How to make white soap?

by Bonnie
(Pinehurst, NC)

I have made several batches of soap and they all are tan or brown or some off color.


I would like to make a really white soap - something like the color of Ivory soap.

I have seen recipes that contain lard that promise a white soap but I would like to know if it is possible to do it with just vegetable type oils.

Is this possible? If so may I have the recipe.

Thank you.

Bonnie

Answer:

A soap's colour is determined by the colour of the ingredients you use in it.

Many oils can have a range of colour to them.

Take olive oil. Extra virgin and pomace can be light to dark green whereas regular tends to range from a light to medium golden colour.

Shea butter can range from a slight off white to a buttery yellow colour.

Because of these variances in colour from one brand/batch of oil to another, there isn't any particular recipe that will produce a white soap.

You pretty much have to source out the whitest/clearest oils you can find and add a little titanium dioxide to help the soap appear whiter.

Good luck,
Cathy

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by: FIGsoap

Also make sure your pour temp is moderate, if hp don't over cook. For translucence use castor oil, high palm ratio, try the most refined oils you can get, try copha, lard(frymasta) and definitely add 1/4 tsp per kg titanium dioxide. Do not add infusions or milk to your recipe. Milk soap isn't white.
Some fragrance oils esp vanilla and citrus, will turn your soap brown and yellow respectively. I have used a recipe that is known as the Aussie supermarket shelf recipe that gives creamy white soap.. Search for it because I've been looking for it too! It's a great bar. Keep your lard to 30% or less or you'll get a slimy spongy bar, and try to use coconut and soy or canola, only superfatting at the end of the cook.
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by: Anonymous

Thanks for sharing the tips. You all are so far ahead of my soap skills.
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by: Bonnie

Thank you for your input. I followed your advice and used a different olive oil when I want my soap really white. I use the most inexpensive light colored olive oil I can find - generally the store brand which is just plain olive oil and not the extra virgin. So far I have had very good luck. I also make sure that my other oils are white like palm and coconut oil.
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by: Anonymous

Hi! I have experimented with making most of my soap recipes white. I have found that adding TD to my lye water and mixing it in well does the trick. The problem is calculating the exact amount for each mixture. I would start with 1/4 tsp and work my way up. I make 5 lb logs of soap. I must add that using a tsp in one recipe was enough to cause it to trace very quickly and I had ash on my soap using another recipe. But it's worked well to remove the greenish tint of the olive oil and the butter color from the Shea butter.
Dee
Yada Soaps
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by: Lisa

Hi Bonnie,
I was also looking for a recipe that produces a white soap. I came across this recipe on the web. I have already made 1 batch. It turned out for me a translucent white and very hard. not real high on the conditioning but you might be able to adjust it. By adding a touch of titanium dioxide you should get a very white bar of soap. As always run thru a soap calculator first.

sunflower 11.4oz needs to be high oleic
coconut oil 8oz
lard 8.5oz you could sub in palm oil or kernel or maybe crisco. I would think.
Stearic acid 2oz
castor oil 2oz
h20 11.2oz
lye 4.4oz Sodium hydroxide

Hopes this helps..Lisa from Wi

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