Newbie question about amounts of additives

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cayosusa

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I figured how to use the lye calculator for water, lye and oils. Just trying to make a castile soap with only light extra virgin olive oil (Walmart brand). Don't want to use anything other than lye and water with the oil - no sodium lactate or fragrance, EO or colors. Most of the recipes add EO's or fragrance in. If I choose NOT to, do I have to alter the amounts of oil, water or lye?
 
I figured how to use the lye calculator for water, lye and oils. Just trying to make a castile soap with only light extra virgin olive oil (Walmart brand). Don't want to use anything other than lye and water with the oil - no sodium lactate or fragrance, EO or colors. Most of the recipes add EO's or fragrance in. If I choose NOT to, do I have to alter the amounts of oil, water or lye?
No, just enter 100% olive oil and it will give you the correct lye/water ratio.

However keep in mind that 100% olive oil will take about 6 months or more to cure before you can use it.

Also I wouldn't recommend using the light olive oil. I use Walmart olive oil and it is fine but I use the virgin olive oil or the extra virgin olive oil. Your not saving that much and virgin or extra virgin olive oil is better.
 
I agree, 100% castile takes 12 months. Even 50-60% takes 6 months and I still don't like either. I find high OO soap dries my skin out. I don't go above 30% in my recipes and generally lower or use a different oil.. I don't like Zanys either which isn't Castille, it's a Bastille and shouldn't be called Castille.
 
6 months is not enough time in my opinion, castille is pretty lackluster until at least a year. I would recommend looking at Zany's No Slime Castille or a Bastille recipe if you don't want to wait so long.
Very true. I know many people who wait at least a year before using castile soap. I am not that patient and I
 
I agree, 100% castile takes 12 months. Even 50-60% takes 6 months and I still don't like either. I find high OO soap dries my skin out. I don't go above 30% in my recipes and generally lower or use a different oil.. I don't like Zanys either which isn't Castille, it's a Bastille and shouldn't be called Castille.
Is it a bastille because of the seawater? I just thought because it was 100% OO.
 
Is it a bastille because of the seawater? I just thought because it was 100% OO.

My mistake. Someone else post they made it and that was the last one I read....sorry They used OO and CO and something else.

I made it 100% OO and still didn't like it at all. Some love it. Give it a try.
 
It took 12 years and a lot of trial and error for me to develop a quick-cure no slime-castile. It is a myth that it takes a year (or even 6 months) for Castile to cure. Traditionally, using 100% olive oil, proper temps when combining lye and oil (100°F - 110°F), and sufficient mixing, castile soap cures in 12 weeks - 3 months. Somewhere along the line, a soaper decided to start making her castiles at the beginning of each year so they could be ready for the holiday markets. Others liked that idea and followed suit. Thus the "preference" became the "1-year-cure time" myth it is today.

Also, the COOC (California Olive Oil Council) at UC Davis grades OO for "taste" not soap making. Extra Virgin and Virgin are the best for putting on your salad but not the best for soap making.

EVOO - Extra Virgin OO comes from the first cold pressing. It is the least acidic so it tastes better. It is also the grade most likely to be adulterated which is an on-going problem in the States.
Google "Fake Olive Oil" to learn more.
Virgin OO comes from the second cold pressing. Less expensive than EVOO and fine for cooking.
Olive Oil Refined A or "Pure" OO is the 3rd cold pressing from the fruit of the olive, not the kernel or pit. It is then refined as a mix of olive oils. This is a good choice for soapers to use this grade to avoid shipping costs as it is readily available at Costco (Kirkland) and Sam's.
Pomace OO comes from the last pressing and is the most acidic and least expensive, the best choice for making soap. Some, but not all soap making suppliers carry it.
I buy it from Soapers Choice near Chicago due to top quality, good pricing and shipping costs -- especially if you buy more than one 7-pound bottle at a time.

No, just enter 100% olive oil and it will give you the correct lye/water ratio.
Correct. :thumbup: However, light olive oil might be okay to use. I hosted a 100% Olive Oil Swap in 2005. One of the entrants was a soap made with light olive oil and it was as good as the rest of the soaps.The COOC used to put out an annual list of brands of olive oil that were not adulterated. Unfortunately, they stopped doing that. :(

I don't like Zanys either which isn't Castille, it's a Bastille and shouldn't be called Castille.
Actually, Shari, no offense intended, but Kirk's Castile (coconut oil) and Dr Bronner's Castile (a mix of vegetable oils) are legally defined as castiles because they contain no animal fats. Kirk's went to court some years ago to address that issue and won. It's only on soapers groups and forums that we draw a line between castile (100% olive oil) and bastile (70% minimum OO plus other non-animal fats). Call it "soapers jargon", if you will. "Bastile" soap means nothing outside the wonderful world of handmade soap.
I made it 100% OO and still didn't like it at all. Some love it. Give it a try.
I agree! Castile definitely has a Love/Hate realtionship among soapers. I used to be a "hater" because of the long cure and, no matter how long the cure, it still retained that slime. That's what motivated me to develop ZNSC. :)

If anyone wants to try it, here's the link:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/zanys-no-slime-castile.72620/

Is it a bastille because of the seawater? I just thought because it was 100% OO.
I explained the difference between castile and bastile above. The addition of sea water was a break through for me. While reading the history of olive oil soap I had written for the 2005 swap, I wrote that the world renowned Savon de Marseille from France was made with olive oil and sea water. I then remembered my notes on how to make Faux Sea Water. It's purpose initially was to harden the soap but it I believe it hastens cure time as well.
:nodding:
 
I figured how to use the lye calculator for water, lye and oils. Just trying to make a castile soap with only light extra virgin olive oil (Walmart brand). Don't want to use anything other than lye and water with the oil - no sodium lactate or fragrance, EO or colors. Most of the recipes add EO's or fragrance in. If I choose NOT to, do I have to alter the amounts of oil, water or lye?

Adding Sodium Lactate to your lye solution does NOT make your Castile Soap any less Castile, but it will make your soap easier to umold.

Just use regular olive oil...just make sure it’s 100% Olive Oil and not an olive oil blend. The virgin stuff is good for cooking a salads, but really not all that much for soap making. I was using Olive Oil Pomace, but then I got a Costco card and my Kirkland’s OO by the case. I also buy Coconut Oil and Avocado Oil there.

Depending on who you talk to, Castile soap can take six to twelve months to cure. I haven’t made any yet, but I don’t stress cure times because I actually prefer a long cure time for my soap...gives me more time to enjoy them before I send them off to their new homes.
 
Actually, Shari, no offense intended, but Kirk's Castile (coconut oil) and Dr Bronner's Castile (a mix of vegetable oils) are legally defined as castiles because they contain no animal fats. Kirk's went to court some years ago to address that issue and won. It's only on soapers groups and forums that we draw a line between castile (100% olive oil) and bastile (70% minimum OO plus other non-animal fats). Call it "soapers jargon", if you will. "Bastile" soap means nothing outside the wonderful world of handmade soap.

I agree! Castile definitely has a Love/Hate realtionship among soapers. I used to be a "hater" because of the long cure and, no matter how long the cure, it still retained that slime. That's what motivated me to develop ZNSC. :)

If anyone wants to try it, here's the link:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/zanys-no-slime-castile.72620/
You can use semantics all you want so can companies. You are entitled to your opinion but I don't have to follow it. I tried your recipe and it's still slimy to me but I guess your opinion of slimy and mine differ. Which is fine. As I've stated before, you do you. True Castille is 100% OO. I don't care what people or companies try to pull over on customers. I refuse to mislead customers. I tell my customers that Castille is only 100% OO that others are misleading.
 
Adding Sodium Lactate to your lye solution does NOT make your Castile Soap any less Castile, but it will make your soap easier to umold.
I have never had to add SL to my castille to unmold, in fact it's hard as a rock after a day and I can't even cut it after 2. The secret is to use 50% lye solution and gel.
 
I tell my customers that Castille is only 100% OO that others are misleading.

I agree, but I have to ask about the liquid mixed with the lye and the use of colorants and scents. IMHO, Castille is Olive Oil, Distilled Water and Sodium Hydroxide. Sodium Lactate is acceptable since it used to make it easier to unmold.
 
am new in bar soap making, these are my reciept PKO, Caustic soda,(lye), soda ash, sodium sulphate, borax, sodium slicate, fragrance and colour. my question is after using this recipt is there any other thing l can add for my soap to come out good. like tallon, EDTA
 
am new in bar soap making, these are my reciept PKO, Caustic soda,(lye), soda ash, sodium sulphate, borax, sodium slicate, fragrance and colour. my question is after using this recipt is there any other thing l can add for my soap to come out good. like tallon, EDTA

Hello and welcome to the forum. If you start a new thread, post your recipe and additives as well as your process and any questions, you will get more answers specifically to you.
 

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