Olive vs avocado in CP

[Saintlysoaper]

Does anyone think that avocado oil offers enough in terms of unique properties to be worth substituting for some of the olive oil in CP? I see that avocado has a bit more palmitic and less oleic but overall they seem close enough that I wonder if it's worth me trying it.

 

[ngian]

Well I have made an experiment with a few soft oils and I'm still waiting for a good cure (2 months) of the bars before I test them and see if I can feel any difference on my skin.

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=56642

Until then someone might have already done similar experiments

 

[shunt2011]

I personally like some avocado in my soap. My main recipe doesn't have it but I use it at 15% in my salt bars and love it. I tried olive and a couple others but really like the avocado best. I also use it in a couple other recipes.

 

[navigator9]

Some years ago, I was formulating a facial soap recipe and did a blind test with a half dozen different recipes and I think there were 16 testers. The testers had no idea what was in the soaps, and I was thinking that the castile or maybe the bastile would be the favorite, but the overwhelming winner was the one with about 7% avocado oil. Avocado is nice!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I also use it in my salt bars (Thank you Shari for sharing the recipe!) and I love it in my leave on products. It's also part of the superfat in my shaving soaps. It's gooooood.

 

[ngian]

I also use it in my salt bars (Thank you Shari for sharing the recipe!)

Is there any link for the recipe?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

80% CO
15% Avo
5% Castor
80% Salt

 

[Saintlysoaper]

Thanks to all. Seems it would be worth my while trying it after all. Very interesting to note that testers could detect a difference at just 7%, I was thinking of adding around 20%!

 

[cmzaha]

I can always detect a soap that has olive oil in it. It is not my favorite oil because it always feels sticky even with a long cure to me. With avocado I do not get that feel so I use it at 15 - 20% in most of my soaps. Normally I use HO Sunflower or Safflower as a replacement for OO. There are people highly allergic to avocado so it is not in all my soaps. I have a decent source for avocado, although it is not cheap, approx $130 for 5 gallons (35 lbs), it is cheaper than purchasing the small bottles of avocado oil. It is my favorite oil

 

[Saintlysoaper]

That's interesting Carolyn, i have loved sunflower oil in my soaps but I have not had any high oleic so I've had to keep it fairly low. I think I'll look into that. Doesn't high oleic from any source contribute to bar slime though?

 

[Arimara]

I haven't soaped enough to really know the difference but I like both so far. I might just make a soap using 45-50% of each oil to see. It'll give me a chance to use some shea butter.

 

[Dahila]

I like avocado in my soap not much though, 5 % is not a lot but it makes the difference, I can notice it
I had some feedback and people really like the ones with avocado oil

 

[dibbles]

I've been using avocado at 8-10% in most of my soaps lately. I really like it.

 

[SplendorSoaps]

It might just be my imagination, but it seems like avocado makes my lather a little bit creamier than if I use sweet almond or sunflower oils. If I use avocado, I'll usually use it around 5% or a bit more. It makes for a lovely addition!

 

[Dana89]

I had a recipe that called for 10% S.Almond oil and was out of so I subbed it with Avocado and have not looked back since. It is really conditioning.

 

[jade-15]

Avocado has a higher amount of "unsaponifiables", which helps to make it so nice (well, IMO anyway) - these don't show up in a fatty acid profile. I think it's definitely worth subbing some olive with it!

 

[Saintlysoaper]

I think I will definitely sub 10% of my olive oil for the avocado and see how I like the difference!

 

[Margo]

Avocado Oil

Absolutely not. Avocado oil left DOS in my soap and I have stopped using it every since

 

[shunt2011]

You will love avocado. I've never had DOS with it. 5-10% is good for a recipe.

 

[kchaystack]

I regularly use avocado oil at about 20%. Never had a problem with DOS.

Everyone's recipes, storage conditions, ans supplier of oils is different. Carolyn has DOS problems with lard - most other people don't. It is just something we have to try out ourselves and see if it is going to work for us.