1st time using Shea, 0 Linolenic Acid recipe

[Iluminameluna]

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]

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]

"...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]

@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]

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]

@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

 

[Iluminameluna]

Hope you are much better now

I'm hoping for an improvement w/the coming year, thank you, @Ekuzo

 

[AliOop]

Here's to a better year for you, @Iluminameluna.

 

[Susan Cote]

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!

 

[Susan Cote]

Just a thought. I live in a very humid climate as well here in New Zealand. I just want to share that for our climate my bars are best with between 10% and 20% of salt. Any more than that and you can see the sweat on the bars. As salt attracts moisture. I would imagine that the area your Mom lives in is very warm as well as a humid environment. So I caution you on the whole salt additive. You will love shea butter. I use 20% in my bars. I too love lard and lucky for me its easy to access. Our recipes are very similar. Just take the environment into consideration. I'd personally do some small sample batches and let your Mum see how they do in her environment. I wish you a healthy New Year and every blessing...looking forward to viewing your soap.