juicybath said:
What benefits do you get by using a high % (like 50%) of Olive oil? What are the negatives?
For me, the main benefit is mildness.
The negatives are less bubbly lather the higher % you go, and also the colloidal gel that forms on the surface of high % OO soaps when they get wet (although some see that as a positive). This curious gel-like substance is actually due to olive oil's high % of oleic acid, which readily solubizes in wet conditions. The good news is that it hardens right back up when the soap dries out. The higher the % of olive oil, the higher the % of colloidal gel formation your soap will display when you shower or bathe with it. As for adding sugar to cut down on sliminess, you can certainly try it, but it didn't put a dent in the colloidal formation in my Castile, even when I combined it with the use of a 48% lye solution.
Some people
love the colliodal gel and find that it adds a nice, creamy dimension to their soap, while others
hate it because to them, the gel feels like there's a layer of raw, slimy egg whites on the surface of their soap. It's all a matter of preference, based on what kinds of textures gross you out. It really doesn't bother me all that much (because I use a facial cloth with it), but it sure bothered enough of my testers that I decided to go on a quest to formulate a Castile-type that wouldn't make certain people feel like they were getting slimed.
I made a lot of different OO soaps with varying percentages from 100% to 50% along the way in my quest to please the gel-hating people, and I kept coming back to my 50% OO formula. Everyone of my testers from tough, macho guys to girly girls all gave me good feedback on my 50% OO soap- so that's what I settled on as my main Castile-type (or Bastile) formula. It's as mild as a higher % OO soap, has silky/creamy lather with good bubblage, and best of all- the gel formation is so miniscule in my finished bars that it's a non-issue among my testers.
IrishLass