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Shaving soaps

Shaving soap

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The oils

Oil Share
Stearic Acid (triple-pressed, ~50:50 C16/C18) 40.0 %
Coconut Oil 25.0 %
Olive Oil (virgin / refined / olive oil) 20.0 %
Castor Oil 10.0 %
Shea Butter 5.0 %

How it is made

Process Cold process
Alkali NaOH + KOH
Superfat 3 %
Water 45 % of the oils
Iodine value 30
INS 182

What the numbers say

Hardness 66 above 29–54
Cleansing 18 12–22
Conditioning 32 below 44–69
Bubbly lather 27 14–46
Creamy lather 57 above 16–48

Computed from the fatty acids of the fats above. The bands are what the craft has settled on, not chemistry — a bar outside one is not wrong.

Try it differently

5 variations

The same soap with one thing moved. Each opens in the calculator ready to change again.

Where these proportions come from

Stearic acid saponifies almost instantly. It is added to the hot oils and the lye goes in fast.

Craft convention: a dense stearic lather from 30–50 % stearic acid, saponified with a mixed KOH/NaOH alkali so the puck is firm but whips.

A canonical formulation: the proportions the craft has settled on for this kind of soap. Not transcribed from a document, and not copied from anywhere.

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