Every oil needs a specific amount of lye to turn into soap — its saponification (SAP) value. Below are the SAP values for 47 common soap-making oils and butters (NaOH for bar soap, KOH for liquid). Click any oil for how much lye it needs at your batch size, its fatty-acid profile, and what it brings to the bar.
| Oil | SAP (NaOH) | SAP (KOH) | Typical % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aloe Butter | 0.171 | 0.24 | 1-10% |
| Apricot Kernel Oil | 0.139 | 0.195 | 5-20% |
| Argan Oil | 0.1362 | 0.191 | 2-10% |
| Avocado Oil | 0.1327 | 0.186 | 5-20% |
| Babassu Oil | 0.1748 | 0.245 | 5-25% |
| Beef Tallow | 0.1427 | 0.2 | 20-60% |
| Candelilla Wax | 0.0314 | 0.044 | 0.5-2% |
| Canola Oil, High Oleic | 0.1327 | 0.186 | 5-20% |
| Castor Oil | 0.1283 | 0.18 | 3-10% |
| Cocoa Butter | 0.1383 | 0.194 | 3-15% |
| Coconut Oil 76 | 0.1833 | 0.257 | 10-30% |
| Coconut Oil 92 | 0.183 | 0.257 | 10-30% |
| Corn Oil | 0.1369 | 0.192 | 3-20% |
| Cupuacu Butter | 0.137 | 0.192 | 3-15% |
| Duck Fat | 0.138 | 0.194 | 5-35% |
| Ghee | 0.162 | 0.227 | 2-10% |
| Goose Fat | 0.1369 | 0.192 | 5-35% |
| Grapeseed Oil | 0.1291 | 0.181 | 3-15% |
| Green Tea Seed Oil | 0.138 | 0.193 | 3-15% |
| Hemp Seed Oil | 0.1376 | 0.193 | 3-15% |
| Illipe Butter | 0.132 | 0.185 | 2-12% |
| Jojoba Oil | 0.0656 | 0.092 | 2-10% |
| Kokum Butter | 0.1355 | 0.19 | 2-12% |
| Lanolin | 0.0756 | 0.106 | 1-5% |
| Lanolin Liquid Wax | 0.0756 | 0.106 | 1-5% |
| Lard | 0.1412 | 0.198 | 15-50% |
| Lauric Acid | 0.2 | 0.28 | 1-10% |
| Macadamia Nut Oil | 0.139 | 0.195 | 3-15% |
| Mango Butter | 0.1362 | 0.191 | 3-15% |
| Mowrah Butter | 0.138 | 0.194 | 2-12% |
| Murumuru Butter | 0.196 | 0.275 | 3-20% |
| Olive Oil | 0.1355 | 0.19 | 15-70% |
| Olive Oil (Pomace) | 0.1341 | 0.188 | 10-60% |
| Palm Kernel Oil | 0.1761 | 0.247 | 5-20% |
| Palm Oil | 0.1419 | 0.199 | 15-40% |
| Palmitic Acid | 0.153 | 0.215 | 2-15% |
| Peach Kernel Oil | 0.1363 | 0.191 | 5-20% |
| Rice Bran Oil | 0.1333 | 0.187 | 10-30% |
| Sal Butter | 0.132 | 0.185 | 2-12% |
| Shea Butter | 0.1276 | 0.179 | 5-20% |
| Soy Wax | 0.137 | 0.192 | 5-20% |
| Stearic Acid | 0.1412 | 0.198 | 20-60% |
| Sunflower Oil | 0.1348 | 0.189 | 5-20% |
| Sweet Almond Oil | 0.139 | 0.195 | 5-20% |
| Tamanu Oil | 0.1483 | 0.208 | 2-8% |
| Tucuma Butter | 0.17 | 0.238 | 2-15% |
| Yellow Beeswax | 0.0671 | 0.094 | 1-3% |
Ready to formulate? Build a recipe in SoapCalc — it computes the exact lye from your oils at any superfat, then saves and scales it. See also the superfat calculator and the best soap calculator comparison.