Superfatting Soaps

Super fatting occurs in a soap when oils are left unsaponified in the finished bar. To super fat your soap, reduce the amount of sodium hydroxide required for full neutralization by the percentage of oils you wish to leave in the soap. This percentage varies from around one to six percent based on your desired result.

(ie) To make a 6% super fatted batch of soap that usually requires 200 g of lye, reduce amount of lye by 6% (12 grams). At 6% super fatting, the lye would be reduced from the original 200 grams to 188 grams.

Why super fat your soaps?

Super fatting gives you a gentle soap that has a silky feel with the added benefit of the moisturizing properties of the residual oils going directly into your skin.

The major drawback to super fatting is the potential for rancidity of the surplus oils. Most oils will turn rancid through exposure to the oxygen in the air, some quicker than others. Soaps that are super fatted as much as ten percent can go rancid in 3 – 6 months.

To extend the shelf life of your super fatted soaps we recommend the use of our natural Vitamin E Antioxidant blend that has been formulated especially for extending shelf life in oil based products. Add ½ tsp. of Vitamin E anti – oxidant to a batch using 30 grams of specialty oils.

If you wish to add specialty skin care oils to your soaps, we recommend adding up to six percent. Add these oils at trace (at the time you add your essential oils) to maximize their benefits. Specialty oils and butters with major skin benefits include Arnica, Borage, Calendula, Coconut Oil Fractionated, Comfrey, Evening Primrose, Hemp Seed, Kukui Nut, Macadamia Nut, Ostrich, Rose Hip and St. Johns Wort Oils. Butters include Shea Nut and Cocoa Butter.