# Amount of glycerin given in % for liquid soap



## Q-Lee (Dec 12, 2018)

Perhaps this question has been asked before,but in percentage ...How much glycerin compared to oils (or KOH) are advised to use ? I've read a dozen of GLS recipes on the web,but the amount of glycerin is varies a lot.
(KOH+glycerin , the 50/50 metod , glycerin in oils etc).
Hopefully someone can answer


----------



## shunt2011 (Dec 12, 2018)

Here's a very long but very informative thread on liquid soap.  Highly recommend reading it.  Lots information.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-creamy-cocoa-shea-gls-tutorial.57974/


----------



## Lankan (Dec 12, 2018)

shunt2011 said:


> Here's a very long but very informative thread on liquid soap.  Highly recommend reading it.  Lots information.


Link missing


----------



## shunt2011 (Dec 12, 2018)

Lankan said:


> Link missing


Sorry, it's there now.


----------



## DeeAnna (Dec 12, 2018)

I recommend Shari's thread, because you'll learn a lot.

My answer to your specific question is this -- the amount of glycerin you use is completely up to you.

It is _theoretically _possible to use no glycerin up to 100% glycerin, although I strongly do not recommend using 100% for safety reasons (see the indented paragraph below). Or any percentage in between. It's up to you.

I have made the same recipe with varying amounts of glycerin to see how the recipe behaves. They have all worked fine. See: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...erin-water-vs-water-only-lye-solutions.51237/

A safer and easier maximum limit is to dissolve the dry KOH in water equal to the KOH weight. This is done at room temperature -- you do not heat this mixture. After the KOH is dissolved, add sufficient glycerin so the total weight of water + glycerin equals the total "water" weight called for in the recipe.​
There's no way to give this amount as a fixed percentage. The percentage will vary depending on the superfat, fat blend, and lye concentration chosen by the soaper.

You can add the glycerin to the oils or to the water-KOH mixture -- there's no one right answer to this either. Do what seems best for you.​
Pros of less glycerin: A bit more lather in the finished soap. Lower cost because water is cheap compared to glycerin.
Cons of less glycerin: May want to warm the starting soap batter to 160-170F / 70-75C to encourage the batter to come to trace faster. You do not have to cook the soap after it comes to trace, however -- you can still use a cold process method.

Pros of more glycerin: Comes to trace quicker at lower temperatures. Works well with a cold process method. Some claim the soap is thicker when diluted, although I don't see that.
Cons of more glycerin: Higher cost. Somewhat less lather.


----------



## Q-Lee (Dec 12, 2018)

shunt2011 said:


> Here's a very long but very informative thread on liquid soap.  Highly recommend reading it.  Lots information.
> 
> https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-creamy-cocoa-shea-gls-tutorial.57974/



This thread I have read  As you say. Very informative


----------



## Q-Lee (Dec 12, 2018)

DeeAnna said:


> I recommend Shari's thread, because you'll learn a lot.
> 
> My answer to your specific question is this -- the amount of glycerin you use is completely up to you.
> 
> ...



Thank you for a clarifying answer. Do you have a suggestion to how much glycerin that are advised/best ratio for the following recipe?

80%Olive Oil
10% Coconut Oil
10% Castor Oil

I've tried one batch with replacing 45% of the water in the recipe with glycerin.  Glycerin in oils ,and KOH dissolved in the water (55%). The soap came out cloudy after dilution.


----------



## DeeAnna (Dec 12, 2018)

No, I don't have a recommendation -- it truly doesn't matter to me how much glycerin I use to make liquid soap. I get good results no matter what. Maybe others will share their preferences and suggestions for your recipe.

The glycerin method is basically a way of making liquid soap that largely avoids the use of heat. Pharmacists supposedly developed it so they could make small amounts of pure soap in their labs for use in medicinal products.

The glycerin method makes fine liquid soap, but the soap isn't any better than soap made with only water. This technique is simply an alternative process.

As far as the cloudiness --

Cloudiness has nothing to do with whether glycerin is used or not. I get the feeling you think it might?

Cloudiness has more to do with the types of fats used, what kind of water you use to make and dilute the soap, any additives, the % of superfat, the KOH purity, and whether the soap is fully saponified or not.

You aren't sharing your full recipe -- ALL ingredients and ALL settings -- so it's impossible to guess what caused the cloudiness in your particular soap.


----------

