Wanting to try this recipe!

[ikindred]

I went onto Soap Calculator and created the following recipe and wanted some input from the experienced soapers.

20% Coconut Oil
50% Lard
15% Shea Butter
15% Castor Oil

44 Hardness
14 Cleansing (what is the ideal number for this)
51 Cleansing
27 Bubbly
43 Creamy
52 Iodine (What is this?)
153 INS (What is this?)

I am thinking of using Orange Essential oil and Ginger Fragrance. Any suggestions or help on this on?

Thanks

 

[honor435]

you have two cleansing numbers, i think the 51 is supposed to be condition? I know if your cleansing number is too high it is drying, you want it between 12-22, the numbers look good, no olive oil? I dont like lard, so you'll have to ask someone else!?

 

[ikindred]

I have never tried tried lard and normally use Olive Oil but thought I would try something different and see what happens (every now and then I try to venture out of my comfort zone)

You are correct, the 51 should have been conditioning. Thanks for your input, it is much appreciated.

 

[needtosoap]

You might want to reduce your castor to about 5% and add some safflower or sunflower or even maybe some olive oil for the difference. If you have too much castor you can run the risk of DOS or making your bar too soft.

Other than that it looks like a nice recipe!

As far as the ideal numbers for your bar if you click the print/view recipe button you will see the range chart at the bottom of the recipe info.

 

[Guest]

Ditto what needtosoap said , lard makes a great soap .I love them .

Kitn

 

[ikindred]

Great, I will incorporate some Sunflower (10%) into the recipe and see what happens......thanks for the input. Can't wait to try the Orange and Ginger scents.

 

[IrishLass]

Actually, I think you might be perfectly fine on the castor oil % for the formula that you posted. I go as high as 23% in one of my tallow formulas, and I use 12% in my lard/tallow formula. My bars made with this level of castor are good and hard and have never DOSed even 2 years down the road. It all depends on the formula and how large of a percentage of hard fats that you have in it that will determine how much castor might be too much. Your formula actually looks good to me based on my own experiences with castor.

You might want to reduce your castor to about 5% and add some safflower or sunflower or even maybe some olive oil for the difference. If you have too much castor you can run the risk of DOS or making your bar too soft.

Are you sure you don't mean canola instead of castor? It's just that I've never heard of castor contributing to DOS. It's a pretty hardy oil with a long shelf life compared to canola.


IrishLass

 

[Dixie]

I agree with Irish Lass, I think you castor is fine. I've read as long as you keep your Iodine lever under 70 you won't have DOS

 

[needtosoap]

I've heard more than one person claim that a high castor amount contributed to their DOS so I thought I'd pass that along. My problem with high castor (over 10%) is bars that are too soft. I think a lot of our individual experience is based on our own climate and what works for one person will not work for another due to high/low humitity, heat/cold, etc. so considering she is new to soaping I thought conservative is a good thing right now.

I've been following ikindreds posts and she's had quite a frustrating time with some of her first batches. I was just trying to help her find a "bulletproof" recipe that will give her a really nice bar of soap and be easy to soap. Then later after she has that basic recipe down she could do like we all did and tweak, tweak, tweak.

 

[Dixie]

I have a few recipes that I use 15% castor...not that you need that much, but I like lots and lots of bubbles. I've never had a problem with DOS & Castor at 15%.

I don't know if humidity has anything to do with it or not since I live in a dry climate.

Either way, goodluck with your next batch ikindred

 

[harleykatz]

wanting to try this recipe

whoooo...orange n ginger..sounds great....i think i would do a little less castor too...might take a little time to harden up after u remore it from the mold.....i think too think a little sunflower would be great...let us know how the orange n ginger smells

 

[ikindred]

I really appreciate all of the input. Judy is right, I have had a hard couple of weeks with trying new recipes. I am trying to get one good recipe that I can depend on and then perhaps move forward from there.

It is very disappointing when you spent to much time, effort and for me excitement into a soap recipe for it not to turn out right or to get a VOLCANO! That was not pretty at all

Again, thanks for the help and I will post pictures once I unmold it tomorrow night....now I have to get going and create my soap (crossing my fingers, toes and eyes)!