I'm baaaack..... and a question about coconut oil

[SudsyKat]

First, a big "Hi, Howdy!" to all of you. I've been away for a while. Long story, not particularly interesting. Anyhow, I'm back and experimenting. I have a question about the difference between a 100% coconut bar with and without salt. I mean, I know what the difference is, technically, but experientially - what's the difference? I've made salt bars - 100% coconut oil with salt at 80% of the oil weight (superfatted at 20%). So, I know how those feel but without waiting 4 weeks, I wanted to ask you guys what you think of 100% coconut bar without the salt.

Thanks!

 

[IrishLass]

One of my favorite formulas is 100% coconut with a 20% superfat without salt. It's quite a lovely soap with lather that I can only describe as decadent. It's so bubby and rich, and with the high S/F it's not drying to me at all. The only downside with it is that it doesn't last as long as my other bars because lauric acid (the main acid in coconut oil) is very water soluble.


IrishLass

ETA: Welcome back!

 

[SudsyKat]

Thanks, Irishlass! I am fond of "decadent" lather, but not fond of soaps that don't dry well (aka - get mushy/don't last). I guess I'll just have to make a small batch and see what it does for me. Today, I made an orange and black soap for Halloween (charcoal and Anise EO in the black part and orange POP Mica and Orange EO in the orange part. I can hardly wait to unmold. Tomorrow, I'm going to try a recipe without Palm Oil (substituting cocoa butter and shea butter). The numbers come out awesome on SoapCalc, so I have high hopes. It's great to be back in the swing of things.

 

[Hazel]

Hi SudsyKat! This is weird. I was rereading some old topics a few days ago and you had posted on one of them. I saw your username and thought "I haven't seen her for awhile". Then today, you come back! Gosh, I need to try mind talk more often as in "I will win the lottery...I will win the lottery...I will win the lottery".

I agree with IrishLass about 100% CO having super bubbly lather. I added some heavy cream to my batch and it was quite lovely. Go for it! You won't regret it.

Your Halloween soap sounds great. I hope you'll post a picture.

 

[Lyric]

One of my favorite formulas is 100% coconut with a 20% superfat

Whaaatttttt, are you serious IL. You know, I have NEVER heard of such a high SF in a soaping recipe. By golly I think I wanna try it just because. Hmmm, I'm kinda excited at the thought. I am seriously on a coconut kick this year after reading the benefits of coconut internally as well as externally. I will have to keep you ladies posted when I go this bar. Hmm, wonder if I'll need to cure it longer than the normal six weeks :?:

eta: Wonder if I added, say 10% tallow to make it last longer; how would that affect the decadency of the soap :wink: :?:

 

[IrishLass]

Whaaatttttt, are you serious IL. You know, I have NEVER heard of such a high SF in a soaping recipe.

I know, right? But trust me- it's a wonderful soap. I first heard about this formula about 3 years ago or so on a different forum from a gal who made it especially for her grandfather, if I remember right. It was the only soap he could use on his skin. Anyway, several of us soapers tried making it ourselves and loved it so much and raved about it so much that it eventually took on a life of it's own and became kind of a craze.

Hmm, wonder if I'll need to cure it longer than the normal six weeks :?:

I myself find a 4 week cure sufficient enough for my own likes, but others prefer to cure for longer. It all depends on you personal preference. It certainly never hurts to cure for longer, though.

eta: Wonder if I added, say 10% tallow to make it last longer; how would that affect the decadency of the soap :wink: :?:

You can do that, for sure. I've made several tweaked versions of the recipe and they all came out quite nice (70% coconut/30% mango butter with a 15% superfat was my favorite of these experiments), but the 100% CO with a 20% superfat still ranks as having the most luxuriant/decadent/oomphy lather to me. The only downside is that it doesn't last as long as the one with mango butter in it.

IrishLass

 

[Lyric]

I'm running the recipe through my fav calculators and lo and behold they do not have a provision for 20% SF. The two, thus far, only go up to 10% and I'm too much of a fraidy cat to double the numbers. I don't play with saponification values.

What calculator did you ladies use, please?

Thanks.

 

[IrishLass]

I use SoapCalc.


IrishLass

 

[Lyric]

Thanks, IL; went over there right after asking the question (found a thread here about lye calcs). Think I'll do this batch this evening or in the 'morrow. Pics forthcoming . . .

 

[IrishLass]

Hope it turns out well! Just a heads-up, though- this recipe tends to get really hot in the mold as it's gelling. Don't insulate it or anything.

IrishLass

 

[Lyric]

Good looking out, il. I'm outta here and offline in about 20 min. Think I'll batch her up first thing in the a.m. Think I'll do movie date with some chillun this eve. :wink:

 

[sabon]

I made soap with a mixture of oils (olive coconut palm) and found them to turn mushy after use (I used it soon after the 6 week cure). But when I made 100% coconut oil soap with 20% SF, I was surprised. Though it melts quickly, its not at all mushy and the lather, too good.

 

[Lyric]

That is some good news, Sabon. My first batch is curing.

Oh and Irish Lass, here's what I came up with for a recipe when I went to SoapCalc (just wanting to make sure I'm on the right track):


1 pound batch
16 ounces CO
2.34 ozs lye
5.6 ozs water
SF @ 20%