# Alternatives to Coconut Oil?



## dragonblossom (Sep 14, 2013)

I've done some searching and reading but I'm still having trouble finding an alternative to coconut oil. I guess because I'm being picky, lol. I don't want to use palm oil due to the sustainability issue. I'd like the replacement oil o be something I can easily get and isn't too expensive. Reason for the alternative is my mother in law is allergic to coconut. 

Thought of making olive oil Castile for her, but the cure time on Castile sounds  waaaay long. So, any suggestions would be super helpful! Thanks!


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## Hazel (Sep 14, 2013)

Palm oil isn't a substitute for coconut oil because they have different properties. Palm kernel oil is the one which has the same properties. Babassu can be used as a substitute but it's a little more cleansing so I'd recommend using slightly less as a replacement. Not by much - I lowered it 2% or 3%. You may have to experiment with it to determine what percentage you like. It's been a long time since I've used it which is why I'm not sure of the percentage. On the other hand, you might like a more cleansing soap and would prefer to use it at the percentage of what you normally use for CO.


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## paillo (Sep 14, 2013)

I like babassu as well, and ditto to the details Hazel provided. I order it inexpensively from Soapers Choice. I use it in solid lotions, shampoo bars and CP.


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## green soap (Sep 14, 2013)

I make a babassu calendula soap (unscented) for those with coconut allergies that do not want my goat milk castile.  I had someone wanting a non coconut vegan soap and had nothing for her, so I now make this one on a regular basis.

I leave it unscented because (1) it is rare that I get asked for a non coconut soap and unscented seems to please everyone and (2) since babassu is pricier than coconut, adding no scent allows me to offer this soap at the same price as my other coconut containing soaps.  However if it was my MIL I would make it in her favorite scent of course!

I get my babassu from Cibaria (my semi-local oil supplier)


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## dragonblossom (Sep 14, 2013)

Super, thanks! I'll look into babassu then.


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## judymoody (Sep 14, 2013)

I use palm kernel oil for soap and babassu for leave on products, mostly due to price.


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## sistrum (Sep 14, 2013)

You could just leave it out. Soap will clean just fine without coconut oil or palm kernel oil. It will be nice and mild but you may find it lathers better with warm to hot water instead of cold.


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## Robert (Sep 14, 2013)

dragonblossom said:


> my mother in law is allergic to coconut.


"Allergic" how?  "Allergy" covers a lot of ground, from the specific type of reaction called "atopy" (seen in "hay fever" and atopic dermatitis, for instance) to various other rxns that people have, such as many food allergies.  Can you describe the type of exposure and symptoms she had that lead you to say she's allergic to coconut?  Was she given a scratch test?

The reason I ask is that depending on what you mean by "allergic to coconut", on one hand you might be subbing something just as bad for her, and on the other she might tolerate soap made from coconut oil just fine.

For one thing, how well does she tolerate mass market soaps and detergents?  Most of them are made partly from coconut oil.


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## dragonblossom (Sep 14, 2013)

Robert, I couldn't say. She just said it's an irritant. She's a nurse, so I'll ask her to what degree and let her know it's a typical ingredient in commercial soaps. ^_^ If that's the case then she should be able to use my soap without problem as I do know she doesn't use any specially formulated soap.


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## ewenique (Sep 17, 2013)

Sometimes it's the percentage of coconut that can cause an irritation.  When I made a soap with 33% coconut, my daughter found it made her itchy, whereas all my other soaps with 20% or lower coconut never irritated her skin. My soaps typical superfat is between 6-8%.  Now my salt bars have high coconut 80%, but also a high superfat 20%, and she uses them no problem.

I do make a few soaps using palm kernel oil flakes instead of coconut.


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## sososo (Sep 17, 2013)

Alternative to Coconat Oil -> Castor oil + sugar (or honey).


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## judymoody (Sep 17, 2013)

With respect to bubbly lather, castor and sugar will help.  But too much castor can make your soap sticky.


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## namad (Sep 17, 2013)

You could always try a Olive oil soap with something else added, like Castor Oil - I have heard of Olive oil and Palm Oil only.


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## Hazel (Sep 17, 2013)

Hanna-Made Soaps said:


> I have heard of Olive oil and Palm Oil only.



Yup! It's called Palmolive.


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## namad (Sep 17, 2013)

Hazel said:


> Yup! It's called Palmolive.




That's Awesome. hahahahaha


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## Hazel (Sep 17, 2013)

I wasn't joking. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmolive_(soap)



> In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the B.J. Johnson Company was making a soap entirely of palm oil and olive oil, the formula of which was developed by B.J. Johnson in 1898. The soap was popular enough to rename their company after it - "Palmolive". Around the start of the 20th century Palmolive, which contained both palm and olive oils, was the world's best-selling soap.


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## namad (Sep 17, 2013)

I didn't think you were joking,  I just think it's hilarious because I never would have thunk it :S


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## sistrum (Sep 18, 2013)

Just remember when trying to up the bubbles with castor oil that using to much will not only make your soap sticky, after a certain point it will start killing the bubbles.  It's more of an enhancer.   100% castor won't make bubbles at all.


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## namad (Sep 18, 2013)

sistrum said:


> Just remember when trying to up the bubbles with castor oil that using to much will not only make your soap sticky, after a certain point it will start killing the bubbles.  It's more of an enhancer.   100% castor won't make bubbles at all.




Ive seen that actually on a website, the person was testing 100% soaps and castor oil did nothing haha. 

I found a recipe online using Castor Oil at 8% to olive oil at 92%. I showed to use a SF 8%, but I changed that to 5%. Pretty good stuff. It eludes me the site, actually, found it 

This is a Baby Soap recipe

http://www.soap-making-resource.com/baby-soap-recipe.html

I hope I am allowed to reference sites like that, if not, my apologies


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## samirish (Sep 18, 2013)

palm kernel oil


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## Robert (Sep 19, 2013)

I think Palmolive has managed to retain their trademark while eliminating the olive from the formula to cut costs.


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## shunt2011 (Sep 19, 2013)

I use Palm Kernel Flakes in place of or in conjunction with Coconut.  Makes a nice soap with my other oils and butters.


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## Hazel (Sep 19, 2013)

Robert said:


> I think Palmolive has managed to retain their trademark while eliminating the olive from the formula to cut costs.



They also eliminated palm. :wink: It's just a brand name now.


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## Robert (Sep 20, 2013)

Hazel said:


> They also eliminated palm. :wink: It's just a brand name now.


That's surprising in view of how many big brands these days use palm, palm kernel, or both.


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## Liesel Atwood (Nov 21, 2020)

ewenique said:


> Sometimes it's the percentage of coconut that can cause an irritation. When I made a soap with 33% coconut, my daughter found it made her itchy, whereas all my other soaps with 20% or lower coconut never irritated her skin. My soaps typical superfat is between 6-8%. Now my salt bars have high coconut 80%, but also a high superfat 20%, and she uses them no problem.
> 
> I do make a few soaps using palm kernel oil flakes instead of coconut.


  Hey there!  So, in reference to the coconut oil and PKO being used interchangeably, is it possible to make a 100% coconut oil soap but substitute part of the C.O for PKO?  I suppose it wouldn't be 100 % coconut oil soap anymore..lol!  What I'm wondering is, would a soap like that still need to be super fatted at 10 to 20 % ?  I haven't actually tried this, but have substituted part of the coconut with PKO.  I have yet to find a reference about PKO which addresses the dryness issue....if indeed it is drying.


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## earlene (Nov 21, 2020)

Liesel Atwood said:


> Hey there!  So, in reference to the coconut oil and PKO being used interchangeably, is it possible to make a 100% coconut oil soap but substitute part of the C.O for PKO?  I suppose it wouldn't be 100 % coconut oil soap anymore..lol!  What I'm wondering is, would a soap like that still need to be super fatted at 10 to 20 % ?  I haven't actually tried this, but have substituted part of the coconut with PKO.  I have yet to find a reference about PKO which addresses the dryness issue....if indeed it is drying.


It's the myristic and lauric fatty acids in the CO and the PKO and Babassu oil, too, that cause the drying effect.  So yes, it would still be drying.


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## TheGecko (Nov 21, 2020)

dragonblossom said:


> I don't want to use palm oil due to the sustainability issue.



You can purchase Palm Oil that is RSPO certified.


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## SoapDaddy70 (Nov 24, 2020)

namad said:


> Ive seen that actually on a website, the person was testing 100% soaps and castor oil did nothing haha.
> 
> I found a recipe online using Castor Oil at 8% to olive oil at 92%. I showed to use a SF 8%, but I changed that to 5%. Pretty good stuff. It eludes me the site, actually, found it
> 
> ...


The first soap I ever made which was only 2 months ago  was a Bastille style soap which was 75% Olive Oil, 16% Shea and 9% Castor. Just to test it I used half a bar at 5 weeks and it was a little slimy but felt really nice on the skin. Using it now at just under 8 weeks it is so much nicer.


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