Need to Get start !

[mounia]

hi Everyone ! i'm a new soapmaker and i really LOVE the idea of making soap
it's been a while i read alot of about the process, problems and technics, so i want to make my first step and get start.
i bought almost what i need to make soap,materials, lye (NAOH) ,oils,..... but i really found some difeculties on finding Palm oil in my country
i want to start with a basic recipe "CASTILE OIL" or the "Marseille soap " , and here is my recipe :

-----------------------------------------------------------
72% olive oil
28% coconut oil
Total.w of oils = 500g (i use"grams" as a unit)
8% superfat
Lye(NAOH) = 68.3 g
water = 175 g
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MY QUESTIONs ARE :
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- what do you think about the recipe ?
- if i don't use Palm oil what will be the effect ?
- i want to use 7% of Castor oil in my recipe. How it will influence it?
- do you suggest some idea?

thank you so much for giving help and i really thank "soapmakingforum" for this great forum

 

[amd]

Recipes with high olive oil require a long cure - 6 months to a year or more. High olive oil soaps tend to have a slimy lather, the long cure helps reduce that. So while this recipe will fill your need to start making soap now, it won't fill the need to be using it in a month. What other oils do you have?

Castor oil gives the soap a sticky feel, typically we don't use it over 5%.

 

[Zing]

Welcome, Mounia! Once I discovered the difference castor oil makes, it now is in every one of my recipes. I use 4, 4.5, or 5% A little amount makes a big difference -- the lather is SO much better. Keep us posted on your progress and have fun!

 

[shunt2011]

Hello and Welcome!

As stated, high OO requires a longer cure and most don't exceed 20-25% CO due to the high cleansing. It can be done if you don't have sensitive skin, some do use it higher. I'm one who doesn't like high OO soaps so don't make them.

I don't usually us more or less than 5% Castor in my soaps. Seems to be the perfect amount. Too much as stated can make sticky soap.

You can try your recipe out and see what you think, but give it time as well. 6 months.

If you're not opposed to lard/tallow they both make great soap if you can't find palm.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome, Mounia!

Savon de Marseiiles soap recipes have been a popular subject for discussion on the forum over the years. Here are some of discussions we've had:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille.10934/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille-process.57760/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille.52380/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille-questions.47103/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/water-discount-and-savon-de-marseille.35179/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/marseille-soap-type-of-olive-oil-question.29011/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/sea-water-homestyle-savon-de-marseille.27095/
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille-how-do-they-cook-so-long.15559/

I've made my own version using olive oil, coconut oil and tallow (instead of palm). I believe I posted my recipe in the first link above. I don't know how it compares to the real thing, but it makes a lovely soap. I love olive oil-based soaps and have made similar ones to your recipe over the years and have only cured them for 4 to six weeks and they were perfectly fine. The only high olive oil soap I cure for 6 moths to a year is my 100% olive oil soap.

Are you able to buy cocoa butter? You can use that instead of palm or tallow- it will lend similar properties to your soap as palm. Shea butter could be used instead, too, if you have access to that.

One of my favorite olive oil recipes consists of 50% olive oil, 28 % coconut oil, 12 % cocoa butter and 10% castor oil.


IrishLass

 

[lenarenee]

Hi Mounia! Your recipe is fine and will make a successful bar of soap. One of history's classic soaps is the Castile soap made with 100% olive oil. Not a lot of lather, but a very hard, long lasting and gentle soap if it has cured for 6 months and more.

I suggest you make small batches of 1 pound/453.59 grams and start experimenting with other oils/butters you can find.

By adding 28% coconut oil for your recipe, you'll have more bubbles. Some people find that much coconut oil to be drying on their skin. Perhaps try 20% coconut oil first, in a small batch, to see how you like it. And there's no problem if you add 5% castor oil to your recipe too (subtract that from the amount of olive oil)

What other types of oils can you get in Morocco? Shea butter? Cocoa butter? You can also make an olive oil soap with 68% olive oil, 20% coconut oil, 7 - 10% shea or cocoa butter, and 5% castor.

I see Irish Lass has suggested using a high olive oil soap at a younger age than I suggest. It's perfectly safe to do so! We just have different preferences. (she also like more coconut oil than I do, so her skin might not be as dry as mine)

Again, start making and experimenting! As your soap cures, take a bar out and try it and make observations, take notes, and then put it back on the shelf to cure more. Over time you'll see what your favorites are.

 

[mounia]

Hi Mounia! Your recipe is fine and will make a successful bar of soap. One of history's classic soaps is the Castile soap made with 100% olive oil. Not a lot of lather, but a very hard, long lasting and gentle soap if it has cured for 6 months and more.

I suggest you make small batches of 1 pound/453.59 grams and start experimenting with other oils/butters you can find.

By adding 28% coconut oil for your recipe, you'll have more bubbles. Some people find that much coconut oil to be drying on their skin. Perhaps try 20% coconut oil first, in a small batch, to see how you like it. And there's no problem if you add 5% castor oil to your recipe too (subtract that from the amount of olive oil)

What other types of oils can you get in Morocco? Shea butter? Cocoa butter? You can also make an olive oil soap with 68% olive oil, 20% coconut oil, 7 - 10% shea or cocoa butter, and 5% castor.

I see Irish Lass has suggested using a high olive oil soap at a younger age than I suggest. It's perfectly safe to do so! We just have different preferences. (she also like more coconut oil than I do, so her skin might not be as dry as mine)

Again, start making and experimenting! As your soap cures, take a bar out and try it and make observations, take notes, and then put it back on the shelf to cure more. Over time you'll see what your favorites are.

thanks alot Lenarenee , here in Morocco i have the access to organic shea butter (has a yellow color) beef or cow tallow also sheep tallow . what do you think ?
and if i use the amounts that you give me (68%OO, 20%CO, 10%shea, and 5%castor), how it will take to cure ? i mean if there is any way to calculate the duration

Welcome, Mounia!

Savon de Marseiiles soap recipes have been a popular subject for discussion on the forum over the years. Here are some of discussions we've had:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille.10934/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille-process.57760/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille.52380/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille-questions.47103/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/water-discount-and-savon-de-marseille.35179/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/marseille-soap-type-of-olive-oil-question.29011/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/sea-water-homestyle-savon-de-marseille.27095/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/savon-de-marseille-how-do-they-cook-so-long.15559/

I've made my own version using olive oil, coconut oil and tallow (instead of palm). I believe I posted my recipe in the first link above. I don't know how it compares to the real thing, but it makes a lovely soap. I love olive oil-based soaps and have made similar ones to your recipe over the years and have only cured them for 4 to six weeks and they were perfectly fine. The only high olive oil soap I cure for 6 moths to a year is my 100% olive oil soap.

Are you able to buy cocoa butter? You can use that instead of palm or tallow- it will lend similar properties to your soap as palm. Shea butter could be used instead, too, if you have access to that.

One of my favorite olive oil recipes consists of 50% olive oil, 28 % coconut oil, 12 % cocoa butter and 10% castor oil.


IrishLass

IrishLass thank you so much ! i want to use tallow or shea but i know that shea have a bad smell ! and i won't use fragrance in my first recipe ! will tallow be good ?
i read that tallow and butter are harder to controle as regards temperature . How can i work with it if you have any advice for me !<3

 

[IrishLass]

IrishLass thank you so much ! i want to use tallow or shea but i know that shea have a bad smell ! and i won't use fragrance in my first recipe ! will tallow be good ?
i read that tallow and butter are harder to controle as regards temperature . How can i work with it if you have any advice for me !<3

Hi Mounia! I use beef tallow a lot in my soap and it works great! The kind I have access to is pure white and has a very faint meaty smell in the package, but it does not smell at all in my soap.

Whenever I use tallow or butters in my soap, I heat my fats to 110 degrees F/43.3 degrees C and add my lye solution when it is slightly warm to the touch when I touch the outside of the container it is in.


IrishLass

 

[penelopejane]

thanks alot Lenarenee , here in Morocco i have the access to organic shea butter (has a yellow color) beef or cow tallow also sheep tallow . what do you think ?
and if i use the amounts that you give me (68%OO, 20%CO, 10%shea, and 5%castor), how it will take to cure ? i mean if there is any way to calculate the duration

IrishLass thank you so much ! i want to use tallow or shea but i know that shea have a bad smell ! and i won't use fragrance in my first recipe ! will tallow be good ?
i read that tallow and butter are harder to controle as regards temperature . How can i work with it if you have any advice for me !<3

Your OO recipe above can be used at 6 weeks and should be good at 9-12 weeks.
It will be better (harder and creamier) at 6 months.
Even better at 12 months. OO soaps keep getting better.
Use some at each week of cure and write down your thoughts to compare them.

Tallow can smell even after cure. The scent of Shea butter should go away after cure and is easily hidden with an FO.