Does it matter? Olive Oil vs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

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I've never had a problem with it and its highly unlikely to be an allergen. It's also easy to get because I can just go pick it up since it's within a half hour drive. I use it in my bath bombs. I had been using cocoa butter but didn't like it as much. The feeling of the batch is better with safflower. Mango is too expensive. I find OO to be less desireable for bath bombs because, while it has great moisturizing properties, it can be too much if you're sitting in it. I had considered avocado but haven't decided if it's better since the price point seems to be about the same and to me it feels the same. I've been trying to find light colored oils so its less likely to discolor. The green of avocado doesn't sit right with me. I use coconut too of course but between 10 and 15%. I also use palm shortening.
Ah, ok - are you talking about soap too? Or just bath bombs.
 
When I first started making soap I was using EVOO. Then I mistakenly got regular olive oil with my shopping order. At first I was soooo mad lol. But I used it anyway because that was all I had. I liked the color so much better. The green really changes the color of your soap in EVOO. I found myself adding way too much TD to get the soap white.

Oddly though, the castile soap that I made with EVOO was a brilliant white after it fully cured, so maybe the green hue cures out, I dunno.
 
Green extra virgin olive oil? That’s weird…
This is what my EVOO looks like:
IMG_8499.jpeg


Does your EVOO look greener than that? Or does turning it into soap make it greener? Could it be age? It comes out of the press a shocking green, then it’s left sitting for several months, letting impurities deposit, before you’re actually supposed to consume it. My experience is that the greener it is, the sharper the taste. The one in the photo is from a year and a half ago, now it’s a very delicate flavor. Otherwise, maybe it’s the variety of olive? I imagine that if the expensive top-shelf Greek oil is a different color from the bulk batches, there’s probably something importantly different between the two…

Anyway, for prices, @CecileBC was saying the same thing is happening in France:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/olive-oil-alternative.90640/
Might be better to find alternatives to OO for now, especially if you’re likely to get adultered oil for the sake of cheapness.
 
Green extra virgin olive oil? That’s weird…

Does your EVOO look greener than that? Or does turning it into soap make it greener? Could it be age? It comes out of the press a shocking green, then it’s left sitting for several months, letting impurities deposit, before you’re actually supposed to consume it. My experience is that the greener it is, the sharper the taste. The one in the photo is from a year and a half ago, now it’s a very delicate flavor. Otherwise, maybe it’s the variety of olive? I imagine that if the expensive top-shelf Greek oil is a different color from the bulk batches, there’s probably something importantly different between the two…
The color of EVOO can vary depending on where the olives are grown, how rich the oils, when they are harvested and the growing region's weather. A 'green' olive oil is higher in chlorophyll while a yellow to brown olive oil is higher in carotenoids.

When the chlorophyll and carotenoids degrade, it changes the color of the oil. Oils high in chlorophyll do not turn a shocking green, they fade to a very pale green. Oils high is carotenoids will turn a red-orange color. Another way to tell that you oil had degraded is by smell and taste. It will smell like crayons or stale peanuts or taste like pumpkin.

There are three basic types of Olive Oils....Extra Virgin, Regular and Pomace. EVOO is from the first press, Regular is from the second, and Pomace is produced from a chemical extraction of the left over pulp. EVOO also has the best flavor, but since no one is going to eat your soap using it (IMHO) is a waste of good (and more expensive) Olive Oil. There is nothing wrong with Pomace OO, but it does tend to accelerate your batter. When I first started soap making I used Pomace because I was making single-color Regular soap and no-color GMS and thus it didn't matter if my batter accelerated. But when I started making two and three color swirls, or when I started making larger batches and dividing into smaller batches...time was a factor and so I switched to just a regular OO.

 
Sorry if this is a silly question. Is regular olive oil the same as extra light olive oil? I've been to the markets here and they sell extra virgin, pomace and extra light.
 
Would anyone know the difference between these 2 OO? Ingredient list seems to be same. Same price too.
Which would be a better choice for slower trace compared to pomace.


IMG20231031171408.jpg
 
Would anyone know the difference between these 2 OO? Ingredient list seems to be same. Same price too.
Which would be a better choice for slower trace compared to pomace.
To answer the first question...yes. There is a difference in taste between regular OO and Extra Light OO, and ELOO has a higher smoke point. But when it comes to soap making, there is no difference between regular and Extra Light...it's still OO. However, there is a difference between EVOO, OO and Pomace OO and that is because of how the oil is extracted. EVOO is the first pressing of the olives, OO is the second pressing and Pomace OO is a chemical extraction of oil from what is left.

EVOO is best left for cooking as there is no benefit to using a more expensive OO unless it is strictly for label appeal, and then you have to deal with the natural green color of the oil. Again, there is no difference between regular OO and ELOO in soap making, only in cooking. And while Pomace OO is cheaper than either OO or EVOO, it tends to trace faster because of the chemical extraction process. Which FYI, will not affect the quality of the soap...soap is soap.
 
But when it comes to soap making, there is no difference between regular and Extra Light...it's still OO.
:thumbs: TRUE! Back in 2003 I hosted a 100% Olive Oil Soap swap. Their were 10 participants. No two used the same type of olive oil. All soaped the same.
Of the two types shown, I would go with the Classic Olive Oil, Product of Spain. <<< :thumbs:


EVOO is best left for cooking as there is no benefit to using a more expensive OO
:thumbs: TRUE! The other thing about EVOO is that, here in the USA it is more likely to be adulterated than the other types. You can google "Fake Olive Oil" to learn more.

I prefer Pomace OO from a reliable source. I have been using it since 2004 with no issues except in making liquid soap. I've never experienced acceleration using it. it is SLOW to trace and the COOK takes forever! That's why I'm grateful for Carrie Petersen's GLS (Glycerin subbed for water to make the KOH solution). With a little bit of coconut and castor added, the batch becomes soap right before my eyes in two minutes! I kid you not. NOTE: This technique is better suited to advanced soapmakers and NOT for beginners due to the high heat (210°F+) and the possibility of scorching and releasing toxic fumes.

 
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