# A few questions before I begin my 1ST ever batch!



## MrsMVP (Aug 4, 2015)

Hi everyone.

I'm ready to begin my first ever batch of solid soap.

I have some questions though. I hope they're fairly simple. I bought some olive oil at wal-mart, and it turns out it's actually a blend of olive and canola oils. How do I put that into the calculator? I don't want to have to wait to make this soap, yet again. lol.

Also, I have vegetable oil, that's all that's on the bottle, so what do I put that in as, as no soap calculator that I have found, has vegetable oil as a selection?


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## zolveria (Aug 4, 2015)

This sound like rapeseed and olive oil blend
Personally this would work.. I would just make a small 1b batch and test it.

I use stop and shop Mediterranean blend in my soap and have no problems i just clik olive oil 

here an easy one 

coconut oil 30 percent
olive oil 70

to the lye water add 1 tbs of sugar per pound for bubbles
to the lye water add 1 tbs of salt per pound for hardness

once lye is clear add to the oils. 

mix till trace and pour you mold..


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## MrsMVP (Aug 4, 2015)

Thank you for that recipe. I can't use those though, as I don't have enough coconut oil, and the olive oil that I have is a blend of olive and canola. That's how it is when I bought it, though I didn't notice it at the time.


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## Seawolfe (Aug 4, 2015)

If the bottle doesn't say what percentage the oils are, perhaps you can call the manufacturer to find out? For soaping it's very important to know the exact oils in there, or you can't calculate the SAP value. If you do find out that the oil is say, 70% canola and 30% olive oil, then you can do a bit of math to make it work in soap calc. 

Same for the vegetable oil, if you can't get the manufacturer to tell you, I don't think you can make a decent soap without knowing. 

FYI there are some oils that can be problematic in soaps, canola is one I believe, and other oils like soy and corn. SoapQueen has a good list of how different oils affect soaps.

Edit to add, here is the page from soap queen I was thinking of, and she likes canola. There's no advice on recommended percentages on this page though. http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-b...s-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/


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## zolveria (Aug 4, 2015)

if you not willing to risk it. IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO WAIT .
If i remember canola and soy can lead to DOS ..
you are new stay with pure olive oil and coconut. lard or tallow make a good bar. for now


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## Susie (Aug 4, 2015)

Great Value vegetable oil from Walmart is soybean oil.  Says so right on the back label right below the nutritional information.  You need to learn to read ingredient labels before buying random oils.


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## not_ally (Aug 4, 2015)

I'm afraid I agree w/the above, unless you can get the exact %'s of each and do the math in order to put it into a soap calc., it is really not a good idea to go forward.  Sometimes oils are close enough in SAP values that you can kind of wing it by fiddling w/the SF, but I don't think olive and canola fall into that category, and  you don't know *what* the oils are in the other mix.  Don't feel bad, we probably all bought oils we couldn't/didn't end up using when we started.  You just glare at them balefully for several months, then put them in a closet, and then throw them away.  Or deep fry a lot


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## Dorymae (Aug 4, 2015)

First let me say that the others are correct in wanting to get the correct values. However if it were me I would look at it this way; sap value of canola oil is about 173. Sap value of olive oil is an average of 190. Average those two and you get approximately 182 which is what I would use, and I would superfat at least 5% probably closer to 7. 

The reason is that all SAP values are averages. There is no hard and fast value, but you want to be sure that your soap is safe. Using the above I believe the soap would be safe, and if it were lye heavy it would not be so lye heavy that a good cure wouldn't fix it. 

However this is a quick fix, or rather not the correct way to go about it. So if you can not wait you could try this,but if you can wait it is better to get the proper percentages.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Aug 5, 2015)

One way to work out a mix of two oils is to use the nutritional information itself:

Say that olive has 25% unsaturated and the other oil has 10% unsaturated. You then need to do some trial and error calculations to see how much of each would give you the amount of unsaturated on the label


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## MrsMVP (Aug 5, 2015)

...mod edit...

Goodbye posts are against the forum terms of use, so this has been edited to reflect that


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## janzo (Aug 5, 2015)

Wow, I know who the rude, snotty one is and it's not Susie.  Don't come here asking for advice and when you get it decide you don't like it.  Keep on walking ......


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## Seawolfe (Aug 5, 2015)

Uhm, I thought from your post that you had got it at WallMart as well.  Telling people to check labels on their ingredients for soap making isn't rude, its a simple necessity. I'm sorry that you didn't like the way it was said, but hey its FREE advice from very knowledgable people. 



MrsMVP said:


> Thanks for the incredibly unhelpful, snotty advice. I can read just fine. You should perhaps learn to read posts before spouting off snarky useless insults. #1 I didn't buy the vegetable oil at Wal-Mart. I bought the olive oil there. #2 I didn't realize before today that the type of oil made a difference. #3 I came to this forum for help before I started and made a mistake. Thanks to your incredible ignorance and rudeness, I won't be coming back. Soap making was supposed to be fun, not a way for an unhappy crank to act superior and make me feel like an idiot. Good luck with your soap making. Obviously you don't need it, what with being so perfect at reading labels and knowing every single detail there is to know about it.


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## Dorymae (Aug 5, 2015)

MrsMVP said:


> Thanks for the incredibly unhelpful, snotty advice. I can read just fine. You should perhaps learn to read posts before spouting off snarky useless insults. #1 I didn't buy the vegetable oil at Wal-Mart. I bought the olive oil there. #2 I didn't realize before today that the type of oil made a difference. #3 I came to this forum for help before I started and made a mistake. Thanks to your incredible ignorance and rudeness, I won't be coming back. Soap making was supposed to be fun, not a way for an unhappy crank to act superior and make me feel like an idiot. Good luck with your soap making. Obviously you don't need it, what with being so perfect at reading labels and knowing every single detail there is to know about it.




If your skin is so thin that you think she was trying to act superior to you, or was trying to do anything other than help you then you are probably right to leave - not only this forum but probably all of the internet. 

No, I'm not being snarky - I am being sarcastic. You see it is very difficult to tell how a person is behaving when you can not read their expression and only have words to go on. 

Read this sentence out loud with the emphasis on the bolded word, you will see what I mean:

*I * didn't steal his car.  (Wasn't me it was that other guy)
I* didn't* steal his car.  (Absolutely not)
I didn't *steal* his car.  (Didn't steal it, just borrowed it)
I didn't steal *his* car.  (I stole hers not his)
I didn't steal his *car*.  (Took his bike not his car)

You could not tell any of these things through text, only when speaking unless someone spells it out for you. 

No one here is trying to be mean, but we don't walk on eggshells either, we just blurt it out. Newer people always seem to think people have it in for them, but really if you stick around you'll see we are all pretty nice, and you will not find a group more willing to help, and even tell you the truth- even if you don't want to hear it.

I hope you stick around. If you do, welcome to the forum :grin:


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## Saponista (Aug 5, 2015)

I'm really confused as to why this thread upset that person? I don't think anyone was rude at any point!?!?!? Normally I can see how someone might have taken something in the wrong way etc. but this time I literally have no clue.


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## ngian (Aug 5, 2015)

In case *MrsMVP *comes back, here is a link that she might find it helpful. *

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=53920
*


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## Jstar (Aug 5, 2015)

> #2 I didn't realize before today that the type of oil made a difference.



Which means you should have come here first or done more research. Susie wasn't being rude, she was being straight up...which is how the rest of us are. We dont sugarcoat, and to those with extremely thin skin, they may see us as rude, but that's not the case. These are the nicest most helpful people in any soaping community I have ever found.

I guarantee you can't find a better place on the net than right here. Grow a thicker skin, get that chip off your shoulder, and get ready to learn.


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## Dorymae (Aug 5, 2015)

You'll have a hard time anywhere without a thicker skin, but good luck to you just the same.


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## Susie (Aug 5, 2015)

MrsMVP said:


> Wow, seems like 99% percent of the people here are a-holes. Never mind, I found a better, more helpful forum with people who actually show respect to newbies. Yeah, I'm a newbie. *I've been researching soap making for a few months now, trying to make sure that I didn't do anything wrong. Not one recipe that I have ever come across, said that the oil type made a difference. Some called for certain oils, etc, but they all made it seem like you could add your own.* In any case, I'm replying to a private forum message, and deleting my account. Good luck with your virtual friends.
> 
> To the one that said she couldn't see where I took what I took, wrong:
> 
> ...



The most cursory research through this forum would have left no doubt in your mind that you must use certain oils to achieve certain results.  If you did, indeed, read the beginner's forum stickies and recent threads, and missed that fact, then I am not sure any of us can help you avoid soap making failures.

I did not advise you learn to read.  I advised you learn to read labels to avoid buying random oils.  There is a difference.

Frankly, the fact that you resorted to name calling says way more about you than us.


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## zolveria (Aug 5, 2015)

yes i too am confused what happened here?  

Okay it seem to be an emotional week here on the forum 
YOu know how we women can be a  tad bit emo on a topic  we all have been there ? 



Saponista said:


> I'm really confused as to why this thread upset that person? I don't think anyone was rude at any point!?!?!? Normally I can see how someone might have taken something in the wrong way etc. but this time I literally have no clue.


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## Nevada (Aug 5, 2015)

We were all new here once

I don't mean to be preachy, but those of us who have been here awhile know that sometimes newbies don't always receive much in the way of patience and understanding. Sometimes it's easy to jump on those who are new to Soaping, know less than we do, or simply have different tastes. Sometimes criticism comes a little too easy on internet forums.

Remember that we were all new to soaping once, we didn't know anything. And if we were lucky someone with a generous amount of patience and understanding was willing to take the time to teach us, even if it meant pushing their patience and understanding to the limit.

How many of us can say that every decision is the correct one. How many of us at some point have bought something for a our new hobby simply because we thought it was the right oil or fragrance, etc. 

I doubt that anyone here is perfect. 

In my humble opinion, this forum should be about more than personal entertainment, it should also be a place to provide guidance to those who are new to our craft, even if that means exerting a bit more patience and understanding. After all, how would we want to be treated if we were new here? In the end, we can teach newbies a lot more with patience and understanding than with insults and criticism.

Of course, if you've been here a while then you better have thick skin, because you're fair game.

Just my thoughts, 
Roy

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-were-all-new-here-once?highlight=new+members


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## Dahila (Aug 5, 2015)

I made Gynny shampoo bar which contains soybean oil and bum bum after 8 months DOS.  It was not GMO so I used it for a body scrubs, with Emulsimulse it makes a beautiful body butter too
BTW before I asked my first question here (it was a thread about LS, I asked about polysorbate 80) I had read all the threads in the CP soap subforum then all the rest.  I had  most of my questions answered. 
Lady try the Dish and we will see how you are treated there. )


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## Jstar (Aug 5, 2015)

MrsMVP said:


> *Wow, seems like 99% percent of the people here are a-holes.*
> 
> And this reply right there is why you got the responses you did..its your attitude, which we don't take kindly to, either from newbies or seasoned..and I dont see seasoned acting like this.
> 
> ...



So good luck making your soap on 'better, more helpful' forums..dont say we didn't warn you about whats out there.

And as for being up each others butts..nope, we arent..we just respect one another..my guess is you are either very young, or used to speaking to people the way you just did or both..either way it wont get you far in 'any' soaping community..

Good Luck


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## amd (Aug 5, 2015)

Nevada: thank you! I tried to post a similar message this morning but couldn't get it through. I totally saw the insult when I read Susie's post and thought to myself "well I bet that goes over well. Or not." Unfortunately we can't make every situation full of grace, but it would be nice to see just an apology when feathers are ruffled. "I'm sorry your feelings were hurt... Here is the importance of reading labels..." Would have made for a lot less drama. I soaped for 8 months before I even started to get a glimmer of an idea re: the properties of oils. Everyone has a different learning curve.


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## Jstar (Aug 5, 2015)

Ive seen multiple apologies in this forum from seasoned soapers where something was said but the intent was taken wrong by the newbies..had the OP not reacted with such arrogance, she wouldn't have been responded to by others in the manner she was...

There are far too many newbies coming to this forum on a daily basis ready to learn that apparently dont have such thin skin..they are ready to learn and dont carry their feelings out on their sleeves...

As the old saying goes.."Dont carry your feelings on your sleeve, its too easy to get them knocked off"


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## not_ally (Aug 6, 2015)

I too thought that Susie’s initial reply was a bit terse and unlike her, I thought that maybe it was a result of answering quickly and not gauging the impact (Susie, you *know* what a fan I am of yours, but that is how it came across to me.)  That being said, if I had been the OP - as a brand new poster to the forum - I think I would either just have taken my lumps along w/the helpful responses or, at minimum, responded a bit more calmly.  

To say that 99% of us are *******s (overstating the case to at least some degree, I think, although *I* have my days ) ignores the multiple responses she got that gave her useful information about her situation.  If she had done that and stuck around, I think she would have observed in person how very helpful Susie is in general, and that the rest of are as well.

Also, I must admit it was irritating to read this:   “I've been researching soap making for a few months now, trying to make sure that I didn't do anything wrong. Not one recipe that I have ever come across, said that the oil type made a difference.”

That just seemed impossible.  IMO fessing up that you have done no research and don’t know where to begin so that you can start is one thing, people will just post a bunch of links/stickies.  But saying you’ve done a bunch of it and never realized that you did not have to know exactly what oils you are using in exactly what amounts is another, I don’t see how that is possible.


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## gigisiguenza (Aug 6, 2015)

Good luck MrsMVP! As everyone has surely told you already, you're gonna be addicted quick LOL


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## spenny92 (Aug 6, 2015)

gigisiguenza said:


> Good luck MrsMVP! As everyone has surely told you already, you're gonna be addicted quick LOL



Did you read the thread..? I don't think she'll be back anytime soon.


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