Syndet shampoo bars..... confused

[Vickyn]

I'm looking into shampoo bars and doing a bit of research at the moment. I'm a bit confused about superfat.

I read a few of recipes where they talked about adjusting the superfat content for oily or dry hair (syndet bar recipe not soap recipe). But as far as I understood it from making CP soap, superfat is the un saponified oils, left behind after lye does its thing. I.e at it's most basic, the higher the superfat, the more oils on your skin in the shower.
Since syndet bars don't have lye, how do you adjust the superfat? Have I just completely misunderstood the ingredients and the process. Maybe my understanding of superfat is wrong or maybe I'm missing something..... thoughts please wonderful soapy veterans.

 

[DeeAnna]

Fat is just an ingredient in the product. You use more or less fat in the formulation to suit your hair type and personal preference. It's really as simple as that.

I suppose some people might call this superfat if they come from a lye-based soap making background.

 

[Vickyn]

Fat is just an ingredient in the product. You use more or less fat in the formulation to suit your hair type and personal preference. It's really as simple as that.

I suppose some people might call this superfat if they come from a lye-based soap making background.

Ahh ok, that makes more sense. The recipe was written like a soap recipe, giving the superfat % in the introduction notes. It said to adjust for hair type, but no explanation about what that meant. Thanks @DeeAnna

 

[DeeAnna]

I've learned to put a small percentage (around 2-3%) of solid fat in my syndet bars. That's just enough to keep my hair from feeling "squeaky clean" after rinsing.

My hair is fine and wavy. If I put more fat in the syndet bars, my hair feels weighed down and limp. I can easily see why someone else with a different hair type and more "spring" in their curls might like more fat.