Beeswax soapers...thoughts on candelilla wax..?

[rachelbeep]

I have a bunch of candelilla wax and recently saw it can add firmness to my soap.

Beeswax is a bit more common in soaps than candelilla, and I'm wondering if any beeswax users have tried candelilla? Did you like it in your soaps?

I have a few HP crocks coming up I will try candililla at .5% ppo since that's about half of the typical beeswax ratio....

Wondering what your experience has been?

PS - Candelilla is a wax made from shrubs that grow in the southwest US and mexico. It's a common vegan alternative to beeswax, but often used at half the amount, because it's firmer. It's also glossier at high ratios, and less "sticky" feeling, but soapers seem to have different opinions on its moisturizing properties compared to beeswax from what I've seen online...

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, I made some candelilla wax soap awhile back to compare to my beeswax soap. When I use beeswax, I use 5% so thats how much candelilla wax I used. It made a very hard bar and traced quicker than the beeswax but didn't overheat like my beeswax soap always does.

The lather of the two are very similar, the beeswax has a bit more big bubbles at first but they quickly break down to a creamy lather. The candelilla wax seems to produce a thicker, creamier lather. Skin feel is similar but the beeswax might be a bit more sticky feeling while the skin is damp. Both feel pretty good but I think the candelilla wax leaves more of a film. I probably used way too much, might try 2% next time.

 

[not_ally]

I've never used either in soap (just in lotion bars) and read that you should only use about half as much candelilla as beeswax, as you did Rachel, b/c it is so much harder. I keep meaning to try waxes but large amounts of lard and some sodium lactate have worked so well for long term/short term hardening that I haven't. You know I was going to bring lard into this somehow