Later today I would like to try to make an all-coconut oil soap with 20% superfat through a hot process. I gather that hot process could be tricky with all coconut oil. Ideally I would like to use individual bar molds so I can try a few variations on additives. Does that sound doable? Any tips from experienced soapers? Thanks!
HP High Superfat Coconut Oil Soap
- Thread starter Lanie
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That recipe made with HP was my go-to for many years. I didn’t find it difficult to make.
Individual cavity molds will be more difficult to fill with HP batter unless you know how to keep it more fluid, and you bang it down a lot to eliminate as many air pockets as possible.
I typically made it in a Tupperware type of container that was shaped like a shallow slab mold, one bar deep. I lined it with parchment paper or freezer paper for easy removal.
It does harden fast, so if you end up using a slab or loaf mold, cut it while still warm and firm like cold cheddar cheese - dentable with finger pressure, but not squishy. This is often within an hour or two of molding.
TBH, if you want to use cavity molds, as a new soap maker, you may find it a lot easier to make this as a CP soap. You don’t have to watch it through the cooking phase, and it will be much easier to get a nice smooth soap out of it. It will saponify on its own by the next day or so, and from there, the curing process and time is the same for both types of soap.
Individual cavity molds will be more difficult to fill with HP batter unless you know how to keep it more fluid, and you bang it down a lot to eliminate as many air pockets as possible.
I typically made it in a Tupperware type of container that was shaped like a shallow slab mold, one bar deep. I lined it with parchment paper or freezer paper for easy removal.
It does harden fast, so if you end up using a slab or loaf mold, cut it while still warm and firm like cold cheddar cheese - dentable with finger pressure, but not squishy. This is often within an hour or two of molding.
TBH, if you want to use cavity molds, as a new soap maker, you may find it a lot easier to make this as a CP soap. You don’t have to watch it through the cooking phase, and it will be much easier to get a nice smooth soap out of it. It will saponify on its own by the next day or so, and from there, the curing process and time is the same for both types of soap.
Thanks for your response! I happened to use cavity molds, which worked. It wasn't as tricky as I thought it would be. I love the creamy bubbly lather of these soaps but did notice that the soap stung my face a bit after about a week of curing. It did fine on a pH test so I think it was just bc the coconut oil cleans so well? Now, about 4 weeks out, the soap seems a little more mild. I understand that this recipe can take a very long time to fully cure. Patience! I'm wondering about superfatting even more next time.., maybe with an additional oil. But I am also working on figuring out goats milk soap, so may be a while before I get back to this one! Thanks for the good advice.
Honestly, pH testing is not worth your while with soap. Knowing the pH doesn't tell you whether the soap is lye-heavy, as so many folks mistakenly believe. Also, the strips will be inaccurate - often 2-3 points lower than the actual pH. True soap has to be above 9 pH; if you try to reduce it lower than that, it will break apart and become a gooey mess of fatty acids.
Fresh, uncured soap is going to be harsh on the skin for sure, but even more so with high coconut oil. CO may be moisturizing in its raw form, but it becomes very cleansing when it saponifies. The "cleansing" number in the soap calculator refers to how much oil it strips from your skin. A high superfat can help counteract that, but lowering the cleansing value of the soap will help a lot more. Even if the soap has a 0 cleansing value (like 100% OO or lard soap) it will clean your skin - just not as aggressively.
This is one area where I believe all soap calculators are so unhelpful, as they recommend a cleansing value between 12 and 22. Many new soap makers think, "Oh, if I get it to 17, that's right in the middle, so that should be perfect." That much cleansing would have me peeling profusely after the first use! The same is true for many folks who make their own soap because their skin is so sensitive. I personally love to keep the cleansing value at 15 or below - 10-12 is actually a sweet spot for me.
Fresh, uncured soap is going to be harsh on the skin for sure, but even more so with high coconut oil. CO may be moisturizing in its raw form, but it becomes very cleansing when it saponifies. The "cleansing" number in the soap calculator refers to how much oil it strips from your skin. A high superfat can help counteract that, but lowering the cleansing value of the soap will help a lot more. Even if the soap has a 0 cleansing value (like 100% OO or lard soap) it will clean your skin - just not as aggressively.
This is one area where I believe all soap calculators are so unhelpful, as they recommend a cleansing value between 12 and 22. Many new soap makers think, "Oh, if I get it to 17, that's right in the middle, so that should be perfect." That much cleansing would have me peeling profusely after the first use! The same is true for many folks who make their own soap because their skin is so sensitive. I personally love to keep the cleansing value at 15 or below - 10-12 is actually a sweet spot for me.
Thanks for the info and confirming my thoughts on cleansing value. My skin is drier than it used to be so I have intentionally been trying to make soaps with lower cleansing value. The coconut SF was a departutre...to try it out. I agree that lower cleansing value is a good thing and those soaps feel best for an all-over soap. I'm still trying to figure out how to make a soap that is super moisturizing and luxurious that is not too soft. It's a journey! I will say my skin has never felt better!
That's great! If you are open to using lard, it makes a wonderful hard soap that is low cleansing and high conditioning. Tallow is a tad more cleansing than lard, but still fairly gentle - and it makes a rock-hard bar of soap.
If you are avoiding animal fats, then look at some of @KiwiMoose's posts regarding her oil blends. Soy wax is her secret ingredient for hard, vegan bars. Other options are shea butter and cocoa butter. @cmzaha has posted a recipe using something like 60% shea that makes a really nice, gentle, hard bar - but it does require a long cure.
If you are avoiding animal fats, then look at some of @KiwiMoose's posts regarding her oil blends. Soy wax is her secret ingredient for hard, vegan bars. Other options are shea butter and cocoa butter. @cmzaha has posted a recipe using something like 60% shea that makes a really nice, gentle, hard bar - but it does require a long cure.
