# Sunflower vs Olive Oil



## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Since the SAP values for Sunflower, Safflower and Olive oil are practically the same. I know you can sub them out. I prefer Sunflower, it is more cost effective and a lighter oil. But according to Soap Calc it makes a much softer bar as does Safflower. My question is do you ladies that use alot of Sunflower/Safflower sub it out completely or use it in conjunction with olive and at what percentages do you suggest? Can I just mix 2 or all three together in equal amounts and call it one? That would be nice since it would eliminate extra measuring steps by master batching. I'm trying to get the lightest, most cost effective oil similar to olive as I can get. I like Sunflower, I can get it inexpensively local and it is a very light oil. I can get Safflower locally too, but the cost is higher. 

Thanks,

Vicki/NC


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I use my own infused safflower oil in conjunction with OO, at first a soft bar but once cured is hard bar. I have used sunflower in conjunction with OO also. I find no real difference between sunflower or safflower and have not omitted OO. My recipe has been a work in progress until the last three years of soaping. I do not like to change it much any more unless I add hemp oil.
Tam


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

My base oils are exactly what you said, a mixture of olive oil (for label appeal so less percentage) sunflower and safflower. Columbus foods will mix your oils for you. I still can get my sunflower cheaper locally, so I do dump my own sunflower into my containers. I do purchase Olive Pomace for my two castile bars. It does take a long cure for my 2 bars that are all OO....but I only use about 40% soft oils in my normal bar, so it's hard due to the butters (Shea and Cocoa Butter) and Coconut Oil. I am not a huge fan of all oil soaps, even if it's hydrogenated soybean oil (crisco).


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

"I am not a huge fan of all oil soaps, even if it's hydrogenated soybean oil (crisco)." V.
no but you like my soaps, with the infused safflower  And since I started doing the hemp infusion soaps...they are better than my safflower infused ones.
Tam


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

I find a texture difference in my bars that I sub out the OO for sunflower, and a couple of my customers notice (even if I don't tell them!), but if I had sunflower to use more cheaply than OO I would go for it! I like sunflower because it makes a much lighter colored bar than OO. I have been subbing RBO for OO in most of my recipes lately, since it has similar properties and is cheaper locally.


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

I know I might be pushing it by asking, but do you mix them in equal parts?

Vicki/NC


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I don't because sunflower is far cheaper then olive or safflower for myself. Vicki


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Thank you 

Vicki/NC


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

:groan

So you're saying that for my bars that have oo (the major oil in one formula to be exact - 50% of oils), I can sub part of that with sunflower oil and reduce my costs???

OTOH, I list all my ingredients and having olive oil as the first ingredient is a major draw. I have three basic formulas on my table; one the first ingredient is lard (read WM recipe, pretty much), another oo as the first ingredient, and the third, shea butter as the first ingredient. A majority of my customers do read the ingredients as well as smelling for scent. Now, the shea butter bar contains both oo and so, with 20% oo vs 15% so. I could switch those or bring the oo down lower and increase the oo without being too obvious. But if I sub the oo bar with some so, I'd have to be careful that po is not my main ingredient. Ugh, what a dilemma.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

OO is my cheapest oil but I don't like the colors I get when I use it as my only liquid oil.


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