Has anyone tried this soap recipe?

[Ant]

I made a castile (just olive) batch of soap 6 months ago, still letting it cure for 6 more months before using. I didn't use any additives as it was my first soap. Tried it a month ago and still very slimy.

I want to make another batch but with canola oil to help with cost and supposedly it's not as slick feeling. And castor oil for bubbles along with sodium lactate for lather/hardness.

So,
45% olive oil
45% HO canola oil
10% castor oil
20% water discount
1 tsp ppo sodium lactate
Stearic acid?

So my questions are,

Had anyone tried this combination and what were the results?

How much superfat should I do?

I have stearic acid but I think it hardens soap. Would adding that along with sodium lactate be overkill and make the soap too hard and crumbly?

 

[shunt2011]

You can certainly try it. Just be aware that Castor doesn't make bubbles, it makes lather more stable. I would get some Coconut, PKO or Babassu for lather. I don't personally like pure liquid oil recipes. Especially Olive because of the slime. I don't us Canola so can't speak to that. And what do you mean by 20% water discount? You really should be using lye concentration.

 

[Ant]

How do I find the lye concentration? I assumed that using less water would make it easier to unmold?

 

[dibbles]

If you use stearic acid, you will need to soap warmer, and keep your usage at 1-2% - especially the first time. Stearic at high amounts will seize your batter.

 

[DeeAnna]

How do I find the lye concentration? I assumed that using less water would make it easier to unmold?

Lye concentration is found near "water as % of oils" if you use an online soap calc like Soapmaking Friend, Soapee, or Soapcalc. If you used a calc to set up a "water discount" then you glanced right by the lye concentration.

Problem with telling us you used a "water discount" is there's no widely accepted meaning for this. Discounted from what? Lye concentration (and the equivalent water:lye ratio) is a number that has one mathematical meaning. There's no room for misunderstanding.

 

[Ant]

Oh, didn't realize that. Newb here. I looked on soapnicalc and it auto selects the lye concentration. The recipe is at 33% lye concentration.

Guess the better question is, is it worth it to make an all liquid oil soap? From some of the things I read some people say all olive oil soap is the most gentle on the skin.

 

[DeeAnna]

If olive oil soap is gentle on your skin, it's gentle. Some people really dislike olive oil soap and find it is drying. So experience is the best teacher of what you like or don't like. Have you tried someone else's olive oil soap to know if your skin likes this type of soap?

You ask if it's worth it to make soap from liquid fats. Certainly it is, if that's what you want to do. What are your goals for making soap? Is one of your goals to use only liquid fats? Or is there some other reason why you want to do this?

The recipe in your last post calls for a whopping 45% as castor oil. And you've referred to castor as making bubbles. Despite what you may have read, castor in soap makes very little lather on its own. Most people limit castor to about 5% or thereabouts for making bar soap. Maybe a little more, but not 45%. In smaller amounts, castor will enhance the lather that the OTHER fats create. If you use a lot more than that -- like the amount in your recipe -- you're likely to see the lather decrease. The secret is to design a recipe that lathers fine without castor and then add maybe 5% castor and see if that enhances the lather.

Sodium lactate adds hardness to soap and makes it easier to unmold, but I can't say I've heard anyone say it increases lather. Can you say where you heard that?

 

[shunt2011]

I'm one who dislikes Castile. I find it drying to my skin. And I'm one who can use CO at a higher rate than many. I've not found SL to add to the lather, but it does make un-molding easier. Adding sugar can help a bit with lather/bubbles.

 

[Ant]

I'm not sure how reliable the sources are but
https://www.naturesgardencandles.com/blog/sodium-lactate/
She didn't notice too much of a difference long run.
https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/updated-lather-lovers-additive-testing/
She doesnt mention anything about lather, just hardness
https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
Besides this forum, do you have any recommendations of good literature for researching?

And uploaded the wrong screenshot when I flubbed the recipe. That castor oil is supposed to be at 10% and the canola oil at 45%.

 

[Rsapienza]

I'm not sure how reliable the sources are but
https://www.naturesgardencandles.com/blog/sodium-lactate/
She didn't notice too much of a difference long run.
https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/updated-lather-lovers-additive-testing/
She doesnt mention anything about lather, just hardness
https://www.soapqueen.com/bramble-berry-news/sunday-night-spotlight-sodium-lactate/
Besides this forum, do you have any recommendations of good literature for researching?

And uploaded the wrong screenshot when I flubbed the recipe. That castor oil is supposed to be at 10% and the canola oil at 45%.

To be honest, I have read and researched damn near everything having to do with soap. I have found this forum to have not only the most information, but the most accurate information. Some of the members here have been making soap for years and years. They have made every type of soap, made every mistake, and had many successes. Keep in mind, no one on this forum is trying to sell you a product Sometimes you really have to search to find the info, but if it has to do with soap, it is more than likely in here somewhere.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I made a castile (just olive) batch of soap 6 months ago, still letting it cure for 6 more months before using. I didn't use any additives as it was my first soap. Tried it a month ago and still very slimy. I want to make another batch but with canola oil to help with cost and supposedly it's not as slick feeling. And castor oil for bubbles along with sodium lactate for lather/hardness.

For your next batch you may want to try making this recipe:

Zany's No Slime Castile

It took me 12 years to go from where you are right now to creating this soap that does all you want from a castile soap. You can make 100% olive oil or, my personal fave, 85% olive, 10% coconut, 5% castor.

I wasn't a fan of Castile soaps either due to the slime and not being hard enough. I have dry, sensitive, mature skin. I've been making and using this castile/bastile on my face, AM and PM, for two years now and I love it! Also, it is hard enough to cut a day after making and ready to ship to my wholesale customers in 2 weeks.

That being said, it gets better with age but you certainly don't have to wait 3 months to a year to begin using it. Many members who tried it, like it. Some don't, but that's the same with any soap, isn't it? We all have different skin and there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to personal preference.

I'd suggest making a small batch, following the directions to a tee for the first go around then try tweaking it to your preference after that.

HAPPY SOAPING!

 

[Ant]

Definitely a lot of good information on here, learned more here than several books. It's easy to follow recipes but getting to the point where I want to try experimenting and finding out what qualities I like.

Since starting to make soap, I know I won't find a moisturizing one but trying to make a gentle formula, doesnt have to be all liquid. I love the bubbles and hardness from higher usage of CO but seems a bit drying (the holy trinity of PO,OO, CO). The detergent soaps like cetaphil bar soap never dried me out like that one.

Thank you zany for sharing the no slime recipe. Will make it the next go round and see how my skin likes it.

 

[Nanette]

I love this forum!