Lard soap

[MarinaB]

Sorry for a stupid question... Is lard a beef fat? Today I stop by at my Amish friends house. I would like to try to make soap with animal fat.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Sorry for a stupid question... Is lard a beef fat? Today I stop by at my Amish friends house. I would like to try to make soap with animal fat.

Lard is pig fat.

 

[Cosmo71]

I made the lard soap with the recipe from Susie above. I was going to leave it unscented but have been wanting to use some lemongrass EO and lavender FO I had on hand. It turned out absolutely beautiful. I have had anxiety on when to cut my soaps but this seemed very hard after 24 hours. I soaped at about 85F, sprayed with 91% alcohol, covered with saran wrap, and wrapped in a towel for about 20 hours. I honestly kind of dumped the colors in the mold and it came out beautifully. Now to wait for the cure!

 

[Susie]

Sorry for a stupid question... Is lard a beef fat? Today I stop by at my Amish friends house. I would like to try to make soap with animal fat.

Beef tallow is beef fat. Tallow also comes from many other mammals, so be sure of the source.

 

[Cosmo71]

Lard is pig fat.

Marina, I used pig lard and it came out wonderfully. I will be looking for beef tallow and I have sheep so I will be trying sheep tallow as well. It will make me feel better to know I am using more of the animals who provide me with my necessities.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Marina, I used pig lard and it came out wonderfully. I will be looking for beef tallow and I have sheep so I will be trying sheep tallow as well. It will make me feel better to know I am using more of the animals who provide me with my necessities.

It’s my favorite ingredient as well. I use it almost all my soap. No other oil I’ve used compares although I’m excited to try tallow eventually.

 

[Hope Ann]

I have sheep so I will be trying sheep tallow as well.

I have heard rave reviews about sheep tallow. I bet you love it.

Hope

 

[Susie]

I made the lard soap with the recipe from Susie above. I was going to leave it unscented but have been wanting to use some lemongrass EO and lavender FO I had on hand. It turned out absolutely beautiful. I have had anxiety on when to cut my soaps but this seemed very hard after 24 hours. I soaped at about 85F, sprayed with 91% alcohol, covered with saran wrap, and wrapped in a towel for about 20 hours. I honestly kind of dumped the colors in the mold and it came out beautifully. Now to wait for the cure! View attachment 48030

That is beautiful soap! You might want to try soaping a little warmer, though. Just so you don't get false trace from the lard. Even 100F would be a good temperature. Just be sure that the oils are mostly clear before pouring the lye into it.

 

[Cosmo71]

That is beautiful soap! You might want to try soaping a little warmer, though. Just so you don't get false trace from the lard. Even 100F would be a good temperature. Just be sure that the oils are mostly clear before pouring the lye into it.

Thank you for the tip about soaping at a higher temp when using mostly lard. I am very new to making soap and there is so much conflicting information! I am sure the conflicts all have to do with different ingredients and recipes and maybe just some preference. I take good notes on all my soaps so why not try one at 100F and see what happens!

 

[Angie Gail]

Could I ask if you have found 20% coconut oil too drying with that low of lard? I'm still playing with percentages trying to find that sweet spot for my hard water.

Hope

I actually use 22% coconut oil in my Lard recipe and it doesn't dry my skin and lathers really well.

 

[MarinaB]

Thank you to everyone in this topic! I got inspired. The same day I got 20 lbs from an Amish farm on my way home. All weekend I am rendering fat. Also, right now will order castor oil.
I have a dream to make tallow based shaving bar. How does it sound? I will put 15% coconut oil, 15 % Olive oil, 10% castor oil and 60% tallow. Does this proportion sound good?
Thank you again to everyone!

Also a question, can I do a cold process soap with tallow?

 

[atiz]

Also a question, can I do a cold process soap with tallow?

Yes, you can. It is a little more cleansing than lard, but makes a nice, hard, bubbly bar. Some people (myself included) like it together with lard and other oils.

 

[DeeAnna]

...15% coconut oil, 15 % Olive oil, 10% castor oil and 60% tallow. Does this proportion sound good?

Your recipe might make a good bath bar, but it's not so good for a shave soap. Usually the stearic plus palmitic (S + P) content in a shave soap is higher than what tallow alone will give you. I shoot for around 50% S + P content.

Tallow alone is about 48% S + P per Soapcalc. Adding a combined 45% of coconut and olive and castor will drop the S + P content too low to make a cushiony, slick lather for shaving.

There are some good shave soap threads here -- check 'em out.

 

[MarinaB]

I have used only BB lye calculator. There is no beef tallow in their list of oils.
I will make CP soap--
14.4 oz Beef tallow
2.4 oz Castor oil
3.6 oz Coconut oil
3.6 oz Olive oil

How much do I need water and lye for my soapmaking?
Thank you!

 

[SPowers]

My lard recipe is 60% lard, 20% CO, 15% palm oil & 5% castor oil. Very nice to work with. I made one bar with 75% lard and no palm as well. Both behave nicely.

 

[Angie Gail]

I have used only BB lye calculator. There is no beef tallow in their list of oils.
I will make CP soap--
14.4 oz Beef tallow
2.4 oz Castor oil
3.6 oz Coconut oil
3.6 oz Olive oil

How much do I need water and lye for my soapmaking?
Thank you!

The BB calculator only show plant oils. I switched to using the one at WSP here: - Wholesale Supplies Plus

This one also includes animal fats and gives you a breakdown of the properties of your soap.

 

[Cosmo71]

I have used only BB lye calculator. There is no beef tallow in their list of oils.
I will make CP soap--
14.4 oz Beef tallow
2.4 oz Castor oil
3.6 oz Coconut oil
3.6 oz Olive oil

How much do I need water and lye for my soapmaking?
Thank you!

Marina, I played with the numbers until I got your measurements. Looks like 9.1 water / 3.4 lye for a 38% water as portion of oil and 5% superfat.

 

[Ladka]

My lard recipe is 60% lard, 20% CO, 15% palm oil & 5% castor oil. Very nice to work with. I made one bar with 75% lard and no palm as well. Both behave nicely.

Can you explain what "nice to work with" and "behave nicely" include please?

 

[MarinaB]

Marina, I played with the numbers until I got your measurements. Looks like 9.1 water / 3.4 lye for a 38% water as portion of oil and 5% superfat.

Cosmo71, Thank you very much I will make a set of 3 bars for a man. It would be 3 different aromas and tallow based soap bars.

The BB calculator only show plant oils. I switched to using the one at WSP here: - Wholesale Supplies Plus

This one also includes animal fats and gives you a breakdown of the properties of your soap.

Thank you very much! I love love love that calculator!

 

[SPowers]

Can you explain what "nice to work with" and "behave nicely" include please?

They are both slow to trace which is helpful when you are new in particular but it enables you to do design work without it getting too thick. Be aware there are FO's that can cause acceleration.