Teach Soap

Hi, I'm new to this forum and cold process soap making in general. I've made about 6 batches and although they all turned out fine I've learned a lot too. Red palm oil (the only kind I can get in my city) turns soap bright yellow for example.
I am confused about superfatting. I understand "why" but I am unclear about "when" to superfat. I have been reading that oils such as cocoa butter, Jojoba oil, shea butter are only added at trace as that is when you are supposed to superfat. ???? My reading says that that is the only way to get soap to be moisturizing. (adding superfat percent at trace). This makes no sense to me.
True ? False ?

Also...essential oils are added at trace and are not entered into the lye calculator. Why do they not contribute to the oil content ?

Thanks in advance.

Suprefatting at trace is useless and not needed. Lye at trace is still very active and it will take whatever it wants. There is no guarantee that anything added at trace will end up as your superfat. I add everything right up front and let the lye take whatever it wants.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks ! I was thinking along the same lines (superfatting at trace not necessary ) as I knew the lye and oils continue to work especially for the first 24 hours.

One more question about essential oil. I live in a small city and have access to some essential oils but not any soap fragrances. The first time I made soap I added about half a 30 ml bottle (2 teaspoons ??) to a batch that made about 18 - 3 x 2 1/2 inch bars (sorry I don't have the exact amount of oil). I was expecting a lovely rose smell and although the soap is very nice to use it is not scented. Since then I've read a lot about scenting with essential oils and success and failures.

So, my question is : if I add enough essential oil to finally give a nice smell (not strong) will it make my soap greasy and soft ? Can I add too much ? I guess yes.

Oh, another question about oil storage. I fond a great deal on organic palm oil (red). I can't get the white palm oil here. If I store it in the fridge will it extend the shelf life ?

Thanks again for the help !!!!

PS I know I can order online but I don't like to order scents and find out I don't like them. I want to smell them first. The nearest soap making supplier in my country is about 1,000 miles from me so driving isn't an option. The price of gas would be much more than the shipping )

30 ml. is about 1 oz. That would not be enough for 18 - 3 x 2 1/2 inch bars. More like 6-8 bars. Every essential oil is different. Some can only be used at 0.1 oz. per lb. of soap, some are used at 0.7 oz. per lb. and some like orange oil fade completely.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks to all !

Are you using a lye calculator? If so just tell it the percentage of SF you're looking for and it will figure it all out for you. Then just proceed exactly like Soapbuddy said. EZPZ!

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~Dharlee

thanks