitute?



## Stellagirl (Jun 9, 2013)

I'm using a recipe that calls for 5oz palm kernel flakes, I only have 3...
Anything I can substitute...
Also calls for 5oz palm oil.
Thanks for your help...


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## lsg (Jun 9, 2013)

How about substituting coconut oil for the palm flakes?  Run it through SoapCalc or another lye calculator with whatever substitution you decide on.


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## DeeAnna (Jun 9, 2013)

Coconut oil and babassu oil are similar in general properties to PKO. Or make a smaller batch based on 3 ounces of PKO rather than 5. But do not just substitute or reduce oils without checking the new recipe with a lye calculator. Changing oils means the the amount of lye may change too.


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## jade-15 (Dec 7, 2013)

I have a recipe I want to try which calls for palm kernel flakes, which I don't have. After looking at priorities it appears that I can substitute with coconut or avocado oil... This recipe already has coconut oil, and 4 other oils as well! My question: will using avocado oil (or even palm kernel flakes) add anything to the soap or should I just increase the coconut oil?
It is only 5% palm kernel, so to my inexperienced soap brain, it wont make much difference in the end whether i use coconut/avocado/palm kernel... But I am inexperienced so would love to hear your thoughts.
(And yes, yes I know I must run it through a soap calculator, don't worry soaping world, i do for each and every batch I make).


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## kazmi (Dec 7, 2013)

I've never thought of avocado oil as having similar properties to PKO or CO.  It has no where near the hardness or any cleansing properties of either of those two.  Avocado will give you a very moisterizing bar.  

If your recipe already has ~20% CO and you don't want to purchase PKO or babassu then just increase one or two of your other oils.   If you did a side by side comparison, you would see a slight difference of a bar with/without 5% PKO but that doesn't mean you won't love your soap without it.  Check out the soap qualities chart available at soapcalc.com website as a reference for some of the property numbers that soapcalc uses for each of the oils/butters.


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## Obsidian (Dec 7, 2013)

Avocado oil is not a substitute for palm kernel oil/flakes, coconut oil is the best sub. I use PKO and coconut oil in my soaps, I prefe palm kernel oil over coconut.


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## Dennis (Dec 7, 2013)

Obsidian said:


> Avocado oil is not a substitute for palm kernel oil/flakes, coconut oil is the best sub. I use PKO and coconut oil in my soaps, I prefe palm kernel oil over coconut.



Palm kernel oil is cheaper than CO by more than $1/lb also.


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## Obsidian (Dec 7, 2013)

Not here it isn't. I can get 1 lb of palm kernel flakes for around $6 while 30oz of coconut oil is a bit less. I haven't found any place local that sells palm kernel oil, just the flakes.


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## jade-15 (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks for the replies, CO it is.
I went through the properties on soap calc, however they did have trouble loading properly so that's probably how I've thought avocado was a substitute - must have had another oils properties listed still.
It's not that I don't want to use PKO, just that I don't have it and can't get it locally, so I will put it on the wish list for my next order.


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## Dennis (Dec 7, 2013)

Obsidian said:


> Not here it isn't. I can get 1 lb of palm kernel flakes for around $6 while 30oz of coconut oil is a bit less. I haven't found any place local that sells palm kernel oil, just the flakes.



I stand corrected.  I was looking at the wrong palm on my price list.


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