Understanding superfat

[Appalasia]

Just looking for some clarification on superfat. I soap at 5%. I have seen some recipes for the superfat as high as 10%. What does this do and what are the benefits?

 

[lsg]

To me, superfatting means subtracting the amount of lye to have leftover oils that are not eaten up by the lye. Zero superfat means a bar that is very cleansing and may be harsh on skin. Here is a link with info: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...cess-soap/superfatting-soap-an-explanation-2/

 

[DeeAnna]

Here are my thoughts on superfat: https://classicbells.com/soap/superfat.html

 

[Micchi]

Once fats are saponified by lye, the properties of the fat (oils and butter) itself change. But lye has a maximum amount of fat it can saponify. Superfatting is adding more fat than the lye can saponify, so that within the soap there is also some fat hanging out.

Some fats, like coconut oil, are very cleansing when saponified. While yeah, you want your soap to clean you, a very cleansing soap can leave your skin feeling dry and tight because the oils on your skin have been stripped off. Superfatting helps offset this tight and dry feeling, to an extent.

Some schools of thought are that the oils provide some benefit to the skin, much like the butters and oils in lotions. I'm not sure how much I follow that, as soap is a product that washes off.