These numbers are guidelines only — they don’t define the quality of your final bar.
• Make small 1‑lb test batches and play.
• Pay attention to how the recipe performs, how it cures, and how it feels on your skin.
• Some “rules” are meant to be broken, and you absolutely can push or bend these ranges once you understand how your oils behave.
• Have fun with it.
Superfat:
• The numbers don’t change when you adjust superfat, but the soap does.
• Even just 1% more can give a more luxurious feel.
• A 2–3% increase can soften the bar and reduce lather.
Additives:
• Sugar, sodium lactate, beer, vinegar, citric acid, dairy, salt, aloe, pigments, fragrances — all of these can shift hardness, lather, mildness, and cure behavior.
Method:
• Water amount, gel phase, mold type, and cure time all influence the final bar.
Water quality:
• Hard water reduces lather and creates soap scum.
• A chelator like citric acid helps prevent this.