Peanut Oil

by Denise Moran
(Atlanta, GA )

Hello, I am loving the site, one of the best I have found( admittedly I've only been making soap a few months) but one of my favorites. I got one of the most helpful ideas ever from you. I alternate between raw shea butter and straight jojoba oil as my nighttime cream depending on need. I saw the recipe for the whipped shea and aha! I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of that.

My question is this, why is peanut oil so rarely included in oil descriptions etc. I know the rancidity and allergys is an issue but keeping 20 percent or less and using vitamin E should help. Those issues aside it seems a great oil to use( compounded with the fact I got a huge bottle for $2.89 on markdown) I've seen a few sites that even mention, only one had recipes. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your treasure of a site.

Answer:
Hi Denise,

I haven't personally used peanut oil in any recipes so I can't give you first hand knowledge about why it's not often used.

I have read, that compared to other oils, it doesn't measure up when used on it's own...apparently it produces a weak, slimy lather and a soft bar. That being said, I've also read that adding it in small quantities can be done without any problem.

There's no harm in experimenting....that's what makes this so much fun.

Good luck,
Cathy