daniedb Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I want to try my first batch tonight, so I'm looking for some input before today is over!40% 76 deg coconut20% SAO20% Olive Oil10% castor10% shea butterI know it's a lot of shea, but the sooz numbers are faboo! If cut back on the shea, all the good numbers go down - I'd love some feedback, like I mentioned, I'm going to try tonight, so I want some opinions!Plus, if I use a plastic kitty litter pan, do I need to line with freezer paper? THANKS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieannie Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I say go for it..that IS a high percentage of shea, but you may just adore the kind of bar you get from it...I've been super shea-ing stuff lately LOL, and I am finding the result to be just lovely. My guess is that you will have a super creamy/silky lather. I'd put a liner in that litter box...you will be so glad you did when it comes time to take your soap out to cut it! It's a pita to cut freezer paper so that it fits beautifully in the box, but once you've done it a few times it's less annoying, and again, you'll be thankful you did~ trust me!Have fun, and gooooooood luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniedb Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Allrighty then, I'm going for it! I do realize the shea is on the high side, but Purple Lilac sent me a shea bar that had like 50% shea in it, and it's AMAZING - rock hard and beautiful. I know I'm bucking CT wisdom by adding more than 5%, but I figure, hey, I've got 25 pounds, so I can spare a little for a test batch, right?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairieannie Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I just bet you're gonna LOVE it!! Can't wait to hear how it turns out! Happy soaping!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I have used 30% Shea. Yummy bar, a little expensive, but I'm worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunny Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Conventional CT wisdom huh? lol! The shea number didn't scare me, but the coconut did. Maybe with the higher shea it won't be as drying.. You don't have any palm to take 20% of that? Or lard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasBrat Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Sorry to hijack here but since you are talking about shea I had a question about the bar you got from purple lilac. Does shea hinder lathering in a soap bar? I bought a bar from a local soap maker and it has shea in it and it lathers slightly well on a washcloth but not in my hands. I bought another bar from the same maker and it lathered great both ways and didn't have the shea? How is your bar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniedb Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 TexasBrat, the bar gets great lather. It's not dripping with bubbles, but it's not at all a challenge to work up a froth, KWIM? It's just an all-around AMAZING bar of soap, seriously. I don't think I'll ever be able to make one as nice.Bunny, good point about the coconut. I forgot about the drying factor. The only reason I chose coconut is that since I'm not a soaper, I don't have any hard oils on hand, just butters and soft oils. Since you can buy coconut at the store, I was going that way. However, I can certainly pick up some shortening and use that instead, I suppose. I'll run some new numbers.Okay, I ran new numbers, and with 20% crisco and 20% coconut, it's UGLY. I may try with just the coconut, just to see, especially since it's my first batch, and then see how it works, if it's drying. Will it be obvious if it's drying to the skin? Like, immediately my skin will feel dry? I know it's a dumb question, just never had it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Give it a try with the high coconut, it might be OK w/ the other oils.I'm sensitive to both coconut and shea, probably the high stearic acid content, maybe the unsaponifiables in the shea, dunno. If it does bother you, you'll feel a kind of "tightness" to your skin, and a little bit of an itch. Kind of a mild creepy-crawly kind of feeling. At least that's how I describe the feeling.But sometimes high coconut doesn't do that. For example, the salt bars that people make, they have extremely high coconut because they need it to overcome the salt killing the lather - coconut soap is one that will lather well in salt water. Salt bars don't give me the same feeling that regular soap with high coconut do.Also, some people say that some calculators out there have a too high SAP value for coconut, and that's the real reason for the "drying" sensation. Keep your lye discount around 5%, or maybe 6%, if you find your first batch too "drying" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwahlton Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 I regularly use that much shea or cocoa butter with no problems. Love it. You may want to add sugar to your batch too. I use 1tbs PPO. What I do is take out some of the water that will be used with the lye and dissolve the sugar in it. Just 1/4-1/2 cup or so. Then when I dump in the lye water I add the sugar water. Helps with lather/bubbles, so will the castor you have in there too. With that much coconut you should have a hard bar. I would try it with the high coconut and see what you get. I really do like shortening/lard in my bars though. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniedb Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 You guys are so incredibly helpful, I would NEVER have been thinking of trying this if I didn't have your expertise. Awesome information. I went to the store and went ahead and picked up a tub of shortening, too - so I think my first batch will be just the coconut, then I'll do a second batch of 20 coconut/20 shortening.I'm so excited! I have to wait until the H-bomb is asleep tonight to try it, but I'm so weird, I even had a dream about it last night, I'm so pumped up about trying something new.Off to rerererererereread Robin's tutorial, and Purple Lilac's directions she emailed me...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryinCary Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 You might have this website,,,just in case I'll send it to you. It was very helpfull to me when I was trying to figure out what was what in the oil and butters category (meaning the oil properties page) HTH:) http://www.southernbellesoaps.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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