How many different oils do you use in your soap?

[msunnerstood]

I use 6 for my standard recipe but I do have other recipes for when Im out of a certain oil and it hasnt arrived yet.

 

[Michelle0803]

I use 8 butters/oils/fats in my recipe. I use the same base almost every time. I have another go-to recipe that uses 5.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

For my "regular" recipe I started out with 3 - olive, palm, and coconut. Then I added castor. Then I decided to try decreasing palm because of environmental concerns, so replaced some of the palm with Shea butter. So currently my masterbatch of oils has 5 oils. But now I am experimenting with replacing more of the palm with soy wax. So soon it may be 6.

 

[CreativeWeirdo]

I decided to try decreasing palm because of environmental concerns

I make it a priority to source Palm Oil from a supplier that only sources from members of the RSPO.

https://candorasoap.ca/additives-bath-body/vegetable-soaping-oil/palm-oil.html
https://rspo.org/

 

[Nona'sFarm]

I make it a priority to source Palm Oil from a supplier that only sources from members of the RSPO.

https://candorasoap.ca/additives-bath-body/vegetable-soaping-oil/palm-oil.html
https://rspo.org/

I do too; just feel it also makes sense to use as little as possible. I also urge others to read labels and make sure that if it lists palm oil, it is sourced by a RSPO supplier.

 

[Hope Ann]

I use as few as possible. Easier to make the labels, and if I get into selling it's less different oils to keep on hand.

Hope

 

[HoliHealerz]

Mine is pretty much in my head now too Relle - as in I don't need to check the recipe each time. Only if I'm splitting in some oat or coconut milk.

9

Except that the majority of the 'benefits' of those oils are destroyed during the saponification process, not to mention that soap is a wash on/rinse off product that is only your skin for maybe five to minutes.

9
I suppose everyone has their own take on which is better and which works. The calculator tells me the same. It depends on what we are trying to achieve. I find that fine tuning my recipes really does make a difference. I have tried recipes that I've found online that people sell the soap of and have used for 5 years plus but I went back to my multiple oil because the soap is simply better on the skin and brings results. I have found that using a high percentage of any oil except tallow (sheep, which according to the soapcalc is better than beef tallow in cleansing and conditioning alone). I have often tried to limit my oils but wind up needing all the balancing of my choice of oils to reach that depth of what I am aiming for. I WISH I could make it simpler but then I would be compromising on soap and skin benefits. 9 is usually my number unless its more and then I add silica gel and molasses and all the other stuff and sometimes oils that I cannot find in the soap calc such as camomille oil or rosemary (not essential) so I add them after trace. It works for me.

 

[lianasouza]

oils that I cannot find in the soap calc such as camomille oil or rosemary (not essential)

Those are probably herbal extracts made in a vegetable oil base. If that is the case, the manufacturer should be able to inform which oil they use (olive, sunflower or whatever) so you can include it in a soap calculator if you want.

 

[HoliHealerz]

Those are probably herbal extracts made in a vegetable oil base. If that is the case, the manufacturer should be able to inform which oil they use (olive, sunflower or whatever) so you can include it in a soap calculador if you want.

Ah yes, that is true, the base is often sesame oil for oils like the rosemary, and the frankincense thank you - I should have come to that myself - but didn't. That's why this forum is so great.
This has helped me - made life a little simpler.
Do you also recommend to add the molasses at trace? Sorry, a bit off topic.

 

[lianasouza]

You can start a new thread about molasses sharing your experiences and asking further questions. I have never used it but would love to learn more about it!

 

[TheGecko]

9
I suppose everyone has their own take on which is better and which works. The calculator tells me the same. It depends on what we are trying to achieve. I find that fine tuning my recipes really does make a difference. I have tried recipes that I've found online that people sell the soap of and have used for 5 years plus but I went back to my multiple oil because the soap is simply better on the skin and brings results. I have found that using a high percentage of any oil except tallow (sheep, which according to the soapcalc is better than beef tallow in cleansing and conditioning alone). I have often tried to limit my oils but wind up needing all the balancing of my choice of oils to reach that depth of what I am aiming for. I WISH I could make it simpler but then I would be compromising on soap and skin benefits. 9 is usually my number unless its more and then I add silica gel and molasses and all the other stuff and sometimes oils that I cannot find in the soap calc such as camomille oil or rosemary (not essential) so I add them after trace. It works for me.

Here's the deal...if nine makes you happy then go for it. But it doesn't take away from what I said.

 

[HoliHealerz]

Here's the deal...if nine makes you happy then go for it. But it doesn't take away from what I said.

I try to be scientific rather than emotional (happy).

 

[TheGecko]

☺I try to be scientific rather than emotional (happy).

Nothing wrong with emotional. I was taking a shower last week and was just so tickled with how well my soap lathered…it was like I was in a commercial. Put a smile on my face all day.

My hubby is all about the bubbles and I did try to make HIM happy. Then my daughter comes out of the bath wanting to know what’s wrong with my soap.

 

[Hope Ann]

Nothing wrong with emotional. I was taking a shower last week and was just so tickled with how well my soap lathered…it was like I was in a commercial. Put a smile on my face all day.

My hubby is all about the bubbles and I did try to make HIM happy. Then my daughter comes out of the bath wanting to know what’s wrong with my soap.

Problem with that is your water bill goes way up because you're enjoying your soap so much you lather up twice or thrice. I've been tweaking my formulas again and have 6-7 ends in my bathroom right now. I may or may not wash my hands 5950193 times a day because I want to feel my creamy lather soap.

Hope

 

[TheGecko]

Problem with that is your water bill goes way up because you're enjoying your soap so much you lather up twice or thrice. I've been tweaking my formulas again and have 6-7 ends in my bathroom right now. I may or may not wash my hands 5950193 times a day because I want to feel my creamy lather soap.

It hasn't been that bad, but no denying that bathing is a lot more enjoyable. In our old office, I kept the bathrooms supplied with my soap since it was just basically one company, but when the partnership didn't work out we moved into a regular commercial office and there is nowhere to keep my soap so I would have to carry it with me. It's just easier to have lotion bars at our desks.

 

[HoliHealerz]

Nothing wrong with emotional. I was taking a shower last week and was just so tickled with how well my soap lathered…it was like I was in a commercial. Put a smile on my face all day.

My hubby is all about the bubbles and I did try to make HIM happy. Then my daughter comes out of the bath wanting to know what’s wrong with my soap.

Thats beautiful. No there is nothing wrong at all qbout being happy that your work is making your family happy and being noticed. But the way I understood 'if it makes you happy' concerning the number of oils used - this is where science should rule in order to get to thqt happy place. And because of that I have to say that incremental increases from the benefits of particular oils such as wheat germ or pomegranate (for which there is no substitute for its pumicic acid

Problem with that is your water bill goes way up because you're enjoying your soap so much you lather up twice or thrice. I've been tweaking my formulas again and have 6-7 ends in my bathroom right now. I may or may not wash my hands 5950193 times a day because I want to feel my creamy lather soap.

Hope

Oh MY GOD.so this IS a thing. Do we ALL do that? I though perhaps I was trying to remember the properties if jy soap so that I could memorize the distinction. Its true I wear out soap from over washing over lathering too. OCD?

Nothing wrong with emotional. I was taking a shower last week and was just so tickled with how well my soap lathered…it was like I was in a commercial. Put a smile on my face all day.

My hubby is all about the bubbles and I did try to make HIM happy. Then my daughter comes out of the bath wanting to know what’s wrong with my soap.

 

[Susie]

I use 4-5. Same basic recipe, just sometimes I substitute shortening for lard, and it has two ingredients rather than just one. I have had as many as twelve oils in one recipe until I actually started testing soaps for what I and my family enjoyed. Now I just keep it simple:

65% lard, tallow, palm, or shortening that contain palm and tallow
15% olive oil
15% coconut oil
5% castor oil

 

[HoliHealerz]

I use 4-5. Same basic recipe, just sometimes I substitute shortening for lard, and it has two ingredients rather than just one. I have had as many as twelve oils in one recipe until I actually started testing soaps for what I and my family enjoyed. Now I just keep it simple:

65% lard, tallow, palm, or shortening that contain palm and tallow
15% olive oil
15% coconut oil
5% castor oil

I have done this very recipe. I believe it is like this from marissa. I was all excited about it (her shampoo bar). Didn't like it. It lathered, cleansed but felt a little dry on my hands. My friend however, loved it. My friend has oily skin. I went back to my multiple oils because I really believe that my wheat germ, grape seed pomegranate oil, sesame and almond oil make a lot of difference. Then I add ostrich oil and its very luxurious. I also have a donkey oil but I'm keeping it for cream. It could be because I live in a dry area and need something to balance the coconut more than the olive oil. It would have been a simple solution which is what I was looking for but I wound up going back to where I began. If it works for you - great you could simplify.

I used sheep for the tallow and it has higher cleansing and conditioning than beef according to soapcalc. But still it was not enough to compensate for the coconut oil. Thinking of leaving the coconut oil out but what does everyone reckon with a 14 on cleansing? Is it enough for shower and everyday cleansing? What about hair? I have 19 right now and I dont know if it may be too high. My suspiscion is yes.

 

[TheGecko]

this is where science should rule in order to get to thqt happy place.

Maybe, maybe not. I didn't know anything of the 'science' of making soap when I started out...I saw the Fatty Acids on SoapCalc and promptly ignored them because they meant absolutely nothing to be. Didn't understand the saponification process, thought 'curing' was about water evaporation to make your soap 'harder'. 'Super fat'...I'll just leave it where it is. Instead I took a base recipe I had, put it into SoapCalc and then started playing around with different oils and butters that sounded good and were available through the suppliers I was using. Oh yes...Macadamia Nut Oil sounds wonderful, let's use some of that. Avocado Butter...yes please. I love chocolate, let's add some Cocoa Butter. When I modified my Regular recipe to make Goat Milk Soap...there was no 'science' involved either, it was all 'gut' (emotion).

With that said, it wasn't all 'emotion'...I'm an accountant and a Virgo and had to figure out how to make a champagne soap on a beer budget. LOL I love me some good soap, but I also can't see spending $12.00 on something that is just supposed to get me clean (says the woman who pays $40.00 for SOCK yarn***). Yet at the same time, there are hundreds of thousands of folks making soap so I still need to make a good quality soap that people will be willing to pay more for than the stuff in the grocery store that also 'gets me clean'.


*** - In my defense, a well-made pair of socks will last for years.

 

[HoliHealerz]

Maybe, maybe not. I didn't know anything of the 'science' of making soap when I started out...I saw the Fatty Acids on SoapCalc and promptly ignored them because they meant absolutely nothing to be. Didn't understand the saponification process, thought 'curing' was about water evaporation to make your soap 'harder'. 'Super fat'...I'll just leave it where it is. Instead I took a base recipe I had, put it into SoapCalc and then started playing around with different oils and butters that sounded good and were available through the suppliers I was using. Oh yes...Macadamia Nut Oil sounds wonderful, let's use some of that. Avocado Butter...yes please. I love chocolate, let's add some Cocoa Butter. When I modified my Regular recipe to make Goat Milk Soap...there was no 'science' involved either, it was all 'gut' (emotion).

With that said, it wasn't all 'emotion'...I'm an accountant and a Virgo and had to figure out how to make a champagne soap on a beer budget. LOL I love me some good soap, but I also can't see spending $12.00 on something that is just supposed to get me clean (says the woman who pays $40.00 for SOCK yarn***). Yet at the same time, there are hundreds of thousands of folks making soap so I still need to make a good quality soap that people will be willing to pay more for than the stuff in the grocery store that also 'gets me clean'.


*** - In my defense, a well-made pair of socks will last for years.

I appreciate all your responses. They're fun. You MAKE SOCKS? If there is one indulgence in the world I love as much or more than soap, it's hand knitted socks. That is luxury and totally antidepressive. My aunt from finland always made us when she visited. But I CANNOT MAKE SOCKS. Willing to swap socks for crochet baskets!!! I would also pay more for a good yarn.
About the science. Even though we begin with gut, and rightfully we should, because intuition (heart and gut is located below the brain). If it does not feel right dont even go to the next level. But when experience comes in, we need to begin to think and reason and apply knowledge and thats what I mean. Yes I also didn't know ANYTHING about soap a few long months ago but I loved the whole idea and knew the feeling I wanted so although I took a completely different approach, and approach that will make no sense to anyone on here (trust me on this) that intuition must be there to guide us or the science means nothing.
The first thing that people said when they tried the soap I made was "I cannot describe how clean I feel" this was motivating. I began with rebatching and adding my own oils to the natural soap that I was working with.
I agree with what you say completely, we are just saying the same thing in a different way. Enjoy your socks and be grateful that you can make them yourself. .likewise with soap. I still have the hand made socks from my aunty. Love them.xx