Lather Report for No Coconut Oil Soap

When I created a soap in February that did not contain coconut oil (click here for original post), Eleanor commented that she’d appreciate an update on how the bar lathers.

Wetting the No Coconut Oil Soap.

Now that the soap has been on the curing rack for a good 11 weeks, I’d say it’s ready to test. The cure card tells me it is pretty much done losing water. (I must have ignored my “note to self” to test this soap in April.)

I made this recipe because a friend told me she is allergic to coconut oil, and so many soaps depend on coconut oil for lathering capability.

Here’s the recipe I used:

6 oz Hydrogenated Soy
5 oz Palm Kernel Oil
4 oz Olive Oil
1 oz Lanolin

The Hydrogenated Soy is the foundation oil to create a hard bar. It’s not terribly expensive, and best of all, it works!

Palm Kernel Oil is like Coconut Oil as a contributor of large bubbles in the soap lather. It also helps harden the bar. I use it in just about every soap recipe I make.

Olive Oil is the boss of small, dense lather. But at higher usage rates, Olive Oil creates a softer bar. I definitely see that in this bar, but the other choices help in this area.

Lanolin is a great luxury oil, providing a boost for your skin. Unfortunately, lanolin does prevent formation of lather. (It’s also an ideal addition to leave-on products!)

I’m glad to see some nice bubbles as I lather up with a bar. It’s not as heavy a lather as I get with many other recipes, but it should satisfy people who believe that no lather = no cleaning power.

I saw a good combination of small and large bubbles. The soap feels really nice!

You could probably get more lather with a coconut oil soap, but I am pleased with how this turned out.

The scent is Bella, which is a very light floral. It comes across beautifully in the dry soap and a bit stronger when the soap gets wet.

I hope this recipe is helpful if you want to try a soap without coconut oil! Do you make soap without coconut oil? What oils are your favorites for providing good lathering soap?