Is tallow an acceptable substitute for palm oil?

[Iris from Oaxaca]

Hi, I'm a soapmaker working with available ingredients in Oaxaca, Mexico and for some reason it's practically impossible to obtain palm oil here. Tallow is not a problem...as far as the soap's properties (not SAP value) go, can I just substitute it in my recipies?

 

[ChrissyB]

No, you can't "just substitute" it, make sure you run your ingredients through a lye calculator. But in terms of similarity of the properties that they bring to the soap, yes I find that tallow and palm are quite similar. Tallow may give you a touch more hardness, and a higher cleansing number I think.

Edited to add: I presume you mean beef tallow?

 

[velitasyjaboncitos]

No, you can't "just substitute" it, make sure you run your ingredients through a lye calculator.

Exactly you have to run the recipe again through the lye calculator. I have been using tallow instead of palm oil. My recipe is 30%tallow, 30% coconut oil and 40% castor oil. It works like a charm, it is cheap and I get a wonderful bar of soap.

 

[agriffin]

Hi, I'm a soapmaker working with available ingredients in Oaxaca, Mexico and for some reason it's practically impossible to obtain palm oil here. Tallow is not a problem...as far as the soap's properties (not SAP value) go, can I just substitute it in my recipies?

Yes, as far as your finished soap's properties go...tallow, palm and lard can be used interchangeably. There is a slight difference in the finished product but still very similar.

 

[Lindy]

Personally I love Tallow in soaps, it is so moisturizing.

 

[honor435]

40% castor, wow, how does that turn out???

 

[Iris from Oaxaca]

Thank you all for your imput, it's always wonderful to get a 2nd (and 3rd and 4th!) opinion!

 

[rubyslippers]

40% castor, wow, how does that turn out???

That's what I was just wondering