Teach Soap

how can I make my soap with more lather?, my friends prefer soap with lots of later. Thank you

It's difficult to say what will increase the lather of your soap without knowing your current recipe. Castor oil (up to 5%) is good for helping to stabilize the lather. Coconut oil will increase the bubbles but too high an amount may be to harsh. Even 15% CO oil is too drying to many people. You can try adding sugar to increase bubbles. Also ensure your soap is well-cured, especially if it's a high oleic soap. This is why castile soap with a one month cure will have literally no lather, but the same soap after a year is completely different. Even with a balanced recipe, I still generally cure my soap for a few months to allow the lathering properties to improve.

Keep in mind that there are many things that can inhibit lather in your soap. Too high a superfat, the use of certain additives, and even the hardness of your water can effect lathering ability.

Consumers have been conditioned by manufacturers to think that more lather = better cleansing and that's not true. Most of the lather in store bought products comes from additives rather than the actual soap recipe.

Like Gerry said, without knowing your recipe, it's difficult to troubleshoot. Are you looking for larger bubbles or more creamy lather?

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

You can try up to 5% castor oil or add some sugar to your lye water. Handmade soaps will not lather as much as commercial soaps. They have synthetic surfactants added.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

New here but been making soap for a long time.

For me what works in my 72 ounce oil batches is...........castor 5%, 4TBL sugar, 4TBL Cetyl Alcohol, 1TBL Gum Rosin.

I use 12 ounces of coconut oil in the batches which is about 17%. Superfat at 6%

ETA: Oh, I do the double boiler hot process way of making soap. That shouldn't make any difference, just clarifying how I make soap.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I have a lot of "crunchy granola" customers. They wouldn't buy soap if it had cetyl alcohol in it.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.