Palm Kernel Oil

Palm kernel oil is one of the best natural oils for use in soap making. Derived from the seed of the tropical oil palm, this oil creates a rich lather and keeps the texture of bar soap soft and solid.

When soap is made, a strong alkaline solution (lye) is mixed with fats, which are then saponified into soap. The resulting product depends on the qualities of the fats that are used and the amount of lye that is used with them.

Lauric acid is the link between palm kernel oil and soap lather. Lauric acid reacts with the other ingredients in soap causing it to suds up when mixed with water – and lauric acid is 40% of palm kernel oil. So using palm kernel oil as part of the oil element in soap creates a sudsy soap without the use of chemically-derived detergents.

Also, palm kernel oil is a saturated fat. It is solid at room temperature. During soap-making, the oil is heated to a liquid state and then mixed with other oils and ingredients. Once the soap cools, it returns to its solid state, adding firmness to the soap. The hardness of the soap depends on the levels of saturated fat in the oil blend.

Palm kernel oil is one of the best oils for creating natural, luxurious soaps that moisturize and cleanse without the use of harsh chemicals and detergent lathering agents.

Why Organic Palm Kernel Oil

Palm production grew dramatically once tropical oils were adopted as bio-fuels. New plantations caused extensive habitat destruction. Orangutans have been especially affected. Their future is in the balance. Along with environmental damage, land rights of local peoples have been compromised. A Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil has been formed to cope with these problems. We can do our part by looking for organic, sustainable palm kernel oil in the products we use.

For purely personal reasons, organic products are the wise choice. Click here to read why organic products are best.