Candelilla wax: SAP value and fatty acids
Candelilla wax has a saponification value of 54 mg KOH/g. One gram needs 0.038 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for bar soap or 0.054 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for liquid soap to turn fully into soap, before any superfat.
Key numbers
- SAP, NaOH
- 0.038496 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.054 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 54 mg KOH/g
- INCI name
- Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Example: 100 g of Candelilla wax with no superfat needs 3.8 g of 100% NaOH, or 5.4 g of 100% KOH. A 5% superfat uses 5% less.
In soap
Candelilla wax is left out of the soap-quality scores in Soap Ledger: it is mostly not ordinary oil (a wax, resin, blend or an oil with unusual fatty acids), so those scores would not describe it. It still counts fully in the lye calculation.
About 71–77% unsaponifiable (mostly hydrocarbons), so very little becomes soap. Use it as a hardener at low levels. Published sources for this oil differ by more than 3%, so checking your supplier's certificate of analysis matters more than usual.
Sources
SAP value: 54 mg KOH/g (Midpoint of JECFA/FCC specification range), from Candelilla Wax, Chemical and Technical Assessment (65th JECFA, 2005), citing JECFA (FAO 1992) and Food Chemicals Codex 5th ed. specifications, FAO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Printed value: Saponification value 43-65 (JECFA, FCC); 43-63 (other) mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- Saponification value 43-65 (JECFA, FCC); 43-63 (other) mg KOH/g — FAO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- between 43 and 65 mg KOH/g — United States Pharmacopeia (via drugfuture.com mirror)
- 43 - 65 mg KOH/g — From Nature With Love (soap/cosmetic supplier)
- NaOH 0.0322 / KOH 0.0454 g alkali per g oil — Certified Lye
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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