Newbie Soaper Seeking Recipe Advice

[QuirkyBlossom]

I would also try it without butters, putting Palm or lard or tallow in instead and seeing the difference. Also with just one butter at the total amount of both and then the other one - that way you can really experience what each ingredient brings to the soap.

One tip - try to change as little as possible, so you have a reference. If you swap out the butters for lard and change the coconut amount, you won't know whether or not a good or bad aspect of the soap is from which change (or a combination of both!)

Thanks for the suggestion, but I won't be using palm, lard, or tallow in any of my soap recipes.

I see the benefit of changing just one thing when working with a recipe. Just as in science, we must be able to say with certainty that the one ingredient created a change in the soap.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Unless you're vegan or whatnot, I would reconsider dismissing lard so easily. It is the king of soaping oils

 

[QuirkyBlossom]

Unless you're vegan or whatnot, I would reconsider dismissing lard so easily. It is the king of soaping oils

I know many people love using lard in their recipes, but there are many wonderful vegan soaps as well. That is the great thing about soap making...there are plenty of options for all of us.

 

[penelopejane]

I know many people love using lard in their recipes, but there are many wonderful vegan soaps as well. That is the great thing about soap making...there are plenty of options for all of us.

I agree. I don't use palm either. OO makes a lovely soap base but at higher percentages needs a longer cure for hardness. Pure OO soap takes a year to get really lovely and after that is just gets more exceptional, in my opinion. But, I use EVOO and I think that may make a difference, or it might be my water. Who knows?

Go for it!