Seven Single-Bar Batches of Soap

[J-Soaper]

I bought some Flaxseed Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Shea Butter and made some sample batches.

1. Coconut Oil 144 g, Flaxseed Oil 73g, Aloe Vera Gel 82g, Sodium Hydroxide 33g It made pink soap.
2. Coconut Oil 144 g, Cocoa Butter 73g, Aloe Vera Gel 82g, Sodium Hydroxide 33g It came out a dark cream or light beige.
3. Coconut Oil 144 g, Shea Butter 73g, Aloe Vera Gel 82g, Sodium Hydroxide 33g Slightly greenish yellow.
4. Coconut Oil 144 g, Flaxseed Oil 36g, Cocoa Butter 36g, Aloe Vera Gel 82g, Sodium Hydroxide 33g Pinkish beige
5. Coconut Oil 144g, Flaxseed Oil 36g, Shea Butter 36g, Aloe Vera Gel 82g, Sodium Hydroxide 33g A flatter yellow than batch 3.
6. Coconut Oil 144g, Cocoa Butter 36g, Shea Butter 36g, Aloe Vera Gel 82g, Sodium Hydroxide 33g Pale yellow; this batch got really hot and it was sent to solitary confinement in the freezer for 20 minutes until it cooled down. The top just barely started to crack before I got it into the freezer.
7. Coconut Oil 144g, Flaxseed Oil 24g, Cocoa Butter 24g, Shea Butter 24g Ever so slightly orange when compared to batch 6.

I always have a little bit extra that will not fit into the mold and, in this case, I poured all of the tailings into the same small container. I'll cut that bar in half to show the colors.

In my opinion, Coconut Oil makes superb soap -- such thick heavy lather. And Aloe Vera seems to make it even more so. I'm curious to see how the variations above perform. Too bad I have to wait eight weeks.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

As much as I love flaxseed myself, I'd call 9% lye discount at 34% linseed oil (23% poly-unsaturated fats, mostly in form of the troublesome linolenic acid) a little bit dangerous to say the least. Did you take precautions against DOS, like adding chelators and antioxidants?

 

[earlene]

Interesting experiment. I've used flax as a single oil soap back in 2015. It was the one soap I considered a 'failed' soap almost from the start. But nothing in my notes mention color. It was all about how soft & mushy it was. And that was with a 0% SF setting in my soapcalc. I haven't used it in soap since.

But @Zany_in_CO uses it in a shampoo that she says is one her favorite shampoos.

 

[J-Soaper]

As much as I love flaxseed myself, I'd call 9% lye discount at 34% linseed oil (23% poly-unsaturated fats, mostly in form of the troublesome linolenic acid) a little bit dangerous to say the least. Did you take precautions against DOS, like adding chelators and antioxidants?

I've never had DOS. Not even on old soap. This is my first try with flaxseed oil. The amount of lye should provide about 9% super-fat. Why do you consider that dangerous?

Interesting experiment. I've used flax as a single oil soap back in 2015. It was the one soap I considered a 'failed' soap almost from the start. But nothing in my notes mention color. It was all about how soft & mushy it was. And that was with a 0% SF setting in my soapcalc. I haven't used it in soap since.

But @Zany_in_CO uses it in a shampoo that she says is one her favorite shampoos.

Kind of hoping that the ⅔ Coconut Oil will moderate any difficulties with the other oils. Though, that's certainly not high enough to compensate for Olive Oil. I'll never use Olive Oil again. That's the only soap I ever considered a failure and, apparently, it turned out the way it was supposed to. I waited an entire year before using it and it was still disgusting. Used about half of the bar and threw the rest of it away.

 

[earlene]

Well, I am looking forward to your reviews. I'd love to see photos, too. I wonder at the pinkness.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

I've never had DOS. Not even on old soap. This is my first try with flaxseed oil. The amount of lye should provide about 9% super-fat. Why do you consider that dangerous?

Well, a major non-food use of flaxseed is just because it goes rancid so quickly: oil paints, resins and wood impregnation use it for its ability to react quickly with air to break down and form resinous coatings. It has a super short shelf life – and there is the rule of thumb that the shelf life of your soap is the shelf life of your oils.
https://classicbells.com/soap/rancidity.aspI have made an experimental batch with about the same iodine value as your high-flaxseed soap (but based on HL sunflower), and it caught DOS after two months, about the time I'd have considered it mostly cured.

I wish you all the best with your experiments (keep us updated!), but don't be disappointed if the soap goes gross quicker than you'd like.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

@Zany_in_CO uses it in a shampoo that she says is one her favorite shampoos.

True. Flaxseed Oil is recommended as one of the BEST OILS FOR HAIR & SCALP

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Used about half of the bar and threw the rest of it away.

 

[J-Soaper]

View attachment 57651

Yes. I know. Actually throwing away soap that I made is a total tragedy. I know some people like castille soap, but I think it's junk.

I have another bar curing, ⅓ coconut oil, ⅓ lard, ⅓ extra virgin olive oil (with Aloe Vera gel instead of water. I'm guessing I'm not going to like it either.

 

[J-Soaper]

but don't be disappointed if the soap goes gross quicker than you'd like.

Soap that goes gross isn't usually wasted. It become deer repellent. They don't like anything with a strong odor.

 

[J-Soaper]

True. Flaxseed Oil is recommended as one of the BEST OILS FOR HAIR & SCALP

Flaxseed Oil is definitely great for your hair.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

View attachment 57651

Oh this image is funny ( still laughing )

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Oh this image is funny ( still laughing )

That's exactly how I feel when we don't even get an opportunity to "save" a soap gone wrong. I love those threads where everyone takes a shot at saving a soap, "deer repellant" notwithstanding.

I have another bar curing, ⅓ coconut oil, ⅓ lard, ⅓ extra virgin olive oil (with Aloe Vera gel instead of water. I'm guessing I'm not going to like it either.

That combo is similar to the Basic Trinity of Oils starter formula with lard subbed for the palm. You may want to simply adjust the %s to get a bar you really like.