For soap makers, there are two types of important plant oils: fatty oils and the volatile essential oils. The fatty oils make up the bulk of the bar, while the essential oils are added for their pleasing scent and therapeutic properties. Every bar that 
produces starts with a balanced combination of olive, coconut, and palm oil to yield a superior soap. Olive oil is exceptionally moisturizing and conditioning. Coconut and palm oils are added to ensure a hard bar with a fluffy, long lasting lather. Other fatty oils that we add to certain bars include almond oil, avocado oil, castor oil, flax oil, hemp oil and shea butter.
oil |
plant |
native to |
commonly grown |
extracted from |
|
castor
|
Ricinus communis
(a shrub) |
India or Africa
|
India, Brazil, Russia and China
|
seeds
|
|
coconut
|
Cocos nucifera (coconut tree)
|
Southeast Asia
|
along tropical coasts throughout the world
|
dried endosperm (the tasty white part)
|
|
olive
|
olive tree
|
|
|
fruit wall and seed kernel
|
|
palm
|
Elaeis guineensis (oil palm)
|
West Africa
|
|
fruit
|
|
almond
|
Prunus amygdalus (almond tree)
|
Western Asia
|
in southern Europe, North Africa, South Africa, California
|
nut
|