Poll: How much do you superfat your "typical" soa

[cp chick]

I've only done 5 small batches so far. The first 4 ranged between 8 and 10% and the last one accidentally turned out as 4%. (Had a brain fart and relied on labelled amount of oil vs. actual and ran short.) The 4% was wonderfully lathering, but noticeably more drying, so I think I'll stick to 8-10%. No DOS yet!

 

[savondebilal]

how high do you guys superfat with Milk? What do you do in a situation where your doing a 100% coconut oil, 15-20% superfat with Milk?

 

[kelleyaynn]

how high do you guys superfat with Milk? What do you do in a situation where your doing a 100% coconut oil, 15-20% superfat with Milk?

If it's 15% probably nothing. Since the milk does add some fat (how much depending upon what type of milk you use) I would probably not go as high as 20% with milk, though I do know some people superfat at 20% and use coconut milk in place of the water.

 

[Dixie]

I've ALWAYS done 5-6%.....but recently I have been experimenting with only 3% in my tried and true recipes to see what the difference is or if I can even tell a difference. I'm also intrested in the change in the lather.

 

[MizzBee]

I love 10% SF in my soaps and add milk too, usually much higher in luxury soaps and have not had any problems with DOS....20% SF I would use in salt bars or 100% coconut oil bars but I haven't added milk to these and no DOS. These soaps are 7-9 months old now.

 

[Lynnz]

5% Here, I have many soaps that I have held in excess of one year and I have only once experienced dos and that was in a soap containing hemp so no shock to the system. Living in a humid enviroment I need a recipe that will stand up to this enviroment

 

[LisaNY]

I use between 5 and 6%. For those of you superfatting at 10% are you using a high percentage of hard oils so you don't end up with a soft bar?

I have soaps sf at 5% and 10% - same recipe - no difference in hardness. I don't think a higher sf gives you a softer bar. )

 

[missmelis]

when I first started I did 5. Now I generally do a 6-7 and I have been tinkering with 8 in a few batches that are still curing. I'll see how they feel and then decide, but right now a 6 or 7 feels good for me.

 

[lsg]

I started with 5%, then 7% and now playing with 10%. My gosh, I'm a truly 10% convert now. Maybe because I have sensitive skin, but I absolutely love the feel of a 10%. I started soaping since last September, and so far experience 2 DOS. First one a 5%, I suspect maybe the Olive Oil I use was bad. Second a 7%, I think I left it to cure in a spot where there was sunlight hitting on it.

Does high superfat affect the lather of your soap? I would like a nicer feeling soap, but don't want to lose any lather.

 

[see]

I voted @ 5% but if I go over a gram or so when measuring my oil I don't worry either. Just concentrate on the lye water for exactness. I measure all my oils in a stainless mixing bowl so its difficult to take out something you've already added. If I ever start selling I'll measure it all separate.

I do the same thing when I'm making soap for the family - just measure all the oils into one bowl. If I go a little over, I figure I'll just have a richer bar in the end. No biggie.

ive being doing the same for months but have had 2 batches have dos on them lately.. these are new batches not old.

my spread sheet is on 6% but when i add all my "over measurements" it jacks it up to 8+%. i dont know if the 2 dos batches were from to much superfat or just b/c it was just to hot for them in the beginning curing stages or possibly b/c ive been storing the bucket of oils in a warm area. i believe its the temp during the first couple wks.

i made several batches after these 2 and they had the same "over measurements" but no dos yet. the original dos popped up pretty quickly. im in florida and its alreay been about 80F in my house for wks.

the both did have clay in them.

anyway.. little off subject but just want to maybe save a newbie from summer issues.

all the soaps were almost equal in oo and po and a little less co, butters and castor.

happy soaping

 

[see]

forgot... i was wondering how much you superfat for kids soaps. I have a friend that wants a batch for a 2 year old. ive been thinking on it for a couple months. i think it would need to be around 15-20% but i want to use the same percentages i use now oo, po, co, sb, castor. i would think that a high superfat with those oils would dos or at least not bubble.. ???

 

[gunner]

I don't think I've ever done anything other than 10, and I just recently used up my last bar from one of the first batches, almost 3 years ago. Very hard bars, no DOS, lather nice/creamy. I have never used a preservative, so I was really surprised they lasted so long. I mostly use EO's, so not a lot of scent left after so long.
See, as for baby/children's soap...I've used my 10% SF on my sone since his very first bath; he's turning 3 next month. My 6 year old and my almost 3 year old both have very sensitive skin. My daughter was almost 4 when I finally trusted my soap enough to use on her and her eczema/psoriasis went away after that. My son has such sensitive skin that if he stays the night/takes a bath at my MIL's he'll get a little irritated on his bottom/face/sensitive areas.
Hope that helps!

 

[soapbuddy]

I don't think I've ever done anything other than 10, and I just recently used up my last bar from one of the first batches, almost 3 years ago. Very hard bars, no DOS, lather nice/creamy. I have never used a preservative, so I was really surprised they lasted so long. I mostly use EO's, so not a lot of scent left after so long.
See, as for baby/children's soap...I've used my 10% SF on my sone since his very first bath; he's turning 3 next month. My 6 year old and my almost 3 year old both have very sensitive skin. My daughter was almost 4 when I finally trusted my soap enough to use on her and her eczema/psoriasis went away after that. My son has such sensitive skin that if he stays the night/takes a bath at my MIL's he'll get a little irritated on his bottom/face/sensitive areas.
Hope that helps!

You don't need a preservative in soap. It would get eaten up lye anyway.

 

[gunner]

Soapbuddy; I've never used a preservative, I never thought I'd make enough soap to have any sitting around for any length of time, but the book I got when I decided to try to make soap (Susan Miller Cavitch) said she uses GSE in all of her soaps as a preservative, that sf'ed soap will go rancid between 6-12 months I think. Is there any reason you would use a preservative for soap? Any different oils or add's that may cause it to go rancid? Just curious.
Thanks!

 

[soapbuddy]

Soapbuddy; I've never used a preservative, I never thought I'd make enough soap to have any sitting around for any length of time, but the book I got when I decided to try to make soap (Susan Miller Cavitch) said she uses GSE in all of her soaps as a preservative, that sf'ed soap will go rancid between 6-12 months I think. Is there any reason you would use a preservative for soap? Any different oils or add's that may cause it to go rancid? Just curious.
Thanks!

GSE is an anti-oxidant, not a preservative. Just as long as you don't use a high amount of short shelf life oils like hemp, you should be fine. I have some of my mother's soaps that are at least 20 years old and they are fine. The scent is gone, but they still are nice soaps to use.