On the efficacy of hempseed oil-based soap

hunnymonster

hunnymonster

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I've just cracked open (well torn open the bubblewrap from) a shaving stick from Australia, made from hempseed oil. Wondered if anyone else has tried any soaps or sticks based on hempseed oil? Or indeed if Lord Henk van Scheerzeep has any input...

My experience: The lather is a bit airy, the glide is fantastic and my face feels exceptionally smooth after the shave.

The other thing my mind wandered to today - whilst liquefying some coconut oil to cook with... what does soap made from ghee turn out like? (Obviously one would have to use proper butter ghee and not the vegetable stuff that's really just partially hydrogenated vegetable oil)
 
Well, I can offer the following observations: hemp seed doesn't have a really good fatty acid composition for a shaving soap on its own, but would be OK as a minor ingredient in a well-formulated product - however, the general consensus is that hemp oil soaps are extremely susceptible to going rancid... Depending on the percentage of hemp seed oil in that soap, it may have a fairly short shelf life.
 
Kells original uses Hemp oil too on its soaps and I can tell you that theyre fantastic:maybe not the best lather ever but the post shave its like MWF for sure (at least for me)I can see how hemp oil is good for making soaps with it.
 
henkverhaar said:
Do you have an ingredient list for Kells?
Click to expand...

Hemp blend ingredients: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Olive Oil (Grade A extra virgin), Safflower Oil, Glycerine (vegetable origin), Hemp Seed Oil (unrefined), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifer), Soy bean protein (conditioner), Wheat Protein (conditioner)

Hemp/Aloe ingredients: Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Olive Oil (Grade A extra virgin), Safflower Oil, Glycerine (vegetable origin), Hemp Seed Oil (unrefined), Aloe Vera Gel, Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifer), Soy bean protein (conditioner), Wheat Protein (conditioner)

(Apparently the Ultra Aloe blend is identical to the Hemp/Aloe with twice as much aloe).

... courtesy of Eastern Smooth (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://japanshave.blogspot.com/2009/08/kells-original-shave-soapreview.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://japanshave.blogspot.com/2009/08/ ... eview.html</a><!-- m -->)
 
OK, thanks. So, it seems that the hemp seed oil is only a minor saponified constituent. Which would easily explain the fact that this soap will not (or not appreciably) go rancid -- not enough hemp fatty acids for that.

The emollient properties may be from the hemp fatty acids or unsaponifiables (there's quite a lot of that in hemp seed oil), or they may be the result of the protein fraction.

What strikes me is the absence, in the list, of potassium hydroxide. I would expect this soap to have a lather that dies away rather quickly... although the sorbitol and sorbitan oleate may stabilize the lather somewhat.
 
I agree with you Henk that if the Hemp seed oil is saponified it is probably o.k. in terms of shelf life. I suspect that because it is relatively expensive many home soapers add it after saponification, leaving it more in its natural state, and therefore prone to rancidity.
Not sure what Palm oil noodles are?? Do they perhaps mean Palm oil soap noodles i.e. a pre manufactured soap base to which they have added a bit of Hemp seed oil? In which case the DOS (dreaded orange spot - signifying rancidity) may not be far away.
 
Yes, I think I've seen the same website with photos of various soaps. Personally, I've never had a soap go rancid. Maybe it is also to do with the amount of super fatting some people do. I've heard of people going as high as 20% superfat! I'm surprised such a soap is even solid.
 
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