Hibiscus Seed Oil for Soap Making
Hibiscus Seed Oil is a liquid specialty oil dominated by linoleic (40%), oleic (30%), palmitic (22%). Usually added in smaller proportions for its label appeal and skin-feel contribution rather than as a recipe base.
Quick Facts
How Much Lye for Hibiscus Seed Oil?
With a SAP value of 0.138, fully saponifying hibiscus seed oil takes 0.138 grams of sodium hydroxide per gram of oil (at 0% superfat):
| Oil amount | NaOH (0% superfat) | KOH (liquid soap) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 13.8 g | 19.3 g |
| 500 g | 69 g | 96.5 g |
| 1000 g | 138 g | 193 g |
Real recipes use a superfat discount (typically 5%) and almost always blend several oils. Always run your full recipe through the Soaply lye calculator rather than weighing lye from a single-oil table.
Predicted Bar Properties
Derived from the fatty acid profile, for a bar made of 100% hibiscus seed oil:
Fatty Acid Profile
| Fatty acid | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Palmitic | 22% |
| Stearic | 3% |
| Oleic | 30% |
| Linoleic | 40% |
| Linolenic | 1% |
Substitutes for Hibiscus Seed Oil
The closest matches by fatty acid profile, which is what actually determines how an oil behaves in soap. Swap by weight and re-run the lye calculation, since SAP values differ:
Build a recipe with Hibiscus Seed Oil
The free Soaply calculator handles the lye math, water, superfat, and property predictions for any blend of 100 oils.
Open the lye calculatorMore Specialty Oils
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