# I'm confused..



## Ravens Haven (Oct 26, 2007)

Hi all,

I have been making soap for sometime now, started as a hobby and now it pays for itself. Well my soap base is coconut, palm, and olive oil or the like. Is it true that I shouldn't use more than 20% coconut or palm in my soap. I was told it would be drying but I have NEVER had a complaint about my soap. I don't want to change my soap recipe I am just looking for an oil that is similar in makeup as olive oil and so far the suggestions are sunflower or RBO and I was also told not use just RBO it had to be used in combo with OO because RBO is too light of an oil to use alone. HELP no I am so confused and I want to :sniffle

Thanks
Autumn


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I use coconut above that level also. I don't use RBO because if above 5% fat in your soap it will go rancid and makes the DOS (dreaded orange spots). I also soaped with what I can find locally and then just didn't want to change what I was doing. I don't use soybean oil because my customers don't want it. I can't sell lard bars for the same reason or I would use the wallmart receipe. I do make a true castille soap, so I can kill a few birds with one stone. My Eucalyptus soap bar is all olive, all essential oils and all herbs, it is also poured in my loffas and so it is vegan, all essentail oils, castile, herbed, and also is a specialty soap all in one. You do what works for you, I won't change something unless it's proven to me it's better. Vicki


----------



## Ravens Haven (Oct 26, 2007)

Thank you, Vicki...I was so starting to second guess myself, shame on me...Okay so I am back to ordering sunflower, coconut, and palm, dang it and I ain't changing it...there...

Thanks again, Vicki,
Autumn


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Good for you! Now if someone reinvents the wheel, than sure, go with the flow...but the one thing I know in soaping is that a good basic receipe isn't better with more expensive products put into it. Vicki


----------



## Ravens Haven (Oct 26, 2007)

I use somewhere in the range of 30-40% of coconut oil and I have very sensitive skin and I don't have a drying problem. Thanks
Autumn


----------



## Guest (Dec 31, 2007)

Coconut Oil is used 100% in salt bars and doesn't dry the skin?? Wonder about that, I also won't use RBO, it does cause dos in soaps which I hate.. Sunflower is great, as is safflower oil.. 
Lard soaps sell here, they don't want castile soaps here.. Go figure.. Big farming community and Lard does not bother them..


----------



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I use a high % of RBO and have not experienced DOS. 

I've heard that the reason the 100% coconut soap (salt or not) isn't drying is because of the high superfat.


----------



## Guest (Jan 1, 2008)

Funny thing about DOS, it is like soda ash, no one thing causes it, but maybe many.. I get it everytime I use RBO, now I love RBO in skin care products, it is a light oil that sinks into skin easily and not overly greasy..


----------



## Nigilover (Oct 29, 2007)

I use CO oil too and have never had a complaint. I can't help but wonder if the soapers who have a "drying" problem with it are water users. All of my soaps are goatmilk, no water and I only get raves about how moisturizing it is. I think that's the big advantage.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Barb does RBO have a short shelf life? Vicki


----------



## Guest (Jan 1, 2008)

No, it is suppose to have up to 2 years shelf life and I have kept some for that long with no problems..
they even sell it by the gallons in farm stores for horses, but want way too much for it there.


----------



## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

I love RBO! For soap it is my favorite liquid oil next to sunflower (because sunflower is cheaper, LOL!). 

Bethany


----------



## Guest (Jan 2, 2008)

RBO is very cheap if you order it from Riceland, I think you get six gallons of it for 45.00 
I like it also, but I always get DOS using it...


----------



## kidsngarden (Oct 28, 2007)

I have a bar that is over 6 months old that was 80% RBO with no dos. It was a plain unscented GM bar with a bit of honey, about 10% coconut and 10% castor I think. My attempt at a non OO castille. How long are you able to go before you see dos? My other bars have only 10-20% and I've never had one long enough to see if it gets dos or not.

Bethany


----------



## Guest (Jan 7, 2008)

Mine will usually show the dos right away, only once did it take a couple of months to show up... I don't use much RBO in soaps now, just in leave on products because of the dos. I use sunflower which I can get locally and safflower...


----------



## lynpea (Oct 26, 2007)

Nigilover said:


> I use CO oil too and have never had a complaint. I can't help but wonder if the soapers who have a "drying" problem with it are water users. All of my soaps are goatmilk, no water and I only get raves about how moisturizing it is. I think that's the big advantage.


Not for me... I use gm and STILL find CO too drying....50 yr. old skin, ya know.... that's why I'm switching to RBO, MUCH kinder on the skin and I use PKO in place of the CO. At least for my bars.


----------



## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Well I am over 65 and love the CO since chging to homemade soaps which are so much easier on the skin than storebought I have better softer skin but then I also use a ton of whipped shea


----------

