Have you ever wondered how fun it could be with a homemade (DIY) soap? Well, making soap is not difficult. As long as you have the proven key ingredients, you are all set. Palm oil is easily one of the most important and readily available ingredients.

You can use different combination ratios of palm oil and palm kernel oil. Their key differences are explained here. The choice you make will result in a different set of characteristics to the outcome. Try to experiment with different combinations to see the difference yourself.

Soap ingredients basically include base oils (e.g. palm oil, palm kernel oil), lye (e.g. sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide), water, scent (e.g. planted-based essential oils, fragrance oils), colourants and soap bases (hard: hard soap, liquid: shower gel or soft: scrubs).

In soap making, palm-based ingredients may come in the form of sodium stearate (sodium salt of the fatty acids derived from stearic acid that acts as stabiliser and thickener/ hardener), and sodium palm kernelate (sodium salt of the fatty acids derived from palm kernel oil as a cleansing, emulsifying agent and moisturizing surfactant).

Through a chemical process called saponification, sodium palmate (one the key ingredients in the soap-making process) is formed as a result of the reaction between a fatty acid and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. The mixture is then cooled and formed into soaps.

Generally, the ratios of palm oil to palm kernel oil are about 80 : 20 for toilet soap (e.g. soap for washing the body) and 95 : 5 for laundry soap (e.g. for general household cleaning and manual washing). In other words, soap with higher palm kernel oil content gives a higher cleansing power.

Why palm-based soap?

• Consistent composition
• Good stability and formability (hardness)
• Good foamability (lathering)
• Good detergency (cleansing power)
• Good biodegradability (solubility)
• Effective and cost-effective
• Reliable raw ingredients supply
• Natural ingredients
• Acceptable to all religions

A standard soap-making recipe for you to start with would be the simple 30-30-30-10 combination. That is: 30% palm oil, 30% coconut oil, 30% olive oil and 10% of something else such as shea butter (or whatever additive e.g fragrance or essential oil you like) to add a distinct note to the recipe.

The Lavender Soap Recipe by Cathy Winsby is a good guideline to go with. Have fun!