Soap Bar Qualities

What are the best values for Hardness, Cleansing, Condition, Bubbly and Creamy? The number ranges are meant to be a relative indicator of the soaps qualities and are general guidelines, not absolute standards. The numbers are based on the combined fatty acid content of your recipe (the All column) . Each fatty acid contributes certain qualities to the soap as shown in chart below.
Lauric Myristic Palmitic Stearic Ricinoleic Oleic Linoleic Linolenic Hardness Yes Yes Yes Yes Cleansing Yes Yes Bubbly Lather Yes Yes Creamy Lather Conditioning

Yes

Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

The ranges of numbers below represent typical values. They are suggested guidelines. As you gain experience, you will lean where you can color outside the lines so to speak. Hardness - This refers to the hardness of the soap bar. Higher is harder. A range of 29 to 54 is satisfactory for this soap quality. A low Iodine value also contributes to hardness (see below). Cleansing - This refers to the soaps ability to grab on to oils. A soap molecule is a chain of carbon atoms. One end of the chain attracts water, the other end attracts oil. When you wash your skin with soap and water, multiple chains will gather around a droplet of oil (which contains, for lack of a better word, dirt) with their oilhungry ends attached to the oil droplet. The water hungry ends are surrounded with water. To make this happen you need to mix up (scrub or rub) the soap and water on your skin. When you rinse, the oil droplets with the attached soap molecules are washed away. Some soap molecules can have a very hungry oil grabbing end. Soap made with too much Lauric and/or Myristic Acid can irritate the skin by washing away not only the top dirty layer of oils, but also the protective layer of surface oils on the skin. Generally speaking, keeping the total of coconut and palm kernel in your recipe to no more than 30-35% is considered the norm. However, when using large or very large percentages of coconut and palm kernel the strong cleansing can be compensated for by superfating with an oil or butter that has a high conditioning value. A typical range for Cleansing would be 12 to 22. Condition - Conditioning refers to the soaps emollient content. A soaps emollients

are left on the skin. They help the skin retain moisture. They sooth the skin and keep it soft. A range of 44 to 69 is satisfactory for this soap quality. Bubbly lather - This refers to the soaps ability to lather up and get bubbly. A typical range of values would be 14 to 46. The higher Bubbly numbers will tend to produce a foamy, fluffy lather rather than a creamy lather with littler or no bubbles. Creamy lather - This value indicates the stability and creaminess of the lather. Usually, increasing Bubbly will decrease Creamy and vice versa. A range of 16 to 48 is common here. The higher Creamy numbers will tend to produce a creamy lather with lesser amounts of bubbles or foam. Soap made with oils that do not contain Lauric, Myristic or Ricinoleic acids will produce a soap with just creamy lather. An example would be 100% olive oil soap. Iodine - As a general rule, the lower the number, the harder the bar and the less the conditioning qualities and vice versa. A recipe with iodine values higher than 70 will tend to produce a somewhat soft bar of soap. Definition: number of grams of iodine that will react with the double bonds in 100 grams of fats or oils. INS - A measure of the physical qualities of the soap based on the SAP and iodine value. This value was introduced by Dr. Robert S. McDaniel in his wonderful book Essentially Soap. The exact origin of the value is unclear but INS is derived from Iodine value and the SAP value; hence INS - Iodine n SAP If the value is not in Essentially Soap, it is estimated by subtracting the Iodine Value from the KOH SAP. It is used to predict the physical characteristics of the soap bar - the ideal being 160. Experience has proven a range of about 136 - 170 will gennerally be acceptable. Summary of values: Hardness Cleansing Condition Bubbly lather Creamy lather Iodine INS 29 to 54 12 to 22 44 to 69 14 to 46 16 to 48 41 to 70 (lower = harder bar) 136 to 170 (higher = harder bar)
Contributes to: stable lather, conditioning, moisturizing. A smooth and lightweight oil, high in Vitamin A and minerals, Apricot kernel oil is often used for superfatting. Also popular as a massage oil, Known for its ability to penetrate the skin without leaving an oily feel, apricot kernel oil has a superb texture that is great for all skin types.

Apricot Kernel Oil

Oleic 58-74% Linoleic 2034% Palmitic 4-7%

Avocado Oil

Oleic 36-80% Palmitic 7-32 % Linoleic 6-18% Stearic 1.5%

Often used for superfatting soaps, avocado oil contains vitamins A, D, and E, which makes it healing as well as moisturizing. Also used in massage oils, creams, lotions and hair products. Contributes to: fluffy lather, stable lather, conditioning, moisturizing, quicker trace, softer soap. Often used to superfat soaps. Castor oil is unique in being almost entirely composed of ricinoleic fatty acid, found in no other oils and possessing a high affinity for water molecules. This makes it an excellent humectant, attracting and holding moisture to the skin. Castor oil should be used at low percentages to avoid overly soft soaps. Also often used in balms, shampoos, hair oils, and other thick emulsions for the skin and hair. Contributes to: soap hardness, fluffy lather, quicker trace. Coconut oil makes soaps lather beautifully but can be drying when it makes up an overly large portion of your soaps fats. It will make a very hard, white bar of soap that lathers well even in very hard water - even in sea water. Coconut oil is light and not greasy and is resistant to spoiling. Used in skin care formulations, coconut oil is emollient, moisturizing, conditioning and protecting to the skin. This oil is solid at room temperatures under 76 degrees and liquid at higher temperatures. A more hydrogenated/saturated version of coconut oil. Makes a harder bar at cost of some lathering. This oil is solid at room temperatures under 92 degrees and liquid at higher temperatures. Contributes to: soap hardness, stable lather, conditioning, moisturizing, quicker trace. When used as a superfatting oil it acts to lay down a protective layer which holds moisture to the skin. It has a natural chocolate scent but it is also available in an unscented version. Cocoa butter contains natural antioxidants that help to prevent rancidity. It is an excellent moisturizer that melts at body temperature, leaving the skin feeling soft and silky smooth. Contributes to: stable lather, conditioning, silky feel, softer soap, slower trace. Hemp seed oil is not as stable as some other oils and can spoil quickly. It creates a silky bar of soap even if it is only used to superfat your batch. Since it is prone to spoilage, keep it as a small

Castor Oil

Ricinoleic 90% Linoleic 34% Oleic 3-4%

Coconut Oil, 76 deg.

Lauric 39-54% Myristic 1523% Palmitic 611% Capric 6% Oleic 411% Stearic 14% Linoleic 1-2%

Coconut Oil, 92 deg.

Cocoa Butter

Stearic 31-38% Oleic 3236% Palmitic 2530% Linoleic 3%

Hemp Seed Oil

Linoleic 57% Linolenic 21% Oleic 12% Palmitic 6% Stearic 2%

percentage of your mix to avoid having a soft soap that may spoil in a few months. Store unused oil in the freezer or refrigerator. Fresh hemp seed oil has a green color which becomes lighter with age. Hemp seed oil will warn you with a painty smell long before it is actually rancid. It is rich with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids and is excellent for all skin and hair needs. The hemp seed oil used in cosmetics and skin care products does not contain the psychoactive THC component and is therefore not subject to any legal restriction. Contributes to: stable lather , conditioning, moisturizing, quicker trace. Pronounced ho-hoba. Actually mostly a liquid wax, jojoba does not lather much of itself, but rather acts to make existing lather from other oils more stable and long lasting. Jojoba is good at conditioning skin. Because of its expense, its usually used to superfat soap batches or in shampoo bars. It is said to be an excellent emollient for skin conditions like psoriasis or acne and has a chemical composition very close to the skins own sebum. Jojoba oil is easily absorbed by the skin and promotes silky smooth skin. Jojoba Oil is stable and long lasting. Mango butter is yellowish and has almost no scent. It is a great moisturizer and should be used to superfat soap. Contributes to: soap hardness, stable lather, slippery feel, conditioning, moisturizing, Olive Oil attracts external moisture to your skin, helping to keep skin soft and supple. Traditionally Castile soap was made using only olive oil, but the term has loosened now to include soaps that have olive oil as a major proportion of the oils in them. Contributes to: soap hardness, stable lather, conditioning, silky feel, quicker trace. Palm oil makes a hard bar that cleans well and is also mild. It is a good substitute for animal tallow in all-vegetable soaps. Palm oil is processed from the flesh of the fruit of tropical oil palm plants. This oil is solid at cool temperatures, becomes slushy at warm temperatures and a golden, clear liquid at higher temperatures. Contributes to: soap hardness, fluffy lather, quicker

Jojoba

Oleic 10-13% (in a liquid wax)

Mango Butter

Oleic 34-56% Stearic 2657% Palmitic 318% Linoleic 1-13%

Olive Oil

Oleic 63-81% Palmitic 714% Linoleic 515% Stearic 3-5%

Palm Oil

Palmitic 43-45% Oleic 3840% Linoleic 911% Stearic 45% Myristic 1%

Palm Kernel Oil

Lauric 47-48% Oleic 15-

18% Myristic 1416% Palmitic 8-9% Capric 4% Stearic 3% Linoleic 2%

trace. Palm Kernel oil makes a soap that is very hard and lathers well. Palm kernel oil is processed from the core nut of the fruit of the same tropical oil palm plants that palm oil is derived from, but its composition and properties are not similar to palm oil. It is instead very similar to coconut oil and can be substituted for some of the coconut oil in soap formulas to make a harder bar. This oil is solid at room temperatures. Contributes to: soap hardness, stable lather, conditioning, silky, slippery feel, quicker trace. Shea butter is a popular superfatting agent and contains a large percentage of ingredients that do not react with the lye, thus remaining in the soap to nourish your skin. Shea butter is said to be beneficial for treating dry skin, blemishes, skin discoloration, scars and wrinkles.

Shea Butter (karite butter)

Oleic 40-55% Stearic 35-45% Linoleic 38% Palmitic 3-7%