Lard vs. Palm oil

[sjconner]

I have been using a CP recipe with palm, canola, castor, coconut, olive, rice bran, shea, and soy wax. I really like it except that it ends up being yellowish (palm and olive oil) and it moves really fast. I was thinking about replacing the palm with lard. I think this might help solve some of the problem.

How do people react to lard on the soap label?

Thanks in advance,

Susan

[sudsnwicks]

Hi Susan,

Using lard will definitely slow things down. You could even try using lard only if you want plenty of time to work with. As for people's reactions to it, it will depend on who is using your soap - some people will like it, some won't, some people won't care what's in it as long as it smells good, you can't please everyone.

[Blest2BAmerican]

Many people do not like lard in soap. You will definately be limiting your customers since vegetarians/vegans will not touch it.

[Carrie]

Vegetarians and vegans make up less than 5% of the US population. I for one am not worried about them. There are at least 5 other soapers in my little town of 7000 that make vegetarian and vegan soaps. I'm out to please the other 95% of the people.

[LuminousBoutique]

alot of people, I've found, wont use it because they dont like the IDEA of lard... not because they are vegan or vegetarian. little do they know its already in most soap they use. Its in dove. "sodium tallowate" is lard, and its the third ingredient in the beauty bars... so yeah. You can mention that if anyone brings it up.

I choose not to use it - but I think it helps if you do to explain to people that its already in most of the soaps they use.

[Kitn]

I find people do not look at the label , they just love that it is handmade soap and feels so good on the skin .Lard is da bomb in soap .Sodium tallowate is beef tallow.Sodium lardate is lard .

[MarieJeanette]

I love lard in soap, even better than palm. In the 3+ years I've been soaping I have not yet had a single person stick their nose up at my lard soaps or make negative comments about lard. I don't hide the fact they are made with lard either. It's prominantly listed right on the front of my label, as well as on the back label in the ingredients list.

"sodium tallowate" is lard,

Oddly enough (at least in the USA, that I'm aware of), pig fat is disctinctive from sodium tallowate (beef fat), with its own distinctive name- sodium lardate.

MarieJeanette

[LuminousBoutique]

I find people do not look at the label , they just love that it is handmade soap and feels so good on the skin .Lard is da bomb in soap .Sodium tallowate is beef tallow.Sodium lardate is lard .

ah, yeah thats right.. i forget tallow and lard are different.

[soycrazy]

I won't use it besides the fact that I'm vegetarian I can't stand the smell. I've tried soaping it and I can always smell it in the soap. Even other soapers soap I immediately know there's lard in it before looking at the ingredients lol.

[Blest2BAmerican]

Vegetarians and vegans make up less than 5% of the US population. I for one am not worried about them. There are at least 5 other soapers in my little town of 7000 that make vegetarian and vegan soaps. I'm out to please the other 95% of the people.

So you like soap made with lard?

[CareBear]

Are you using unrefined (bright orange) palm oil? Cuz the refined palm makes very white soap. The only discoloring oil I see on your list (with the possible exception of the olive, is the canola. Canola - that can contribute a yellow hue to the soap.

[Carrie]

So you like soap made with lard?

Yes, I much prefer it to soap made with Olive Oil.

[sjconner]

My palm is yellowish, canola is yellowish, olive oil is greenish, RBO is yellowish ... my soap comes out a lovely pale yellow color. I got my last set of oils from Cibaria. The yellow is a nice color but it makes coloring the soap interesting.

Susan

[chuck_35550]

I'm with CareBear on this one. It really depends on the recipe for me. I like to use beef tallow instead of lard but some recipes do better with palm or pko. the palm I use is nice and white and it never discolors. Palm and coconut help to really harden the bar and are good for cleansing. Customers never read ingredients and I don't volunteer information about lard or lye. You can see people's eyes glaze over when you mention those ingredients. Remember that the new Cricso has palm in it. Soapcalc has the new Crisco listed. HTH.

Steve

[sjconner]

How do you like the beef tallow in soap? We live in Southwest Montana with lots of ranches. I have considered beef tallow but haven't gotten off my rear to actually talk to our meat processor. We are taking a steer in later this month. Maybe when we leave our butchering instructions. I will ask about rendering tallow.

Susan

[Kitn]

My palm is yellowish, canola is yellowish, olive oil is greenish, RBO is yellowish ... my soap comes out a lovely pale yellow color. I got my last set of oils from Cibaria. The yellow is a nice color but it makes coloring the soap interesting.

Susan[/Q

I have never had canola color the soap (I use it a lot), my palm has a yellow hue as well , but with the combination you have I could see it coloring the soap. If you look at the pink sugar in the gallery that is PO-PKO and OO , it isn't white , I would call it ivoryish . I use the Costco OO which has a green cast to it .

[CareBear]

this might help: http://www.zensoaps.com/singleoil.htm

and this: http://www.singleoilsoaps.com/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=7ea3d9eee6201c02ea2dfec139f0eb1e

Edited January 6, 2010 by CareBear

[sudsnwicks]

I won't use it besides the fact that I'm vegetarian I can't stand the smell. I've tried soaping it and I can always smell it in the soap. Even other soapers soap I immediately know there's lard in it before looking at the ingredients lol.

It can be tricky to soap. You have to melt it on very low heat. Accidentally overheat it and the piggy smell will be in your soap. I can't say I like the smell when melting it but the mild creamy result in the soap is worth it.

[elfcat]

I've noticed that most of my clients are looking for vegan or vegetarian products. (myself included, I guess that makes me one of the 5%) Of course I sell mostly online and most of the vegans I know are shopping online to find soap without lard or tallow in it. But if you are looking to be different in your town go for it. It's a matter of personal preference and standing out.

[thecandlespastore]

I like them both, but I use palm for my soap just because I do market as an all veggie bar. Some people are disgusted at the thought of using an animal product on their skin (even though yes, stuff they have been using for years has animal fat, but try telling them that. They usually don't want to hear it. )

I get very white bars from my recipe with palm and olive. I find that when I use lard and when I use palm, same exact recipe, my soap overheats like a mofo. Switched back to palm, overheating goes away. Not too keen on the smell of lard, but I like the soap it makes.

[kidsngarden]

I love Lard and I soap it and sell it very well! The only time I think lard soap smells foul is if you don't fragrance it. I fragrance all my soap at .7 oz. ppo or less and it smells fab!

To me palm bars smell not nearly as nice as my lard bars - even with the same FO.

Lard makes the best soap IMO

[Xraytech70]

I must have a bad nose, because I can't smell the lard. I've taken to using Wal-Mart's GV shortening. Makes an awesome bar of soap.

[Fire and Ice]

I must have a bad nose, because I can't smell the lard. I've taken to using Wal-Mart's GV shortening. Makes an awesome bar of soap.

I use lard in many of my soaps and I like it just fine but I also add PKO, OO, RBO and Coconut. I won't use it in a facial bar nor my DSM soap, My customers don't really care vut I live in the country and many people understand that 10% lard isn't going to kill them! I have yet to meet people asking for veggie oil soaps.

That being said, I hope to be ordering a 50lb cube of no stir palm at the end of the week along with the rest of my Soapers Choice order.

[Kitn]

I have just been playing with recipes with lard and palm oil , you can sub them in equal amounts for each other and the quality stays the same on Soapmaker3 .

[sjconner]

I put my recipe through soapcalc and the recipe with lard subbed for palm through the calculator and they are almost the same. That is why I wondered about how well it sold, etc. I am considering switching. I know I can't please everyone. My lip balm is not vegan (beeswax). No one has asked about my soap being vegan ... just seem drawn to the scent and color. I think I am going to test it and see how it goes.

Susan