# oils why so many?



## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

I'm slowly working up the gumption to make soap from some of my extra milk. all recipes I have found call for several different kinds of oil. are the soaps not satifactory without the exotic (what I would consider) oils? can I replace all of tthe various oils in a recipe oz for oz with one kind of oil? any suggestions?


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Different oils have different uses in your soap based on their fatty acid makeup.

there are lathering oils, oils that condition, oils that moisturize and oils that have good label appeal.

Using a single oil (say olive oil) is great - but it lacks in lather.

using just palm kernel or coconut, you'll get great lather, but your skin might be on the dry side.

some oils create hard bars while other oils create a softer bar that will 'melt away' in water.

HTH a bit


----------



## reneeearle (Jan 20, 2004)

where is a good place to get all of the oils, etc, without it all costing me an arm and a leg? I have been using the melt and pour for a few years, but have thought of trying the "traditional" way, and need to know where to get all of the ingred., cheap. 
Renee


----------



## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

You can get olive oil, sunlfower oil, canola oil and coconut oil at your local Walmart Supercenter.


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

As well as lard, vegetable shortening, meat shortening, & a variety of other oils at the grocery store. Castor oil can be found at most drug stores.

There is a recipe on my site for 'Grocery Store Soap'

http://www.mullerslanefarm.com/soapmaking


----------



## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

thank you! that recipe helps me too I didn't notice it the first time I went through your website. now I understand why the different fats, and I have some direction to google. I found a good site that lists oils and properties for soapmaking. I don't want to order things or be driving all over timbuctu trying to get the ingredients I need. I have a feeling I will be asking alot of questions on this forum soon. for starters (maybe stupid question) does lye come in crystals and liquid? I have only found granules at the hardware and feed store but for some reason I was expecting a liquid. I see your recipes call for crystals; are other recipes I find that don't specify interchangeable? (assuming liquid lye is even an option) what about how the (assumed) difference affects the calculators? thanks again!


----------



## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Make sure the stuff at the hardware store is pure sodium hydroxide. Many drain cleaners are no longer real lye. I have only ever used the lye crystals, so can't comment about liquid lye.


----------



## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

it says 100% sodium hydroxide. so you only us the crystals? do all your recipes call for it or do you use the amount in crystals that the recipe calls for irregardless of what it specifies? do you add the crystals directly to the milk or do you mix with a little water first? I'm concerned about making sure it gets completely dissolved and I don't have a "chunky lye scrub" eeeekkk. sorry I'm obviously a complete soap newbie!


----------



## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

If it says 100% sodium hydroxide, then it is probably pure lye crystals. On the good advice of the experienced soap makers of this board, I have learned to run every recipe for soap through a lye calculator before trying it. SoapCalc9 is the one I use; but there are several good lye calculators on the net. 
I always freeze my milk until it is a slushy mixture and then add the lye very slowly, stirring all the while. Just keep stirring until you are sure the lye has dissolved. If you set your lye container in ice water while mixing the lye with milk, it will help keep the milk from scorching. I have also used part distilled water and part cream. Mix the lye with the distilled water and add the cream at trace. I mix the lye solution in my kitchen sink right by the open window to help get rid of fumes. You don't want to breath in any of those fumes.
I am sure you probably know this; but always were safety googles and protective clothing when making soap.


----------



## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

thank you! I have been reading "milk based soaps" by Casey Makela and have been reasearching on the web too so I will be up to speed on process and safety. it still seems foreign to me but I suppose it will, at least until I make a few batches and get the process ingrained in my mind.


----------



## Solace Farm (Jan 25, 2008)

Two websites that have the best prices I've found so far, especially for the more "exotic" oils (and molds, fragrances, etc)are:

www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com
http://soapersupplies.com

I kind of mix and match between the two, they each have some things cheaper, or in larger amounts, etc, between the two I think they have just about anything you could want. And I get my lye in crystal form also. Hope that helps!


----------



## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

It is not neccessary to have "exotic" oils for soap. In my soap classes I start with a very basic buy at the grocery store recipe of 60% lard, 20% canola, and 20% coconut. It makes a pretty decent bar. Canola is not the best liquid oil to use, but I use it for the purpose of teaching soaping because it is easy for people to find.

If you get drain cleaner that says 100% sodium hydroxide and it is liquid (but it would seem like it would have to say water on there) do not use it. You are not sure what the lye to water ratio is and therefore cannot get accurate or safe results.

I make 100% GM soap with milk frozen solid in cubes, dump the crystal lye on it and stir, stir, stir! Add the lye/milk to the oils when the cubes are melting. My lye/milk is usually white and RT or colder doing it this way. I do not want to be bothered with ice baths and such. 

I would cut your teeth on a non milk soap first just to see how saponification works.


----------



## mtnest (Mar 11, 2008)

Good info here. Keep in mind that "you get what you pay for"... a lot of the less expensive oils (especially essential oils) have been diluted so you aren't getting the full strength. You might pay less money but will need more product to achieve the results you want. Don't use the "essential oils" or "soap fragrance" oils from the craft stores as it is not suited to making lye soap and can cause your soap to seperate or seize up when making it. Not a pretty picture. A few suppliers we use with great results are:

www.thesage.com
www.betweenfriendstoo.com

Also if you get the chance, check out this site: www.soapdishforum.com - It is a huge soapmaking forum board. Ignore the drama and read through the archives (may take you a couple of days) and you will probably find every question/answer about making soap known to mankind. I haven't been there for a long while but it's an awesome source of info.

:edited to fix forum link


----------



## Betho (Dec 27, 2006)

Yep I've been a member of the soapdishforum for many many years and I've got to second the forum as a fantastic resource. Read the archives from start to finish, it'll take forever and you will know SO much more by the time you are done


----------



## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

I've made soaps using various oils but always go back to 100% lard.

I especially encourage newbies to NOT buy a lot of what I consider exotics and just try a single tried-and-true fat source. 

The "top" sources: olive oil (a little expensive but a gorgeously lovely and hard bar after just 12 hours), lard (fairly inexpensive, easy to obtain, and easy to cut after 24 hours), or tallow (beef specifically and can be somewhat expensive and also a hard bar), or vegetable oil (can tend to be softer and will be somewhat 'translucent').

I've had numerous people over the years (I've been soaping since 1978) tell me they tried making soap and HATED it. To much expense, didn't turn out a nice bar (several kinds of fats won't), smelled funny (milk soaps will initially), didn't look like they expected, threw it out because they thought it failed (most times according to their description it didn't), etc. 

Enjoy yourself and be attentive to what YOU feel are acceptable costs. 

Spending $4 for COST on a bar of soap won't appeal to your thriftiness if that is a determining factor...

AND know that you ARE NOT and WILL NOT be making a bar of Ivory or Irish Spring. This is going to be a different textured, feel, smell, etc., soap entirely. It's the cadillac of soaps. Most commercial bars of soap are not. 

Good luck and keep an open mind. Oh, and Velveeta is not cheese. :nono:


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

DQ said:


> do all your recipes call for it or do you use the amount in crystals that the recipe calls for irregardless of what it specifies?


Always run Every recipe you want to use through a reputable lye calculator. www.thesage.com and www.soapcalc.com are good ones.

WEIGH your ingredients - don't measure them by volume.



> do you add the crystals directly to the milk or do you mix with a little water first?


I add the lye directly to frozen chunks of milk. The lye will melt the milk allowing it to be dissolved. Working with frozen milk allows the lye mixture to stay cool enough not to burn the sugars in the milk.



> I'm concerned about making sure it gets completely dissolved and I don't have a "chunky lye scrub" eeeekkk.


I finish my lye solution with a quick burst from my stick blender.



> sorry I'm obviously a complete soap newbie!


We all were once. No one was born with a soap spoon in their hand!


----------

