Developing a new recipe

[babypickles2544]

Hello all,

I've been making soap and bath products as a hobby for a couple of years. I have several recipes that I really like but want to develop one with slightly different oils/butters. My current favorite is OO, CO, Shortening, Castor. I usually do 33% water: lye and 5-7% superfat. I also add Tbsp of salt and sometimes sugar if not using goat milk or coconut milk as the liquid. I like the recipe to be a fairly hard bar but gentle on the skin with creamy bubbly lather. Do you think the recipe below is a good option?
Olive Oil 44%
Coconut Oil 10%
Rice Bran Oil 10%
Avocado Oil 10%
Castor Oil 6%
Cocoa Butter 10%
Palm Oil 10%

 

[MorpheusPA]

That's a nice recipe, but as far as "hard," "bubbly," or "creamy," it's more "hard eventually," "not bubbly," and "creamy...if by creamy you mean a bit slimy."

It's really easy on the skin, however, given the super fat and recipe!

Consider:

Soft Oils: Olive (44), RBO (10), Avocado (10), Castor (6): 70%
Hard Oils: Coconut (10), Cocoa Butter (10), Palm (10): 30%

While Olive goes rock hard eventually, it does take a while.

The only one giving any bubbly lather to speak of in there is the Coconut. Castor will help sustain lather. The others are considered creamy, but only palm is what I'd consider good at producing creamy lather; the others tend toward lotion-like (if you're being kind) or slimy (if you're not).

An example of a relatively skin-friendly recipe that still maintains decent--although not great--lather that I use is:

Olive (or other soft oils): 50%
Palm, Lard, or Tallow: 30%
Coconut (or PKO, babassu): 15%
Castor: 5%

 

[lsg]

Olive oil and rice bran oil have such similar qualities for soap making that I use one or the other. I don't use both in my recipes. My suggestion is to choose the one that is the cheapest and most readily available in your area.

 

[babypickles2544]

Thanks I appreciate the advice.

 

[babypickles2544]

Thanks, I usually do but was trying to use up some RBO that I had on hand.

 

[babypickles2544]

What properties does the babbaso oil bring to the soap? I don't believe I've used that yet.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

It's very similar to coconut oil and palm kernel oil in what it brings to a soap

 

[ibct1969]

What properties does the babbaso oil bring to the soap? I don't believe I've used that yet.

It is a 'brittle oil' and can be used instead of coconut.

 

[cmzaha]

Babassu also adds considerable cost to the soap so I prefer to use it in leave-on products. If you cannot or do not want to use CO I would use PKO. I really like 50/50 CO/PKO in my soaps

 

[lrpolillo]

Could you add kayolin clay that is supposed to add lather.

 

[penelopejane]

Could you add kayolin clay that is supposed to add lather.

Clay detracts from lather rather than adds to it.

Your recipe is pretty close to Lindy's shampoo bar which is a lovely soap. The palm and CO will add extra hardness. I'd try it and see how you like it. I think it will be nice. I keep castor oil at 5%. I like OO soap, not many on this board do.