Fixed Oils - part 2
© Sinclair A. Sheers
Here are some of the most popular fixed oils used for making cold process or hot process soap. Since the list of oils is so long, I have separated it into two parts. This is the second part of the alphabetical list of oils.
I got most of my information from the following resources.
- the soapcrafters email list on http://www.yahoogroups.com
- Essentially Soap by Dr. Robert S. McDaniel
- Kelsei's Creations at http://www.kelseiscreations.com/oilandbu...
- Soapcrafters at http://www.soapcrafters.com
- From Nature with Love at http://www.from-nature-with-love.com/soap
- A Garden Eastward at http://addy.com/brinkley/index.htm
- Pine Meadows at http://wwwlpinemeadows.net
- The natural Soap Co at http://www.strange.co.uk/soap/fixed.htm
- TLC Soaps & Sundries at http://www.tlcsoaps.com
- North Country Mercantile at http://www.northcountrymercantile.com
- http://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files...
Olive Oil
Olive oil makes a very hard bar of mild, gentle, conditioning soap with little bubbles and stable lather. It is slow to trace and is good for sensitive or baby's skin.
Palm Oil
Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the palm tree. It makes a hard bar with stable lather. It hastens trace. It saponifies easily and pulls other oils into saponification more quickly. It should be limited to 20% of the total oils as it may be drying to the skin. If used alone, the resulting soap is brittle with sparse lather.
Palm Kernel Flakes or Oil
Palm kernel flakes or oil, not to be confused with palm oil, makes a hard, cleansing, white bar with fluffy lather. It substitutes well for coconut oil. It makes a smooth textured soap. It traces quickly. If it is less than 25% of your total oils, it will make a moisturizing soap; anything more will make a soap that is too drying.
Peanut Oil
It is a good idea to avoid using peanut oil when making soap because some people are very allergic to peanuts.
Pomace Olive Oil
Pomace olive oil is extracted from the residues (from previous pressings), skins and pits (pomace) of olives. It has a high percentage of unsaponifiables and, unlike regular olive oil, tends to put the oils into a quick saponification. The final bar of 100% pomace tends to be somewhat softer than those made from virgin or midgrade olive oil.
Shea Butter
Shea butter, also known as African karite butter is expressed from the pits of the fruit of the African butter tree. It is high in unsaponifiables, so it is great for superfatting. It makes a hard, conditioning bar with stable lather. It traces quickly. Use it in 2-5% of your total fats and oils.
Soybean Oil
Makes a nice, hard bar of soap especially when mixed with olive oil and coconut oil.
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