Very simple - will it work?

[Todd_in_Minnesota]

Hi All,
I've finally started to look at the fatty acids in each vegetable oil, and try to devise new recipes.
But I suspect there's a great deal more to it than the numbers.

I did some analysis, and came up with a very simple 1st try:
40% Palm Kernel oil
60% Olive oil

I'm interested in your thoughts... too hard a bar? too 'cleansing'? just all-around wrong?
How do you anticipate it might behave?
I'll make a batch if y'all think it's worth a try.

Thanks!
Todd

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

What sort of superfat would you be planning on that?

 

[Susie]

That's a lot of PKO. Too cleansing for me. However, I do not wear your skin. You may find this to be the perfect soap.

 

[navigator9]

It's always worth a try. My basic recipe, which makes a really nice soap, uses just olive, PKO flakes, and coconut oil. It doesn't take a long list of ingredients to make a great soap. It all depends on what you're looking for. If I'm not mistaken, palm and olive were the only two oils originally used in Palmolive soap. The numbers in SoapCalc will give you an idea, but you can't really know until you try it. So I'd say, make a small batch and see what you think. If you like it, but think it needs a little extra something, you could try one of the milks, and/or some finely ground oatmeal. Good luck, and let us know the outcome.

 

[Rowan]

It's definetely worth a try. I tried 25% CO and 75% OO once. I found my skin didn't like it and it needed a very long cure. However it gave me a clearer idea regarding what the other oils bought to the equation. Funnily enough, I thought my skin didn't like high percentages of OO for ages, but as I experimented more, I found it had more to do with the balance of the oils or additives. You might love it, but even if you don't you will have learnt something new from it

 

[Arimara]

For me, that would never work. I'd have to replace 30% of the palm kernel oil with a butter or two.

 

[lsg]

I would probably do 25% PKO, 5% Castor oil, 10% PO and 60% olive oil

 

[penelopejane]

I know 30% of OO, PO and CO and 10% castor oil makes a hard long lasting bar that cleans dirty hands and bodies. It's cures quickly too.

I am a bit sensitive to CO but not everyone is. Lots of my friends like this especially the guys. I haven't used PKO.

I'd go ahead with your soap in a small batch and see how it goes. PKO is definitely going to harden the OO soap more quickly through the cure and I love OO soap.

 

[SuzieOz]

As you can see Todd - many different ideas and preferences. Guess you'd better just give that recipe a whirl and see how you go.

I'm with penelopejane re olive oil soaps, I love them, but lots of people here don't. If you think your recipe might just work for you then the only way to know is to try it. Personally, I think your recipe would work for me. I make an olive oil soap with 78% olive, 11% coconut and 11% castor. My mother and two other of my female relatives love it.

 

[Todd_in_Minnesota]

Thanks!

Thanks all for your varied points of view.
EffGent - I generally go 5% superfat, and after the feedback about 'cleansing', I might step this up a bit for my trial batch.

I guess I'll try it as a test case, and as Rowan points out, it'll teach me something about how different oils behave.

I'll keep y'all posted, as time allows.

And - Thanks again to you all!

Todd