Lye vs. Castille soap?
Tigranes of Bezabde
Greetings,
I'm hoping someone will be able to answer a question I have been mulling
over. I've seen advertisements for Castille soap in various
publications. I recently made some lye soap, and I began to wonder....
What, if anything, is the difference between the two? I'll be grateful
for any information, as well as any recipes for Castille soap if there is
a difference.
Your Obedient and Humble Servant,
Tim Button
Mike Haught
As I understand it, Castille soap contains olive oil instead of animal fat.
Supposed to lather better in different types of water.
--
-mwh
Tigranes of Bezabde wrote in message <34861F...@epix.net>...
Katrina Worley
In article <34861F...@epix.net>, Tigranes of Bezabde
<tigr...@epix.net> wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> I'm hoping someone will be able to answer a question I have been mulling
> over. I've seen advertisements for Castille soap in various
> publications. I recently made some lye soap, and I began to wonder....
> What, if anything, is the difference between the two? I'll be grateful
> for any information, as well as any recipes for Castille soap if there is
> a difference.
>
> Your Obedient and Humble Servant,
>
> Tim Button
Technically, ALL soap is lye soap. There is no way to make soap without
lye. Some of the "natural" soap makers will refer to "mineral salts", but
what they really mean is sodium hydroxide, or plain old lye. The basic
ratio of fat to lye to water is a constant. Ideally, all of the fat
reacts with all of the lye to form soap. Too much lye (not enough fat)
and the soap is caustic. The right amount, and there is no free lye, just
soap. The types of fat (whether solid or liquid), and whatever additives
you use are what give you the various types of soap. Keep in mind that
extra fat can be used, but it ends up as an additive, creating a
"superfatted"soap. This is why some recipes appear to have more fat (or
less lye) than others. If too much extra fat is used, however, the excess
can turn rancid, especially if the fat is not thoroughly cleaned (this is
why the stories about "grandma's lye soap" refer to how bad it smells)
This additional fat does not end up as part of the soap molecule, but acts
a a skin conditioner. Castile soap is made from whatever recipe you use
for basic soap, but the fat is one third olive oil and two thirds tallow
(by weight). The olive oil gives a better lather to the soap than what
pure tallow will allow.
Katrina
Angela Gottfred
Katrina Worley wrote:
> Castile soap is made from whatever recipe you use
> for basic soap, but the fat is one third olive oil and two thirds tallow
other fats (different recipe, though)--expensive, but well worth it,
especially for people with dermatitis, since it is a VERY mild soap.
Historically (c. 1830), castile soap was the only soap considered mild
enough for babies and for washing hair.
Your humble & obedient servant,
Angela Gottfred
Ed Williams
Tigranes of Bezabde wrote:
>
> Greetings,
>
> I'm hoping someone will be able to answer a question I have been mulling
> over. I've seen advertisements for Castille soap in various
> publications. I recently made some lye soap, and I began to wonder....
> What, if anything, is the difference between the two? I'll be grateful
> for any information, as well as any recipes for Castille soap if there is
> a difference.
>
> Your Obedient and Humble Servant,
>
> Tim Button
Tim:
Olive oil is used to make Castille soap, where as you know, lard is used
to make lye soap. Castille soap lathers up better than lye soap
regardless of the temperature or quality of the water.
Ed Williams
Little Rock
PS: I have not heard any replies on my kilt questions! Any help out
there?
Susan Lawlor
Tigranes of Bezabde wrote:
> > Greetings,
> >
> > I'm hoping someone will be able to answer a question I have been mulling
> > over. I've seen advertisements for Castille soap in various
> > publications. I recently made some lye soap, and I began to wonder....
> > What, if anything, is the difference between the two? I'll be grateful
> > for any information, as well as any recipes for Castille soap if there is
> > a difference.
> >
> > Your Obedient and Humble Servant,
> >
> > Tim Button
>
The answer from a chemistry standpoint is that *all* soap, Castile or otherwise is made
with lye. Soap is created by a chemical reaction (called saponification) between a base
(i.e. lye) and a fat (i.e. olive oil, tallow, etc.), the two combine to create soap and
glycerin. Once saponified, there should be no free lye and very little free fat in
soap. Free lye means it'll take your skin off; though you want a little free fat left
over to make the soap milder.
Castile refers to the Castilla region of Spain and it's abundant olive groves. Any soap
made with olive oil as a major ingredient can be called Castile Soap.
There a quite a few soap making books out these, full of recipes, one of my favorites is
"Soap - Making it, Enjoying it" by Ann Bramson.
Slainte,
Susan Lawlor
Lafayette River Soap Company
PO Box 55119
Norfolk, VA 23505
