# Maximum castor oil in soap



## sabon (Apr 19, 2012)

Planning to make a CP soap with coconut oil, castor oil and bees wax. Can castor oil be used as high as 45%? Has anyone tried using this oil in high percentage? Waiting to know from you all


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## kaaty (Apr 19, 2012)

Interesting...only coconut and castor oils? If you have 45 % castor then you will have 55 % coconut.  As I know, if you have more then 30% coconut, the soap will have a great cleaning but it will dry the skin.  
Maybe somebody more experienced tell us if it's true 
The castor oil I think is too muc,h in my opinion


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## sabon (Apr 19, 2012)

I wanted a coconut oil 'rich' soap as we grow coconut in our farm and olive oil is very expensive (about 6 times the price of coconut oil). To balance the 'drying' nature of coconut oil I thought of adding a lot of  castor oil but I have not come across any site which mentions castor oil beyond 15 percent. I will wait for expert opinion on this and then proceed.


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## Fragola (Apr 19, 2012)

I've made a 90% coconut 10% castor, and around 20 superfat. Increasing the superfat will balance the drying nature of coconut. 

From what other people say, maximum of castor is around 10%, except for shampoo bars. 

Isn't castor more expensive than olive oil ? 

If price wasn't a barrier, I would try a 50% castor, 50% coconut and 25% salt soap.

See also:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... a604daf456


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## judymoody (Apr 19, 2012)

I find that even above 7% castor imparts a kind of soft stickiness to my soap and it has a kind of waxy feeling.  In my experience 5% works best.

Fragola is right about upping the superfat to counteract dryness.  You could do 100% coconut with 20% SF.  Or you could do 80% coconut with 20% whatever at maybe 15-18% SF.


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## IrishLass (Apr 19, 2012)

I agree with Fragola and judymoody- instead of using a really high % of castor to combat coconut's super cleansing/drying power, just use a little castor (or even no castor at all if you wish) and increase the superfat anywhere from 15% to 20%. I make a 100% coconut soap with a 20% superfat and it's very lovely and non-drying to me. I also make a 70% coconut/30% mango butter soap with a 15% superfat and it, too, is lovely and non-drying to me.

As for using high amounts of castor- if you ask me, it all depends on the other oils/fats in your formula (as well as the person and how their skin feels things). I use 20% castor in my wet shaving soap which contains 70% hard fats/butters, and it comes out great according to my testers. I also have a formula that uses 23% castor, 65% tallow and 12% olive oil that feels velvety to me and not sticky at all. I doubt if that would still be the case if I were to use that much castor in a formula with softer oils, though. The very high amount of hard fats counterbalances/compliments the higher amount of castor nicely (at least for me anyway). I'd make a couple of sample batches using various amounts of castor and see what works or doesn't work for you.


IrishLass


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## sabon (Apr 19, 2012)

The place where I live, Castor, Sesame, Coconut, Tamanu oils are reasonably priced as these are locally grown. Olive oil is imported and is very very expensive (approximately six times the price of the locally available oils). The last batch of soap I made was with an addition of a small percent of ghee and kokum butter. Kokum butter I extracted myself from Kokum fruit which is available locally too    and ghee is clarified butter and a part of any Indian cuisine, so it went into my previous batch of soap 
Coconut oil has a very pleasing smell. Do you think a 100 percent coconut oil without addition of EO/FO will still retain its gentle sweet aroma after cure? 
Thanks to your suggestions I am inspired to make a 100 percent coconut oil soap!
I would also like to know if adding clay to a soap using 100% coconut oil and superfat 20% would make it drying?


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## Fragola (Apr 20, 2012)

From what I hear, coconut won't retain the scent.

In my experience, adding small amounts of clay to soap doesn't make it drying (under 2 tsp ppo).


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## Bubbles Galore (Apr 20, 2012)

Extra virgin coconut oil didn't retain it's scent in any of the soaps I made.


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## Azoraa (Aug 19, 2012)

I was contemplating making a batch with 40% castor and no coconut at all.  I might use cocoa butter but have not decided on the %ile for that yet.


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## IrishLass (Aug 19, 2012)

Azoraa said:
			
		

> I was contemplating making a batch with 40% castor and no coconut at all.  I might use cocoa butter but have not decided on the %ile for that yet.




Use something hard! 

IrishLass


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## sabon (Aug 20, 2012)

I tried a very small batch of soap about 2 ounces with 45% castor and 55% coconut just to satisfy my curiosity. It turned out very soft and when it was still soft in the mold after 3 days( looked hard but was soft and mushy insid)e, I rebatched as per suggestion from Irishlass and added salt. It hardened like magic. I remember putting it to cure in a corner but somehow forgot about it. I will try to find the soap and check its lather and get back to you all.


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## Lyric (Aug 20, 2012)

So what did you decide to do?  Did you make the batch?  Any pics :?:


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## pai (Jul 27, 2013)

in my 2 batches of 100% coconut oil soap they didn't retain any smell either.
question- if using virgin cold pressed coconut oil will the lye calculation be the same as for the 76/92 degree coconut oils?

ps- sabon: are you by any chance located in south india?(i am asking as i see your available oils are same like mine)  i am just starting out here in north goa and would love to talk to someone who is making soap here....:razz:


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## sabon (Jul 27, 2013)

> n my 2 batches of 100% coconut oil soap they didn't retain any smell either.
> question- if using virgin cold pressed coconut oil will the lye calculation be the same as for the 76/92 degree coconut oils?
> 
> ps- sabon: are you by any chance located in south india?(i am asking as i see your available oils are same like mine) i am just starting out here in north goa and would love to talk to someone who is making soap here....



This comes just as I was wondering if you are from Konkan 
You guessed absolutely right! We live in adjascent states


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## Chookie2 (Jul 27, 2013)

Too much Castor oil will cause soap to sweat. 15% maximum is recommended in most books.


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