There are many different kinds of oils and butters used in the making of handmade soap. In this entry, we will discuss some of the more popular. This list is by no means complete, but gives a general overview of most oils and butters. This post ended up being a longer post than I originally intended. Therefore, I am dividing the entire post into different sections. Here is the first.
Almond Oil (Sweet Almond Oil, SAO) - produces stable lather and skin conditioning & moisturizing oil that is very light and absorbs well. Wonderful for dry, inflamed, or irritated skin. Contains vitamins and minerals. Widely used for soaps, lotion bars, and cosmetics. Can be used as a large percentage or for super-fatting but don’t use it more than 5% - 10% in soap.
Castor Oil - Acts as a humectant by attracting and retaining moisture to the skin. Also contributes lots of bubbles to soap - a "bubble booster" another way to say it creates stable lather. Castor is wonderful to superfat with, but it must be saponified if you want the added bubbles it provides. Used in larger percentages in shampoo bars, but average usage is 1/2 to 1 oz per pound of base oils (5% - 8%). Castor oil is a thick, clear oil that helps increase the lather in soap. Shampoo bars often use 10%-15%. Castor oil has a fatty acid makeup that's completely unique - which makes what it contributes to your soap (the rich, creamy lather) unique. Note: Castor oil will speed up your trace. You may want to leave it out of recipes where you want extended time to swirl like a column swirl or even just a multi-layered soap.
Cocoa Butter - Cocoa butter is a by-product of making chocolate. When used in soap, it puts down a protective layer that holds moisture to the skin, acting as a softener. Also contributes to a very hard bar. Limit amounts to 15% or less of your total oils or soap could be brittle. You can use it to counteract "sticky" ingredients such as lanolin, honey, etc.
Coconut Oil (76°F) - Coconut is the only oil that will lather in *any* type of water - even seawater. When used in the correct percentage, coconut oil is moisturizing and adds lots of fluffy lather. Limit to 20% or less of total base oils, some people can be more sensitive to the potential drying effects of coconut oil. Coconut oil is one of the primary oils soap makers use in their soap. Most of the coconut oil sold and used is liquid at 76°F.
Jojoba oil - it's actually a liquid wax rather than an oil. Commonly used in shampoo bars for its conditioning properties. Jojoba has some anti-inflammatory properties and is highly resistant to rancidity (shelf life - 1-2 years), it can actually lend that property to other oils thereby extending their shelf life as well. A stable oil to have on hand for its moisturizing potential. Use it at 5-10% maximum. It can make the soap batch trace more quickly, so it's not a good oil to add if you're going to do complex coloring or swirls, or are working with a temperamental fragrance or essential oil.
Olive Oil - an excellent oil to use in soap as it is a moisturizer that forms a "breathable" layer on the skin, preventing loss of internal moisture. Produces small, silky bubbles and contributes hardness to the bar. Olive oil was used for centuries to make traditional 100% "castile" soap. May be used in any amount in a soap recipe, but soaps with high amounts of olive oil *do* take longer to bring to trace and will be softer initially after unmolding. Wait 24-48 hours to remove from the mold. Olive oil makes a very hard, almost completely white bar after a few weeks that is worth the wait. I wait at least 5 weeks sometimes longer. Suitable for babies & even the most sensitive skin types. 100% olive oil makes the famous "Castille soap” while the "Marseille soap" must contain at least 72% olive oil. Olive oil is generally the #1 oil in most soap makers' recipes. Olive oil soaps are very moisturizing, make hard, white bars of soap (though high % olive oil soaps take a longer time to cure) and are exceptionally mild. But the lather from Castille soap is low and a bit slimy. Most soap makers combine olive oil with other oils to improve the lather.
Palm Oil - made from the pulp of the fruit from the palm tree. When used in a combination with other oils, it makes a very hard bar of soap. It is very mild and cleans well, but does not offer much in the way of skin conditioning. Its lather is small and stingy if not used with other soaping oils. Palm helps pull other stubborn oils into saponification just a little quicker. Palm is the vegan alternative to using animal fats such as lard and tallow in soap. Palm separates into layers as it cools and must be melted and stirred before using in soap recipes, otherwise you may get inconsistent results. Palm oil, along with olive and coconut, is one of the top oils used by soap makers today.
Shea Butter - also known as the African karite butter. It is expressed from the pits of the fruit of the African butter tree in Central Africa. Fabulous for superfatting soaps to add moisture and nourish the skin. High in unsaponifiables, therefore leaving lots of skin conditioning emollients in your soap. Average usage is 2 - 5% of your total recipe. Too much can cause the soap to be "sticky" feeling.
Sunflower Oil - rich in vitamin E, provides skin conditioning for dry skin. Can be used as an added emollient or as a larger portion of your recipe, however it can make the soap too soft if used in too high a percentage. Slow to saponify, so use with other oils to help speed things along. Average usage is up to 15% of your total oils.
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