Soy Wax Use in Soap

[Zany_in_CO]

While going through files, I found this helpful information about using soy wax in hard bars so I'm posting it here. I believe "Bunny" was an SMF member at one time and a few members may remember her fondly as I do. She was one of my mentors when I first started making soap. I will always be grateful to her for sharing her wisdom and sage advice.

SOY WAX
Bunny Posted: Apr 16 2003, 09:17 AM

You can make great soap with it. No, you don't use it in place of beeswax in soap... beeswax and soy wax have different qualities. Here's what I have found about soy wax in soap (from my own experience):

1. Soy wax greatly reduces shrinkage/warping in soap bars.

2. Soy wax does not add lather, so you should not use more than say 50% of it in your soap. The more soy wax you use, the more of a good lathering oil you need to use in addition to it.

3. It adds density and creaminess to the lather, which is a plus in soaps that are heavy on the coconut or PKO oil.

4. It makes a great co-partner with olive oil. They complement each other well in the recipes. Use 25% or more olive and 25% soy wax. Add some coconut or PKO as well, and about 10% castor.. you'll get a killer soap.

5. It is non-drying in soap, and non-irritating.

6. It takes color EXTREMELY well, and helps anchor scent extremely well.

7. It can be "plugged in" to the regular "soybean oil" slot in the lye calculators as it has the exact same SAP value as soybean oil.

HAPPY SOAPING!

 

[ilonaliss]

This is really interesting, thanks for sharing! Is soy wax you refer to the same soy wax people use for making candles, e.g. C3?

 

[Marsi]

Is soy wax you refer to the same soy wax people use for making candles, e.g. C3?

kiwimoose is a fan of GW415 and there is a great soy thread Soy Wax Users
this is about GW415 Hydrogenated soy
and this post is a bit technical but a good read GW 415 - Soy Wax

 

[Jillyb]

I love it. Just make sure its got no extra additives... My fam loves my 20% soy 20% Rice bran 15% coconut 20% RSPO Palm 18%Olive (or HO canola) 7% Castor..

 

[ilonaliss]

thanks for the info @Marsi! Would love to try this out, but it looks like GW415 is unavailable in the UK. Most soy wax types are sold out at the moment, and the ones that aren't don't explicitly state "100% hydrogenated soy wax"

 

[Marsi]

thanks for the info @Marsi! Would love to try this out, but it looks like GW415 is unavailable in the UK. Most soy wax types are sold out at the moment, and the ones that aren't don't explicitly state "100% hydrogenated soy wax"

Eurosoy800 is an alternative

Poth Hille states that Eurosoy800 is made from gmo-free 100% european soy
Soy Wax | Poth Hille

Livemoor shows Eurosoy800 in stock
Eurosoy 800 - Top Quality European Soy Wax

 

[SeaSuds]

@ilonaliss I use Eurosoy800 from Livemore, it's lovely in soap. I have used it as high as 26% with no issues but have now settled down to 10-12%. You just need to get used to soaping at a higher temperature and I find that I need to CPOP but it's all second nature to me now

 

[ilonaliss]

ah what a great find! you guys are the best I am just to about to buy some.

thanks for the heads-up @SeaSuds! I've never CPOPed my soaps before so this is going to be an interesting experiment. what's also going to be interesting is finding storage space for the ~10 kg of soaping materials I recently ordered

 

[KiwiMoose]

ah what a great find! you guys are the best I am just to about to buy some.

thanks for the heads-up @SeaSuds! I've never CPOPed my soaps before so this is going to be an interesting experiment. what's also going to be interesting is finding storage space for the ~10 kg of soaping materials I recently ordered

Haha - you'll make room! We have all been there. Have you got 100 FOs yet??

 

[KiwiMoose]

No need for CPOPping here right now. It's 29 degrees today.

 

[SeaSuds]

It's 29 degrees today.

You should come and have a nice cool lie down on my driveway, it's completely iced over and we cant get down the hill to civilisation

 

[ilonaliss]

Haha - you'll make room! We have all been there. Have you got 100 FOs yet??

Ha, I am well on my way! They sit on a shelf next to every possible type of clay

 

[ilonaliss]

Actually, why does soap with soy wax need to be CPOPed? I thought that this was only required when using high% of liquid oils, soaping at low temps, and using natural colorants?

 

[SoapSisters]

I use soy wax at 20 or 25%. I put my soap on a heating pad for a few hours, because I found that if I didn't, I had stearic spots.

 

[ilonaliss]

I use soy wax at 20 or 25%. I put my soap on a heating pad for a few hours, because I found that if I didn't, I had stearic spots.

ooooh I see! that makes sense

 

[maxine289]

Haha - you'll make room! We have all been there. Have you got 100 FOs yet??

I'm up to 83 not including samples sizes. Wow, I didn't know I had so many!

 

[MonicaT73]

Hello everyone.
I am new here and I just found this thread, which is very interesting to me as I just did my fourth batch of soap yesterday and used 30% “soy wax” on it. I actually put my entire batch in the fridge because I also substitute 20% of distilled water with “cow whole milk” and I was trying to prevent scorching. I am experimenting with recipes: I would like to keep my soap vegetarian and palm free. Hopefully I’ll get decent results!

 

[AliOop]

Actually, why does soap with soy wax need to be CPOPed? I thought that this was only required when using high% of liquid oils, soaping at low temps, and using natural colorants?

CPOP can also be used to:

1. reduce the likelihood of soda ash (because it speeds up saponification, which more quickly reduces the amount of unsaponified lye);

2. brighten or deepen any colors used, including micas, not just natural colors; and

3. speed up unmolding time. I don't personally find this to be the case for my recipe, but others do.

 

[voula]

Cpop ..will someone explain what that is please ?

 

[lsg]

Cpop ..will someone explain what that is please ?

Cpop=Cold Process/Oven Process. Turn on the oven and let it heat to 170*F. After pouring soap into the mold, pop it into the heated oven and turn off the oven. Let soap set for several hours in the oven. This forces the soap to go through an extended gel phase. I usually leave my soap in the oven overnight to be sure it goes through full gel.