# I`m so confused



## 4nTN (Jan 28, 2005)

Please explain to me about Superfatting.:stars:

I mean the definition for Superfatting is either adding an extra amount of oil into your soap recipe but keeping the lye amount the same, or using the same amount of oil and less lye.
I don`t understand the benefit of this.Why not just write the recipe as is?
Unless it means adding extra at trace?I`ve actually read it should NOT be added at trace.
Do all of you experts always superfat your soap?


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

I'm not an expert, but as you don't have a response yet, I'll give it a go...
If you have a 0% superfat soap, it means that all your fats and oils have been soaponified by the lye. If you have more fats and oils than your lye amount can convert to soap, then you have a superfatted recipe. 
If you are going off of someone else's recipe, put it through a soap calculator to verify how all the fats, oils and lye work together. You may find that the recipe you're going off of is already a superfatted recipe. Some lye calculators will even tell you which fats/oils to use to get certain properties, such as sudzing or cleaning.
Why the difference? You would not want a superfatted soap to be used in your laundry, for example, as it would leave the oil on your clothes. But I prefer a 4% superfatted recipe for my hands and body soaps as I think its gentler on my skin. For my preference, a 5% superfat recipe is just a little bit oily or doesn't feel like it rinses off all the way. It's truly personal preference.


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## 4nTN (Jan 28, 2005)

AverageJo said:


> I'm not an expert, but as you don't have a response yet, I'll give it a go...
> If you have a 0% superfat soap, it means that all your fats and oils have been soaponified by the lye. If you have more fats and oils than your lye amount can convert to soap, then you have a superfatted recipe.
> If you are going off of someone else's recipe, put it through a soap calculator to verify how all the fats, oils and lye work together. You may find that the recipe you're going off of is already a superfatted recipe. Some lye calculators will even tell you which fats/oils to use to get certain properties, such as sudzing or cleaning.
> Why the difference? You would not want a superfatted soap to be used in your laundry, for example, as it would leave the oil on your clothes. But I prefer a 4% superfatted recipe for my hands and body soaps as I think its gentler on my skin. For my preference, a 5% superfat recipe is just a little bit oily or doesn't feel like it rinses off all the way. It's truly personal preference.




Well then if you are adding oils or reducing lye what are the chances of a gloppy mess,soap not curing?
And when do you add your oils?

I feel these are dumb questions probably,I just wanted to clear it.

Thanks for answering AJ.


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## SoINgirl (Aug 3, 2007)

I may not explain this very well but super fatting helps to make sure that you won't have any extra lye in your soap that didn't saponify. It is basically a safety net. Plus a little oil that didn't get saponified makes the soap a little nicer. Most of the time 5% or just a little more is a good place to be if you go to much the soap may be soft. If you use something like soap calc and set your super fat amount it will figure it in the recipe for you (you won't have to add anymore than what it tells you) then you just heat all your oils together add your lye water and mix it up. They are not dumb questions.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I agree with the other advise, use the lye calculator to adjust the superfat value. I use SoapCalc and it automatically sets the superfat to 5%. You can adjust that to be more or less. 

Here is a brief explanation:

Soap Queen | Superfatting Soap &#8211; An Explanation


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## 4nTN (Jan 28, 2005)

SoINgirl said:


> I may not explain this very well but super fatting helps to make sure that you won't have any extra lye in your soap that didn't saponify. It is basically a safety net. Plus a little oil that didn't get saponified makes the soap a little nicer. Most of the time 5% or just a little more is a good place to be if you go to much the soap may be soft. If you use something like soap calc and set your super fat amount it will figure it in the recipe for you (you won't have to add anymore than what it tells you) then you just heat all your oils together add your lye water and mix it up. They are not dumb questions.



Thankyou,you explained it VERY well actually.


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## 4nTN (Jan 28, 2005)

linn said:


> I agree with the other advise, use the lye calculator to adjust the superfat value. I use SoapCalc and it automatically sets the superfat to 5%. You can adjust that to be more or less.
> 
> Here is a brief explanation:
> 
> Soap Queen | Superfatting Soap â An Explanation


Thanks,lots of info here!


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## SoINgirl (Aug 3, 2007)

:dance: I'm glad that I actually could help someone on here.lol


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