Sunflower or Safflower?

[lpstephy85]

Looking to add either or of these oils to my main recipe to up the conditioning. Does one have better benefits over the other? Also, anyone have luck finding them in HO versions in big box stores or warehouses? Want to get a small bottle this weekend to throw in a batch.

 

[IrishLass]

I buy my HO safflower at my neighborhood big box grocery store, which is owned by Kroger. The brand name of the oil is 'Hollywood'. I've never soaped with it, though- I just cook/bake with it. If I were to ever soap with either safflower or sunflower, though, I would make sure to use the HO version(s) to lessen the chance of DOS. Looking on SoapCalc, it looks like the HO safflower is more conditioning than the HO sunflower.


IrishLass

 

[DeeAnna]

When you evaluate safflower/sunflower in the store, it may not be clearly labeled HO vs non-HO. The HO version is sometimes labeled "high temperature".

Regardless of the labeling, you can tell by looking at the nutrition label. Compare the % of monounsaturated fats and the % of polyunsaturated fats. In an HO oil, the mono fats will be much higher than the poly fats. In a non-HO oil, the poly fats will be much higher than mono.

In my HO safflower, I think it is roughly a 3:1 ratio of mono vs poly -- 75% or more monounsaturated. In the non-HO safflower, the ratio is reversed.

To further confuse the issue, there is a "mid oleic" version of sunflower. Not sure if there is a mid-oleic safflower. If I remember correctly, I believe Carolyn (cmhaza) uses mid- or high-oleic depending on price and says both types work fine.

 

[lpstephy85]

Thanks Irish and DeeAnna. I had tried looking early in my soap making for them but didn't know the difference about the fats and was just looking for it to say it on the label, so that is really good to know. Right now the conditioning is a 54 and that is just with castor, palm, PKO, and olive oil pomace. If I add the sunflower or safflower to it I can get up to 59-60, I only knock the bubbles down one to 23 but lose about five in hardness down to 39 which probably won't be a big deal.