1st time using Shea, 0 Linolenic Acid recipe

Iluminameluna · Nov 8, 2024

I haven't made soap in over a year though I got all my supplies ready, plus some really beautiful gifts that will make my soap-making SO much easier & better! Life happens, right?

Now I'm ready to go, but I'm really needing to use up the Shea butter I bought (1 kg), so I've been reading about how to use it as a replacement for my beloved lard.
What I've noticed is that suddenly my linolenic acid has disappeared! When before it might've been 2 - 3, it doesn't seem to matter how I fudge the #s, it stays 0. Does it matter?
Here's the link to my recipe:

https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/recipes/97277.shea-lard-olive-bar-v-1

I'll be using @Zany's faux seawater formula for the liquid, w/distilled water, bc it's for my Mom, who has amazing skin, but she lives in a VERY humid climate (Central America) & I need these bars to last her a while! If a 1 lb batch turns out ok, I'll make a 2.5 kg batch.

One more thing: with the oleic THAT high, am in in danger of having a slimy bar?

Ugh. I thought subbing in the Shea butter would be more straightforward.

TIA for any help!

Ekuzo · Nov 9, 2024

From what I see, it doesn't look bad or anything. 6% SF is a little high for my taste, but if you like it that way, it shouldn't be a problem. It would make a harder and longer lasting bar if you decrease it though - you mentioned you want it to last for some time, so that's something I would change. Lower SF will also give you better lather, so it's a win-win.

The linoleic/linolenic ratio/presence altogether doesn't matter much (in this case, it usually does when it's higher). I keep them combined at 10% or less, your recipe has 7% so that's fine.

I don't think this oleic level is too much, it's acceptable to me and far from the level in a castille soap - so I don't think your bars will be slimy.

Only one thing left to do - make the recipe and try the soap

DeeAnna · Nov 9, 2024

"...What I've noticed is that suddenly my linolenic acid has disappeared!..."

@Iluminameluna -- The fatty acid profiles for each individual fat shows only olive has a tiny linolenic acid content -- around 1%. With olive at 30% of the recipe and assuming linolenic acid at 1%, the olive contributes only 0.3% linolenic acid to the total fat blend. Fatty acid percentages are rounded to whole numbers so that 0.3% rounds to zero.

If that's not acceptable, then you'll need to increase the olive content. Or add a fat that's high in linolenic acid, such as hemp or an exotic nut seed oil.

But again ... I'm not quite sure why the linolenic acid content is a concern, so you'll have to explain more about your expectations.

"....with the oleic THAT high, am in in danger of having a slimy bar?..."

The oleic acid content in the recipe you shared is only 44%.

Rather than assume the soap is going to be slimy based on that number alone, give some thought to making a test batch to find out.

The slimy nature of high oleic soaps will be affected by the other fatty acids in the recipe. Most of my high-lard recipes have that much oleic acid, but that is offset by a generous % of palmitic and stearic acids from the lard. They aren't slimy in my opinion.

But it's difficult to extrapolate from my recipes and my preferences to your recipes and your likes/dislikes.

Iluminameluna · Nov 9, 2024

@DeeAnna & @Ekuzo Thank you both for your advice! It's been a year of rough health issues & I feel like I'm starting from scratch at soap making!
Most of my CP soap recipes until this point have been lard heavy (40 - 50%), w/ plain (usually GV) OO @ 30 - 40%, the rest CO76 15%, Castor 5%. Depending on supplies @ hand. But then my lard ran out here in WI, & it's not as easily found as in San Antonio TX, nor cheap if I did find it. And as @DeeAnna reminded me, my linolenic+ linoleic acid were usually under 10% combined but I wasn't paying attention to how much which specifically.
And the oleic % wasn't THAT high on ANY of my recipes, it's why I was kinda taken aback. But I'll go check my other recipes again, just to make sure. I've got limited energy & time windows atm, so I have to be more careful in how I do this.
Again, thank you both!! I'll come back & show off my results. Even if they're only beautiful to their momma!

dibbles · Nov 9, 2024

I usually have an oleic number in the low 40s. I am sorry you have had a difficult health year. I hope that making soap is helpful. Good luck for everything going smoothly.

Ekuzo · Nov 10, 2024

Iluminameluna said:
@DeeAnna & @Ekuzo Thank you both for your advice! It's been a year of rough health issues & I feel like I'm starting from scratch at soap making!
Most of my CP soap recipes until this point have been lard heavy (40 - 50%), w/ plain (usually GV) OO @ 30 - 40%, the rest CO76 15%, Castor 5%. Depending on supplies @ hand. But then my lard ran out here in WI, & it's not as easily found as in San Antonio TX, nor cheap if I did find it. And as @DeeAnna reminded me, my linolenic+ linoleic acid were usually under 10% combined but I wasn't paying attention to how much which specifically.
And the oleic % wasn't THAT high on ANY of my recipes, it's why I was kinda taken aback. But I'll go check my other recipes again, just to make sure. I've got limited energy & time windows atm, so I have to be more careful in how I do this.
Again, thank you both!! I'll come back & show off my results. Even if they're only beautiful to their momma!

Hope you are much better now