Shea Butter has a saponification (SAP) value of 0.1276 for NaOH (bar soap) and 0.179 for KOH (liquid soap). It's typically used at 5-20% of the oils.
How much lye for Shea Butter?
Lye at 0% superfat = oil weight × SAP. Apply your superfat to reduce it (e.g. ×0.95 for 5%).
| Shea Butter | NaOH (0% SF) | NaOH (5% SF) | KOH (0% SF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 12.8 g | 12.1 g | 17.9 g |
| 250 g | 31.9 g | 30.3 g | 44.8 g |
| 500 g | 63.8 g | 60.6 g | 89.5 g |
What Shea Butter does in soap
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Hardness | 45 |
| Cleansing | 0 |
| Conditioning | 52 |
| Bubbly lather | 0 |
| Creamy lather | 45 |
| Longevity | 45 |
Values are the oil's solo contribution (SoapCalc-style property model). Real bars blend several oils — build the full recipe to see the combined profile.
Fatty-acid profile
| Fatty acid | % |
|---|---|
| palmitic | 4% |
| stearic | 41% |
| oleic | 46% |
| linoleic | 6% |
Build a recipe with Shea Butter in SoapCalc — it computes the exact lye for your oils at any superfat and saves the recipe. See all soap-making oils or the SAP value chart.