How are you offsetting the cost of Olive Oil?

[MelissaG]

@MelissaG I can’t remember - do you gel your soap?

Most of the time, I just have to leave it in the kitchen and that will take care of that lol. It's the warmest part of the house and I've had issues with slight volcanoing before because of it but not enough to significantly matter. I've never been able to understand how people can gel it so easily and not get cracking on the top of their soap.

 

[dmcgee5034]

I've had issues with slight volcanoing before because of it but not enough to significantly matter. I've never been able to understand how people can gel it so easily and not get cracking on the top of their soap.

Me, too and me, too, @MelissaG ! I make GMS and I’ve had it get really hot and crack once just sitting on the counter, and it wasn’t even hot in the kitchen. I have now been consistently putting my molds up on cans and putting the fan on it for several hours. I am just too scared to wrap it or put it on a heating pad.

 

[dibbles]

Most of the time, I just have to leave it in the kitchen and that will take care of that lol. It's the warmest part of the house and I've had issues with slight volcanoing before because of it but not enough to significantly matter. I've never been able to understand how people can gel it so easily and not get cracking on the top of their soap.

I don’t know, then why you have problems with your soap sticking to your silicone mold. If my soaps gel, I can unmolding them easily once they are cool.

 

[MelissaG]

I don’t know, then why you have problems with your soap sticking to your silicone mold. If my soaps gel, I can unmolding them easily once they are cool.

Me either but I think it has something to do with the humidity. I make my product in my dining room which is the furthest place away from the AC. It also gets to be the hottest area in the house so I can't work there during the heat of the day. I have a 1540 sq ft house. Air conditioning is great at controlling humidity. Usually. I've been considering getting a window unit I can turn on when I'm working. Really wish I could afford a good humidifier that will decrease or increase depending on whats needed at the time but wow those are expensive. The can get a window unit ac for a quarter of the price.

 

[cmzaha]

I e been experimenting with high oleic sunflower oil and/or lard and tallow. I’ve been getting some really good bars!! I actually like them better than the ones I’ve made with OO.

My best selling soap was 40%tallow 20% lard 15-20% HO Canola or Sunflower Castor and PKO/CO Split

 

[AliOop]

I’ve just been avoiding purchasing any olive oil, but something just fell into my lap. One of my family members works at a large warehouse. Employees are encouraged to take any food that has passed its best-by date before the warehouse throws it out. He just gave my mom 10 gallons of a very expensive extra-virgin olive oil that is technically expired, but has been stored in a temperature controlled location.

She asked me if I would like any of it for soaping. I don’t personally like OO soaps, but some of my users do. I will probably make a whole bunch of them at once, so I can use up the oil, and let them cure for a good long time.

 

[MelissaG]

I’ve just been avoiding purchasing any olive oil, but something just fell into my lap. One of my family members works at a large warehouse. Employees are encouraged to take any food that has passed its best-by date before the warehouse throws it out. He just gave my mom 10 gallons of a very expensive extra-virgin olive oil that is technically expired, but has been stored in a temperature controlled location.

She asked me if I would like any of it for soaping. I don’t personally like OO soaps, but some of my users do. I will probably make a whole bunch of them at once, so I can use up the oil, and let them cure for a good long time.

Wow, talk about lucky. Congrats.

 

[Vicki C]

Maybe there is variability in the FA profiles of different high oleic sunflower oils - I love how my soap has been coming out, I don’t think it’s any softer and it soaps beautifully. Traces more slowly than olive oil, and I’ve had less soda ash. I can’t afford olive oil. I have cocoa butter and Shea butter in my recipe, I think that helps.

 

[AliOop]

Wow, talk about lucky. Congrats.

I almost feel guilty - it is such a score! I wish some of you who regularly use OO were closer - I’d share!

 

[MelissaG]

I almost feel guilty - it is such a score! I wish some of you who regularly use OO were closer - I’d share!

Me too. It's so expensive. Think I'd feel guilty too lol. But you have fun with it. There's lots of things you can do. You might like to consider making some bastille or castille soap. They take a long time to cure and it would be really expensive to buy all that olive oil right now.

 

[AliOop]

Definitely! My very good friend is gaga over ZNSB with goat milk, so a few large batches of that are first on the list.

 

[Relle]

I almost feel guilty - it is such a score! I wish some of you who regularly use OO were closer - I’d share!

I'll move, no, can't do that, would need a few semi trailers and a lonnnng time to pack.

 

[Relle]

You could eat a lot, I mean a LOT, of salad to use it up as dressing. Start feeding dh, lovely, lovely salads for dinner, just tell him they are very special.

 

[Adam Bath]

I’ve been making and selling soap for about 4 years now, and I really really like my recipe (below) but I think I’m gonna have to change it soon. The two pack of light olive oil at my Costco was $19.99 when I started, and it’s now $53.99. I definitely need to decrease the amount of olive oil in my recipe, or at the very least cut costs elsewhere in the recipe.

I’ve thought about Safflower oil, but I’m worried about DOS. Rice bran might be a good option? What do you all think for olive oil replacements?

Are there good options for removing the butters from my recipe? That could help some with the cost as well. Ugh!

Thanks in advance!

45% olive oil
35% coconut oil
10% shea butter
7% cocoa butter
3% castor oil
I know a lot of people are bothered by a coconut oil percentage that high but it’s never been a bother for me or my customers. But I also don’t really want to go any higher, just in case.

I've found that shoplifting is a great way to offset the ridiculously high prices for olive oil.

 

[Adam Bath]

I've found that shoplifting is a great way to offset the ridiculously high prices for olive oil.

Also, "liberated" olive oil seems to make a better product, too.

 

[BDab]

Well, I made my first batch with mostly lard and taking the OO down to 3 oz. It's still soft, but I like how this is doing is comparison to the sunflower oil. Honestly been thinking of starting to put my soap in the freezer to see if it will come out of the mold smoother. I always have the same problem no matter what I do, even if I wait a week to unmold it. It sticks on the bottom of the silicon mold because it's too soft. And it doesn't seem to matter the recipe I use, unless it's almost all coconut oil.

I've always had a similar problem. My soaps seem to stay soft longer when using my all silicone molds. Freezing does help me be able to get the log out sooner without denting it or having it stick, and it keeps it from gelling, which I prefer. I also started lining the length of the mold with butcher paper. I cut one piece that covers the bottom and sides of the long side of the mold, with enough hanging over the sides that I can hold on to in order to pull the loaf out of the mold. It's easy to do (no folding involved) and it allows me to pull the soap out of the mold sooner so it can start hardening faster.

 

[Snappy]

I've found that shoplifting is a great way to offset the ridiculously high prices for olive oil.

ROFL until "the man" comes by to check on it's where abouts. How much soap would you have to sell to pay the lawyer, the court fees /fines etc?

 

[AliOop]

I'll move, no, can't do that, would need a few semi trailers and a lonnnng time to pack.

You could eat a lot, I mean a LOT, of salad to use it up as dressing. Start feeding dh, lovely, lovely salads for dinner, just tell him they are very special.

Not sure how I missed these, @Relle .

I definitely love salads with lots of OO.... and bread dipped in an OO-balsamic-garlic slurry. YEEESSS.

You are right, I simply cannot use all of this for soap. Thank you for helping me come to my senses!

 

[MelissaG]

I've always had a similar problem. My soaps seem to stay soft longer when using my all silicone molds. Freezing does help me be able to get the log out sooner without denting it or having it stick, and it keeps it from gelling, which I prefer. I also started lining the length of the mold with butcher paper. I cut one piece that covers the bottom and sides of the long side of the mold, with enough hanging over the sides that I can hold on to in order to pull the loaf out of the mold. It's easy to do (no folding involved) and it allows me to pull the soap out of the mold sooner so it can start hardening faster.

Hmmm, that's an idea but I shouldn't have to line a silicone liner.

 

[Adam Bath]

I've always had a similar problem. My soaps seem to stay soft longer when using my all silicone molds. Freezing does help me be able to get the log out sooner without denting it or having it stick, and it keeps it from gelling, which I prefer. I also started lining the length of the mold with butcher paper. I cut one piece that covers the bottom and sides of the long side of the mold, with enough hanging over the sides that I can hold on to in order to pull the loaf out of the mold. It's easy to do (no folding involved) and it allows me to pull the soap out of the mold sooner so it can start hardening faster.

The butcher paper method is the best and what I always use. I've never tried the freezer yet, though. That sounds like a good idea. I do put my lye solution in the freezer to speed up the cooling process because I'm impatient AF.