What's the difference PKO and PO?

[Fairydittle]

I'm relative new at soaping and I see that most soaps contain Palm Kernel oil and Palm oil. What is the difference in them? I have been using the PO, OO, CO, castor, crisco and shea butter in most of my soaps. Does PKO just give bigger bubbles? Does it give soap other properties that I have not listed?

 

[topcat]

Soapcalc http://www.soapcalc.net/calc/soapcalcWP.asp is very good for seeing the different properties of soaping oils. PO adds hardness and creaminess, PKO adds a lot of hardness and bubbliness. PKO is more lie CO in its properties, PO is a good substitute for lard. I love formulating recipes on soapcalc and comparing the different oils.

Tanya

 

[phpworm]

PKO also tends to give you white spots in your soap, whereas PO does not.

 

[IanT]

what do the white spots come from?? or did this result from unsaponified and or solidified oil?

 

[ChrissyB]

Palm Kernel OIl is more similar to coconut oil in it's profile. Some people that find coconut oil drying don't have that problem with PKO. It's sort of an either/or. If you use coconut, you don't need the pko and vice versa. But I do like a 50/50 blend of the both when I can be bothered.
If the palm kernel oil is giving you white spots you maybe didn't melt it quite enough, or are soaping quite cool and its starting to re-solidify?

 

[IrishLass]

PKO also tends to give you white spots in your soap, whereas PO does not.

Yes, I can completely relate to that. I used to soap PKO at 100 degreesF and got white spots all the time (as well as a quick, pseudo trace), but since I started soaping it at 120 degreesF, all white spots have gone, and it also traces slower. Turns out my previous temp was just too cool for it to remain in a liquid state throughout my soaping session.

IrishLass

 

[honor435]

i use pk all the time, white spots in finished soap? i dont get any, that i know of I love pk, it makes big gentle bubbles, i sometimes do 1/2 co. 1/2 co too.

 

[Woodi]

If you have SoapMaker, there is a chart showing how each oil gives what to the four main properties of soap. It's easy to use, involves no math on your part. It's under the 'Tools' tab, then "show oil properties".

If you click on any heading, it will organize the list by that quality. If you double click a quality header, the list goes the other way (either from most hard or least hard, most fluffy lather to least....etc.)

 

[SilverMaple]

PKO also tends to give you white spots in your soap, whereas PO does not.

I find that PKO melts beautifully for me whereas Palm tends to leave spots!!

 

[whisks]

i've tried PKO in the last 2 batches of soap i made and used 3%. yes, i did have something like sago looking grains, but they seem to "fade away" as the soap cures. early days yet to tell though as to whether the grainy look will disappear altogether.

 

[chubamenanya]

Soapcalc SoapCalc is very good for seeing the different properties of soaping oils. PO adds hardness and creaminess, PKO adds a lot of hardness and bubbliness. PKO is more lie CO in its properties, PO is a good substitute for lard. I love formulating recipes on soapcalc and comparing the different oils.

Tanya

Please can you help me on how to use the soap calculator

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Please can you help me on how to use the soap calculator

Here is an explanation for using the most widely popular one SoapCalc

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/tallow-recipe-help.87502/#post-939328