What OO do you use for your soap?

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girlwhoseeks

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I’ve been using EVOO and it works well but leaves a strong tint to the batter. I haven’t tried mixing titanium dioxide or any other ingredient yet but what OO would you guys suggest which is best for making soap without adding so much tint?
 
I prefer the happy belly extra light olive oil from amazon. I prefer it because the color is so light and my colorants won't darken. Amazon limited the amount you could order at one time so I ordered Bertolli extra light olive oil, but its not as light as the happy belly brand.

I have some EVOO, but like you said, I find the tint a little harder to work with, but I do like to use it if I'm making a darker color soap. And now, 100% olive oil is on my soaping list of things to do, so I'd probably use the EVOO for that.
 
I use either refined or pomace. I don’t like EVOO for the cost and color. I also suspect bars made with EVOO don’t last as long.
 
Pomace is the oo from the last pressing of the olives, its often extracted with chemicals.

Its a bit cheaper and can usually be found in gallon jugs at grocery stores.
 
I looked at Amazon's prices and frankly the supermarket/grocery store is cheaper and you don't pay for shipping. I would never use Pomace - as stated above it is from the dregs of the olive, chemically extracted (hexane) and some of the chemical remains in the oil, which is why it traces faster.
 
I looked at Amazon's prices and frankly the supermarket/grocery store is cheaper and you don't pay for shipping. I would never use Pomace - as stated above it is from the dregs of the olive, chemically extracted (hexane) and some of the chemical remains in the oil, which is why it traces faster.

The price for extra light olive oil, even just regular olive oil is about comparable in my area as this brand.

Pricing of olive oil may vary of course so its totally possible that this brand is not at all cost effective in all areas. Its color is one of the lightest I've seen.

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Belly-...610650120&sbo=m6DjfpMzMLDmL8pSMKX8hw==&sr=8-3
 
The price for extra light olive oil, even just regular olive oil is about comparable in my area as this brand.

Pricing of olive oil may vary of course so its totally possible that this brand is not at all cost effective in all areas. Its color is one of the lightest I've seen.

https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Belly-...610650120&sbo=m6DjfpMzMLDmL8pSMKX8hw==&sr=8-3
I get 51 ounces (about a liter) for $9 at Walmart. No shipping involved. And the link above states the price is $10.20. Still cheaper at Walmart. And if I can get to Sam's Club (I don't go at present because of the pandemic) it's even cheaper because I can get it in large quantities.
 
I get 51 ounces (about a liter) for $9 at Walmart. No shipping involved. And the link above states the price is $10.20. Still cheaper at Walmart. And if I can get to Sam's Club (I don't go at present because of the pandemic) it's even cheaper because I can get it in large quantities.

I've never seen that quantity for that light an OO at Walmart.

For me, id pay the extra $1.20 for the lighter color. I dont make a ton of soap so its not a huge deal for me.

I also have prime so I don't pay the shipping. But if I had to pay shipping it may change my calculus.
 
I've never seen that quantity for that light an OO at Walmart.

For me, id pay the extra $1.20 for the lighter color. I dont make a ton of soap so its not a huge deal for me.

I also have prime so I don't pay the shipping. But if I had to pay shipping it may change my calculus.
I get a very white soap with the Walmart Brand - Great Value, Classic Olive Oil (it's very pale yellow) - I just bought it last week at $8.99 for 51 ounces, so I know it's possible. And someone is paying for shipping (even with Prime, which I have also) - Picture of a couple of soaps I made with Olive Oil. Not a great photo - I was just using up some batter that was pretty thick.
0661790A-98C3-4D9E-BF24-74B5365CF5D6_1_105_c.jpeg
 
I get a very white soap with the Walmart Brand - Great Value, Classic Olive Oil (it's very pale yellow) - I just bought it last week at $8.99 for 51 ounces, so I know it's possible. And someone is paying for shipping (even with Prime, which I have also) - Picture of a couple of soaps I made with Olive Oil. Not a great photo - I was just using up some batter that was pretty thick.View attachment 53216

Someone is paying for transportation (in shipping) to any location you purchase from. Be it brick and mortar or sent online.

Your soap looks great and im glad you've found a product that works for you and that I found one that works well for me!
 
Loved the sounds of OO Pomace properties especially re better shelf life and hardness relative to EVOO.

Bought some to make first ever castle a few days ago and did a small batch based on the following.
  • 1% SF in soapcalc
  • 99% OO Pomace grade
  • 1% EVOO after emulsion. Figured it would be a way to still get the EVOO goodness! Happy for any thoughts.
  • Water conc to lye was 1.7:1 with 3.5% sea salt brine (variation inspired by Zany's 'no-slime' recipe)
At 10 hours post pour, it was too soft to cut ... but not too far off.
However, I wasn't able to return to the soap until 72 hours post pour. It was too hard to be cut. When I tried, I had to give up because it was too brittle and breaking away in hard chips. So I have a block of soap.

Eager to use it, perhaps within 2 weeks?!

Please excuse my very slight digression; soap is sweating slightly given salt in my ultra high humidity rainforest climate. I wonder whether the sweating will be any less with the baking soda as part of Zany's brine recipe. Unsure whether the oil type makes the sweating better or worse or the overall effect on hardness.

Unfortunately, having never used any other (commercial) Castile soap, I do not have a benchmark with which to compare. Happy for comments.
 
Loved the sounds of OO Pomace properties especially re better shelf life and hardness relative to EVOO.

Bought some to make first ever castle a few days ago and did a small batch based on the following.
  • 1% SF in soapcalc
  • 99% OO Pomace grade
  • 1% EVOO after emulsion. Figured it would be a way to still get the EVOO goodness! Happy for any thoughts.
  • Water conc to lye was 1.7:1 with 3.5% sea salt brine (variation inspired by Zany's 'no-slime' recipe)
At 10 hours post pour, it was too soft to cut ... but not too far off.
However, I wasn't able to return to the soap until 72 hours post pour. It was too hard to be cut. When I tried, I had to give up because it was too brittle and breaking away in hard chips. So I have a block of soap.

Eager to use it, perhaps within 2 weeks?!

Please excuse my very slight digression; soap is sweating slightly given salt in my ultra high humidity rainforest climate. I wonder whether the sweating will be any less with the baking soda as part of Zany's brine recipe. Unsure whether the oil type makes the sweating better or worse or the overall effect on hardness.

Unfortunately, having never used any other (commercial) Castile soap, I do not have a benchmark with which to compare. Happy for comments.
I live in a very humid climate also and when my air conditioner was broken last year, my soaps started to sweat a lot. If you have a dehumidifier, that may help. When you are adding your EVOO after emulsion - that doesn't help your chances any for superfatting. The lye is still quite active at that time - and it will take what is easiest for the superfat. The only time you can choose your superfat is when you make hot process soap. A lot of us add our superfat after the cook when the lye has been neutralized. The other problem; Olive Oil soap can become very hard very quickly - if you can't get to cutting it within a reasonable amount of time, I would suggest using individual molds.
 
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