Does this recipe look okay for a first time?

[JoanPD]

I have wanted to make soap for several years. I got the lye recently, and the containers to mix it in and something to use for a mold (all number 5 plastic).

For my first attempt, I planned on cold process, and since I wanted to stick to oils I can get at the grocery store for my first batch, I was planning on half coconut oil, and half olive oil with a supper fat % of 5, and no fragrance or coloring.

When I run this through soapcalc.net, it looks like a decent recipe, but when reading posts here, I notice most people don't recommend going over 20% coconut oil.

From reading it also seems high olive oil soaps take longer to get to trace, and since I don't have a stick blender, I don't want to have to stir for hours on end.

I have been reading and watching you-tube videos on making soap on and off for several years, I figured it was time to start making some myself.

Thank you in advance for you time in answering my questions.

 

[Obsidian]

That should be a fine recipe but I would increase the superfat to 10% to help counter act the high amount of coconut. High OO soap do take longer to cure but at 50%, 6-8 weeks should be enough.

 

[Seawolfe]

My first recipes were 70% Olive oil, 30% coconut oil and 7% superfat and I loved them
Or try a basic 55% lard, 15-20% coconut and 25-30% olive oil if you can get lard - lards da bomb!

 

[Susie]

If you have no objections to using lard, I would strongly advise trying that in the first batch at about 50%. It is cheap and widely available.

 

[JoanPD]

The grocery store I work at does have a box labeled lard, but looking at the ingredients, it seems like it is mostly lard, but does have some hydrogenated oils mixed in with the lard.

 

[Susie]

That is fine. It is what I use.

 

[DeeAnna]

Yeah, a lot of us use grocery store lard and it works fine!

If your lard is like mine, it's not that other hydrogenated oils are added -- it's the lard itself that goes through the chemical process of hydrogenation. This process helps to lengthen the shelf life of the lard, as does the BHT and citric acid or other trace ingredients that are often added.

 

[navigator9]

Enjoy playing with recipes in soap calc, try out some small batches with different ingredients and compare the results. Soap calc numbers do not tell the whole story. Start simple til you get the hang of it. But I would strongly suggest a stick blender when you are able to get one. The one I'm currently using came from Ocean State Job Lot, and cost ten dollars, don't know if you have them, but you should be able to find a deep discount store or thrift store that has a decently priced one. It will save your arm and make you like soaping a lot more, by making it sooooo much easier. Good luck!

 

[Susie]

Yes, stickblenders turn making soap from this unending chore to the fun it should be.

 

[JuneP]

Here's a simple recipe using grocery store ingredients and some castor oil from the drugstore.

40 Olive Oil
35 Lard
20 Coconut Oil 76
5 Castor oil

It's simple and you won't have to age it as long as one with 50% olive. Run it through soap calc and compare the numbers to what you have. Soap calc is a great resource.

June