"...I'm trying to formulate soap with the highest glycerin levels to have ready for winter. ..."
If that is a goal for winter-time soap, I'd probably look at adding a bit of extra glycerin to a favorite recipe rather than adjust the fats. The fats that create a higher % of "natural" glycerin from saponification are the same fats that have a "high cleansing" number -- coconut, palm kernel, babassu, and the like. For winter I tend to shy away from soap with high amounts of these fats, since it can be drying to the skin.
The reason why these fats make more glycerin by weight during saponification is that they are physically smaller molecules. Each molecule of fat, regardless of size, will make just one molecule of glycerin. That fact does not change. What is different is that more molecules of coconut oil are packed into a gram than a physically larger fat like olive oil.
It's like marshmallows. More small ones will fit into a 12 ounce (340 g) bag than big marshmallows. If you are making "S'mores" and can only put one marshmallow in each S'more, you will make many more (very small!) S'mores with the small marshmallows than with the big ones.
Added glycerin might make bar soap softer and more water soluble, so add with a light hand until you get a feel for how it affects your recipe.
"...looking up the correct syntax for the "salting-out process"..."
I am also familiar with that soap making method from my reading, but I do not have personal experience making "boiled" and "salted out" soap. I don't think many of us have tried it. Engblom (from Sweden?) is one person who experimented with that and had good success.
Eucalypta, although I know you live in the Netherlands, you write like a native English speaker. I am impressed -- I wish I was as fluent in another language as you!
If that is a goal for winter-time soap, I'd probably look at adding a bit of extra glycerin to a favorite recipe rather than adjust the fats. The fats that create a higher % of "natural" glycerin from saponification are the same fats that have a "high cleansing" number -- coconut, palm kernel, babassu, and the like. For winter I tend to shy away from soap with high amounts of these fats, since it can be drying to the skin.
The reason why these fats make more glycerin by weight during saponification is that they are physically smaller molecules. Each molecule of fat, regardless of size, will make just one molecule of glycerin. That fact does not change. What is different is that more molecules of coconut oil are packed into a gram than a physically larger fat like olive oil.
It's like marshmallows. More small ones will fit into a 12 ounce (340 g) bag than big marshmallows. If you are making "S'mores" and can only put one marshmallow in each S'more, you will make many more (very small!) S'mores with the small marshmallows than with the big ones.
Added glycerin might make bar soap softer and more water soluble, so add with a light hand until you get a feel for how it affects your recipe.
"...looking up the correct syntax for the "salting-out process"..."
I am also familiar with that soap making method from my reading, but I do not have personal experience making "boiled" and "salted out" soap. I don't think many of us have tried it. Engblom (from Sweden?) is one person who experimented with that and had good success.
Eucalypta, although I know you live in the Netherlands, you write like a native English speaker. I am impressed -- I wish I was as fluent in another language as you!
