Recipe query

[Sana]

Hey everyone,

I made the following soap:

60% Olive oil pomace
30% Coconut oil
5% Shea butter
5% Sweet almond oil

I have used it after 1 month cure time, and in it has remained hard in the shower. It just gets a bit sludgy at the bottom I assume because it remains slightly wet. Its not too cleansing due to the high coconut oil. Do you think I should adjust the percentages next time?

I also made a slightly different variation:

55% Olive oil pomace
35% Coconut oil
6.5% Shea butter
3.5 % Sweet Almond oil

I also used this after 1 month cure time, but in the shower it is getting sludgy all over after use. Not sure why this is happening since it has a higher coconut oil percentage...

Would appreciate your feedback And any advice on if I should amend the percentages for my next batch. I would like to make a bar that is ready to use after 1 month - 6 weeks, remains hard in the shower, is not too cleansing (drying), lathers well and is moisturising.

Thank you!

 

[Finnegan]

I've read here on the forum that soaps with a high percentage of olive oils can get slimy/sludgy in the shower, so maybe lower your concentration of olive oil?

A tip I have to keep your soaps harder for longer, is to have two or more soaps in the shower. So you use one today, take it out to dry completely, and tomorrow you use another soap, so the first soap can dry thoroughly. It really helps me to keep my softer soaps for longer.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome Sana!

Recipes high in olive oil (usually 50% or higher) really benefit from a longer cure......anywhere from 3 months up to a year depending on the percent of olive oil content. I make a recipe very similar to your first recipe with 60% olive oil, and while it is lovely to use at 4 weeks, it's even better after 3 months.

Regarding the sludginess: Handmade soap normally gets sludgy if it's allowed to stay on a wet surface for too long. A well-draining soap dish that allows air circulation underneath will help it to dry out quicker, and also keep it dry in between showers/baths. This is the kind I use: https://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-...1&keywords=soap+dishes&qid=1598033664&sr=8-20
Another contributor of sludginess is oleic acid from olive oil. All my soaps high in olive oil get sludgier when wet compared to my soaps with a lesser amount of olive oil.

Its not too cleansing due to the high coconut oil.

Coconut oil, while wonderfully moisturizing in its natural state, is actually very cleansing in soap.


IrishLass

 

[Sana]

I've read here on the forum that soaps with a high percentage of olive oils can get slimy/sludgy in the shower, so maybe lower your concentration of olive oil?

A tip I have to keep your soaps harder for longer, is to have two or more soaps in the shower. So you use one today, take it out to dry completely, and tomorrow you use another soap, so the first soap can dry thoroughly. It really helps me to keep my softer soaps for longer.

thank you

Welcome Sana!

Recipes high in olive oil (usually 50% or higher) really benefit from a longer cure......anywhere from 3 months up to a year depending on the percent of olive oil content. I make a recipe very similar to your first recipe with 60% olive oil, and while it is lovely to use at 4 weeks, it's even better after 3 months.

Regarding the sludginess: Handmade soap normally gets sludgy if it's allowed to stay on a wet surface for too long. A well-draining soap dish that allows air circulation underneath will help it to dry out quicker, and also keep it dry in between showers/baths. This is the kind I use: https://www.amazon.com/InterDesign-...1&keywords=soap+dishes&qid=1598033664&sr=8-20
Another contributor of sludginess is oleic acid from olive oil. All my soaps high in olive oil get sludgier when wet compared to my soaps with a lesser amount of olive oil.




Coconut oil, while wonderfully moisturizing in its natural state, is actually very cleansing in soap.


IrishLass

Thanks for you reply How would you suggest I tweak the percentages if I want a bar of soap that is ready to use in 4-6 weeks, not too drying, good lather and lasts in the shower?

 

[Arimara]

You can afford to bump up the shea butter (unless it's expensive for you). It would help offset the slime-inducting qualities that olive oil tends to bring in a soap. At least bumping it to 10-15 would help. If you're fine with coconut oil being at 30%, congrats. I have to cap it at 20% myself or I get the skin itchies.

 

[Sana]

You can afford to bump up the shea butter (unless it's expensive for you). It would help offset the slime-inducting qualities that olive oil tends to bring in a soap. At least bumping it to 10-15 would help. If you're fine with coconut oil being at 30%, congrats. I have to cap it at 20% myself or I get the skin itchies.

Hi Arimara It's strange because in the 2nd batch I reduced the olive oil by 5%, bumped up the coconut oil by 5%, and bumped up the Shea butter by 1.5% (I know not that much).. but the 2nd batch is the one that got squishy/slimey (like a layer on top after its used)

 

[Arimara]

Hi Arimara It's strange because in the 2nd batch I reduced the olive oil by 5%, bumped up the coconut oil by 5%, and bumped up the Shea butter by 1.5% (I know not that much).. but the 2nd batch is the one that got squishy/slimey (like a layer on top after its used)

Coconut oil also dissolves the quickest of the listed oils in your recipe. It looks like you have a small game of balance to see what you like. Sorry if I misread.

 

[atiz]

You could lower your coconut to 20% and increase your shea butter. If you're not opposed to animal things, adding a bit of lard or tallow would make a nice soap.
I tend to use 1-2% of beeswax, which makes the bars smooth and very hard.

 

[Sana]

Coconut oil also dissolves the quickest of the listed oils in your recipe. It looks like you have a small game of balance to see what you like. Sorry if I misread.

Hey Arimara, what do you mean by coconut oil dissolves the quickest? Yep I will be testing out different recipes to see what I like best

You could lower your coconut to 20% and increase your shea butter. If you're not opposed to animal things, adding a bit of lard or tallow would make a nice soap.
I tend to use 1-2% of beeswax, which makes the bars smooth and very hard.

Thank you

 

[Arimara]

Hey Arimara, what do you mean by coconut oil dissolves the quickest? Yep I will be testing out different recipes to see what I like best

Coconut oil makes for a hard soap but it also has a high solubility in water meaning the more coconut oil you use, the more short-lived your soap will be in the shower.

 

[cmzaha]

Formulas for Disaster for my skin: High OO high CO = disaster for my skin, sorry. Low CO high shea no OO = luxury for me!

To clarify. Anything over 17% CO is too much for my skin and even then it has to be balanced with other oils my skin tolerates, such as a tallow/lard or Palm combination with Canola HO, Sunflower HO, Avocado or SAO, 5% Castor. My 59% Shea Bar with 12% CO is super gentle and lathers fine.

 

[JillGat]

I had a knee-jerk negative reaction to lard and tallow for a long time. Now I won't make soap without one of them! They are just excellent for our skin and hearken back to the original soap. My current favorite recipe is:

Lard or tallow 34%
Coconut oil 22
Olive oil 12
Rice bran oil 14
Shea butter or cocoa butter 12
Castor oil 6

You could use all olive oil instead of rice bran oil, if it's hard to find. I like how rice bran oil gives a sheen to the soap. Castor oil helps the lather.

 

[cmzaha]

I like tallow/ lard approx 38/25% split PKO/CO split 9/8% a liquid oil and 3-5% castor

 

[Gaisy59]

My skin just straight out dries with any CO. I omit it completely.

 

[KiwiMoose]

If you want a firmer bar you need firmer oils. Increase your oils with Palmitic/ stearic fatty acids. Such as Shea, cocoa butter, palm, lard, tallow, etc.
Coconut oil is hard but is very cleansing and dissipates quickly in the shower.
All handmade soap will go a bit sludgy on the bottom, especially those with high oleic content.

 

[Zing]

I use 60% hard oils (palm, coconut, sometimes butters) and 40% oil oils (olive, avocado, etc.). I LOVE coconut oil at a high percentage (24-29%) and it does not bother my family's skin (I know it does bother others) but I'm on an experiment binge to get the coconut oil reduced so that it lasts longer. Good luck to you!