Teach Soap

Ok, I have had mixed feelings on lard.... I used it several times back when I was first learning how to make soap, because it was easy to get.

However, I stopped using it when I learned about all the great oils and had read that lard can clog pores.

Is it really true that it clogs pores ...and how do you all feel about adding it to your soaps? I guess the word is a turn off because there is nothing luxurious about the word "Lard" .... and am worried about it being a turn off to customers.

But the good sides of it were nice white bars, that were hard and lathery. And again, it's affordable and easy to find.
So, what's the census?

I think any oil can clog pores. I think people's skin can react differently. There are for whom an all-veg bar gets the best results for their skin, and there are people who react badly to palm oil.

I, personally, prefer lard. I wished it had some label appeal! It does not sound good. But I think that bars using lard are far better than bars that use palm. I don't use palm b/c of the environmental issues, and also b/c I feel like I am paying more for something that is inferior to lard and tallow. I do make some all veg bars, and I include a hard butter of some kind to add some hardness.

I live in Alabama, so I think that using lard has a sort of "old fashioned" appeal for a lot of people.

I'm another lard lover! It makes the best soaps.

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

Thank you for the replies.... I agree with the old fashioned appeal. ...Also when I switched to palm, I wasn't as happy. I like how hard the lard made the soap.

I use lard in most of my soaps. I love the lather and feel of the bar. I have not noticed any skin issues, unless it was for the better with use of this. Have not had any family or friends say they have had an issue. On occasion I will make a soap without animal fats but mostly that is my bastille bar. Right now, my only issue is that the walmart in this area is not stocking the large tubs that I used to get.... may have to talk to the manager.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

All oils contain fatty acids and it is the fatty acid that has an effect on the comedogenicity level of oils. Some oils are much more likely to cause comedones than others. So this is the number you need to check to know how "good" and oil is for your skin.

Comedogenic means "likely to cause comedones". Non-comedogenic means "unlikely to cause comedones".
A comedone is a plug of debris that fills a skin pore. Comedones commonly appear as blackheads (sometimes whiteheads). This debris is a combination of bacteria, oil, dead skin cells, and even skin care ingredients. These
comedones trap the body oil that normally flows out of pores, which cleanses the skin and keeps its balance. A pimple will usually develop around the trapped oil that is being blocked by the debris.

Linoleic acid is a great fatty acid for the skin that does not clog the pores, and it actually helps to reduce the inflammation that surrounds clogged pores. Safflower oil (the high-linoleic acid kind) is, obviously, high in linoleic acid, therefore, good for the skin. The other kind of safflower oil though is not as good for the skin because of its oleic acid content. Oleic acid is likely to cause clogged pores, therefore the topical use of oils that have a high percentage of oleic acid should be avoided, unless you have dry skin.

Each oil, and most ingredients found in skin care products, are assigned a comedogenic number that reflects their pore clogging likeyness. While some charts differ on the numbers, I have found that most agree with this chart
http://www.beneficialbotanicals.com/fac ... ating.html , so it is the one I refer to the most.
I have never found lard on any chart I have seen, but if one were to look at each ingredient, I am sure you could figure it out. Hydrogenated Vegetable oil is a #3 on lists, so I would imagine that lard would at least be that.

There is also a "likely to cause irritation" number assigned to oils and ingredients, so a 5/5 would be highly comedogenic and very irritating. Most oils fall in the 0 range for irritation though, and only a few are a #1 or #2 (for example, wheat germ is a #2 on irritation levels). The hydrogenated vegetable oil is a #1 on the irritation likeliness scale, so I highly doubt that lard is more than that.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Interesting list.... I found it amazing that mineral oil and petrolatum (vasilene) were both given a 0 but sodium chloride (salt) has a 5 rating. This is opposite of what I would have expected. I also wonder if processing these oils\waxes into soap would affect these numbers verses using the actual oil\wax on the skin as a leave on product?

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Thank you Lavenderlady for the explanation and sharing the chart. It's now in my favorites as a reference. I really appreciate it!