Palm Oil
Saponification values, fatty acid makeup, and what this oil does in a bar of soap.
Saponification values
Grams of lye needed to saponify one gram of palm oil. Multiply by your oil weight, then apply your superfat.
- NaOH (bar soap)
- 0.142
- KOH (liquid soap)
- 0.199
- Iodine
- 53
- INS
- 145
INCI: Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) OilSaponified name (for labels): Sodium Palmate
Fatty acid profile
| Fatty acid | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Palmitic | 44% |
| Oleic | 39% |
| Linoleic | 10% |
| Stearic | 5% |
| Myristic | 1% |
Soap qualities at 100%
What a bar made entirely of palm oil would score. Almost nobody soaps a single oil at 100% — this is here so you can see what the oil contributes to a blend. The shaded band is the range most makers aim for in a finished recipe.
Oils that behave similarly
Closest matches by fatty acid makeup — the usual starting point when you have run out of palm oil and need a substitute. Check the lye maths again after swapping: SAP values differ even between oils that behave alike.
- Red Palm ButterSAP 0.142 NaOH
- PalmoleinSAP 0.143 NaOH
- Mafura Butter, Trichilia emeticaSAP 0.141 NaOH
- Walmart GV Shortening, tallow, palmSAP 0.141 NaOH
- Ostrich OilSAP 0.139 NaOH
Recipes using palm oil
- Classic Trinity 30%Olive, coconut, and palm in balance. The standard first recipe: hard bar, reliable lather, forgiving to make.
Open the calculator to load any of these from the recipe library.