The Best Cold Process Soap Recipe?

[mutinyintl]

Does anyone have an opinion on this recipe?

The Best Cold Process Soap Recipe

• 11 oz. coconut oil
• 9 oz. olive oil
• 9 oz. palm oil
• 2 oz. sweet almond oil
• 4 oz. castor oil
• 4 oz. avocado oil
• 2 oz. mango butter

 

[Rsapienza]

Does anyone have an opinion on this recipe?

The Best Cold Process Soap Recipe

• 11 oz. coconut oil
• 9 oz. olive oil
• 9 oz. palm oil
• 2 oz. sweet almond oil
• 4 oz. castor oil
• 4 oz. avocado oil
• 2 oz. mango butter

Many of the members here work in percentages. Seems to be easier. Also, we may need some more info...like lye concentration, SF, any additives, etc...IMO, at just a glance, it seems to be highest in CO which some may find drying. Castor oil is often times the only oil soapers use at 5%, as they say anything else under 10% doesn't do enough to cause a noticeable change. Just from my quick glance

 

[shunt2011]

• Avocado Oil: 9.76%
• Castor Oil: 9.76%
• Coconut Oil: 26.83%
• Mango Butter: 4.88%
• Olive Oil: 21.95%
• Palm Oil: 21.95%
• Sweet Almond Oil: 4.88%

Here it is with the percentages as posted in the link.

I personally think there is too much Coconut Oil. I don't use more than 20-22%, I don't use any oil/butter at less than 10%. I would also lower your Castor to 5-7%.

Too much going on in that recipe. I would do something more along the lines of simple if you're relatively new.

35-40% Palm
20% Coconut
Castor 5%
Mango 5-10% (I've only used it once)
Liquid Oil for the remainder

 

[GemstonePony]

I agree with everything Shunt said.
Your post title implies you're looking for the best recipe, but everyone has different skin types and preferences.
Avocado, Olive, and Sweet Almond oil are all high in Oleic acid and you would have to use at least 15% or more of any of them for their minority fatty acids to make much difference, but bumping the minimum to 10% or removing the oil completely is a good start.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you run it through a lye calculator.

 

[Misschief]

Personally, I wouldn't waste the Sweet Almond and mango butters in soap; I'd save them for skin care products.

 

[TheGecko]

Does anyone have an opinion on this recipe?

The Best Cold Process Soap Recipe

FYI - For purposes of advice or sharing recipes...percentages are always best.

As for the recipe itself I agree with @shunt2011; lower the coconut oil because it can be drying. Lower the Castor Oil because over 5% can make the bar sticky. With the exception of Castor Oil, anything less than 10% doesn't add anything to the soap except perhaps for 'label appeal'. And if you are looking for a 'regular soap' kind of recipe, I'd dispense with the Mango Butter all together. I do use it...for 'specialty/luxury' soaps of which I charge a slightly higher price because of the cost...same when I use Jojoba Oil.

For a 'first time' recipe...keep it to about four oils: Olive, Coconut, Palm and Castor. Alternately you can use a less 'vegan friendly' soap by using Lard or Tallow (@Obsidian has a wonderful recipe). And I know that it is hard to do...so many different delicious oils and butters to choose from and everyone wants to have their own 'unique' recipe but IMHO, especially with small batches...measuring out a whole bunch ingredients and additives gets really old after awhile, not to mention the odds of leaving something out.

 

[mutinyintl]

Thanks for all the input. I'm still learning the ropes for sure. I was thinking it was way too many ingredients for one. Also she said the recipe is to maximize lather. I'm not sure they really matters.

 

[shunt2011]

Thanks for all the input. I'm still learning the ropes for sure. I was thinking it was way too many ingredients for one. Also she said the recipe is to maximize lather. I'm not sure they really matters.

Just keep in mind that the more coconut oil you use the more cleansing the soap will be. Some can't use CO over 10%. It's a personal choice.

 

[TheGecko]

Also she said the recipe is to maximize lather. I'm not sure they really matters.

It does. Look at any commercial for shampoo, soap, body wash, laundry detergent and it's ALL about the lather and/or bubbles...the more the better. Even my husband complained that one of my soaps needed more 'bubbles' (FYI - he uses a wash cloth). Lather and bubbles do help to carry away dirt and oils.

 

[DeeAnna]

"...For purposes of advice or sharing recipes...percentages are always best. ..."

When discussing the pros and cons of recipes in a general way, I agree that percentages are probably the most useful. This thread is a perfect example.

When troubleshooting problems with a particular batch of soap, however, I have found it's more helpful if the person gives the weights used. It is really common for a mistake to show up only after the maker provides the weights.

***

As far as this recipe goes, a whopping seven fats is too much complexity for my preference. The recipe feels like others I've seen that have been created by soap makers new enough to think lots of different fats, the more exotic the better, is the only way to create really good soap.

There are three high oleic fats in the recipe when just one or two would work just as well. The coconut oil is higher than I'd prefer, although without knowing the superfat (lye discount) percentage, it's hard to say that for sure. The castor is higher than what most people use, but it's within the realm of reason. The recipe is on the low side for palmitic-stearic fats (the mango and palm), so the soap might not last as long in the bath as a person would like.

Overall, the recipe will make decent soap, I'm sure -- but labeling it "the best" is a real stretch.

 

[Sar]

Thanks for all the input. I'm still learning the ropes for sure. I was thinking it was way too many ingredients for one. Also she said the recipe is to maximize lather. I'm not sure they really matters.

Stumbled across this "best cp soap recipe" multiple times and made a small batch earlier this year (pre-covid) to see what all the fuss was about. Swapped mango butter with shea butter, OO with HO Sunflower oil. 1.9:1 lye:water, 5%SF

I didn't find it to be too lathery or bubbly. Had a decent slip and wasn't drying. Did not feel compelled to reach for it in the shower so IMHO, it's far from the best.

I agree with the others. For your first handful of attempts, it is best to keep it at 4 oils and play around with the usage rates/superfat/water discount to understand what effect these have on the final bar.

 

[marehare]

Many of the members here work in percentages. Seems to be easier. Also, we may need some more info...like lye concentration, SF, any additives, etc...IMO, at just a glance, it seems to be highest in CO which some may find drying. Castor oil is often times the only oil soapers use at 5%, as they say anything else under 10% doesn't do enough to cause a noticeable change. Just from my quick glance

 

[marehare]

I have never worked with percentages in my soap recipes. I work with oz and use my same never fail recipe which uses olive, coconut, palm, crisco, coco butter, shea butter and beeswax. It's a great recipe and I never super fat, add odd oils, pour at low temps or add mica or dyes to my soap. Working using oz is so much easier and I never have to mess with the recipe. I did once and it was a disaster. I used a percentage recipe and added in other oils and it was a gloppy mess. I'm old school and my many customers love the recipe I use. I also use 4 oz of EO in ever batch and 12 oz of Lye.