Does Palm Oil have '0' cleansing value?

[SpiralTouch]

I've been playing around on soapcalc.net lately.

Is it really true that palm oil has a '1' cleansing value? That's what soapcalc tells me. I've read elsewhere that palm oil is high cleansing like coconut and not a good choice for a moisturizing/sensitive skin bar.

I'm well aware that coconut oil is high cleansing and that's why I don't use it in my sensitive/dry skin soaps.

I am re-designing some of my moisturizing soap recipes and want to make a near '0' cleansing value soap (like a 100% olive soap) but would love if I can include palm to harden up the bar without sacrificing mildness.

I'm' really not a fan of the slimy feel of 100% olive soaps - I've made some and no one wanted them either

 

[Ruthie]

I don't use palm, so I can't answer that. But castille soap loses it's slime if it is aged long enough. It takes at least 9 months or so. But then you have a lovely soap to use!

 

[SpiralTouch]

I don't use palm, so I can't answer that. But castille soap loses it's slime if it is aged long enough. It takes at least 9 months or so. But then you have a lovely soap to use!

I have a batch that I made in April 2013 and it still feels gross to use. I did use all milk instead of water with it, so maybe that's why it feels slimy?

That's another reason I want to find an alternative to a 100% olive recipe - I do not desire to give the soap that long of a cure time. I sell at farmer's markets and can't dedicate the space to soaps curing that long.

I use a high percentage of shea and cocoa butters in my recipe (30%) to make the bar nice and solid. According to soapcalc my standard shea butter soap recipe has a cleansing value of 10. When I take out the 15% coconut oil in that recipe I get a cleansing value of 0.

So if it really is true that palm has that low of a cleansing value, I'll just replace the coconut oil with another oil to get a more mild-cleansing soap.

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, palm oil has a low cleansing value and so does lard. Palm kernel oil is the kind with a high cleansing number like coconut. I don't care for castile either, I have a bar that is near 17 months aged and its still slimy and smells like old oil.
If you want a nice conditioning bar, you can't go wrong with lard but you'll want to scent the soap. A high % of lard can have a bit of a piggy smell.

 

[judymoody]

I have 2.5 year old Castille made with a water discount. It is still slimy to me and now is developing an off odor (probably from the EO, not the olive oil)

As mentioned, palm and lard are very mild. I love avocado oil and, in small %, hemp oil, for a gentle bar.

 

[SpiralTouch]

I have 2.5 year old Castille made with a water discount. It is still slimy to me and now is developing an off odor (probably from the EO, not the olive oil)

As mentioned, palm and lard are very mild. I love avocado oil and, in small %, hemp oil, for a gentle bar.

I love hemp too! I put it in the face soap I made today - It is a slight variation of my shea butter soap recipe. I took all coconut oil out of this one.

Palm 30%
Olive 15%
Shea Butter 25%
Castor 10%
Rice Bran 5%
Hemp 5%
Cocoa Butter 5%
Sunflower Oil 5%

I loaded this one with Australian pink clay (supposed to be gentle and great for sensitive skin) and very fine ground oatmeal. Wish it luck
I'm hoping it will work as a facial bar for my fair/sensitive/dry skin.