I've notice a lot of you use Castor oil in your soaps. Can you tell my why :?: I 've never tried it and just wondering if I'm missing out!
Castor Oil ??
- Thread starter Pepsi Girl
- Start date
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I love castor oil in my recipes. Its a lather booster. It gives the soap a nice creamy bubbly quality. It's moisturizing and is easily absorbed by the skin. I use up to 10% in some recipes but you don't really need much to notice a difference. Try some in your next batch!
soapopera
Well-Known Member
Bubbles the word 
Yes. You're missing out. :twisted: I put 20% in my soaps and I love it. To be fair I've not actually compared it to the same recipe without castor oil, but the lather on my soaps is huge and creamy and I like it enough to keep putting it in there.
cp chick
Well-Known Member
Castor oil isn't necessary, but it makes for a more stable lather. Recently I used one bar from my first batch in the shower. No castor, but about 23% coconut. It produces lots of big bubbles, but they were thin and break down easily. Now I usually include about 10% castor. Adding both coconut and castor you get more and fuller lather.
To ditto the above, it's about the lather. Much creamier & doesn't break down as easily.
Lottee
Active Member
This is really interesting, i am just thinking about how to improve my basic Oo, co and so recipe. I think a reduction in so and the addition of Castor and a butter would help. Would 5% castor be enough to notice the difference?
5% is a very good place to start. I notice a difference at 5%, and many soapers love it at that level. I'm one of those that likes even more of it in my formulas, though. I use 10% in my Castile-type formula; 11.5% in my tallow/lard/veggie formula; 20% in my shaving formula; and 23% in my mostly tallow formula.
Like the others have said, it's a wonderful lather booster that lends a beautiful depth or 'oomph' or 'body' to your lather. It makes my lather feel more luxuriant to me.
IrishLass
Like the others have said, it's a wonderful lather booster that lends a beautiful depth or 'oomph' or 'body' to your lather. It makes my lather feel more luxuriant to me.
IrishLass
judymoody
Well-Known Member
I like it at 5% and not more than 10% (unless it's for shaving soap). For me, too much castor makes the soap feel a bit tacky or sticky. But everyone's preference is different. Try it and see!
danahuff
Well-Known Member
I love castor oil! I use about 5%, but I put more of it in some shaving soap I made. It makes really nice bubbles.
WOW, Thanks everyone I guess I am missing out My next order will include Castor Oil, Mr. Bubbles Here I come!!
My next order will include Castor Oil, Mr. Bubbles Here I come!!
SoapAddict415
Well-Known Member
I like castor oil in my soaps too. I use it at 8% in all my recipes but I thought that more than 10% made the soap soft. Now I'm curious as to how much more rich, creamy lather I can get if I go from 8% to maybe 12%! I love experimenting! Lol, it brings out the mad scientist in me!
Ok I think you all should know it's your fault I just spent money on an order for Castor Oil! And of course I couldn't just buy one thing I always have to make the shipping cost worth the shipment so........ :wink:
And of course I couldn't just buy one thing I always have to make the shipping cost worth the shipment so........ :wink:Shoot, sorry i didn't catch you before you placed your order. I was going to tell you that you can pick up castor oil at any pharmacy or mega-mart, it is usually $2-3 and that is plenty to get you started to see if you notice a difference and whether you like it.
I keep it around 5%, I live in a humid climate and find that more than that does make the bar a bit softer and stickier.
I keep it around 5%, I live in a humid climate and find that more than that does make the bar a bit softer and stickier.
booboo
Well-Known Member
Castor oil acts like a humectant by attracting and retaining moisture to the skin. Small amounts are recommended as it produces as soft soap.
The first cold pressing is used medicinally and second for soapmaking and I can only get the first pressing here (which is very expensive) is the sap value higher for the first press?
The first cold pressing is used medicinally and second for soapmaking and I can only get the first pressing here (which is very expensive) is the sap value higher for the first press?
new12soap said:
Thanks and no worries I'm use to ordering everything. But next time I do go to a larger town I'll see what they have. Good to know that it the same oil. I was wondering, I remember my Mom spooning that down us as a children when we were :sick: BAD STUFF!!!
AngelMomma
Well-Known Member
Pepsi Girl said:Ok I think you all should know it's your fault I just spent money on an order for Castor Oil!
Where did you order from. Wondering about prices. When I get it from WM its about 50cents an ounce. I would love to cut that in half or maybe even more. I was looking at Brambleberry tonight. They have good prices on it. I haven't checked on their shipping yet though.
AngelMomma said:
I get free shipping from Amazon so I just ordered a qt from them to try. It was $13.95 for the qt. I only looked a couple places and it was cheaper but Shipping!!! I live in a very rural area but we do have a local hometown pharamacy, so the next time I'm in there I'm going to talk to him about it. (Not that that would help you)
