# shoot! used 50% evoo and 50% coconut oil...



## tiredoftech (Oct 11, 2010)

and its drying to the skin...so i google coconut oil, and it says more than 30% in soap has a drying effect!!! Darn, cuz i have 18 bars of soap thats going to dry out my skin...booooo 

guess i could turn it into laundry soap?? 

Just thought i'd vent here. I used the coconut at 50% because i love the lather. Still new, working things out :sob:


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Try using www.soapcalc.net. You can plug in different oils and it will tell you all the different properties (cleansing, bubbly, conditioning etc) your soap will have. I also like to use castor oil to help with lather and as a humectant.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Castor Oil has a buble factor like Olive Oil ... a smooth, low lather, slimy type of lather.

Somt folks are not affected by the dryness of coconut oil, the oliec amount of the olive oil is enough to counteract the lauric of the coconut oil. (I am one of those)

I have a much more reaction to higher palmitic oil (such as palm oil) than I do a higher lauric oil (such as coconut or palm Kernel oil).

How new is your soap? Let it sit for a month or two and try it again. It will be a whole other soap at that time.

Don't judge a soap before it has aged!!!


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

My family, and a couple of my friends, have tried my soap and say it needs more 'lather'. What kind of oil creates lather? If it's in my recipe, I can increase that amount, or modify it to add a new ingredient. They love the moisturizing in the soap, so I'm hoping that whatever I use doesn't reduce that much.


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## tiredoftech (Oct 11, 2010)

Brand new! I read about coconut oil, but haven't actually tried the soap. Definitely will cure it for 6 - 8 weeks to see what happens, hope im like you and not affected. Thanks for the reassurance 



MullersLaneFarm said:


> Castor Oil has a buble factor like Olive Oil ... a smooth, low lather, slimy type of lather.
> 
> Somt folks are not affected by the dryness of coconut oil, the oliec amount of the olive oil is enough to counteract the lauric of the coconut oil. (I am one of those)
> 
> ...


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## tiredoftech (Oct 11, 2010)

I'm totally new to soap making, but i read that coconut oil (thats why i put so much in mine most recent recipe) gives a nice lather....also the last batch i made, with evoo and coconut oil, gave a nice lather...i just didn't use as much as this time..time will tell  Good luck!



AverageJo said:


> My family, and a couple of my friends, have tried my soap and say it needs more 'lather'. What kind of oil creates lather? If it's in my recipe, I can increase that amount, or modify it to add a new ingredient. They love the moisturizing in the soap, so I'm hoping that whatever I use doesn't reduce that much.


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Castor Oil has a buble factor like Olive Oil ... a smooth, low lather, slimy type of lather.
> 
> Somt folks are not affected by the dryness of coconut oil, the oliec amount of the olive oil is enough to counteract the lauric of the coconut oil. (I am one of those)
> 
> ...


http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapingoilprofiles/p/profilecastor.htm
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapingoilprofiles/p/oliveoilprofile.htm

Doesn't really say they are that much alike.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

rkintn said:


> http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapingoilprofiles/p/profilecastor.htm
> http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soapingoilprofiles/p/oliveoilprofile.htm
> 
> Doesn't really say they are that much alike.


Castor oil is made up almost entirely of Ricinoleic fatty acid (90%) which doesn't do much for lather. It is an -oleic which is a 'conditioning' oil. Too much of this oil creates a soft bar, unless it is 'aged' for over 6 months.

Olive Oil is high in Oleic fatty acid (up to 81%), again the -oleic fatty acids don't do much for lather, unless they are aged.

Unlike Castor Oil, Olive Oil will create a hard bar in a short amount of time.

You'll note in the descriptions of the link you gave that both the lather of Olive & Castor is _creamy_.

I remember in 2002 when a lady on one soap board started touting that castor oil created a higher lather .... came out later that she had also adjusted UP the amount of coconut oil in her recipe. Although the story about a higher lather with castor oil went across the 'net with great speed, the 'rest of the story' didn't.

Try it for yourself would be the best advice I could give.

The oils with the highest amount of Lauric fatty acid (the fatty acid that creates large, bubbly lather) are Palm Kernel (~47.6%), Babassu (~47%) and Coconut (~46.5%).

Along with the lathering oils, you will want an oil higher in Stearic fatty acid to sustain the large bubbles.


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Castor oil is made up almost entirely of Ricinoleic fatty acid (90%) which doesn't do much for lather. It is an -oleic which is a 'conditioning' oil. Too much of this oil creates a soft bar, unless it is 'aged' for over 6 months.
> 
> Olive Oil is high in Oleic fatty acid (up to 81%), again the -oleic fatty acids don't do much for lather, unless they are aged.
> 
> ...


Actually, I do use it. I make my soap with lard, crisco, coconut oil and castor oil. I did notice that the lather was better after I started using castor oil. I've been very pleased with how well it lathers up. I did note in the links it said both were creamy..but it also noted that olive oil was slimy, while that descriptor wasn't used for the castor oil. It was also mentioned that castor oil would make more lather while olive oil would not. For the record, I wasn't "touting" anything. Just passing on some information.

It's not a big deal. There are many different recipes and experiences to be had in soapmaking and everyone has their likes and dislikes.


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## Shazza (Nov 20, 2004)

I use coconut oil, and Olive oil and Palm oil and Palm Kernel oil in my soap....I get so much bubbles I swear I used bubble bath. I also use my soap as a shampoo, lots of bubbles. 
you dont have to use castor to get bubbles.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

rkintn said:


> For the record, I wasn't "touting" anything. Just passing on some information.


Sweetie, I didn't say _you_ were touting anything. The lady on the Yahoo group Tallow_Soapers group however _did_ start proclaiming in 2002 that castor oil would boost the lather. Her story was that you needed to add it to the lye solution, because if would increase lather only if it was guaranteed to saponify (which it could not be guaranteed if as a portion of the whole soap recipe).

Kiddo, if it works for you ... go for it!

Just wondering ... what oils are used in the Crisco in your part of the country?
I've seen/read everything from hydrogenated soy, hydrogenated cottonseed, hydrogenated palm and combinations of all.

If your Crisco happens to have hydrogenated cottonseed, you're in luck because that oil does add to a nice lather.

IMHO, the 'castor oil add lather' is in the same boat as coconut oil is drying' & 'splash vinegar on lye spills'. They have a history on the internet because of information passed on and on and on, but they are not rooted in the truth.

If it works for you, have at it!


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## tiredoftech (Oct 11, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your feedback  Its so tough to understand tone or meaning through forums sometimes!! What is very clear is that you ladies know your stuff and i appreciate all the feedback you give me. 

wow so vinegar won't neutralize lye?? That GOOD to know!!! Certainly i believed it when i read it....sheesh, is there anything to keep on hand to help in the event of a spill?

my best to all


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

tiredoftech,
Yes, vinegar will neutralize lye ... but while it is doing that, a chemical reaction is taking place that is exothermic (meaning it also gives off heat). While the lye is burning you, a splash of vinegar will increase the heat.

Best thing to do when you get lye on you is to rinse in copious amounts cold water. The lye will be diluted and wash away. If you read the MSDS for lye, water is recommended.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I've also found that simply washing off the lye, or rinsing, takes care of it. A little lavender e.o. doesn't hurt either.

Castor oil give you a thicker lather. If you want to make a shampoo bar, add castor oil. Otherwise, just rely on the coconut or palm for lather amount. A pure olive oil bar makes a lovely silky lather, but not very much of it. Americans expect a lot of lather, so I switched for a pure olive oil soap to 30% coconut, which gives a lot of lather- and is cheaper.


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