Argan oil: SAP value and fatty acids
Argan oil has a saponification value of 194.05 mg KOH/g. One gram needs 0.138 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for bar soap or 0.194 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for liquid soap to turn fully into soap, before any superfat.
Key numbers
- SAP, NaOH
- 0.138335 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.19405 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 194.05 mg KOH/g
- Iodine value
- 100.5
- INS
- 94
- INCI name
- Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Example: 100 g of Argan oil with no superfat needs 13.8 g of 100% NaOH, or 19.4 g of 100% KOH. A 5% superfat uses 5% less.
In soap
Its main fatty acids in our cited profile are oleic (46.1%) and linoleic (32.7%). The eight fatty acids used in soap-quality scores make up 98.2% of the profile.
On its own it scores 19 for hardness, 0 for cleansing and 79 for conditioning, with a saturated : unsaturated split of 19 : 79.
Fatty-acid profile
| Fatty acid | % of fatty acids | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| lauric | 0% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| myristic | 0.1% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| palmitic | 13.3% | hardness, creamy lather |
| stearic | 5.8% | hardness, creamy lather |
| ricinoleic | 0% | conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather |
| oleic | 46.1% | conditioning |
| linoleic | 32.7% | conditioning |
| linolenic | 0.2% | conditioning |
Basis: Moroccan argan oil standard (NM 08.5.090) ranges, midpoints, as tabulated in Gharby & Charrouf 2022; midpoints total ~98.7%.
Soap-quality scores (this oil alone)
| Hardness | 19 |
|---|---|
| Cleansing | 0 |
| Conditioning | 79 |
| Bubbly lather | 0 |
| Creamy lather | 19 |
| Iodine | 101 |
| INS | 94 |
Each score adds up certain fatty acids, the way Soap Ledger scores a whole recipe. They are for comparing recipes; they don't predict how a bar will feel, and they say nothing about safety or skin.
Sources
SAP value: 194.05 mg KOH/g (Midpoint of Moroccan SNIMA NM 08.5.090 range (via Gharby & Charrouf 2022)), from Dash B. et al. (2026) Cold pressed oils: a systematic review on physicochemical properties, nutritional composition and pharmacological activities. Frontiers in Nutrition. doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1747029, Frontiers (open access, peer-reviewed review). Printed value: 188–195 mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- 189.0–199.1 mg KOH/g — Frontiers (open access, peer-reviewed review)
- 180 - 200 mg KOH/g — From Nature With Love (soap/cosmetic supplier)
- 190 mg KOH/g — The Soapery (UK soap supplier)
- 188–195 mg KOH/g — Frontiers (open access, peer-reviewed review)
Fatty acids and iodine: Gharby S., Charrouf Z. (2022) Argan Oil: Chemical Composition, Extraction Process, and Quality Control. Frontiers in Nutrition 8:804587 (reports the Moroccan SNIMA norm NM 08.5.090), Frontiers (open access, peer-reviewed review).
NaOH and KOH values are converted from mg KOH/g with the molar masses 39.997 and 56.106 and rounded to 6 decimals, exactly as in the Soap Ledger app. Real oils vary by origin, grade and lot: check your supplier's certificate of analysis. Verify every weight before you make this, and follow lye safety. Not a safety or compliance certification.
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