analyzing recipe

While trying to determine which elements of a recipe give the soap such incredible properties, I've been wondering: how much does it take for any one ingredient to have an impact? For example, this recipe (which is not mine, but turned out to have some qualities that I'd like to see in my own recipes) uses 2% jojoba oil. I might end up needing to make multiple batches, changing only one thing at a time, and I'm wondering if looking at the jojoba is even worthwhile.

I've started testing (3 batches so far), but it's slow going, since I can't make soap every day, and I can't really evaluate them until they've cured for several weeks. So I'm trying to be efficient and not waste time/materials adjusting for ingredients that are unlikely to matter. What do you think is the minimum percentage that can make a difference?

It's not just the way this recipe performs, it's also how it looks! I've been struggling for quite some time with my HP bars getting slightly out of shape (warping) while curing, even though I use a 33% lye solution. I did not see ANY warping or uneven shrinking of the bars from this recipe! And normally, after I plane a surface and the fresh surface dries a bit, it has a subtle texture, kind of like a wood grain. But these bars stayed absolutely, perfectly smooth. I'm going crazy trying to figure out why.

I don't want to simply adopt this recipe, though. For one thing, it's not my own, and I'm not sure why that would bother me, but it does. But also it's lather is not as abundant as I'd like.

I do not think 2% of oil ; jojoba oil can change anything or gives you any qualities. The smallest amount for me is 5% of butters, or special oils, otherwise it is a waste)

I agree with Dahlia, I don't think 2% would add much to a recipe. I too don't go below 5% for any one ingredient.

I'm curious about jojoba oil because it's not actually an oil. I don't know how much would make a difference, but if you remove it from the recipe maybe you'll find out. In the meantime I might try soaping with a little cetyl alcohol to mimic the effects.

This is not the first time I've heard people cite 5% as the minimum amount needed for an ingredient to make an impact. Does this apply to HP, or CP only? I ask because I wouldn't have expected less than 5% to make any noticeable difference, but my post-cook, unsaponified superfatting oils/butters are usually about 3%, and (I think) some of them really do make a difference.

I've used jojoba as a post-cook superfat once before (so, unsaponified) and I wasn't impressed. (I think it's kind of smelly, actually.) In this recipe it was included up front with all the oils. I rolled my eyes at it, but followed the directions, and now I'm curious, too. Does anybody know what its saponified properties are? Soapcalc tells me it has an oleic value of 12, and nothing else. Surely there's more to it than that?

I know that in my own recipes using small amounts of castor oil has made a difference in the stability of the lather in the final product. Without pouring through my notes I am willing to guess that I have not used lower than 3%, but my usual is 5%.

Some ingredients even in small amounts can do big things. Sodium Lactate at 2% makes a huge and very noticeable difference in the fluidity of the batter after cooking hot process...but I really haven't determined if it makes such a big difference in the final product that it is supposed to...hardness...bubbles etc. I haven't done those specific tests myself to see.

I have seen many formulas that use either jojoba or lanolin in very small amounts and they are supposed to add to the final product even though they are used in small amounts.

I agree that some superfats added after the cook can make a difference in as little as 3% of the total.

AND....if you read about the salt brine soaps, adding a small amount of basic salt to the water is supposed to make a difference in the overall final product. I have only recently begun trying this technique and I can say only that it speeds up the cutting time tenfold. I haven't been doing it long enough to try final products yet...they are curing.

Also small amounts of sugar or honey are supposed to make a difference in the bubbles of the final product...I would say those amounts are around the 2-3% of the total when you break them down. I have tried side by side hot process without honey and with and I do feel that the honey added after cooking did add to the quickness and amount of lather.

I have read that a small amount of cocoa butter is good for a recipe, but too much can make it crumbly. I have never made a high cocoa butter recipe to tell the difference, I have kept it in cold process recipes over the years under 5%. I think you know that my new preference is to add it after the HP cook for the maximum cocoa butter punch.

I don't think everything will make a huge difference, but there are a few ingredients that can show their worth....even in small amounts.

Sorry jnl, I think you do need to keep the two split - what % of a saponified oil and what % of a post cook superfat oil. Those are different things indeed.

I would say less than 5% saponified would be generally not noticeable. I say generally as there will be exceptions (1% pine tar will be detectable, I imagine!).

With post cook, I would think that any real change would be noticeable. 1% less olive and swap it to coconut would be a difference, but remember that as a % of the superfat, these are huge changes. 1% in a superfat of 5% is a 20% change!

I firmly believe in Jojoba Oil at 5% for my shampoo bars. Yes, I have tried it at 2, 3, and 4%, and 5% is my minimum magic number there(the recipe is a WIP, so we will see if I like it above that later). BUT, it is CP. So I really don't know what it would do to HP.

I probably shouldn't have even mentioned HP for the purposes of this discussion, since I'm looking at the post-cook fats and the saponified fats totally separately, and right now I'm trying to evaluate the saponified fats.

Susie, 5% is consistent with what most people have said is the minimum to make an impact in a CP recipe. Did when you were testing jojoba, did you notice any differences below 5%?