Changing my recipe... again

Adaptability : the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions.

As you will be aware, the cost of olive oil has skyrocketed mainly due to drought in Europe. This has affected quite a few of the soapmakers I know, as olive oil is often a large component of a recipe in handmade soap, prized for its conditioning qualities and its ability to produce mild, hard bars.

So far I haven’t had to grapple with this cost increase, as I source my olive oil from a NZ based press (they sell me what is essentially a waste product, the scraping from the press after the oil is processed, no good for eating but great for soap). But they have recently informed me they have no more oil for me in the short-medium term.

I was also finding that the oil from this press is very green in colour, which was tinging my soap batter more than I would like, making it difficult to achieve certain lighter colours as the base ends up quite yellow. With these issues in mind, I've decided to revisit my sustainable recipe, while trying to stay true to the Soap with a small footprint ethos and source close to home.

I've done a few tests (soapy experiments - my favourite!) and have been very pleased with the results of my tinkering so far by including NZ grown rapeseed and upping the tallow component of my bars. I’ve also brought castor oil back into the mix, because, though we don’t produce it in NZ, it does lend the soap a superior lather. I didn't use it initially, but I miss it!  Castor oil comes mainly from India, but it’s a sustainably grown crop, with benefits to local communities, so I’m ok with that. 

Rapeseed is unrefined canola oil, and is produced by the same company who I source my sunflower oil, from the South Island. It is cold pressed and fresh, travelling a short distance to me here in Wellington. It also has the benefit of being quite an affordable oil when bought in bulk. 

So will Oh’G soap with a small footprint still be sustainable? Absolutely, my mission remains the same. The inclusion of castor oil will mean it likely has a slightly higher percentage of offshore ingredients....but the majority of these oils is still sourced right here in Aotearoa, NZ. 

My latest test bars are smooth, bubbly and creamy, and they pass my "fussy soap test" (I'm quite picky when it comes to soap ;) I can't wait for you to try them!

Yours sustainably,

Ana