Soap Making Oil Chart - Countryside (2024)

Reading Time: 10 minutes

In creating a soap making oil chart, I am hoping to clear up some confusion regarding which are the best oils for soap making. Different oils have different fatty acid content and give different properties to the finished soap. A soap making oil chart must, therefore, cover the basic oils as well as the more exotic oils that are becoming more common in soap making today. While there is little agreement on the best oils for soap making, a few basics are well known to be good for this purpose. For example, olive oil, palm oil, and coconut oil are all well-known soap making oils that create a good quality soap, especially when mixed with other oils that have other properties. In most cases, experimenting with an online lye calculator will allow you to predict the properties of a finished recipe. Now let’s take a look at the oils themselves.

Almond Butter

Almond butter is a blend of almond oil and hydrogenated soybean oil. Almond butter contains lots of essential fatty acids and natural waxes that are soothing and emollient to the skin. Use at up to 20% of your soap recipe.

Aloe Butter

Used at a rate of 3-6% in your soap recipe, aloe butter gives a light, lotion-like quality to the lather of your soap. This butter is made by combining aloe extract with coconut oil to form a soft solid butter that melts immediately upon skin contact.

Aloe Vera Oil(Golden)
This oil is made by macerating the aloe plant in soybean oil. When using in soap making, reference the SAP value of soybean oil if golden aloeveraoil is not listed. I do not recommend clear aloeveraoil, as it is macerated in a mixture of oils containing mineral oil, which does not saponify.

Apricot Kernel Oil
Apricot kernel oil ishigh in linoleic and oleic acids.It produces small bubbles.Useat 15% or less in your recipe.Too much apricot kernel oil can result in a soft, fast-melting bar of soap.

Argan Oil
Arganoil,native to Morocco,has a silky and moisturizing feel, and it is also a good source of vitamins A and E. Use it in your soap recipe up to 10%.

Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is rich in many beneficial nutrients for hair and skin. However, too much avocado oil can yield a soft soap that melts away quickly. For this reason,I suggest using no more than 20% avocado oil in your recipe and combining with a good portion of hard oils.

Babassu Oil
Babassuoilcan be used in place ofcoconutorpalminyourcold process soaprecipe. It adds the same firming and cleansing properties, and it can be addedat a rate ofup to 30%.

Beeswax
Beeswaxcan be usedatup to 8% in cold process recipes, and will yield a very hard bar of soap.Using too much beeswax will give you a soap that has no lather, but never melts away. It will also accelerate trace, so be prepared to work quickly. You will need to soap at temperatures above 150F in order to keep the beeswax fully melted and incorporated in the soap.

Borage Oil
A wonderful source of many fatty acids, and is the highest natural source of linoleic acid. Use it in your soap recipe at up to 33%.

Camelina Oil
High in Omega-3 fatty acids, more commonly found in fish, this is a very nourishing and emollient oil for soap making. Too much will yield a soft bar of soap. Try it at no more than 5% in your soap recipe.

Canola Oil
Canola oil is cheap and readily available. It produces a creamy lather and a moderately hard bar. It can be used in place of olive oil in your recipe (always run through lye calculator!) You can use canola at up to 40% in soap making.Despite being common and easily accessiblesoap making ingredients, canola oil should be used with caution because it goes rancid fairly quickly.

Carrot Seed Oil
Carrot seed oil is wonderful for sensitive skin, and a great source of natural Vitamin A.It can be used in soap atup to15%.

Castor Oil
This thick, sticky oil is harvested from the castor bean plant. It creates a wonderful, rich, strong lather in soap making. Don’t use more than 5% in your recipe, or you will have a soft, sticky bar of soap.

Chia Seed Oil
This oil is full of good nutrients, and it can be used insoap making ataround 10%or less.

Cocoa Butter
Whether natural or bleached, use cocoa butter at 15% or less inyoursoaps. Too much cocoa butter yields a hard, crumbly soap with low lather.

Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is so cleansing that it can be drying. Although you can use up to 33% in your recipe, I recommend keeping it under 20% if you have sensitive or dry skin.Whenmaking shampoo bars, coconutoil can be used at up to 100%, but a little added castor oil is a nice thing to have.

Coffee Butter
Coffee buttercontains around 1% natural caffeine.It has a natural coffee scent anda soft consistency.Coffee buttercan be usedatup to 6%of your soap recipe.

Coffee Seed Oil
This oil is extracted fromroasted coffee beans. It can be used inyour recipe atup to 10%.

Cupuacu Butter
This fruit butter, derived from a relative of the cocoa plant, can be used in your soap recipe at up to 6%.

Cucumber Seed Oil
Cucumber seed oil is great for sensitive skin types.Use it in soap at up to 15%.

Emu Oil
You can useup to 13%in your soap recipe.Too much emu oil will yield a soft soap with low lather.

Evening Primrose Oil
Thisquick-absorbing oil is wonderful in soap.It can be used up to 15% inyour recipe.

Flaxseed Oil
A light oil that you can useinyour soap recipe atup to 5%.

Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil has lots of linoleic acid.It can be usedatup to 15% insoap making.

Green Tea Seed Oil
This nutrient-rich oil can be used inyour soap recipe atup to 6%.

Hazelnut Oil
This oil is low inessentialfattyacids,therefore it is slow to reach trace. Hazelnut oil is used at 20% or lessof your soap recipe.

Hemp Seed Oil
Rich in fatty acids, very hydrating and a boon to lather – that’s how to describe hemp seed oil.Useatup to 15% inyour recipe.

Jojoba Oil
Yields a very good bar of soap at low concentrations. Use at up to 10% of your recipe. This is actually a wax rather than an oil, and is very similar to the skin’s own oils.

Kokum Butter
Kokum butter may need to be tempered to eliminate crystal formation.It can be used inyour recipeat 10% or less.

Kukui Nut Oil
Kukuicomes from Hawaii.You can useit insoap making atup to 20%of your total recipe.

Lard
Lard can be used at up to 100% of your recipe to yield a hard, creamy bar of soap that comes to trace very slowly, allowing time for special effects. It is best at 30% or less of your recipe.

Lingonberry Seed Oil
Full of antioxidants, lingonberry seed oil is wonderfully rich and can be used at up to 15% of your soap recipe.

Macadamia Nut Oil
Usemacadamia nutoil at 10-30% of your soap recipe.

Mango Butter
This soft butter melts on contact with the skin. Creates a hard, well-lathering bar of soap. Use at up to 30% of your recipe.

Meadowfoam Oil
Meadowfoam oil feels very similar to jojoba oil on the skin.Ityieldsa creamy,silky lather in soap.Use at 20% or less in your recipe.

Moringa Seed Oil
Moringa seed oil can be used atup to 15%.It is very lightweight and non-greasy.

Murumuru Butter
Use at upto 5%of your total recipe.

Neem Oil
Need oilcan be used at 3-6% insoap recipes. Adding more can result in an odor in the finished soap.

Oat Oil
Wonderful in soap making, especially when combined with colloidal oatmeal.It can be used atup to15%.

Olive Oil
Thisrich oil gives a thick lather and a very hard bar of soap, after a long curing period.It can be usedatup to 100%of your total recipe.

Palm Oil
Palm oil helps harden the bars and create lather whencombinedwithcoconut oil. In cold process soap, the oil can be used up to 33%.

Palm Kernel Flakes
This is a mixture of partially-hydrogenated palm kernel oil and soy lecithin. Only useup to 15% inyoursoap, or you will end up with a hard bar of soap with no lather.

Peach Kernel Oil
Peach kernel oil gives a lovely, stable lather to soap. Irecommend it up to 20%.

Peanut Oil
This oil is used as a substitute foroliveorcanola oilinsoap makingrecipes. It can be used up to 25%, but beware of allergies.

Pumpkin Seed Oil
Use this oil, rich in Omega 3,6 and 9 acids, at up to 30% of your recipe.

Raspberry Seed Oil
Use insoap atup to15%.This lightweight oil absorbs quickly and hydrates the skin.

Red Palm Oil
Creates hard bars and beautiful golden orange color.The highest natural source of vitamin A for your skin.Recommended at no more than 15% of your recipe due to the possibility of stainingskin and clothing.

Rice Bran Oil
An economical alternative to olive oil in soap making recipes. Useatup to 20% in your recipe. Too much more can cause a soft bar of soap with low lather.

Rosehip Seed Oil
Rosehip seed oil is wonderful for dry, aging skin types. High in vitamins A and C.Try it insoap making at10%or less.

Safflower Oil
Saffloweroil is similar tocanolaorsunflower oil. It can be used up to 20% inyoursoaprecipe.

Sesame Oil
An excellent lightweight oil that does not clog pores.It can be used up to 10% insoaprecipes.

Shea Butter
Shea butter helps harden soap and can be used at up to 15%.It can form crystals and for this reason it is best to temper the butter before use.

Shorea (Sal) Butter
Similar to Shea butter, you can use Sal butter at up to 6%.As with shea butter, cocoa butter and some others, tempering is recommended withsalbutter to reduce crystallization.

Soybean Oil
Soybean produces a hard bar of soap when mixed withpalmorcoconut oil. Usually used at 50% or less in soap recipes. I recommend no more than 25%.Soybean oil is prone to rancidity fairly early.Does soap go bad? The answer is yes and no. Dreaded Orange Spots (DOS) may appear, along with an unpleasant odor. Although not fit for sale, bars with DOS that smell okay are still safe for personal use.

Sunflower Oil
You can make soap exclusively from sunflower oil, but it will be a soft bar with low lather. I recommend keeping usage rates below 35%.

Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil feels light and luxurious in soaps. It can be used at up to 20% in your recipe.

Tallow
Tallow yields a very hard bar of soap, but used in too high of a percentage it can mean no lather at all. Best to keep tallow below 25% for this reason.

Tamanu Oil
Tamanu oil can be used at up to 5% in your recipe.Itforms a barrier on the skin that locks in moisture.

Tucuma Butter
Tucumabutter yields a lovely, gentle lather. Use at up to 6% of total recipe.

Walnut Oil
This oil, which is high in B vitamins and niacin,conditions and moisturizes. It can be used at up to 15% in soap.

Wheat Germ Oil
This richly emollient and deeply nutritious oilcan be used in cold processatup to 10%.

While there are other oils and butters that could be used, this soap making oil chart covers the most common and a few of the more exotic oils. Just about any oil you find will be available for experimentation in the online lye calculators, leaving a world of options for you and your soap recipes.

Did we miss anything on our soap making oil chart? What do you think are the best oils for soap making?

Ask the Expert

Do you have a soapmaking question? You’re not alone! Check here to see if your question has already been answered. And, if not, use our chat feature to contact our experts!

Is mustard oil safe to use in soapmaking? It is from India and I bought it in Hong Kong. Thanks. – Raja

There are two products that are referred to as mustard oil. The first is a cold-pressed oil that is extracted from the seeds. The second is an essential oil derived from distilling the crushed seeds with water. Only the cold-pressed oil can be used in soap making, and only with an abundance of caution: mustard oil can be a strong skin irritant. These soaps should never be used on the face or any part of the body with mucous membranes because it can be too harsh. As a hand and foot wash, soap enriched with up to one-half ounce of mustard oil per pound of base oils can be used. Mustard essential oil should never be used in any quantity because it contains natural cyanide products that are a powerful poison. Avoid mustard essential oil completely. – Thanks, Melanie Teegarden

Hi, I am new to soap making.Where do they buy oils (olive oil, coconut oil, lard, and others)? Of course, all grocery stores are too expensive. Please advise. – Lisa

I am located in the United States, so the companies I can suggest from first-hand experience are limited to the ones that sell here. It is true that the larger the bulk, the less expensive the base price when it comes to oils. As a beginner, of course, you can always use what is easily available at your local store and save on shipping costs, but when you are ready to start purchasing in quantities of a gallon or more, it really does pay to use one of the many soap supply companies out there. One of my favorites iswww.wholesalesuppliesplus.com. They have everything you need from oils to molds, fragrances, and colors, plus equipment and supplies for making lotions, scrubs, and many other bath and body goods. If you order $25 or more, shipping is free.Www.brambleberry.comis another good source for all things soap making. They sell their oils in bulk and also feature pre-mixed oils that only need lye and water added. Their oils come in bulk bags that can be frozen, boiled or microwaved for convenience. They are located in Washington state, so they are a good choice for shipping if you are on the west coast. Last, I would be remiss if I did not mentionwww.saveonscents.com, one of my all-time favorites for a wide variety of fragrance oils to use in soap. They now sell fixed oils in bulk as well. Their quality is always top-notch, and their shipping times and rates can’t be beat. They are located on the East coast and so might be a better choice for those located over in that area. – Melanie