Clear Castor Oil?

[Richard Perrine]

Hi all. Anyone know of a vendor/manufacturer of crystal clear castor oil? I believe it is also known as ultra-refined? I identified this company and would love a sample of their product, but I have made contact on two occasions and did not get a response with either.

https://www.crodahealthcare.com/en-..._Castor_1_Oil#tab-collapse-typical-properties

Thanks.

 

[Rune]

I bought a bottle of clear castor oil from an immigrant shop just a few days ago. I ran to check the brand, and it is KTC. Small bottles, but it is clear. Maybe they have bigger bottles if you contact them. Or maybe you can just visit an immigrant shop/international market and buy severeral bottles if it is cheap. I can't remember what I paid, but norwegian prices are not comparable to US prices.

Here it is:
https://www.ktc-edibles.co.uk/product-category/non-edible-oils/

 

[Richard Perrine]

Thank you. I will look into it.

 

[earlene]

This one looks very clear. There is a contact link on the lower left corner of the page.

What is the benefit of using the ultra refined castor oil? Or is there one? I would suspect for soap, it wouldn't make much difference but could be more costly.

 

[Richard Perrine]

Hi. I have been trying to find ways to make a transparent AND clear(er) soap. I am wondering if using clear castor oil will make an impact. Most castor oils I have seen have a straw-coloured or light brown colour. Am I wasting my time and money?

 

[Andrew]

I have seen clear coconut liquid soap and would start with that as the main ingredient. Maybe even a 100% coconut oil glycerin liquid soap would be a great starting point. I guess you could also take the same recipe with 100% olive/castor/other blending oils and then mix them until you get the proportions right before it turns yellow or straw colored.

 

[Nate5700]

The plain ol' castor oil I got in the laxatives section at Walmart looks pretty clear to me, but I haven't looked at it all that close.

 

[Susie]

I think he means colorless based on his post #5 above. I don't think it comes in a colorless form. But you use such a small amount that it hardly affects the color of the soap at all. Remember that most oils melt down into an amber shade, however they turn white while curing.

 

[lsg]

The Castor oil I order from Wholesale Supplies Plus looks clear to me.

 

[Richard Perrine]

I have seen clear coconut liquid soap and would start with that as the main ingredient. Maybe even a 100% coconut oil glycerin liquid soap would be a great starting point. I guess you could also take the same recipe with 100% olive/castor/other blending oils and then mix them until you get the proportions right before it turns yellow or straw colored.

Andrew,

I've tried the 100% coconut oil a few times and could not get past the opacity of coconut oil after it saponifies. I am convinced that it takes other chemicals like alcohol as a solvent to deal with that, but I don't use alcohol. I may try it again.

I think he means colorless based on his post #5 above. I don't think it comes in a colorless form. But you use such a small amount that it hardly affects the color of the soap at all. Remember that most oils melt down into an amber shade, however they turn white while curing.

Susie. Yes. That is what I meant. Thank you!

 

[Andrew]

Andrew,

I've tried the 100% coconut oil a few times and could not get past the opacity of coconut oil after it saponifies. I am convinced that it takes other chemicals like alcohol as a solvent to deal with that, but I don't use alcohol. I may try it again.

coconut oil makes a crystal clear liquid soap. i am unsure about what you mean by its opacity.

 

[Richard Perrine]

coconut oil makes a crystal clear liquid soap. i am unsure about what you mean by its opacity.

I have tried using only coconut oil in the past and it fails to create a clear, colorless solid soap. I may need to work with my solvents, but my experience has not been successful thus far. Will try again.

 

[Susie]

Are you trying to make a translucent soap that you can see light through? If so, that is a whole 'nother kind of recipe than concerning yourself with clear oils.

 

[atiz]

As far as I know, you cannot achieve a translucent solid soap without some other stuff (as @Richard Perrine said). Even if you can achieve a translucent liquid soap with the same oils. It seems that NaOH / KOH makes a difference in this respect.
I have made 100% CO soap (solid) with salt, and it is a very nice white but not translucent.

 

[Obsidian]

If you want transparent bar soap, you absolutely have to use a solvent and even then, you won't get crystal clear. Even the best made cp transparent soap is yellowish.

 

[Richard Perrine]

I have successfully made transparent soap and have a working recipe that I like. Trying for colorless and transparent. It sounds like using colourless oils, if possible, may not be the answer.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Am I wasting my time and money?

Yes. Transparent soap was one of the first soaps I made waaaaay back in 2003 - 2007 or so. I stopped because it was so expensive to make plus the fact that it looked like M&P! LOL

...I am convinced that it takes other chemicals like alcohol as a solvent to deal with that, but I don't use alcohol.

Good thinking! I know liquor laws are tough in UT, but I'm wondering if you can buy ethanol (grain alcohol) there? -- 190 proof Everclear is the best, but 150 proof works too. My memory is hazy but I remember someone saying it won't be on the shelves there, but you can ask for it.

Another option is Rubbing Alcohol available at Walgreens. Regular rubbing alcohol is made of isopropyl alcohol, which is no good. It doesn't produce a clear-as-glass soap the way ethanol does, so be sure the label says "70% ethanol". It will be on the shelf with the regular rubbing alcohol.

Here's Jeff Bobeck's Clear Soap Using 70% Ethanol (Not Isopropyl)
Source: From my files. Link to Jeff's site no longer works.

SOAP RECIPE: You have four choices for the first ingredient.
- 13 oz lard + 1 oz stearic acid, OR
- 14 oz tallow, OR
- 14 oz palm oil (will make good, hard soap.), OR
- 14 oz lard (Lard without stearic acid will make the soap a little soft, but it's okay. It's just better with the stearic.)
5.4 oz coconut oil
8.3 oz castor oil
4 oz lye
5 oz distilled water

POLYOL MIX (solvents used to clarify soap)
13 oz ethanol at 70%
3 oz glycerin
8 oz sugar
5 oz water

HTH (Hope This Helps)

 

[IrishLass]

Good thinking! I know liquor laws are tough in UT, but I'm wondering if you can buy ethanol (grain alcohol) there? -- 190 proof Everclear is the best, but 150 proof works too. My memory is hazy but I remember someone saying it won't be on the shelves there, but you can ask for it.

I just did an internet search, and it looks like the 190-proof is legal to buy there. At least lots of folks in Utah are saying they are able to buy it.


IrishLass

 

[earlene]

I have purchased colorless Castor at HEB (a grocery store in Texas), I believe, but don't recall the brand name. The Weeping Willow brand looks about as colorless in the bottle as any I've seen. It doesn't hurt to experiment with a lighter oil since you already have a recipe that you like and see if it does make a difference for you.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I just did an internet search, and it looks like the 190-proof is legal to buy there. At least lots of folks in Utah are saying they are able to buy it.

Good to know! Thanks, Irish!