Single Oil Soap Experiment: Phase One

Dearest Blog Followers,
Remember a few posts back, when I mentioned I was "up to something" again? (http://alchemyandashes.blogspot.com/2013/01/im-up-to-somethingagain.html)
Well, I have accomplished that particular something, and am now ready to share those results with you! I will call these results "Phase One" because this will be an ongoing experiment to test the properties and qualities of the 15 soapmaking oils used in this experiment.

Let me catch you up on what I've done here:
I've taken 15 common soapmaking oils and created soap with 170 grams of each oil and a 41% Lye concentration -
1. Tallow
2. Rice Bran
3. Olive
4. Lard
5. Safflower
6. Soybean
7. Avocado
8. Palm
9. Corn
10. Sunflower
11. Grapeseed
12. Canola
13. Coconut
14. Peanut
15. Castor

 

After unmolding, I cut each bar in half (by hand, so they're not exact, but that is an insignificant detail as each were weighed separately) and labeled them with an assigned number, for blind study purposes, and an "A" or "B". Soaps labeled "A" will be cured in a dry bedroom closet. Soaps labeled "B" will be stored in a bathroom cabinet. Hopefully, by curing in separate areas we will be able to determine if curing conditions contribute to rancidity and longevity of soap.

Once each soap was unmolded, cut, and each part weighed (in grams), I washed my hands with part "B" soaps and pH tested part "A" soaps. After letting the part "B" soaps dry completely, they were boxed together in a cardboard box with the lid open and set inside a lower bathroom cabinet. Part "A" soaps were boxed together in the same kind of box with the lid shut, and set on the top shelf of a bedroom closet.

Before going into detail on the individual oils, let me share a few of the "constants" in this experiment:

MAKING THE SOAPS:
1. The lye solutions were made using distilled water. A lye discount/superfat of 5% was used.
2. The ambient temperature in my kitchen during this experiment ranged form 73 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Each soap was made with 170 grams of oil.
4. To bring the soaps to trace, I handmixed with a wooden chopstick for 1 minute, used a stick blender until a light trace was achieved, then handmixed with a wooden chopstick to ensure that trace was reached and that no separation was occuring.
5. All soaps were covered with a layer of plastic film, then covered with 2 towels, and insulated for 15 hours. Gel phase was not obvious. Insulation was removed after 15 hours and most soaps were unmolded at the 24 hour mark. Others were left to harden up enough to safely remove without much damage.

TESTING THE SOAPS:
1. To test for pH, I used 60 grams of distilled water and 2 grams of grated soap
2. I used paper pH test strips rated to test 0 - 14 (garden soil testing quality)

3. For lather testing,  I wet the bar under my kitchen faucet for 5 seconds, rolled the bars between my hands for 10 seconds, and then took a picture of the results. I dried my hands thoroughly between tests to try to keep to more consistent results.My tap water is softened through a reverse osmosis Kinetico system, so hard water results may vary.
And yes, I absolutely did zap test each soap for tongue neutrality. And I still have a tongue! That works!

And now...for the moment we've all been waiting for...

SINGLE OIL SOAP EXPERIMENT: PHASE ONE RESULTS
I've tried to add bits of info about each oil along with my results...please forgive me for being unable to research all the oils equally...I do have a business and a family to attend to, and I found myself getting carried away with the research for this undertaking as it was. I would prefer to be distracted by anything soapy as opposed to laundry. And cooking. And dishes. And mopping. And laundry. And dishes. And cooking...you get the point.


1. TALLOW is the rendered fat derived from cow, sheep, or deer. It is one of the oldest triglycerides used to make soap, due to it’s wide availability and that it can be rendered at home. It has a long shelf life and does not require refrigeration, however oxidation will occur if not sealed in an airtight container. It is a high source of Vitamin D.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 26%

Stearic: 14%

Myristic: 3%

Oleic: 47%

Palmitoleic: 3%

Linoleic: 3%

Linolenic: 1%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Tallow (Sodium Tallowate):

SAP Value: 0.143

Hardness: 58

Cleansing: 8

Conditioning: 40

Bubbly Lather: 8

Creamy Lather: 50

Iodine: 45

INS: 147

Palmitic: 28%

Stearic: 22%

Myristic: 6%

Oleic: 36%

Linoleic: 3%

Linolenic: 1%

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?: Tallow produces a hard white bar with a rich and stable creamy lather. It is considered mildly cleansing, moisturizing and conditioning.  When saponified, it produces a high percentage of Oleic acid, the main component of Olive Oil and in human sebum. Saponified Tallow is also composed of a high Palmitic and Stearic acid content. It’s used in many shaving soap formulas.

NONSOAPY FACTS: Its use is mostly limited to soap and animal feed, but it’s also a staple in Native American cooking, especially in Pemmican. It was often used for candle making before a larger variety of waxes became more widely available. Deer tallow is used as the base ingredient in medicinal salves made in Germany used by athletes to prevent blisters. It has been used as a lubricant in industrial applications and weaponry, as flux in soldering, and as the main ingredient of many leather conditioners. It currently has found a use as biodegradable motor oil. 

MY RESULTS: Tallow has a strong odor before being soaped, but only a faint odor after. It was able to be unmolded and was tongue neutral in 24 hours. It traced in 1 minute 30 seconds with the oil temperature being 90* and the lye temperature being 100*. It produced a very hard, white bar that crumbled with the use of a stamp, and so I decided to nix the stamp and carve the letters/numbers into the soaps with a clay tool. The lather left a lot to be desired - very few small bubbles that left my hands feeling dry. It tested with the highest pH of 12.

2. RICE BRAN  is the oil extracted from the germ and inner husk of rice. It is similar in composition to peanut oil, with a high smoke point. It is used in many Asian countries for culinary purposes. A wax is made from the oil and is used as a substitute for carnauba wax in cosmetics and other applications. It contains the highest amount of the antioxidant γ-oryzanol, which has been the topic of some medical research regarding menopause and cholesterol.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 22%

Stearic: 3%

Myristic:1 %

Oleic: 43%

Linoleic: 26%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Rice Bran Oil:

SAP Value: 0.128

Hardness: 26

Cleansing: 1

Conditioning: 69

Bubbly Lather: 1

Creamy Lather: 25

Iodine: 110

INS: 70

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Rice Bran will produce a semi-hard mild soap that is very conditioning with a creamy lather.

MY RESULTS: Rice Bran oil was soaped at 75* and the lye at 115*. It took 2 minutes to trace, and a total of 39 hours to be unmolded and tongue neutral. It is a darker off white, close to yellow color.  It produced more of a lotion-like lather with no bubbles, was hard to rinse off, though my hands felt smooth and soft afterwards. It pH tested at 10

3. OLIVE OIL is derived from the fruit of the Olea Europaea tree by pressing the entire Olive by mechanical or chemical means. The fruit is pressed into a paste, and then the oil is extracted by either pressure or centrifuge. Virgin Grade means only pressing was used to extract the oil (no chemicals). Refined Grade means that a chemical, such as charcoal, was used to neutralize acid content (and strong flavor). Pomace Grade means the solid substance left over from pressing that still contains some oil is blended with Virgin grade. Pure Olive Oil labeling indicates a blend of Refined and Virgin grades. Refined Olive Oil and Pomace Olive Oil are the most common used for soapmaking, however any grade Olive Oil can be used. If stored properly, it has a shelf life of about one year.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 11%

Stearic: 4%

Myristic: 3%

Oleic: 72%

Linoleic: 10%

Linolenic: 1%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Olive Oil (Sodium Olivate):

SAP Value: 0.135

Hardness: 17

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 82

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 17

Iodine: 85

INS: 105

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?: Olive Oil produces a semi-soft bar prior to cure. However, after a cure of 6 months to one year, Olive Oil  (Castille) soaps are very hard. Depending on the type of Olive Oil used, color of the soap will range from barely off white to green. It is considered to be the mildest of soaping oils, and is considered to be helpful in skin cell regeneration as well as having superior ability to penetrate into the skin.

NONSOAPY FACTS: Olive Oil has a wide range of uses besides its obvious culinary use, and is highly unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. It is used in medicine and has many benefits for gastrointestinal disorders. Scientific research is testing to see what effects it has on cancer because it has been found to reduce oxidative damage to DNA and RNA. Olive Oil contains natural phenols, which have antioxidant properties, and is a source of at least 30 phenolic compounds. It is used in religious consecrations, as a lamp oil, a lubricant, and in replacement of machining oil.

MY RESULTS: Contrary to anecdotal evidence, Olive Oil traced quicker than expected at 3 minutes 30 seconds when soaped at 75* for the oil and 110* for the lye. It produced a nice hard, barely off white, tongue neutral bar in 24 hours. Lather wa very minimal, with tiny bubbles and was hard to rinse off, though my skin felt soft and supple afterwards. It pH tested at 9.

.

4. LARD is the rendered fat from pigs. It is also one of the oldest triglycerides used to make soap, due to its wide availability and that it can be rendered at home. It has a long shelf life and does not require refrigeration, however oxidation will occur if not sealed in an airtight container. “Leaf Lard” is the highest quality Lard, coming from the fat around the kidneys and loin of the pig.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 26%

Stearic: 14%

Myristic: 2%

Oleic: 44%

Linoleic: 10%

Linolenic: 0%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Lard (Sodium Lardate):

SAP Value: 0.141

Hardness: 42

Cleansing: 1

Conditioning: 52

Bubbly Lather: 1

Creamy Lather: 41

Iodine: 57

INS: 139

Palmitic: 28%

Stearic: 13%

Myristic: 1%

Oleic: 46%

Linoleic: 6%

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Lard adds conditioning properties and a creamy lather. It is considered a “hard oil” and will produce a semi-hard bar of soap with mild cleansing ability.

NONSOAPY FACTS:  Lard is mainly used for culinary purposes, but can be used to produce biofuel, and is used as cutting fluid in machining. It is prized for its use in piecrusts, biscuits, and other baking.

MY RESULTS: Lard had the stongest aroma before being soaped, and after.After a week, that scent has dissipated, but is still faintly there. The oil was soaped at 120* with the lye at 125*. It took 4 minutes to reach trace. It was unmolded and tongue neutral in 24 hours. The lather was a bit greasy and resulted in lots of tiny bubbles. It pH tested at 11. It is just barely off white with a creamy appearance.

5. SAFFLOWER is a thistle-like plant. The oil is extracted from the seeds. It is one of the oldest crops known to man and has been used as a red and yellow dye for centuries. The flowers are sometimes used as a substitute for Saffron. A high-oleic version is available, which tends to have a longer shelf life. The one soaped for this experiment was the cheaper and more common high-linoleic version.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 2%

Oleic: 15%

Linoleic: 75%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Safflower Oil:

SAP Value: 0.137

Hardness: 7

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 90

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 7

Iodine: 145

INS: 47

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Safflower Oil will render a soft conditioning soap.

MY RESULTS:  Safflower was soaped at 75* and the lye at 110* and took 4 minutes and 30 seconds to trace. It began separating in the mold, but I was able to hand stir it back to emulsion...which tells me it could have used longer than 4.5 minutes of stirring to reach a true solid trace. It was tongue neutral and unmolded in 24 hours, producing a surprisingly hard close to white bar. It's lather was very slimy and hard to rinse off, and had lots of tiny bubbles, It pH tested at 11.

 6. SOYBEAN is extracted from the seed of the Glycine Max plant. It has a myriad of uses, but mostly for culinary purposes. Soybean oil is a drying oil, which means that it will slowly harden upon exposure to air, forming a flexible, transparent, and waterproof solid. It is used to make ink and paints.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 11%

Stearic: 5%

Oleic: 24%

Linoleic: 50%

Linolenic: 8%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Soybean Oil:

SAP Value: 0.136

Hardness: 16

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 82

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 16

Iodine: 131

INS: 61

MY RESULTS:  Soybean oil was soaped at 75* with the lye at 110*. It traced in 2 minutes, though separated in the mold. I was able to bring it back to emulsion by hand stirring in the mold. It took a full 5 days to unmold and test tongue neutral.The bar is off white in color and just hard enough to not leave dents in when pressed with a finger. It produced tons of lather and left my skin soft. It pH tested at 9.

7. AVOCADO is derived from the fruit of the Persea Gratissima tree. It is high in Vitamin A, E and D, as well as chlorophyll. It is similar to Olive Oil in chemical composition and uses. Virgin Avocado Oil is very green, as opposed to Refined Avocado Oil, which is more of a pale yellow color. If stored properly, it has a shelf life of about one year.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 20%

Stearic: 2%

Oleic: 58%

Linoleic: 12%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Avocado Oil:

SAP Value: 0.133

Hardness: 22

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 70

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 22

Iodine: 86

INS: 99

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Avocado Oil adds conditioning properties and a creamy lather to your soap. It will produce a soft soap with mild cleansing properties.

NONSOAPY FACTS:  Avocado Oil is mainly used for culinary and cosmetic uses. It has moisturizing and regenerative properties. It is also used as a lubricant.

MY RESULTS: Avocado oil was soaped at 75* with lye at 100*. It reached trace in 2 minutes, though it separated in the mold and was able to be stirred back to emulsion by hand. It was unmolded and tongue neutral in 24 hours.It is a slightly off white bar with dense foam like lather - a little hard to remove, but left my skin feeling very smooth, soft, and supple.

8. PALM is derived from the pulp from the fruit of the Elaeis Guineensis tree. It has a high Beta-Carotene content, lending to its natural reddish color. It is commonly referred to as “Vegetable Tallow”. Refined, bleached, and deodorized Palm Oil (RBD) is used more often in soap, as it renders a whiter bar with no detectable odor. Approximately 3% of the world’s Palm Oil use is in the soapmaking and cosmetic industry, though it’s use may be on the decline due to environmental issues (http://www.rspo.org/). Palm Oil is the base ingredient in Sunlight and Palmolive dish soaps. It is very heat stable with a long shelf life, as it is slow to oxidize.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 44%

Stearic: 5%

Myristic: 1%

Oleic: 39%

Linoleic: 10%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Palm Oil (Sodium Palmate):

SAP Value: 0.142

Hardness: 50

Cleansing: 1

Conditioning: 49

Bubbly Lather: 1

Creamy Lather: 49

Iodine: 53

INS: 145

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Palm Oil produces a very hard white bar of soap that is mildly cleansing and very conditioning with a creamy lather.

NONSOAPY FACTS:  Palm oil is a staple cooking oil in Africa, South Asia, and Brazil. It is also used in many processed foods due to its lower cost and shelf-life stability. It was used with Naphtha to create Napalm, used during World War II as an incendiary device. It is used to create biodiesel fuel.

MY RESULTS: Palm oil was soaped at 100* with the lye at 120*, and traced in 2 minutes. It was unmolded and tongue neutral in 24 hours. It produced a very hard white bar. The lather was nonexistent and left a waxy feeling on my skin after rinsing. It had a very slight odor. It pH tested at 9.

9. CORN OIL is extracted from the germ of the Maize plant. It is expeller pressed and then solvent extracted with Hexane or Isohexane. It is then treated with an alkali and then processed through steam distillation for refinement (refined, bleached, deodorized). In a bushel of corn, there is 1.55 pounds of oil (2.8% by weight).

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 12%

Stearic: 2%

Oleic: 32%

Linoleic: 51%

Linolenic: 1%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Corn Oil:

SAP Value: 0.137

Hardness: 14

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 84

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 14

Iodine: 117

INS: 69

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Corn oil produces a soft soap with conditioning properties and a stable lather.

 

NONSOAPY FACTS:  Besides its culinary uses, Corn Oil is used for biodiesel, animal feed, salve, paint, rustproofing for metal surfaces, inks, textiles, nitroglycerin, medicines, and insecticides.

MY RESULTS: Corn Oil was soaped at 75* with the lye at 110*, and reached trace in 2 minutes. It took 5 days to be able to unmold it without much damage and test tongue neutral. It produced a off white, close to yellow bar with a strong odor of (guess what!) Corn, with tons of bubbles, It was hard to rinse off and left a greasy felling on my skin. It pH tested at 9. 

10. SUNFLOWER is compressed from the seeds of the Helianthus annuus flower. It is used as an emollient in cosmetics and for culinary purposes. It can be mixed with diesel as a alternative fuel method. There is a high-oleic version available with a purported longer shelf life. I soaped the cheaper and more common version that is higher in linoleic acid.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 7%

Stearic: 4%

Myristic: 1%

Oleic: 16%

Linoleic: 70%

Linolenic: 1%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Sunflower Oil:

SAP Value: 0.135

Hardness: 11

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 87

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 11

Iodine: 133

INS: 63

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?: Sunflower soap produces a very soft, mild, conditioning soap.

MY RESULTS: Sunflower Oil was soaped at 75* with the lye at 110*. It took 4 minutes to reach trace. It took 5 full days to be able to unmold, and it was still the consistency of cream cheese or play doh. It produced a slightly translucent off white bar. The lather was more lotion-like. It was very slimy and a bit hard to rinse. It pH tested at 9.

11. GRAPESEED oil is pressed from the seed of grapes (obviously?) and is a by-product of wine making. It is used for cooking, cosmetics, and is sprayed on raisins to help them retain their flavor.

 

 

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 8%

 Stearic: 4%

Oleic: 20%

Linoleic: 68%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Grapeseed Oil:

SAP Value: 0.133

Hardness: 12

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 88

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 12

Iodine: 121

INS: 66

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Unsaponified Grapeseed Oil is mildly astringent and used as a moisturizer for oily skin. In soap, it produces a soft bar with mild cleansing and very conditioning properties and a slightly creamy lather.

MY RESULTS: Ugh. Grapeseed Oil gave me such trouble. It took 3 minutes and 30 seconds to trace...and then separated in the mold, but was recovered with hand stirring. It was soaped at 75* with the lye at 105*. It took the longest to remove from the mold. I removed it after 5 full days, but it is the consistency of a glue stick. It could still be squished into a ball, if I so desired. I do not. It has a pale green color to it and a strong odor, almost like an oil that is going rancid, The lather was barely lotion like with no bubbles whatsoever. My hands felt tight after washing. It pH tested at 10.

12. CANOLA is also known as Rapeseed and is derived from the seed of the Brassica napus L. plant. It has the lowest saturated fat of any oil. The name was coined from “CANadian Oil – Low Acid” to avoid a connection to the word “rape” in “Rapeseed”. It is made by slightly heating the seeds and then crushing them. It is then refined using Hexane and then the crude oil is refined using water precipitation and organic acid, "bleaching" with clay, and deodorizing using steam distillation. It’s shelf life, once opened, is 4 – 6 months.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 4%

Stearic: 2 %

Oleic: 61%

Linoleic: 21%

Linolenic: 9%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Canola Oil:

SAP Value: 0.133

Hardness: 6

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 91

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 6

Iodine: 110

INS: 56

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?: Canola oil renders a very soft soap that is conditioning with a creamy lather. It can be substituted as a small portion of your soft oil formulation.

NONSOAPY FACTS: It is mostly used for culinary use and biodiesel production., but has also found uses in candle making, lipstick, and newspaper inks. It was used as lamp fuel for centuries, and as a metal cleaner and lubricant during World War II. The rapeseed blossom is a major source of nectar for bees. The leftover meal from the seeds after the oil has been extracted is used as cattle feed.

MY RESULTS: Canola was sopaed at 75* with the lye at 100* and traced in 2 minutes. It did start to separate in the mold and was recovered with hand stirring. It was tongue neutral and unmolded in 24 hours. It produced a hard off white bar with lots of thin, dissipating bubbles. It was a bit hard to rinse off and had a strong odor. It pH tested at 10. 

 13. COCONUT oil is derived from the meat or kernel of the Cocos Nucifera fruit, either through a dry process where the kernel is dried over a flame (copra) then pressed with solvents (such as Hexane) and then refined, or through a wet process where raw coconut meat is boiled in water, and then put through a centrifuge or other mechanism to extract the oil. Refined, bleached, and deodorized Coconut Oil (RBD) is made from the copra (coconut kernel) and is used mainly is cooking, commercial food processing, and for cosmetic, industrial, and pharmaceutical purposes. It is the surfactant from which cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamide MEA and cocamide DEA are derived. Virgin Coconut Oil is manually pressed from either the raw meat or the milk is put through a mechanism to separate the fat from the liquid. It takes around 1000 mature Coconuts to produce 70 liters of Coconut Oil. It is very heat stable with a long shelf life, as it is slow to oxidize.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 9%

Stearic: 3%

Myristic: 19%

Oleic: 8%

Linoleic: 2%

Lauric: 48%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Coconut Oil (Sodium Cocoate):

SAP Value: 0.183

Hardness: 79

Cleansing: 67

Conditioning: 10

Bubbly Lather: 67

Creamy Lather: 12

Iodine: 10

INS: 268

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?:  Coconut Oil makes a very hard white bar with high cleansing properties and lots of bubbly lather. Most soapers recommend using it at 30% or less of your formula to avoid the drying property of a highly cleansing soap, though it can certainly be used at a higher rate with a higher superfat to accommodate for the dryness. Coconut Oil soaps will lather in any water condition, including hard water and salt water.

NONSOAPY FACTS:  Coconut Oil has many uses throughout the world. It is a staple cooking oil in many countries. It can be used as a skin and hair moisturizer, as an alternative fuel source and component of biodiesel fuel, engine lubricant, and as an herbicide. The Lauric acid can be removed and used for industrial and medical purposes. Fractionated Coconut Oil (Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride) is the medium chain fatty acids of Coconut Oil and is used in cosmetics, medical applications, and as a carrier oil for fragrance.

MY RESULTS: Coconut Oil was soaped at 75* with the lye at 110* and took 3 minutes to trace. It produced an incredibly hard white bar of soap with tons of bubbles, thick lather, and was easy to rinse off, though it left my skin feeling tight. It pH tested at 9.

14. PEANUT oil is derived from grinding peanuts to extract the oil. It is best known for its culinary use. It is also a source of biodiesel fuel.

Chemical Composition:

Palmitic: 8%

Stearic: 3%

Oleic: 58%

Linoleic: 26%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Peanut Oil:

SAP Value: 0.137

Hardness: 11

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 82

Bubbly Lather: 0

Creamy Lather: 11

Iodine: 92

INS: 99

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?: Peanut Oil will produce a soft bar with a stable lather and conditioning properties.

MY RESULTS: Peanut oil was soaped at 75* with the lye at 110* and took 3 minutes to trace. It has a very strong scent similar to Sesame oil. It produced a super hard bar of off white soap. The lather was foam like and easy to rinse off, though my skin felt very tight afterwards. It pH tested at 10.

15. CASTOR oil is derived from the seed of the Ricinus communis plant. Besides soap, it's uses include lubricants, plastics, laxatives, cosmetics, brake fluid, paint, dyes, coating, inks, etc. The castor seed contains the toxic protein known as ricin, which is denatured and made inactive by heat during the oil extraction process.

Chemical Composition:

Oleic: 4%

Linoleic: 4%

Ricinoleic: 90%

SOAPCALC assigns these numbers to Saponified Castor Oil (Sodium Castorate):

SAP Value: 0.128

Hardness: 0

Cleansing: 0

Conditioning: 98

Bubbly Lather: 90

Creamy Lather: 90

Iodine: 86

INS: 95

WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS EQUATE TO IN SOAP?: Castor Oil alone would make a very soft, sticky bar. It is used mainly for its incredible bubble making quality and as a very conditioning component. It is usually used between 5-10% in soap, but as high as 20% in a shampoo bar.
MY RESULTS: Castor oil was soaped at75* with the lye at 110*. It was the fastest to trace at 1 minute 10 seconds! It produced a super hard, slightly off white bar. The soap was very tacky after getting wet, similar to a glue stick, with thin tiny bubbles. It was a bit hard to rinse off, but left my hands feeling smooth and soft. It pH tested the lowest at 8.

So to summarize:
The hardest bars were: TALLOW, COCONUT, PALM, PEANUT, and CASTOR
The softest bars were: GRAPESEED, SUNFLOWER, CORN, SOYBEAN, and RICE BRAN
The highest pH was: TALLOW
The lowest pH was: CASTOR
The quickest trace was: CASTOR (then TALLOW)
The slowest trace was:  GRAPESEED (then SAFFLOWER)
Whitest bar: TALLOW
Most yellow/off white bar: RICE BRAN
Soap that felt the most drying: PEANUT (then GRAPESEED, COCONUT)
Soap that felt the most "moisturizing":  AVOCADO (then RICE BRAN, OLIVE, SOYBEAN)
Strongest Odor: LARD (then CANOLA, GRAPESEED, CORN)
Oils that began to separate in the mold: SAFFLOWER, SOYBEAN, AVOCADO, GRAPESEED, and CANOLA

So did you learn anything new from this experiment? 
 
 In PHASE TWO, I will recheck pH, weight, and lather. I will also note any changes in the soaps physical appearance or odor that may lead to rancidity. I will also include blind study results. Anything else you would like to see?

Oooh, this is so exciting!