Shaving Soap Tallow Substitution

[Stacey S]

I am trying to tweak a shaving soap recipe that has 17% Tallow. I am wondering if I can use 17% Cocoa Butter instead. Will it make it harder to lather? Will the bubbles be as dense? I ran the numbers on soap calc. Do these numbers look ok? (Top is the original with tallow, bottom is with the cocoa butter substitution). Thank you!

 

[ulrurunaturals]

It appears to me to be "6's"based on the raw data. Cocoa butter would deff make for a harder bar due to the density of cocoa butter but based on this data I would say it would make little to no difference in the "ablity to lather" density of lather I'm sure would be neglegable maybe a tiny bit more drying just a touch again based on the raw data provided but maybe not. LOL. should be fine try it out and see but based on the numbers looks like a go!

 

[Stacey S]

It appears to me to be "6's"based on the raw data. Cocoa butter would deff make for a harder bar due to the density of cocoa butter but based on this data I would say it would make little to no difference in the "ablity to lather" density of lather I'm sure would be neglegable maybe a tiny bit more drying just a touch again based on the raw data provided but maybe not. LOL. should be fine try it out and see but based on the numbers looks like a go!

Thank you so much!

 

[shunt2011]

Butters do inhibit lather. Have you read the long shave soap thread. KOH makes a much better shave soap. Your cleansing is a bit high for face use as well.

 

[ulrurunaturals]

Butters do inhibit lather. Have you read the long shave soap thread. KOH makes a much better shave soap. Your cleansing is a bit high for face use as well.

Agreed cleansing be is a bit high for face according to this data. However based on data alone the numbers only tweek one or 2 Down for each category.

 

[Stacey S]

Butters do inhibit lather. Have you read the long shave soap thread. KOH makes a much better shave soap. Your cleansing is a bit high for face use as well.

Good to know! I was planning on doing dual lye 60/40 and adding 15% glycerin. I searched through the long shave post and read bits and pieces but I’ll go back and read it through. Thanks!

 

[shunt2011]

Agreed cleansing be is a bit high for face according to this data. However based on data alone the numbers only tweek one or 2 Down for each category.

The only category I pay attention to is the cleansing. Those numbers don’t mean much else in the whole scheme of things.

 

[ulrurunaturals]

The only category I pay attention to is the cleansing. Those numbers don’t mean much else in the whole scheme of things.

Will you elaborate on the cleansing numbers....what range do you feel they should be in. This will help me better understand the process of soaping in general. Thank you

 

[shunt2011]

The higher the cleansing # the more cleansing the soap will be. I keep mine between 10&17. Depending on the recipe and it’s use.

 

[psfred]

The "magic number" for shaving soap is 50% or more stearic plus palmitic acid. Less than that and the lather will collapse too fast and the soap will not usually be slick enough for shaving, especially face shaving (legs are somewhat more tolerant of less slick lather).

Consider adding some stearic acid or soy wax to boost the stearic/palmitic acids in the soap. You will have to hot process if you add much stearic acid, it reacts to lye instantly.

I would also suggest using either castor oil or coconut oil, but not both, and I have reduced the coconut oil content of my shaving soap from 20% to 10%, and it seems to work better.

Make as small a batch as you can (preferable 250 gr or so) and test before making a large amount of any recipe, shaving soap lasts forever, you want a good one if you are going to have it around for years.