Oils and Butters
The oils and butters are integral to the saponification reaction and each brings it's own characteristics to the finished product. Here I mention the oils that I use most often in my formulations but this list is not exhaustive.
The Oils
Olive Oil
Often a principal component in a natural soap base, olive oil is very high in oleic acid and low in lauric and stearic acids. This profile provide generous skin-friendly qualities and gentle cleansing power. Contributes to a smooth lather with small bubbles.
Coconut Oil
High in cleansing and big bubble power, coconut oil is solid at room temperature and contributes nicely to the hardness of the final bar. The high cleansing power, principally from lauric and myristic acids, makes coconut oil ideal for dish soap. In higher levels, the same cleansing power can be drying for skin so it is important to find the perfect balance for face, hand and body soap.
Sunflower Oil
A lightweight and nutritious oil that contributes to a silky lather. Gentle cleansing properties.
Castor Oil
Fantastic for boosting bubbles, a little of this gloopy oil goes a long way!
Avocado Oil
Thick and gloriously green, avocado oil is particularly high in oleic acid which contributes skin conditioning and moisturizing qualities.
Sweet Almond Oil
A lightweight and nutritious oil that contributes to a silky lather. Gentle cleansing properties.
The Butters
Cocoa Butter
My all time favourite ingredient to use in soap making bar none...mainly because it smells divinely of chocolate!
The scent, however, does not always carry through to the bar but cocoa butter brings many other great qualities including bar hardness and a beautiful creaminess and stability to the lather.
Shea Butter
Rich in unsaponifiable oils (meaning they are not involved in the reaction that results in soap formation), shea butter gives moisturizing and nourishing qualities to soap while stabilizing the bubbles to contribute to a creamy, long-lasting lather. Unlikely to cause any allergies and non-pore blocking, this ingredient is an absolute winner in bringing a luxurious touch to soap.
Palm Oil (RSPO-certified)
Solid at room temperature (and therefore listed here with the butters) and with similar levels of palmitic and oleic acids, palm oil gives a stable and rich creaminess to the lather, while contributing to bar hardness and gentle, nutritious cleansing. A true all-rounder in terms of delivering desirable qualities in soap making.
However, this oil is often listed amongst the nasties that should been excluded from use. Undoubtedly, the deforestation and human rights issues relating to palm oil production are real and unacceptable but simply excluding the use of palm oil will not impact the vast commercial demand for this highly versatile oil nor deter the associated unscrupulous production businesses.
I share deep concerns about the impact that palm oil production has had on the environment over the years but, rather than avoid the oil and ignore the issue, I decided that I wanted to understand more...what led to palm oil being so widely produced, what eliminating the oil might mean and what it means for palm oil to be produced sustainably (RSPO certification).
Click here to read more...