Shaving Soap Help

[candlemama]

I've been trying to come up with a shaving soap recipe that produces super creamy, dense lather. I keep coming back to a really high cocoa butter percentage with some Castor and Walmart GV shortening (which is mostly beef and pig tallow). I checked out the single oil soap characteristics of cocoa butter, and it seems it makes a good bar:

http://www.zensoaps.com/singleoil.htm

But because it's so expensive, I don't want to leave too much to chance and thought I would run my tentative recipe by all the experts here. This would just be for personal use and for gifts so I don't mind using a higher cost recipe as long as it works.

Castor Oil 12%

Cocoa Butter 40%

Walmart GV Shortening 48%

Bentonite Clay (not sure on amt -- 1 TBS ppo?)

SoapCalc Results:

Hardness 50

Cleansing 2

Conditioning 48

Bubbly 13

Creamy 59

Iodine 49

INS 147

Lauric 0

Myristic 2

Palmitic 28

Stearic 20

Ricinoleic 11

Oleic 32

Linoleic 5

Linolenic 0

TIA.

Edited June 4, 2010 by candlemama

[Barbara AL]

Candle Mama that is going to be one expensive bar of soap with 40% Cocoa butter. I have never tried that much in soaps.

Are you going to make a shaving soap? I prefer high Palm for a shaving soap because it gives big bubbles and creamy lather.

Here is one I just made

42% palm

20% CO

12% Castor

8% Canola

5% Cocoa Butter

13% Olive Oil

Hardness 43

Cleansing 14

Conditioning 54

Bubbly 25

Creamy 40

Iodine 56

Palmitic 24

Ricinoleic 11

Oleic 34

1 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay per pound of oils I use Distilled Water or Aloe Vera Juice and hold out 2 ounces of Heavy Whipping Cream to add at Trace.

Barbara AL

Edited June 4, 2010 by Barbara AL

[candlemama]

Thanks, Barbara. I think I'll keep playing with my recipe and try to come up with a cheaper alternative to a high CB percentage. Do you find with your recipe that the lather is creamy and stable and thick? Thanks for sharing it with me, BTW!

[Barbara AL]

Candlemama tell us what oils you have maybe we can work out a recipe for you.

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soaprecipes/a/cpshavingrecipe.htm

Barbara AL

Edited June 5, 2010 by Barbara AL

[candlemama]

Let's see, currently in my soaping closet, I have lots of coconut oil, palm kernel flakes, castor oil, olive oil, and palm oil. I also have between 5-12 oz each of sweet almond, apricot kernel and rice bran oils. About 3-4 oz of shea butter left, about 8 oz of cocoa butter and 12 oz of mango butter. I live near a B&B supplier and can pick up more butters and some other oils, like avocado, if needed.

Thanks so much for your help!

[Barbara AL]

You have all the oils in my recipe above now you need some Canola from the Store.

Barb

[kkentert]

Here is one I just made

42% palm

20% CO

12% Castor

8% Canola

5% Cocoa Butter

13% Olive Oil

Hardness 43

Cleansing 14

Conditioning 54

Bubbly 25

Creamy 40

Iodine 56

Palmitic 24

Ricinoleic 11

Oleic 34

1 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay per pound of oils I use Distilled Water or Aloe Vera Juice and hold out 2 ounces of Heavy Whipping Cream to add at Trace.

Barbara AL

Barbara AL, What % superfat did you use?

I tried my first shave soap about a year ago, and was soooo disappointed at the results I haven't made another since. I should have tried someone elses recipe first instead of making one up!

[Barbara AL]

I use a superfat of 7%

Barb

[kkentert]

I use a superfat of 7%

Barb

Thanks! I'll give your recipe a try instead of rolling over and accepting defeat.

[Carriegsxr6]

Use stearic acid.