Feedback appreciated

[JacqueRose]

My shampoo bar recipe:
30% olive oil
25% coconut oil
15% avocado oil
15% castor oil
10% shea butter
5% palm kernel flakes

water at 35%
superfat of 5%
lye 28.543%
water : lye ratio 2.5034:1
Soaping between 120 - 130 degrees

I had really good results for months, but the last two batches accelerated to where I was plopping.
The one today, the FO was not supposed to cause acceleration. Two mica colors to do a swirl while the main body had a little TD. I hope I salvaged it but this is frustrating!

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[dixiedragon]

Soap isn't good for hair. If you have short hair, it doesn't matter so much - you cut off the damaged hair before it becomes apparent. But we've had several members with long hair who, after using soap on their hair for a few months, ended up having to cut off a lot of hair to remove the damaged portions.

Also, why are you using 25% coconut + 5% palm kernel? That may be harsh/ too cleansing.

Your temps are a bit on the high side - that is probably why it is getting thick fast. Try dropping to 100-110.

 

[cmzaha]

Acceleration is usually a high palmitic /stearic acid soap or fragrance oil.

You may call it shampoo, but it is soap. Shampoo bars are syndet, (surfacant based). It is also very stripping with the PKO and CO percentage, but if you think it is great for hair it is your choice. I would rather treat my hair and scalp gently...

 

[JacqueRose]

OK - call it soap then.
Other than my choice of what to call it, any thoughts on the recipe itself?

I was soaping colder, and then I started thinking and reading and thought I would try the 120 range - I think I will go back to the colder. Thank you for that idea.

Maybe take out the palm and add the 5% into the Shea butter?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You don't have palm, you have palm kernel- that's two very different things and not to confuse by shortening palm kernel to "palm".

If this recipe has been working before but isn't now, look at what you have changed or what has changed. Is it the scents? Has the temperature around you changed recently? Are you stickblending too much? Have you changed your process in any way?

 

[dixiedragon]

Efficacious is right - Palm Oil is similar to tallow or lard, Palm Kernel (PKO) is more like coconut. Possibly you swapped Palm for Palm Kernel and that is causing your issue?

 

[JacqueRose]

No, I am sorry. I should have typed out Palm Kernel Flakes.
I just realized that we are going through a little heat wave here. My house is about 15 degrees warmer than usual. I wonder about lowering my soap temp to under 110, taking the palm kernel flakes out and adding more shea, and turning on my air conditioner....

Thank you

 

[BrewerGeorge]

If it was working before and you changed temperature, that's your problem. Go back to 110F for more time.