Lucky you to live so close to Columbus oils! Fractionated coconut oil is not used in soapmaking as far as I know. This is the form of coconut oil that is used in making creams and lotions. Most soapers use Coconut oil 76 which means that it is solid until the temperature goes higher than that and the oil begins to get really soft and liquifies. I think soapers who need to get in their supply in hot summer months might go for the higher number. Refined or unrefined is a matter of personal choice. I know for example that cocoa butter unrefined is slightly creamy colored and smells like chocolate, the refined has usually been bleached as well as deodorized. Shea is much the same way. I personally prefer the refined for my soaps as I want my oils and butters to be as close to light or white as I can get them, and I often don't like the smell of the unrefined as much. Again, you might want to start with small amounts of both kinds and see what you like. Cosmetic grade ( I could be wrong about this...) I think means that it is not for consumption. In other words, not food grade. But, perfectly ok for use in soaps. Again, depends on how picky you are. Cosmetic grade might be made by the expeller method. Organic? Well, alot of soapers would say that the organic stuff is just wasted on a wash off product and best used for leave on products. I rather like using organic when I can get it as I think we take in enough bad stuff from the air, land and water around us in our daily lives. Usually organic is going to be, of course, much more expensive. Wow...I did go on a bit....hope this helps some...
