Teach Soap

I just couldn't help myself..I told myself I would wait the full six weeks cure time, but I used a bar last night (5 weeks cure time) because after two batches of the same recipe with different FO's, I've been holding off making more soap until I could see if my recipe was any good or not, but I'm dying to try new FO's and add some scrubby stuff!
This was my recipe with a 10% superfat:

coconut oil 30%
castor oil 5%
olive oil 39%
palm oil 26%

I used BB's Vanilla Vanilla Cybilla FO at 1 oz. for a 2-lb batch.

My soap, pre-shower, was very hard with a slight greasy feel. In the shower, it became very glossy and slick (I dropped it twice). Decent lather, but not as bubbly as I had hoped for. Rinsed off nicely with a clean feel, but my skin didn't feel as moisturized after toweling off as it had after using soap from the two soapmaker's who inspired my journey into soaping. Their soap wasn't as glossy and slick as mine either...what am I doing wrong?
I'm thinking I'll reduce the coconut oil by 7%, and up the castor oil by 2%, and add cocoa butter at 5%.
What do you guys think?

Id go with 5% superfat and drop the olive oil to 30% and up the palm to 30%. I think that would balance the recipe a bit. IMHO

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I would lower the superfat amount as well. That should also help with the lather a bit.

I'm going through something similar and saw this thread. I'm hoping someone can help me improve my recipe too. Here is what I used:

lard 35%
olive oil 30%
coconut oil 20%
avocado oil 5%
castor 10%
(5% superfat)

I think it lathers great, but I'm not very satisfied with how it makes my skin feel. It looks dry....I think my melt and pour soaps feel much better on my skin. I'm thinking I need to increase the superfat...but also, do I need to start using luxury butters (like shea) to make a better bar????

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

thanks soapbuddy! I wish I would've tried different superfat percentages on my first batches, but I didn't. I won't be going with 5% anymore!

I was just thinking about milk soaps...would you recommend the same (7%) for milk soaps?

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

thank you!!

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"A baby goat can stand up within minutes of being born, and know what its looking for and pretty much where the udder is. Yet people think it happened by accident, and there is no Creator. Guess again!"

Katie M Molalla Oregon