Evaluating Recipe on SoapCalc

[Kcryss]

I've got rice bran oil. Everytime I add it to a recipe, it raises my iodine level. The higher the iodine level, the better the chance of developing DOS. My numbers are still below 60 for iodine, so I think I'm fine to use it... But sweet almond oil doesn't raise the iodine levels...

Coincidentally, it appears when the iodine level goes up the hardness of the bar goes down.

I was concerned about that as well, but I believe as long as the iodine is below 70 and you have good INS, then it should be ok. However, I'm still pretty new so someone with more experience will hopefully chime in with better info.

 

[TheGecko]

I hear you..
So I dropped the pko, simply because I can get coconut oil cheaper and they are similar.

How many oils do you use in your recipes? What seems like a good number?

Sorry for the delay...I'm a Staff Accountant for a CPA firm and it's that time of the year for multiple deadlines from now until April 15th.

I have six oils/butters in my Regular Soap and five in my Goat Milk Soap. I started with a tried and true recipe of four oils (Olive, Coconut, Palm and Castor) and then started experimenting with other oils and butters. When developing my recipe was some considerations was 1) whether or not the ingredients actually make a better bar of soap or was it strictly about label appeal? 2) How long did it take me to make a batch of soap in conjunction with #1? 3) Costs vs return in conjunction with #1 and #2. 4) Storage requirements.

 

[TheGecko]

@Gecko,

How about this recipe?

That's a nice start. I would up your Olive Oil 5% and lower your Coconut Oil 5%.

 

[math ace]

@Gecko,

OK, I dropped the CO and boosted the OO. The result is a gentler soap, but I loss a good bit of bubble traits too.

 

[TheGecko]

@Gecko,

OK, I dropped the CO and boosted the OO. The result is a gentler soap, but I loss a good bit of bubble traits too.

View attachment 43728

The “Soap Bar Quality” is merely a guideline/suggestion...it is not the end-all, be-all. You really won’t know what your soap is going to be like until you make it.

We have become so incredibly brainwashed via advertising. Take ‘squeaky clean‘ for example...great for dishes and windows, not so great for skin and hair because it means you have washed away all the natural oils. So if you have ‘dry’ skin, you’re going to slather on the moisturizer...which makes you body quit producing natural oils and your skin stays dry. If you have oily skin, your skin is going to produce more oils, and well...see where I am going with this.

Who hasn’t seen some chick or dude in the shower washing their hair or body and producing massive amounts of gorgeous white lather? And that’s what we expect except it’s not reality...not in the normal course. You’re either going to have to have clean hair to start or use double the shampoo. And unless you have a lot of grease/oil in your hair, you do not have to “Lather - rinse -repeat”...you’re just sending someone’s kid to college. FYI - The milk in bowls in cereal commercials is not milk, its Elmer’s Glue...same with all that lovely cheese in pizza commercials. And that’s not maple syrup...it’s motor oil.

 

[math ace]

Lol... The bubbles are for me. I enjoy bubbles.

I guess it is time for me to make BOTH recipes and see which I prefer in real life.

The former recipe with cleansing of 17 and bubbles of 21.

OR

The latter recipe with a cleansing of 14 and bubbles of 18.

My current recipe has a cleansing level of 22 and it is too drying.

 

[TheGecko]

I guess it is time for me to make BOTH recipes and see which I prefer in real life.

Yep...that's what you do. I have my third attempt at Salt Soap curing...I didn't like the first two recipes. I have two soaps I made with Avocado Oil curing...one with 10% AO and one with 20%...we'll which one I like better, if I like them at all...15% may be a better choice. And this is why I have a couple of 1lb molds...because if I don't like the recipe or I don't like the color or I don't like the scent, I'm not out a lot of ingredients. It should be noted that as long as the soap is good, I donate it; if there is something wrong with the soap, I toss it.

 

[penelopejane]

What percentage do you use the almond or avocado at? Do you treat them as a luxury oil, using a smaller percentage or as a main component, using at larger percentage?

I use them at 20-30%.

 

[penelopejane]

Lol... The bubbles are for me. I enjoy bubbles.

I guess it is time for me to make BOTH recipes and see which I prefer in real life.

The former recipe with cleansing of 17 and bubbles of 21.

OR

The latter recipe with a cleansing of 14 and bubbles of 18.

My current recipe has a cleansing level of 22 and it is too drying.

Using coconut oil over 10% (except in a salt bar) is too drying for my skin. I don't care about the soap calc numbers.