# Palm Kernel Oil in Liquid Soap



## smengot0 (Sep 10, 2017)

Hello Everyone,

Please I will like to use palm kernel oil in a liquid soap recipe,

Castor Oil 35%
Palm kernel oil 45%
Olive Oil 20%

My question is: will I get a clear sweet liquid soap?

Am substituting coconut oil with palm kernel oil to keep cost low. Coconut oil is really expensive here.

Thanks for your help[emoji4]


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## Susie (Sep 10, 2017)

Palm kernel oil will not give you a clear soap.  Too much stearic acid.


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## DeeAnna (Sep 10, 2017)

Susie -- might you be confusing palm oil with palm kernel oil? Palm is high in palmitic and oleic acids, but PKO is more like coconut -- high in lauric.


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## Susie (Sep 10, 2017)

DeeAnna said:


> Susie -- might you be confusing palm oil with palm kernel oil? Palm is high in palmitic and oleic acids, but PKO is more like coconut -- high in lauric.



Yes, I am.  So sorry.


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## smengot0 (Sep 11, 2017)

Thanks DeeAnna. Yes, my thinking was that since CO and PKO have almost same properties, they should produce similar results in liquid soap. Susie thanks for your contribution. I really do appreciate you all


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## enzymerich (Oct 22, 2017)

If I use palm kernel oil to make liquid soap it comes out clear. It's also clear when I use it with sunflower oil. I do use the glycerin method because I don't like to cook it for a long time.


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## DeeAnna (Oct 22, 2017)

Yes, I would expect liquid soap made with PKO and/or sunflower to be clear, since these fats have low levels of stearic and palmitic acids. 

Other options -- olive, safflower (both regular and high oleic versions), babassu, coconut, castor, and any of the other liquid oils. High oleic fats (HO sunflower, HO safflower, olive, etc) will help your LS to be thicker when diluted but tend to not make a lot of lather. High myristic-lauric fats (babassu, PKO, coconut) will help with the lather, but may make the soap drying to the skin. High linoleic fats (regular sun, regular saff, corn, canola, etc) may contribute to rancidity over time, but it's undeniable that they make a clear LS.

While the glycerin method of making liquid soap has its benefits, I want to stress that you can make liquid soap without any added glycerin and also not have to cook it for hours.


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