Where do you get your oils from?

[kuurt]

I was wondering where you would buy the oils used to make soap from. I personally have never bought any of them except for olive oil which I bought from the grocery store. But, there are so many different kinds of olive oil at the grocery store, I don't know which one to use for soap making. And, what about the other oils like palm oil, coconut oil, caster oil? Can you buy those oils at your local grocery store? Anything I need to know about those so I don't buy the wrong kind?

Thanks

 

[Cosmo]

Olive oil - What kind you use depends on preference in my opinion. If you want to appeal to the ultra-pure crowd, use virgin olive oil. If you want a less expensive but faster to trace olive, use pomace. I personally prefer refined olive. I like the fact that it's not so green and traces more slowly than pomace. I get all of my oils from Soaper's Choice (Columbus Foods).

You can get the Louann brand coconut oil at Wally World. I saw a few days ago there are coupons out for it now. It's still more expensive than Soaper's Choice, but if you only make small amounts of soap this is nice.

You can also get castor oil at Wal-mart. I think it's in the digestive health section? It's a small bottle, but also good if you don't make a large amount of soap.

Palm I have never seen at the store, but that doesn't mean it isn't! Maybe someone else can help.

Hope this helps!

 

[Genny]

I usually get my olive oil from Walmart, I use EVOO. I know some people don't like EVOO in soaping, but I do. My other oils & butters I usually get from either Soapers Choice or Natures Garden.

I've never seen palm in a grocery store, but I've heard some people have found it in their local health food stores.

 

[Hazel]

Spectrum organic shortening is 100% palm but double check the ingredients if you find it. I know there is different types of Spectrum shortening and I don't know if all of them are 100% palm.

eta: I buy oils from Soapers Choice, WalMart, Meijer's and groceries.

 

[new12soap]

I think the new crisco is part palm, not sure what else. I use regular olive oil from sam's club, castor from walmart works fine, coconut oil also from walmart. Soaper's choice is great but have to add shipping, so I buy what I can locally.

 

[IrishLass]

I buy my Coconut Oil, PKO, Rice Bran Oil and my butters online in bulk because it's cheaper for me, but some I buy locally:

Olive oil- I use Kirkland's Pure OO from Costco

Castor Oil- I can buy it in a big 32 oz bottle from my local healtfood store (I think Wholefoods has it, too).

Lard- any grocery store

Beef Tallow- Smart & Final restaurant supply stores (open to the general public- yay!)

Others that I've seen around town:

Palm (Spectrum brand shortening)- healthfood stores, Whole Foods, Sprouts, and also some grocery chains down the natural foods aisle. My local Asian market sells it, too.

Coconut Oil- Walmart and also some grocery chains (Luann brand). My local Asian market sells it, too.

High Oleic Safflower and High Oleic Sunflower oils can be found at Wholefoods, some grocery stores and health food stores.

Palm/Tallow shortening- at Walmart

Crisco (their new formula) with palm- at any grocery store


IrishLass

 

[Hazel]

I think the new crisco is part palm, not sure what else. I use regular olive oil from sam's club, castor from walmart works fine, coconut oil also from walmart. Soaper's choice is great but have to add shipping, so I buy what I can locally.

New Crisco is soybean and palm so it's very conditioning but doesn't help too much with hardness. I've made quite a few batches with new Crisco and I liked it.

 

[Maythorn]

All except palm kernel oil from grocery store. When I order fragrances from a flat-rate supplier, I get pko and castor is sure a better deal that way, too.