Canola oil (low-erucic) in soap making
Published by The Soap Brain Team
Canola oil (low-erucic) is a conditioning soap-making oil rich in oleic acid (62%). A gram of it turns to soap with about 0.133 g of NaOH (lye). It makes a mild, gentle bar and pairs well with a harder, cleansing oil. Most soapers use it at 10–30% of their oils.
Fatty-acid profile
Canola oil (low-erucic) is a gentle, conditioning oil, mostly unsaturated fatty acids that leave a mild, moisturising bar with a softer, lower lather. It pairs naturally with a harder, more cleansing oil to firm the bar up and add bubbles. Because its polyunsaturated (linoleic/linolenic) share is on the higher side, watch the total across the whole recipe and consider a modest antioxidant to guard against rancidity and DOS.
Canola oil (low-erucic) is about 6% saturated fat and 94% unsaturated — that unsaturated majority is what makes it conditioning and slower to trace, but softer on its own.
| Fatty acid | Share | What it does in soap |
|---|---|---|
| Oleic acid | 62% | a monounsaturated fatty acid that makes a gentle, conditioning, moisturising bar with a slick, lower lather and a slower trace |
| Linoleic acid | 22% | a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is very conditioning but oxidises readily — a driver of DOS (dreaded orange spots) at high levels |
| Linolenic acids (C18:3) | 10% | the polyunsaturated C18:3 family — deeply conditioning but the most prone to rancidity; keep the combined polyunsaturated total modest |
| Palmitic acid | 4% | a saturated fatty acid that builds a hard, long-lasting bar with a stable, creamy lather |
| Stearic acid | 2.1% | a saturated fatty acid that adds hardness and a thick, stable lather; a large share can speed up trace |
Canola oil (low-erucic) in the bar
Canola oil (low-erucic) gives a mild, low, slick lather on its own. Blended with a bubbly, cleansing oil it contributes body and mildness while the partner oil supplies the bubbles.
High-oleic Canola oil (low-erucic) traces slowly, which gives you comfortable working time for swirls and layers. In exchange the bar is soft at first and rewards a longer cure — four to eight weeks — to harden fully and last in the shower.
In a blend Canola oil (low-erucic) is the conditioning, skin-feel component and can often make up the bulk of the oils. Add a firmer, more cleansing oil — coconut, palm or a hard butter — to bring hardness and bubbles the finished bar would otherwise miss.
Closest substitutes for Canola oil (low-erucic)
Out of Canola oil (low-erucic)? These oils behave most like it in a bar — ranked by how close their hardness, cleansing and conditioning profile and lye (SAP) requirement are. The numbers are predicted properties for a 100% single-oil bar, not a safety guide; always recalculate the lye when you swap an oil.
| Oil | Hardness | Cleansing | Conditioning | SAP (NaOH) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canola oil (low-erucic) (this oil) | 6 | 0 | 94 | 0.133 |
| Sunflower oil, high-oleic | 9 | 0 | 91 | 0.135 |
| Kukui nut oil | 6 | 0 | 90 | 0.135 |
| Pomegranate seed oil | 8 | 0 | 91 | 0.135 |
| Apricot kernel oil | 5 | 0 | 90 | 0.135 |
Using Canola oil (low-erucic) in a recipe
One gram of Canola oil (low-erucic) needs about 0.133 g of NaOH (sodium hydroxide) to turn fully to soap, within a documented range of 0.13–0.138 g/g across sources. The calculator below uses this value; always confirm the lye weight before you mix.
Its iodine value is about 112 — a higher value, pointing to a softer, more conditioning bar that is more prone to rancidity (DOS). Iodine value is only a rough guide, not a hard rule, but it gives you a feel for how a bar built around this oil will wear.
Most soapers use Canola oil (low-erucic) at roughly 10–30% of their oils.
Maker's note: Cheap, soft conditioning oil; a common olive-oil extender. Keep it a minor part of the blend and pair it with harder oils, or the bar stays soft.
Calculate lye for Canola oil (low-erucic)
The calculator below is pre-loaded with Canola oil (low-erucic). Enter your weights, add other oils, and it works out the exact NaOH (lye) weight, water and quality numbers. Always weigh lye, oils and water — never measure by volume, wear gloves and eye protection, and add lye to water (never the reverse).
Loading the calculator…
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page is backed by at least two independent references, listed below — so you can check our work instead of taking our word for it.
- Codex Alimentarius CXS 210-1999 — Named Vegetable Oils (Tables 1–2) — SAP 182–193 mg KOH/g, iodine 105–126; Table 1 fatty acids (low-erucic): C16:0 2.5–7.0, C18:0 0.8–3.0, C18:1 51.0–70.0, C18:2 15.0–30.0, C18:3 5.0–14.0
- SoapCalc oil list — SAP, iodine
- Soaper's Choice — SAP Values — SAP (industry consensus)
- The Conscious Life — Canola oil (USDA SR28) — stearic 2.09, palmitic 4.3 g per 100 g of oil — a ~95% basis, the glycerol backbone being the rest
SAP data last updated · 51 oils covered.
Canola oil (low-erucic) soap FAQ
- Can you make soap with 100% Canola oil (low-erucic)?
- It is not recommended. Canola oil (low-erucic) shows its best in a blend, usually up to about 30% of the oils. On its own the bar would be unbalanced — too soft or low-lathering for everyday use.
- What superfat should I use with Canola oil (low-erucic)?
- A 5% superfat is a safe, common starting point for recipes using Canola oil (low-erucic); adjust to taste once you know how the finished bar feels. Never drop to 0% or below without a deliberate reason — the calculator will ask you to confirm it.
- Does Canola oil (low-erucic) speed up or slow down trace?
- High-oleic Canola oil (low-erucic) traces slowly, which gives you comfortable working time for swirls and layers. In exchange the bar is soft at first and rewards a longer cure — four to eight weeks — to harden fully and last in the shower.