Basic Soap Making Recipes

[Bimble]

Hi all,

I'm new to soap making and already fascinated with the different combinations. However, it has occured to me that the number of different ingredients posted across the various forums and youTube videos could make for a somewhat expensive hobby. Therefore, I was wondering what some more experienced makers would say, if I were to settle on a particular mix and then adjust the essential oils and clays accordingly.

For example, I've quite enjoyed some basic recipes such as:
75% Olive Oil
20% Coconut Oil
5% Castor Oil

I guess my question is whether it's wise to use these foundations and then create 4 or 5 soaps by adjusting the essential oils and clay only (1 x tea tree EO, 1 x orange EO, 1 x lavender EO) etc. - or is this a far too simplistic of approach? I'm worried about wasting ingredients but have inherited 5 x EO's and wanted to give them all ago over the coming weeks.

Thanks in advance
Bimble

 

[earlene]

I suggest you make a small batch of that recipe (say around a 500 gram batch) and see how you like it as a soap before you decide if you want this to be your go-to formula. If you like it, then try small batches with the different additives your are talking about and see how they feel to you. It may require a longer cure to give you the results you want, or it may be great sooner. I have found that some recipes do better with a longer, while others are fine sooner.

Just recently I realized that one of the nicest feeling simple formula soaps I have ever made is with Avocado Oil, HO (High Oleic) Safflower Oil and Coconut Oil. It has had a very long cure, so that is probably part of why it is so fabulous feeling, as I did not test it out when it was young. It was hidden away and I forgot about it until I stumbled across it this past week. I made a very small batch in 2018 and never did any follow up on it until now.

 

[Zing]

I use my base recipe about 90% of the time. It took me many batches before I settled on it and I continue to tweak it. Yes it can be an expensive hobby which is why my soap recipes use oils I find in the grocery store. I use the more expensive oils in lotion bars. Good luck!

 

[Bimble]

Thank you for your replies @Zing @earlene !

I might invest in a smaller loaf tin (the one I have now is 1.2kg) and do some more experimenting.

I'm curious as to your views on my basic recipe above, though. I see many posts that say coconut oil can be really drying. Would 20% be a little too high for you, personally?

Thanks
Bimble

 

[Cat&Oak]

Soapmaking is expensive and addictive!

I wouldn't have gotten to my master recipe without spending loads of money trying countless experiments and recipes. For me it was 100% worth it because I am thrilled with how my soap performs and feels.

If you just settle on the first recipe you think is good you are missing out on a world of learning. Honestly looking back some of my first soap tries that I was happy with at the time were not good IMHO

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I guess my question is whether it's wise to use these foundations and then create 4 or 5 soaps by adjusting the essential oils and clay only (1 x tea tree EO, 1 x orange EO, 1 x lavender EO) etc. - or is this a far too simplistic of approach?

Smart cookie! That's an excellent idea! It makes me sad to see SMF Noobs investing $$$ in fragrances, colorants and additives, right off the bat without getting a solid formula going first. I support that plan 100%! Making several batches of the same formula is a great way to get your feet wet and learn how different EOs and clays perform.

75% Olive Oil
20% Coconut Oil
5% Castor Oil

For that combo you may want to take a look at making Zany's No Slime Castile. You will be amazed at the difference a little tweaking makes, including a faster cure and reduced "slime".

(1 x tea tree EO, 1 x orange EO, 1 x lavender EO)

You'll need to check out the amount of each EO to use. It varies. I like to use Majestic Mountain Sage, MMS Fragrance Calc. In my experience, you can use less Tea Tree, Lavender at the strongest recommendation, and I wouldn't use Orange EO without attaching a compatible FO to it to help it last longer than the short time Citrus scents are known for.

HTH and good luck!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I might invest in a smaller loaf tin (the one I have now is 1.2kg)

Hmmm. "Tin"??? That makes me nervous.

You can fashion a soap mold from any one of several options without going to any expense. Check out @FragranceGuy's thread, Grocery Store Soap Challenge for examples.
Keep in mind that a 500g batch X a factor of 1.37 = 685g of soap (approx.)

 

[Zing]

20% coconut is perfect and won't be drying. Soap Queen has a list of oils and recommended percentages. I'd attach a link but my smartphone makes me feel stupid.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Hmmm. "Tin"??? That makes me nervous. View attachment 59688

I noticed that too @Zany_in_CO .
@Bimble - you know not to use metal right?

 

[earlene]

Thank you for your replies @Zing @earlene !

I might invest in a smaller loaf tin (the one I have now is 1.2kg) and do some more experimenting.

I'm curious as to your views on my basic recipe above, though. I see many posts that say coconut oil can be really drying. Would 20% be a little too high for you, personally?

Thanks
Bimble

I usually keep my CO down at around 15%, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. But usually about 15% . The one I mentioned above is at 15% and it seems about perfect to my skin. The rest of the formula plays a part in how much CO works well for my skin.

But one must take into account various differences that may affect how another person's skin responds to the cleansing aspect of CO: age, exposure to other things that impact the skin, type of skin, climate, environment, disease, etc. Some say men can handle a higher CO percentage than women, although I am not really sure about that; I have read it though in a few places when CO percentages are discussed.

20% coconut is perfect and won't be drying.

Not always true for everybody. And I find that it really does depend on the rest of the formula, how high a percentage of CO my skin can tolerate.

 

[Zing]

I understand that. I was responding to the first post and got a conditioning number of 69.

 

[Arimara]

I noticed that too @Zany_in_CO .
@Bimble - you know not to use metal right?

Stainless steel is fine though. You just have to make sure it is stainless steel and not aluminum.

 

[MLSB]

Thank you for your replies @Zing @earlene !

I might invest in a smaller loaf tin (the one I have now is 1.2kg) and do some more experimenting.

I'm curious as to your views on my basic recipe above, though. I see many posts that say coconut oil can be really drying. Would 20% be a little too high for you, personally?

Thanks
Bimble

With the amount of OO you CO is ok. Just so you know that %of OO does require a longer cure time. I would say close to six months and you should have a nice bar.
Many folks usually have just a few recipes that they use to make their soaps from. I on the on the other hand enjoy a variety of recipes for their various ingredients that bring many different feels to the skin.
Stick with your one until you get use to soaping and later on add one new oil while cutting back on you olive oil!
Happy soaping!

 

[TheGecko]

I'm new to soap making and already fascinated with the different combinations. However, it has occured to me that the number of different ingredients posted across the various forums and youTube videos could make for a somewhat expensive hobby. Therefore, I was wondering what some more experienced makers would say, if I were to settle on a particular mix and then adjust the essential oils and clays accordingly.

Yes it can be very expensive if you're using expensive ingredients and/or fall down the rabbit hole. If I were only making soap as a hobby for my family or as gifts for friends and family, I would undoubtedly splurge on some luxury ingredients just as I do with my yarn for knitting (I just bought a cashmere/silk blend at $40 a hank to make socks for hubby's birthday).

But as an artisan soap maker doing this to make money from it, I use one recipe for my Regular Soap and one for my GMS. That is not to say that I skimp on my ingredients...I use Olive, Coconut, Palm and Castor Oils and Cocoa and Shea Butters and they are quality oils/butters. Partly because I master batch (pre-mixing oils/butters) to make soap making easier, but also because I save money by being able to purchase in large quantities. Doing both allows me to keep my labor and materials costs down which makes my soap more affordable.

And you will find that many of the more well-known soap makers do the same...a single recipe. That is not to say that they and other soap makers don't mix it up a bit. Speaking for myself, I do have a few 'specialty' soaps. I have a 'luxury' line that is a limited release. I make a couple of 'trades' soap...one for heavier dirt and grime and one being tested for the fishing community (both salt and freshwater). And I have a few customers that are allergic to Cocoa and/or Shea Butters. And sometimes I will get a wild hair and will try one of the hundreds of recipes I have collected over the last couple of years.

 

[Bimble]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the feedback - I didn't expect so many responses.

@KiwiMoose @Zany_in_CO - sorry that was a typo. I have a 1.2kg wooden loaf with a nice silicone mould that sits inside.

@Zing @earlene @MLSB @TheGecko - thank you for your feedback. I've decided to tweak the recipe a little and will drop the CO to 17.5% and up the castor oil to 10% and EVOO to 72.5%. I'll let you know how it goes as I'm testing it this week.

@Zany_in_CO also thanks for your advice on the citrus EO. Do you have any recommendations for a compatible EO to work alongside the citrus orange EO? No worries if not, just intrigued by your obvious knowledge.

Regards
Bimble

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Do you have any recommendations for a compatible EO to work alongside the citrus orange EO?

I use a "folded" orange EO for added strength, either X5 or X10 or whichever is on sale.
Orange EO is found in many EO blends but I have yet to find one that comes through as the scent of juicy orange slices. Here's a Herbal Citrus blend I quite like but have not used in CP:

35% Orange
25% Rosemary
20% Lavender
15% Peppermint
5% Litsea Cubeba

Have you tried Kenna of Modern Soapmaking EO Calc? I just moseyed over there to see if there was a blend that used orange, litsea (a lemony anchor for citrus scents), and bergamot (classy citrus with a sweet/tart floral/spicey fragrance).

SHEER EO Blend

Scroll down to find the button for Safe Usage Rates.

 

[Zing]

I also use the 10X for citrus EOs and like to blend citrus EOs with litsea. I have used Sheer blend and highly recommend it!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I have used Sheer blend and highly recommend it!

What does it smell like to your nose? To me, it "mind-smells" somewhat green due to the tea tree oil. I'm thinking about making it up without the TT and equal parts of the 3 others. Luv, luv, luv Bergamot; Tea Tree not so much.

I've decided to tweak the recipe a little and will drop the CO to 17.5% and up the castor oil to 10% and EVOO to 72.5%.

No need. I believe you will like your original recipe better. Castor oil over 5% tends to be sticky.

75% Olive Oil
20% Coconut Oil
5% Castor Oil

I agree with @Zing. 20% coconut oil is perfect for this recipe. A formula high in olive needs the bubbles, cleansing and hardness provided by the coconut oil. While it's true that some soapers prefer and recommend lowering the % of coconut oil due to the "cleansing" aka "stripping" factor, it's a personal choice and not likely the right choice for everyone, i.e., your hubby for one.

This thread is worth a read before you decide which way to go:

RANT ABOUT SOAPING TRENDS AND MYTHS

 

[Zing]

What does it smell like to your nose? To me, it "mind-smells" somewhat green due to the tea tree oil. I'm thinking about making it up without the TT and equal parts of the 3 others. Luv, luv, luv Bergamot; Tea Tree not so much.

I'm not good at describing scents. I will say that I too am not a tea tree fan -- it's too antiseptic/medicine-y to me BUT I loved the Sheer Blend even with the tea tree.