Tweaking shampoo bar recipe, help please

[CamillaHB]

I want to make a shampoo bar, and I came across Deanna Duke's recipe:
36% CO
18% Castor oil
9% Jojoba oil
14% PO
5 % Cocoa Butter
18% Sunflower oil

I already have some Macadamia Nut Oil, and I was thinking about using that instead of Sunflower Oil (and running the recipe through a lye calculator, of course).
Firstly, because I don't have any Sunflower Oil (and don't know what I would do with a whole bottle).
Secondly, because I expect the Macadamia Nut Oil to add extra luxury to the bar (would it do that?).
Thirdly, the fear of DOS (as far as I remember sunflower oil is prone to cause those).

Since I am new to soaping, I am very insecure about tweaking recipes - especially in a case like this, where some of the ingredients are quite expensive, so any feedback would be much appreciated.

With rounded figures my recipe looks like this:

35% CO
20% Castor oil
10 % Jojoba oil
15% PO
5% Cocoa butter
15% Macadamia nut oil

I was thinking about 5% SF.

How does this recipe look to you?

I have fine hair, dry scalp and hard water.

 

[fiddletree]

That much CO will be super drying, so you might want to lower that down to 25% or so.

The only DOS I ever had was when I used sunflower oil in a shampoo bar recipe! After that, I switched it with sweet almond oil and haven't had any problems. I've never soaped with macadamia oil so I can't say what that would be like, but it's probably nice.

 

[judymoody]

Just a head's up - the alkalinity of CP soap is damaging to the hair cuticle. Some people find it works OK, especially if you follow up with an acidic rinse. But for many, it leaves their hair feeling rough and sticky. Unfortunately I'm one of the latter.

My shampoo bars became regular shower bars.

If you want to try, your recipe seems well formulated. My testing notes indicated high castor and jojoba as well as cocoa butter. I haven't used macadamia nut oil so I'm not sure what it would bring to the table.

Sunflower oil, BTW, if it is the high oleic variety, is much more stable. I have used it many times with no incident.

 

[fiddletree]

I know that in theory, it's bad for your hair, but for some people that just isn't the case. My hair tolerates it ok, and a few people that have tried out my shampoo bar apparently can't live without it now. Long, fine, tangly, or curly hair does NOT work well with CP shampoo. Folks with shortish hair, and people with issues with detergents (I'm allergic to many of them, for example), tend to like them.

 

[CamillaHB]

Thanks a lot guys. I think I will be conservative and leave the macadamia nut oil for an experiment some other day. Now, I have adjusted the recipe:

25% CO
20% Castor oil
10 % Jojoba oil
15% PO (or lard)
5% Cocoa butter
25% EVOO

5% SF (or 7%?)

I am still a bit in doubt. Should I have more PO/lard and less EVOO, or maybe less CO and more of something else? Decisions, decisions ...
Or should I just be happy as long as it is within the recommended ranges in soapcalc?

I was also thinking of using beer instead of water, but to boil or not to boil? Will it be OK just to freeze the beer into cubes?

I know it is a lot of questions.

 

[carebear]

I know your ingredients are expensive, but I REALLY REALLY recommend you make some and see what you like and dislike about it. THEN we can help you modify your formula to address those points.

 

[CamillaHB]

I see your point. I just want to try to avoid the most obvious mistakes and pitfalls. So if you think this looks like it would make a decent shampoo bar, I will try it out.