# Any guidlines for adding Vitamin E Oil to soap?



## cheesenoodle (Dec 11, 2011)

We have some "Vitamin E Oil" (Ingredients say Vitamin E + Coconut Oil + Soybean Oil) from Trader Joe's.

This is the product - http://www.makeupalley.com/product/show ... isturizers

I know the coconut oil in it complicates things, but maybe we can assume it's just Vitamin E for now and whatever coconut oil is in there can superfat in an insignificant amount considering the relatively low addition of this component in a soap..[/i]


----------



## cheesenoodle (Dec 11, 2011)

So far I am seeing recommendations to add the vitamin E anywhere from 1-3.125% of your oils from this site:

http://www.pinemeadows.net/recipes.php


----------



## SoapyD (Dec 11, 2011)

That is not the Vitamin E most people use in their soap and B&B products. That is an oil that has Vitamin E as one of the ingredients, along with a bunch of other stuff.


----------



## cheesenoodle (Dec 11, 2011)

SoapyD said:
			
		

> That is not the Vitamin E most people use in their soap and B&B products. That is an oil that has Vitamin E as one of the ingredients, along with a bunch of other stuff.



Yeah, that's the problem.  It probably couldn't hurt to add it anyways though, assuming it's a small amount, like 3-5% of oils, or would it?

Ingredients labeled on the bottle:
Soybean Oil
Vitamin E (DL-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate or D-Alpha Tocopherol)
Coconut Oil


I know it's not ideal 100% vitamin E, but we have it lying around and I'm wondering if it's safe to add in a small amount for the heck of it.  I wouldn't think doing so at a 3-5% would mean excessive superfatting, if added to a 5% superfat recipe, but wanted to get some input from the pros here in terms of going rancid or something.


----------



## SoapyD (Dec 11, 2011)

I don't know about the rancidity issue, but I wouldn't know how to enter it into a lye calculator. If you're just going to add it on top of the oils you've already calculated, I think it would be safe, as long as this soap is going to be for personal use only.


----------



## IrishLass (Dec 11, 2011)

> .... I wouldn't know how to enter it into a lye calculator. If you're just going to add it on top of the oils you've already calculated, I think it would be safe, as long as this soap is going to be for personal use only.



This.

It sounds like a good experiment, but adding vitamin E as an additive to lye-based soap is an iffy proposition depending on what you hope to achieve. I don't know of any experienced soapers that use vitamin E in their soap as an additive as there is no solid evidence that it adds anything beneficial to soap seeing as how the lye monster would probably just eat up any redeeming qualities, especially in light of Dr. Kevin Dunn's experiments with vitamin E in soap in regards to its inability to prevent DOS. But many do add a small bit of vitamin E (usually Vitamin E T-50) to their shorter shelf-life oils to extend their shelf-life (that has been proven, at least).

IrishLass


----------



## cheesenoodle (Dec 11, 2011)

IrishLass said:
			
		

> > .... I wouldn't know how to enter it into a lye calculator. If you're just going to add it on top of the oils you've already calculated, I think it would be safe, as long as this soap is going to be for personal use only.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thanks, I'm not sure about it being proven to do anything either, I guess that's another story.

As far as the lye issue goes, I figure if you were to add it at the gel stage, when the lye is theoretically all reacted, then the vitamin E shouldn't get eaten up by it.


----------



## Maythorn (Dec 11, 2011)

I had always understood that vitamins were destroyed by lye as it kills bacteria.  I wouldn't spend the money on it for soap but it would be nice in lotion and stuff.


----------



## cheesenoodle (Dec 12, 2011)

Maythorn said:
			
		

> I had always understood that vitamins were destroyed by lye as it kills bacteria.  I wouldn't spend the money on it for soap but it would be nice in lotion and stuff.


Yeah, but the Vitamin E would be added after full gel in hot process, so the lye would be consumed in the reaction and the Vitamin E wouldn't be effected.  I guess if done in cold process the opposite may be true though.


----------



## carebear (Dec 13, 2011)

is it Vitamin E, or Vitamin E acetate?  if it's a skin care product it's probably the latter.  (regular vitamin E is not stable in acidic environments - and most skin care products are somewhat acidic).

The acetate, at  least, is not stable at the high pH of soap - even soap that's completed saponification has a relatively high pH.

won't do any harm, but probably won't do any good either.   especially as it is probably very dilute.  

ETA:  oh I see now that it could be either.


----------



## Maythorn (Dec 13, 2011)

Yep, probably after the process like with HP it would survive better.


----------

