How are you offsetting the cost of Olive Oil?

[Adam Bath]

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?

Well, let's see. I figure for a decent criminal defense attorney for a petty retail theft will probably be around 2500 dollars. So I would have to sell 1250 ounces of finished product just to defend myself. Maff, heh...

 

[AliOop]

I do put my lye solution in the freezer to speed up the cooling process because I'm impatient AF.

I used to do that, or use distilled water ice cubes. Now I master-batch my lye solution so it's always cool and ready to soap. Highly recommended for us impatient types.

 

[Relle]

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.

Don't use butcher paper if you are in Australia (that's if you can find it, most use paper bags now), it won't work.

 

[Adam Bath]

I used to do that, or use distilled water ice cubes. Now I master-batch my lye solution so it's always cool and ready to soap. Highly recommended for us impatient types.

I was going to ask on here if that's ok to do! I'm glad to you can. How do you know how much of the pre made water/lye solution in a batch if though? I've noticed that I often calculate different amounts of water/lye depending on the oils and butters I use. Or is this for the same recipe only?

Don't use butcher paper if you are in Australia (that's if you can find it, most use paper bags now), it won't work.

But can I use it on the other side of the planet? That's what I want to know.

 

[AliOop]

I was going to ask on here if that's ok to do! I'm glad to you can. How do you know how much of the pre made water/lye solution in a batch if though? I've noticed that I often calculate different amounts of water/lye depending on the oils and butters I use. Or is this for the same recipe only?

You can masterbatch your solution in the strength that you use for most recipes, perhaps 33% lye concentration, for instance.

The other way, which is what I do, is to make a 50% solution. When I’m ready to soap, I add whatever additional water is needed to reach my desired concentration for that batch. I prefer that so I have some liquid available for dissolving some additives, such as sorbitol or sodium citrate.

The soap calculator I use has an option to account for masterbatched lye solution at any strength.

Here is a good video that explains it.

 

[melinda48]

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 am using high oleic Safflower in place of olive and - so far, so good. Hopefully, this year the olive oil prices will come down as the drought is over - I sure hope so! I miss my olive oil.