7. DOS- Sunflower soap with beeswax cold process small batch test (3 round pieces) 23/11/2025
Recipe Instructions
I added a little yellow colour but just so I can distinguish this soap from the other sunflower single oil test batch. Made 3 round muffin soaps
Also included some lemongrass essential oil - I prefer scented soaps to non-scented ones.
I added the wax to some of the measured oil and microwaved it till it melted, then I added the remainder of the oil. However, it's still quite hot at 80% and I need to wait till it cools a bit so I can blend it with the lye solution - they both need to be within the same temperature range
Ready after January 4th
March 8th 2026: These experimental soaps developed rancidity (DOS - dosification of oils) due to sunflower oil's high polyunsaturated fats, accelerated by ~3.5 months curing in a kitchen environment. Specific issues stem from oil instability, improper additives, and storage. Primary Cause: Rancidity (Yellowing and Smell) Sunflower oil's fatty acid profile (70% linoleic acid, iodine value ~133) makes it highly prone to oxidation, causing yellowing (from oxidized compounds) and off-smells like "sweaty" or rancid within 1-3 months, even at 5% superfat. Kitchen exposure to light, heat, and air on a wire rack worsened this; high-oleic sunflower (low PUFA) is needed for stability.
Slight sweating from glycerin dew in humid kitchen (common in CP soap) plus beeswax (~4.4%—over ideal 0.5-3%, risking separation/sweat-like oil bleed) and undissolved particles for grittiness
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Soap Properties
Highlighted gray ranges represent recommended ranges for each property.
100
80
60
40
20
0
INS: 63.93 (low)
iodine: 127.53 (high)
Calculated Values for Oils and Preferences
| Superfat % | 5% |
| Saturated | 14.67 Gram(s) |
| Mono-Unsaturated | 21.34 Gram(s) |
| Poly-Unsaturated | 94.70 Gram(s) |
| Saturated:Unsaturated Ratio | 88.78:11.22 |
| Lye concentration | 100% |
| Weight Unit | Gram(s) |
| Soap type | solid |
Fatty Acid Profile
| Oleic | 15.29% |
| Linoleic | 66.89% |
| Linolenic | 0.96% |
| Ricinoleic | 0% |
| Lauric | 0% |
| Myristic | 0% |
| Palmitic | 6.69% |
| Stearic | 3.82% |
Recommended Additive Amounts
Swipe on table to see all values
For Advanced Soapmakers
| Sodium Lactate (60%)
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| Recommended Essential/Fragrance Oil | 6.11 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Ascorbic Acid
| 1.40 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Extra Lye to Neutralize Ascorbic Acid for A.A. | NaOH: 0.28 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Lactic Acid
| 1.05 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Extra Lye to Neutralize Lactic Acid for L.A. | NaOH: 0.62 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Tetrasodium EDTA
| 1.05 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Sodium Citrate
| 1.81 - 5.44 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Potassium Citrate
| 2.23 - 6.70 Gram(s) | ||||||
| Rosemary Oleoresin (ROE)
| 0.06 - 0.07 Gram(s) | ||||||
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Citric Acid Powder (anhydrous) |
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Extra Lye to Neutralize Citric Acid Powder for C.A. |
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