Does 2.5% REALLY make a difference?

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samirish

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So, I came across an old soap recipe recently and gave it a try. Wouldn't you know it..it is my favorite soap thus far. While Im happy to have found a soap I love, it has 12 different oils in it and 4 of them call for only 2.5%. For example, it calls for hemp oil at 2.5%. I'd like to get this recipe down to something more manageable and was thinking of just doing away with the oils that are listed at such a tiny amount but am hesitant as I dont want too much change in the final soap.
What do you guys think...does 2.5% really make a difference?
 
samirish said:
does 2.5% really make a difference?
Click to expand...

Yes, but it's probably very subtle.

Think if you added something obvious like 2.5% of castor or lanolin. It would matter. So all likely matter, just when the oil doesn't have a distinct property it probably becomes less obvious imo.
 
I'm of the thinking that anything less than 5% isn't worth it to me. Even in the recipe I use hemp in I use it at 10%. 12 oils in a recipe is about 8 too many for me. However, play with the recipe in soapcal with larger percentages of some or if you love it just go with it. It's certainly a personal thing when making soap. I dislike measuring small amounts of a zillion oils.
 
We really need to see the whole recipe to be sure, but I would venture to guess that at least a couple of those have similar properties(if not more). If that is the case, then you could simplify it considerably. But we need to see the whole recipe to be able to start.
 
Is it a soap ingredient vender's recipe? They do love to sell lots of different oils!

I like to add sunflower (reg) enough to get the Linoleic up to 10% or so. I use .08% ROE in every batch.


samirish said:
So, I came across an old soap recipe recently and gave it a try. Wouldn't you know it..
What do you guys think...does 2.5% really make a difference?
Click to expand...
 
2.5 % is not really worth it to me. I must admit I have never used hemp oil due to it's lack of long shelf life. I have used some with low shelf life that made a great bit of difference to me (i.e. walnut, pumpkin, etc..). Very nice and moisturizing, but do not store well once made. So, if you do it, and I would, make a small batch for the first go. See how long they store, that is important.
 
smeetree said:
Yes, but it's probably very subtle.

Think if you added something obvious like 2.5% of castor or lanolin. It would matter. So all likely matter, just when the oil doesn't have a distinct property it probably becomes less obvious imo.
Click to expand...
By the way, which are the benefits of lanolin? A harder or longer lasting soap?
 
sososo said:
By the way, which are the benefits of lanolin? A harder or longer lasting soap?
Click to expand...

It's unsoapifiable so it basically stays the same, so slickness and emollient. I only use like 1% and only in winter time when I think it can help (i.e. dry, cracking hands in winter).
 
I have 6 oils in my base recipe. All there for a specific reason, all add to the final outcome. Only one at 5% is Castor for the bubbles. A three oil soap is fine, can be fantastic. More than 3 isn't a waste as long as it's doing something for your recipe and not just selling a bunch of different oils for a supplier. Just my opinion.
 

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