SF

[sweetbean]

On a soap with 33% CO, what super fat would you do? Just tried 7%, but not sure if I went overboard or if I should've gone higher? Any experience? Thanks in advance!

 

[lionprincess00]

Welp, i just posted this on another thread, yet it seems relevant here....quote

With 25% co, I'd be reluctant for a lower sf than 5%. I use 18 to 20% co BUT use 2% sf.

#1 lye typically isnt 100% pure. #2 i go based on the idea it is my oils and fats that make a good bar of soap.

To up one stripping oil, like pko or co, then up sf to counter act the stripping creates a stripping recipe with leftover oils to hopefully counter act the stripping effect (my opinion only). Does that make any sense? It is my opinion, but I try to go with a balanced gentler bar with lower sf to shine out that recipe on skin. Still trying to do this and make a better bubbly bar with not so much co, after 3 plus yrs, but this is my opinion.

On a side not, a majority of us use much less co @ 10 sometimes, but typically 15 to 20%.

 

[Susie]

I agree! Why would you want to make a 33% CO soap to begin with? And replacing healthy, natural skin oils with coconut oil is not an equal equation for me. I have dry skin, though, and too much CO is NOT a good idea, regardless of the SF.

 

[sweetbean]

I'm trying to make a harder bar, so I thought maybe upping the coconut oil would help. Is there a better alternative?

Right now I'm using lard, coconut oil, and olive oil in my recipes. On Tuesday I'll be getting some avocado and Castor, so I'll be adding those. I couldn't wait until then to make soap though!

I was thinking of doing
5% Castor
5% avocado
20% Coconut
And the rest in lard and olive oil.

 

[IrishLass]

It's good to keep in mind that not everyone's skin-type is the same. While the skin of some cannot handle high amounts of CO, others can do so quite happily. For what it's worth, one of my (and my family's) favorite, most requested formulas - my tallow/lard formula- contains 31.5% coconut oil and I superfat it at 8%. To us it is not drying at all. My advice is to try the 33% CO that you planned with a 1 lb. batch (and an 8% s/f), and see if your skin likes it or not. You never know until you try.

My fellow modmin lsg also likes a higher amount of CO of at least 30%


IrishLass

 

[shunt2011]

I use 25% CO in one of my favorite soaps.

 

[artemis]

I couldn't wait until then to make soap though!

Well, of course you couldn't!

 

[Arimara]

I'm trying to make a harder bar, so I thought maybe upping the coconut oil would help. Is there a better alternative?

Right now I'm using lard, coconut oil, and olive oil in my recipes. On Tuesday I'll be getting some avocado and Castor, so I'll be adding those. I couldn't wait until then to make soap though!

I was thinking of doing
5% Castor
5% avocado
20% Coconut
And the rest in lard and olive oil.

You could steal an additional 5% from the coconut or olive oil and add it to the avocado oil. avocado oil starts to shine when you have 5% or more. I personally like using 20% or a little more.

 

[toxikon]

For more hardness you can bump up the lard and reduce the OO.

 

[bumbleklutz]

It's good to keep in mind that not everyone's skin-type is the same. While the skin of some cannot handle high amounts of CO, others can do so quite happily. For what it's worth, one of my (and my family's) favorite, most requested formulas - my tallow/lard formula- contains 31.5% coconut oil and I superfat it at 8%. To us it is not drying at all. My advice is to try the 33% CO that you planned with a 1 lb. batch (and an 8% s/f), and see if your skin likes it or not. You never know until you try.

My fellow modmin lsg also likes a higher amount of CO of at least 30%


IrishLass

Very true. It all depends on the individual. For instance, my favorite has 15% CO and 15% PKO with 5% castor and 5% super fat. Some folks would find that stripping and drying. For me however, it's just a nice bubbly lather.

 

[Arimara]

Very true. It all depends on the individual. For instance, my favorite has 15% CO and 15% PKO with 5% castor and 5% super fat. Some folks would find that stripping and drying. For me however, it's just a nice bubbly lather.

I could handle that if it was PKO and babassu at 10% and 20% respectfully. the make-up of coconut oil prevents me from being able go over 15% in any given recipe.

 

[bumbleklutz]

I could handle that if it was PKO and babassu at 10% and 20% respectfully. the make-up of coconut oil prevents me from being able go over 15% in any given recipe.

I have been thinking about adding babassu to that mix, but for right now it's just too expensive for me. I'm unable to get it locally, and with shipping it's out of my price range. :cry:

 

[Arimara]

I have been thinking about adding babassu to that mix, but for right now it's just too expensive for me. I'm unable to get it locally, and with shipping it's out of my price range. :cry:

If you are in the US and find a credible supplier that is within a decent distance, driving isn't a bad option if that supplier allows for pick-up. But yeah, when you can get a chance to try it, babassu is great for soap and lotion. If it's especially difficult for you to get, if you're ever gifted any, try to in a lotion as well as a soap.

 

[DeeAnna]

When you want a harder bar, do you mean physically hard -- like a rock -- or long lasting? Because the two aren't at all the same.

More coconut oil can increase physical hardness, but a bar high in CO will also be shorter lived. You need to increase the stearic and palmitic acid content to get a hard bar that also lasts longer. These acids are found in palm, tallow, lard, and butters (mango, shea, etc.)

 

[sweetbean]

When you want a harder bar, do you mean physically hard -- like a rock -- or long lasting? Because the two aren't at all the same.

More coconut oil can increase physical hardness, but a bar high in CO will also be shorter lived. You need to increase the stearic and palmitic acid content to get a hard bar that also lasts longer. These acids are found in palm, tallow, lard, and butters (mango, shea, etc.)

Thank you for that! That helped me understand a lot better. I guess I'll steal a little from the coconut and add to my lard a little more. That way it isn't as stripping but is still a hard, long lasting bar (I guess the best of both worlds, huh!).