Teach Soap

My usual recipe is a mix of olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, castor oil, and shea butter. My friend's brother in law wants some homemade soap but is allergic to coconut. What would be a good substitute that would go well into my recipe. I have heard that Palm Kernal is a good recplacement and even though they are different that seems like to much oil originating from a palm tree. I also know of babusou but that is just to rich for me. Any other suggestions?

Can you use lard or tallow?

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

I don't think he would care. I have never made soap with lard or tallow before though. I was hoping this winter to make some soap with some deer tallow but I have to wait for my dad to go hunting. I wouldn't mind using lard but I wouldn't know what to buy. Would I just use something like Crisco. I don't experiment with recipes much. I found a recipe that that worked for me and have never really ventured from it. How would I calculate that for the amount of lye?

Crisco is either palm oil based or soybean based. When you go to calculate your recipe in soap calc, use either palm (for the palm oil based) or soybean (for the soybean based) and recalculate your recipe that way. When you calculate your recipe in soap calc, it will give you the amount of water and lye needed.

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

Thanks! One other question I have is if and when I do have tallow to use does soapcalc have an option for that? If so is there a difference in the sap value for different kinds of tallow? Thanks!

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

I have read that deer tallow makes for an excellent bar of soap and even though I like to be more vegan I don't see the point in letting something go to waste if it canbe made into something useful and from what I have read about deer tallow soap wonderful.

If you use Crisco, soapcalc.net has options for both the old and new versions. They also have several different tallows listed and deer is one of them.

Lard is totally different from Cirsco, but you can usually find it in the same section as the Crisco (most likely on the bottom shelf). The two brands I've seen most often are Armour and Lays.

If you shop at Walmart, you can get their Great Value Shortening made with beef tallow and palm oil. I've used this a number of times and it makes a really nice soap. Soapcalc also has this on their list (under Walmart). Hope this info helps!

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

I made a soap with the lard just for the same reason. I found out I am allergic to Coconut oils

The lard made a very nice hard bar of soap. In fact I am planning on making lots more of it.

I did scent it a little heavier than normal, because I think the lard smells!
Does the lard carry it's own smell after its cured, without the little extra scents?

_________________
Theresa

Yes, it still smells of pig even when it is soap. I tried it but stopped for that reason. The soap was nice, I just couldn't stand the odour.

Isn't PKO a good sub for coconut as far as properties go?

_________________
www.facebook.com/Semplice-Naturals

Where do you get your lard? I've never had any smell worse than regular Crisco shortening and I use a lot of lard!

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

I buy my lard at Walmart. It's called Armour.

But Maybe I have a super smeller
Mine smells like OLD bacon drippings. Which is why I used extra scents. But its soaps I make JUST for me.

But It does smell lovely when I make it. And my sister likes too.

_________________
Theresa

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

I don't know...My hubby says says is smells too.
But he said its not strong. So maybe I have a picky nose

Maybe next time, I will try it with out doing extra scents.
But with HIS soap Because I sure smell it. lol
Oh well. I just have too much a picky nose and I know it. But thanks for your input. Because I really thought it was just me.

_________________
Theresa