So I have some perhaps controversial questions about ingredient ratios in soap
...
I notice a lot of soapers keep their recipes fairly basic, say 3-5 oils/butters total. Personally, I think that's a smart move for a lot of reasons. But what I want to know is this:
1) How MUCH of the exotic/healing/expensive(!) stuff do you REALLY need in a soap that's superfatted 5-7% to make an appreciable difference in the user experience?
2) If you had to pick, what's more important in making a moisturizing bar of soap: ingredient selection/ratios or superfat % ? My understanding is that even CO will moisturize like crazy if you superfat enough...
3) While shea is perhaps special because it has a high level of unsaponifiables, would say saponified cocoa butter clean
*differently* than saponified CO? What I'm getting at I guess is this: once an oil/butter is saponified, do they still retain different/special properties? Or is "soap" just "soap"? LOL. I'd think NO because each saponified oil might clean in a slightly different manner (strength of cleaning properties for e.g.), but putting it out there anyway because I'm just curious.
4) I made a no-palm soap with 10% shea at 5% superfat. It's cured about 5 weeks. My opinion of it: blah. No appreciable difference using that much shea at all. Thoughts?
5) A lot of folks don't use palm due to sustainability concerns. Or some find it difficult to source. I totally understand this. But if you do choose to use it, doesn't it make a really nice bar? The bars I've used it in at high % (say 25+%) just seem more mild/easier on the skin. No yucky dry feeling on the hands after. Yet it seems that PO is actually not a fave in soaping ... curious why. Color? Texture (it is a little slippery)? Or is it just useless? LOL.
Those are my soap curiosities of late!
Karri