Superfat question

[CareBear]

Susan Miller (Cavitch), in her books, recommends superfatting at about 15%!!!

SoapMaker has the default at 6%, soapcalc at 5%.

What level of superfatting do you GENERALLY use for your soaps?

[Meridith]

I usually stick with a 5% superfat. Sometimes I will go up to 6%. Too high can affect your lather.

BTW - I noticed your siggy and it no longer says employed. I hope all is O.K. :smiley2:

[guppygirl]

Susan Miller (Cavitch), in her books, recommends superfatting at about 15%!!!

SoapMaker has the default at 6%, soapcalc at 5%.

What level of superfatting do you GENERALLY use for your soaps?

At the high of a %, it's also why she recommends using grapefruit seed extract or vit. e - to keep the excess butters from going rancid too quickly. I keep my % between 3 - 6% depending on the recipe.

[Carriegsxr6]

usually i go with 5%, but sometimes 7% if i add in some mango butter at the end.

[Scent Cellar]

I normally soap @ 5% except for goatmilk soap that I do @ 3%.

[RobinInOR]

That's the one thing I don't like about her book, the excess superfat. I always recommend a person take a book recipe and run it through a calculator. I do 3-4%, depending on which calculator you use.

[CareBear]

Just to be sure I understand, a high superfat:

1. leaves more oil for your skin, so can be less harsh

2. makes soap softer

3. makes bars not last so long

4. would possibly allow soap to go rancid

any other pros/cons?

[mountainmadness]

Just to be sure I understand, a high superfat:

1. leaves more oil for your skin, so can be less harsh

2. makes soap softer

3. makes bars not last so long

4. would possibly allow soap to go rancid

any other pros/cons?

I think that #2 and #3 can be debated depending on what type of oils you are using.

I do not think that "harsh" is the word that I would use. You may get more benefits from the oils that are not saponified.

#4 I agree with.

I superfat at 5%. I have noticed more soap 'sweating' if you superfat too much.

[eugenia]

This is what it means to me:

The fats in the soap take x amount of lye to saponify.

Adding oil above the given number against the x = superfat.

You have no way of knowing which of the oils will remain

unsaponified.

Adding at trace is not a guarantee. Should it be a short

shelf oil that remains unsaponified that would add to the

rancidity factor.

Back to the Q, yes 1-4 look correct and I generally use 5%.

e

[Grumpy Girl]

I generally SF between 5-6%. Even with butters.

[Crafty1_AJ]

I normally superfat at 5%, but I have one soap that I superfat at only 1%. It's a special purpose soap, though -- a poison ivy oils type of soap. Meant to strip, not condition! LOL