Update on the high castor soap

[Obsidian]

Awhile back I posted about a recipe I found in a book that used 20% castor. http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=46124

I went ahead and made a one pound batch, some people expressed a interest in the results so here they are.

First off, the soap is not sticky or gummy in any way Its quite hard and waxy but does have a weird rubbery texture. I don't think I could squeeze it hard enough to dent it though.

The lather is large fluffy bubbles but its not stable, the bubbles disappear quickly and there is very little creaminess. Works ok for hand soap but not as nice for body soap.

Too much castor will inhibit lather, I think this soap is right on the verge of being too much. It definitly didn't produce the lather I was hoping for.

It leave your skin really, really soft but also leave a sticky film that is very noticeable on wet skin. It seems to go away once the skin is dry. I did SF at 8% which was too much for this recipe.

Over all its a ok soap but I would never use this much castor again. I think 10% is more then enough. I'm actually rebatching it as I type. Mixed it 50/50 with a ugly morphed, seized batch from a few months back. I'm hoping for a nice soap without the tacky filmy skin feel.

I did save one bar back so I can keep testing it every month or so.

 

[Candybee]

Nice experiment. I learned through my own experience that too much castor will kill lather. It always reads nice on soapcalc and looks like its gonna give you a really creamy bubbly bar of soap. When it comes to castor I trust my experience with it rather that what it says on soapcalc.

Now I never use more than 5% castor in any of my recipes. I find even as little as 8% can kill lather in a bath bar. I get much better lather with 5% castor and a lower superfat of say 5%. Works every time! Yet I still get that nice moisturizing from the castor with the smaller amount.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Thanks for the update. I wonder if something along these lines but with coffee and all would be a good kitchen/mechanic soap....................................?

 

[KristaY]

Thank you so much for the update! I remember reading that thread when you posted so I'm glad you came back the results of your experiment. Very good to know. Personally, I don't like soap with castor higher than 5% because of that sticky film it leaves behind. Especially in the ummm....personal areas. :shh: My husband says the same so it's not just the dark and mysterious female parts, lol. So I wonder if there's a certain skin type or living environment that this soap would work well with - dry or damaged skin, people with chronic illness, those that live in an area of very high or very low humidity, poor water quality, etc? I feel another experiment coming your way, Obsidian!

 

[Candybee]

Higher castor oil works well in high conditioning recipes like shampoo, facial, baby, and dog soaps. In these I use more castor. In my regular bath soaps its never higher than 5%.

 

[Obsidian]

I actually did add coffee grounds to this so its nice and scrubby. Next time I'm all nasty from the garden, I'll try it out.

I have very dry sensitive skin, thats one reason I SF at 8%, the humidity is normally low too. My shampoo bars have 10% castor and they don't leave a sticky film. Maybe I'll try 10% in my regular recipe, see if there is much of a difference.