8 Homemade Palm Oil Soap Recipes from Sustainable Sources

I’ve put together these 8 homemade palm oil soap recipes because a lot of people like to use palm oil in their soaps.  It makes a good hard bar with a creamy lather that will last longer.

Palm oil can be used in place of tallow in a favorite recipe you have, but I, personally, keep palm oil at or below 30% of the added fats because I think it can dry out the skin if it is the greater percentage of fats (as can coconut) unless superfat content is raised as well.

Palm Oil vs. Palm Kernel Oil

There is a difference.  Palm oil is made from the palm fruit, while palm kernel oil is (as the name implies) made from the seed of the fruit.  50% of Palm oil is saturated fat, while 80% of palm kernel oil is saturated fat, though they both usually appear solid at room temperature.

In soap making, each oil you choose will have different properties that it brings to the recipe.

Fats you choose will bring one or a combination of:

• hardness
• conditioning
• bubbles
• creamy lather
• cleansing

Palm oil is more interchangeable with tallow and produces a hard bar, it is not the best at cleansing or conditioning (which is why you combine it with certain other oils). While palm kernel oil is more like coconut oil and is better at cleansing and producing a bubbly lather.

There has been controversy concerning the deforestation of Palm areas due to its cheap production.  But there has been a lot of combined effort by many organizations, including the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).   Some brands like “Bramble Berry” sell only RSPO approved Palm Oil.  Others have written books or booklets concerning the illegitimacy of the controversy or the lack of effectiveness by the RSPO.  All in all, it is a personal choice, just like driving a car.  I enjoy using palm oil to make soaps especially for my coconut allergic family members.

Where to find Palm Oil: 32 oz Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil

With all of that in mind, I have a few recipes that I like to use.  I hope you enjoy

8 Homemade Palm Oil Soap Recipes

If you are adding essential oils, I prefer 1 oz at trace per pound of soap, but that will vary depending on the specific oil’s potency and your preference.

Palm and Hemp

5 lbs, 7% superfat
Ingredients:

• 36 oz olive oil
• 26 oz palm oil
• 14 oz coconut oil
• 8 oz hemp oil
• 2 oz beeswax
• 32 oz cold water
• 12.3 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners 

Palm and Castor

3lbs, 10% superfat. Castor oil makes a great bubbly soap that a lot of people like for shaving.

Ingredients:

•  12 oz olive oil
• 10 oz coconut oil
• 8 oz palm oil
• 2 oz castor oil
• 12 oz water
• 4.35 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

Palm, Castor and Shea

2.5 lbs, 10% superfat

Ingredients:

•  8 oz coconut oil
• 8 oz palm oil
• 6 oz shea butter
• 5 oz olive oil
• 4 oz castor oil
• 11.8 oz water
• 4.1 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

Chocolate Bastille

3 lbs, 5% superfat. This is a harder Bastille bar with a natural chocolate scent.

Ingredients:

• 18 oz olive oil
• 6 oz coconut oil
• 5 oz palm oil
• 4 oz cocoa butter
• 2 oz castor oil
• 13 oz water
• 4.8 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

Butter Soap

3 lb, 10% superfat.  This soap is great at conditioning the skin, is a nice hard bar, and it smells great even without essential oils.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz olive oil
• 10 oz coconut oil
• 4 oz palm oil
• 3 oz cocoa butter
• 2 oz shea butter
• 2 oz castor oil
• 11.5 oz water
• 4.2 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

Palm Oil and Palm Kernel Oil

3 lbs, 5% superfat. A great all around bar with good hardness, cleansing, and bubbles.

Ingredients:

• 15 oz olive oil
• 5 oz coconut oil
• 5 oz palm oil
• 5 oz palm kernel flakes
• 4 oz sweet almond oil
• 12.5 oz water
• 4.8 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

Palm Kernel Oil and No Coconut

3 lbs, 5% superfat. For all of you with coconut allergies, or wanting to make some for those with allergies, here’s a great recipe for you.

Ingredients:

• 15 oz olive oil
• 8 oz tallow
• 8 oz palm kernel flakes
• 2 oz castor oil
• 12.5 oz water
• 4.6 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

Palm Kernel and No Coconut

2 lbs, 5% superfat

Ingredients:

• 10 oz olive oil
• 6 oz palm kernel flakes
• 2 oz sweet almond oil
• 2 oz castor oil
• 2 oz shea butter
• 8.4 oz filtered water
• 3 oz lye
• 1 oz essential oil of choice

 Directions:

1. Combine waxes, fats and/or oils in a large stainless steel pot and heat over low until all oils are melted and combined. Cool to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Outside, slowly add lye to the water (Be careful. Wet lye will burn your skin if it touches you. Don’t inhale vapors that come off of lye water for about 60 seconds.). Stir until dissolved. Cool to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Pour lye water into oils and stir with hand mixer until light trace.
4. Add essential oils and stir.
5. Pour into a mold and insulate for 24 hours.
6. Remove from mold and cut.
7. For more detailed instructions see: Soap Making Instructions for Beginners

I hope you find these helpful in your own creative adventures. Have fun and remember that you can ask questions any time and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.