Do you soap with castor? Opinions needed.

[missmelis]

I have always used castor oil in my soaps, but I am looking to cut back on some oils. I love my bars now, and I always have such a nice lather, but I am not sure how much it will change if I don't use castor. Right now I use castor at 8%. I was wondering how those of you who don't use castor keep the bubble factor up. Do you add sugar? Right now the only oils I have to order and have shipped are palm, castor and cocoa butter. I have thought about dropping the palm all together but it is a decent portion of my soap and that would take a lot more reformulating than just dropping the castor. I don't know what to do.

 

[xyxoxy]

Just curious... why do you feel it necessary to cut back on your oils if you are happy with your current recipe?

Personally I love what castor does for my soap and I almost never soap without it... especially considering how cheap it is. I would not give up any of my other oils either except maybe some of the more expensive one... if I HAD to.

 

[dcornett]

I love castor too, I wouldn't want to soap without it. But that's just me.

 

[soapbuddy]

I use castor in every batch. That oil will never get taken out of my formula. I like what it adds to my soap.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I use castor in some recipes. When I don't use castor, I use high coconut oil. If you want to keep your palm oil and your castor comes from the same supplier as the palm, then it's a no-brainer. :wink:

 

[Relle]

I use castor in every batch as well, wouldn't be without it, I went specifically just to buy some on Friday cause I only had enough for one more batch.

Relle.

 

[Elly]

I love Castor oil and use it in all my batches cannot do without it as it not gives more suds but improves the conditioning properties of the soap

 

[missmelis]

I'm just trying to cut back on the stuff I have to order. I have never soaped without it so I was trying to see what the non castor people had to say. We are moving in a month and I will no longer have an area that will be just mine for soaping, and storage for all my stuff is going to be limited too. Just kinda thinking out loud about what I could possibly change. Castor is cheap so I should just keep it. Thanks everyone.

 

[ikindred]

I use castor oil and kosher salt in all of my soaps. Both are relatively cheap and adds great suds and hardness.

 

[foresthome]

I have gottne my basic recipe down to Olive, coconut, and castor. It makes a nice bar.

 

[DMCC]

I use castor in every bar. I have never made a batch of soap without it. If I'm out of castor I just don't make soap. It adds lather and conditioning qualities that I can't do without.

 

[Dragonkaz]

Jenny and Relle ... where do you buy your castor oil?

 

[MizzBee]

I can't soap without castor oil, it's one of my main ingredients.

I order my castor oil from Aussie Soap Supplies but would love to know if it is available elsewhere at a better price.....always looking to save pennies.

 

[rubyslippers]

I would give up my luxury oils before I would give up castor.....it goes in every batch I make.

 

[trishwosere]

Just out of curiosity what % of CO do you use? I am a newbie (obviously or I would have known the answer ...duh silly me) but I also have very dry skin with eczema in places and am told that the castor oil is a very good emolient.

many thanks
trish

 

[rubyslippers]

My personal favorite percentage is in the 6 - 8% range but it depends on which oils I'm using in a particular recipe. Some very old notes I have from when I first began soapmaking says not to exceed 5% unless you are making a shampoo bar. I don't recall where I got that info but I've not had any problem with the 6 - 8% range.

 

[trishwosere]

My personal favorite percentage is in the 6 - 8% range but it depends on which oils I'm using in a particular recipe. Some very old notes I have from when I first began soapmaking says not to exceed 5% unless you are making a shampoo bar. I don't recall where I got that info but I've not had any problem with the 6 - 8% range.

Many thanks ruby

 

[carebear]

I have one formula with castor that I won't muck around with - cuz I love that soap so much. But in general I do not use it and I make soap with plenty of big bubbles that's still mild to the skin.

 

[Hazel]

Just out of curiosity what % of CO do you use? I am a newbie (obviously or I would have known the answer ...duh silly me) but I also have very dry skin with eczema in places and am told that the castor oil is a very good emolient.

many thanks
trish

I'm confused. Were you asking about the percentage of coconut oil (CO) or castor? I see rubyslippers answered about castor and you replied so I'm assuming you meant castor.

 

[trishwosere]

sorry ...yes I meant castor