oily feel to soap

[sudszensoaps]

Hello,
I made a batch of liquid hand soap, and it seemed to turn out fine. It's a nice clear color, and it lathers nicely. However, it feels quite oily when I use it, even after varying levels of dilution. I used a recipe that I found online, as I'm fairly new to liquid soap making (cold process bar soap is what I've been making).

Recipe is: 30% coconut oil, 20% olive oil, 40% rice bran oil, 10% castor oil. However, the ratio of KOH to water seems quite low at less that 2:1. For a 500 gram total of oils, the recipe calls for 190 gm of water and 113.2 KOH. (??)

 

[DeeAnna]

Why don't you share the link to the tutorial? That way we can give better advice.

Also, what do you mean by "oily"? Does the soap leave obvious fat on the skin after you rinse off the lather?

Did the recipe call for added glycerin or only water?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Why don't you share the link to the tutorial?

It's most helpful to us if we know your method as well as the recipe.

Recipe is: 30% coconut oil, 20% olive oil, 40% rice bran oil, 10% castor oil. However, the ratio of KOH to water seems quite low at less that 2:1. For a 500 gram total of oils, the recipe calls for 190 gm of water and 113.2 KOH. (??)

The problem is many lye calculators tend to be geared toward making NaOH (hard bar) soaps. I use SoapCalc. It has the option of choosing a Water : Lye Ratio for LS. Tick on that button and. type in 3:1 for results:

FYI: I use 0% SF because I'm OCD about clarity. I do not use dual lye for the same reason.
I do not use glycerin as a sub for water to make the KOH solution for the same reason (LS with a high % of olive oil and similar, excepted.)

Advice: Recalculate your recipe using the info above.
Add the difference of KOH + water between that result and what you actually have in your LS to see how much you need to add to your current batch. TIP: It helps to warm the batch to 140°-160°F before adding the KOH solution.

HTH

 

[sudszensoaps]

It's most helpful to us if we know your method as well as the recipe.

The problem is many lye calculators tend to be geared toward making NaOH (hard bar) soaps. I use SoapCalc. It has the option of choosing a Water : Lye Ratio for LS. Tick on that button and. type in 3:1 for results:

View attachment 60477
FYI: I use 0% SF because I'm OCD about clarity. I do not use dual lye for the same reason.
I do not use glycerin as a sub for water to make the KOH solution for the same reason (LS with a high % of olive oil and similar, excepted.)

Advice: Recalculate your recipe using the info above.
Add the difference of KOH + water between that result and what you actually have in your LS to see how much you need to add to your current batch. TIP: It helps to warm the batch to 140°-160°F before adding the KOH solution.

HTH

I can no longer locate the video...arrghhh!... I used a hot process, cooked in a crock pot. I didn't use glycerin, just distilled water. Basically cooked it until it gelled and then diluted it.
It feels like I still have a sheen of oil on my skin. I have soft water, and I wonder if that contributes to what I feel? This is the first batch I've made with soft water (NOT using it in the recipe, just washing hands with it). Maybe if I try a recipe with lighter oils?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Maybe if I try a recipe with lighter oils?

Hunh? ??? Maybe I wasn't clear. Try making it with Water : Lye Ratio 3:1

Maybe take some time to learn the basics of making LS?

LIQUID SOAP TUTORIALS

 

[sudszensoaps]

Hunh? ??? Maybe I wasn't clear. Try making it with Water : Lye Ratio 3:1

Maybe take some time to learn the basics of making LS?
LIQUID SOAP TUTORIALS

Thank you! My first batch (different method) turned out just fine. I will adjust the water:lye ratio.

 

[DeeAnna]

Like Zany, I don't understand what you mean about "lighter oils." Coconut, rice bran, olive, and castor -- that's about as nice a blend of fats as you'll find for liquid soap recipes.

If you have very soft water, soap sometimes can create a slick feeling on the skin as if the soap doesn't rinse off well. I wouldn't call that oily, exactly, but maybe that's how it feels to you.

 

[Susie]

I lived with soft water most of my life, and I wouldn't call it oily feeling, either. But definitely not sticky like hard water makes me feel.