How To Work Out Percentages of a Recipe

by Christine
(UK)

Snapshot of SoapCalc

Snapshot of SoapCalc

I would like to know HOW to work out the percentages of a soap recipe. For example, if I want to use 65% of olive oil and 15% of palm oil, 20% coconut oil in a recipe where the total fats/oils add up to 647g. How can I determine/ work out the percentage of a particular oil or fat is so I can control how much of each oil I want to use in a given recipe. I am presuming there is a formula for this. Forgive my ignorance, but I've never been great at maths! Can you offer some sort of idiot's guide? I have a feeling there are others out there who feel the same as I do. Keep up the fantastic work you do here.


Answer:

There are formulas for figuring out percentages but I think I have a better solution for you.

Learn how to use SoapCalc and you won't need to do math percentages at all!

Take a look in the above picture. Section #2 shows the Weight of oils. I've placed the total amount of oil you want to use there...647 grams.

In section 6 you enter the oils you want in the recipe. Click on the "%" button so you can just enter the percentages you would like of each oil.

Section 7 - click on the "1.Calculate Recipe" button and the grams of each oil will be calculated for you. Magic!

To view the whole recipe, click on the "2.View or Print Recipe" button and a pop up will appear with the recipe in it all set for you to use.

SoapCalc also gives you the option to set your water percentages and the superfat. You will find those options in sections 3 and 4.

Explore the calculator by clicking on the section buttons for explanations. You should also check out the 'How to use soapcalc' link at the top of the SoapCalc page.

If you really want to learn how to do percentages, it's not hard at all.

Using your calculator:
1. type in 647,
2. hit the "x" key,
3. type in 20
4. hit the "%" key
The answer should be 129.4. That's how many grams of coconut oil you would use if you wanted it to be 20% of 647 grams.

Good luck,
Cathy

Comments for How To Work Out Percentages of a Recipe

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Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Soap Calc link
by: Cathy

Thanks for the heads up! I've fixed it on my lye calculators page. Will see if I can find the rest and update them as well.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		SoapCalc Link Gone
by: Anonymous

The SoapCalc link page is no longer available. Do you know where I can find it?

Thank you.
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Lye page
by: Stilly

How do you calculate KOH AND NaOH in a recipe?
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Melt and pour, lye free calculator
by: Anonymous

Hi Cathy,

Can you recommend a calculator for melt and pour, lye free received? I want to use your Basic Palm Free recipe and would appreciate any feedback you have.

Thank you!

Answer:

I'm a bit confused with what you are asking but I will do my best to help.

I will start with a basic bit of knowledge about soap.

All soap contains lye. There is no such thing as lye free soap. If lye was not used to make it then it is not soap.

You do not need a lye calculator for melt and pour soap since the lye stage has already been completed for you.

Melt and pour is already soap and you only need to melt it, add the colour and scent you want and pour it into the molds and let it harden.

My basic palm free recipe is not lye free since it is a recipe for making soap from scratch and does not use melt and pour in it at all.

The lye calculator I prefer is SoapCalc.

Good luck,
Cathy
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thank You!
by: Michelle

Thank you so much! I've been trying to figure out SoapCalc and you've just provided the one part of the program that I didn't realize I could do, which makes the whole program make much more sense. Time to make my first batch of soap!
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Here's a link to a great soap calculator
by: Frank

SoapCalc

Comment:

Thanks Frank. There are actually links to that page all over my site...it is the lye calculator that I use and I agree, it is wonderful.

Cathy
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Re:Percentages of a Recipe
by: Christine (UK)

Thanks for that Cathy. You have explained that very well. I also, would like to know how to work out percentages of a set recipe. For example, the recipe below is one of my recipes which I have asked you to look at in a prior question about slow trace recipes. Straight away you identified that my problem was:

89% of the oils I was using were fast tracing oils.

What formula did you use to work that out?
The reason why I am asking is that I am trying to establish for myself a ratio that works well for me, and if I use someone else's recipe, I can pre-determine their percentages, and tweak the amount oils I want to use if necessary. Thanks again for being patient.


100g coconut oil
100g unrefined palm oil
100g olive pomace
10g avocado oil
10g almond oil
20g soybean
10g castor
10g unrefined shea

Answer:

To find a percentage, add up all of the oils you have in the recipe. Then divide the part you want a percent for by the whole amount and times by 100.

Above you have 360 grams in total. Then add up all of the fast tracing oils...coconut, palm, pomace, castor and shea...they equal 320 grams.

To get the percentage, divide the 320 grams by the total grams and times by 100.

ex. (320 / 360) * 100 = 88.88%

If you wanted to know what percent the coconut oil in your recipe was you would do the same calculation.

ex (100 / 360) * 100 = 27.77%

Have fun!
Cathy

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