Recipe help!

[icecold]

I have made 6 batches of soap all with different recipes so I can see what I like best but not too impressed with any of them other than my pure castile. Could anyone help me get that perfect recipe? Is it true that coconut oil is very drying? I have on hand, Olive oil, coconut oil, Palm oil, Crisco, castor oil, Sweet Almond oil, shea and cocoa butter. I have played around with soap calc but I figured I would ask the real experts here. I would like to keep my recipe simple if that is possible. TIA

[LovelyLathers]

I think you just made your first batch not even a month ago, am I right? You are making CP? It is not ready to use and judge what the final outcome will be. You really have to let it cure a good 4 weeks, I usually let mine sit 6 weeks. There will be a big difference in the mildness. It takes time to find the right recipe. Try doing a few in the recipe section that people have really liked. Keep formulating until you get the right recipe for you. It took me a year to get mine the way I like it. I hate to think how many bars I made in that time.

[MissMori]

Soap does improve with cure. That being said, what are you looking for in soap? Find oils that suit that purpose and go from there.

[Scented]

Oh if you find the perfect recipe in less than 10 batches that you formulate, I will be inclined to be impressed It took me 30 or more.

Yes, a large amount of coconut in a recipe can be drying, which is why it took me forever to come up with what I use now.

[lovemylabs]

We made our first batch almost a month ago. It was advised...I think was it Scented?...that said to take a sliver of the soap and use it; and to do that several times over a period of time and see how the soap "changes". We did exactly that. We actually didn't do bad on our first loaf. We didn't want to make a bunch all at one time and then find we wasted a bunch of product for an "unsafe" loaf. So, we waited to do our second. Today, we tried a completely different recipe and am looking forward to seeing what it looks like tomorrow. In this recipe we used Coconut, Olive and Palm along with Castor. We will also probably make a gazillion bars using many recipes before we find the recipe(s) we like. I think using the soap calc(s) will help us to improve, change, and adjust...it's a learning tool. I have found so much advice on this board. These gals know sooooo much. But, I also want to learn the process and learn how to use the soap calc(s). Oh...and there are a few who have posted recipes here. Maybe do a search to see how they compare with what you've tried so far. Then, you can see how and where to adjust. :smiley2:

[chuck_35550]

Read this book "Soap and Other Obsessions (Living Green and Naturally)"is a complete book on making soap and bath broducts. It's by Zonella Gould and Sally Trew (Scented).

Then read "Scientific Soapmaking "by Kevin Dunn for an in-depth scientific explanation and some debunking of some soap mythology. These are my two favorite books (Amazon sells them) and have been the most helpful. HTH.

Steve

[Kitn]

You might be one of the people that are sensitive to CO, I cannot use soap with CO. You might want to try a small batch with PKO instead and see what you think..

[smittenheart]

be sure to keep a soap notebook also..that way you can track what you like and how you got there..

what are you NOT liking about the soaps that you are making now??

I dont think theres a 'perfect' soap recipe because what is good for one isnt necessarily good for another..