Shea butter: SAP value and fatty acids
Shea butter has a saponification value of 181.8 mg KOH/g. One gram needs 0.130 g of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for bar soap or 0.182 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH) for liquid soap to turn fully into soap, before any superfat.
Key numbers
- SAP, NaOH
- 0.129602 g per g oil
- SAP, KOH
- 0.1818 g per g oil
- Saponification value
- 181.8 mg KOH/g
- Iodine value
- 59
- INS
- 123
- INCI name
- Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Example: 100 g of Shea butter with no superfat needs 13.0 g of 100% NaOH, or 18.2 g of 100% KOH. A 5% superfat uses 5% less.
In soap
Its main fatty acids in our cited profile are oleic (45.4%) and stearic (40.5%). The eight fatty acids used in soap-quality scores make up 97.4% of the profile.
On its own it scores 47 for hardness, 2 for cleansing and 51 for conditioning, with a saturated : unsaturated split of 47 : 51.
Published sources for this oil differ by more than 3%, so checking your supplier's certificate of analysis matters more than usual.
Fatty-acid profile
| Fatty acid | % of fatty acids | Counts toward |
|---|---|---|
| lauric | 1.4% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| myristic | 0.1% | hardness, cleansing, bubbly lather |
| palmitic | 4.6% | hardness, creamy lather |
| stearic | 40.5% | hardness, creamy lather |
| ricinoleic | 0% | conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather |
| oleic | 45.4% | conditioning |
| linoleic | 5.1% | conditioning |
| linolenic | 0.3% | conditioning |
Basis: USDA FDC SR Legacy 171429 (Oil, sheanut), converted to % of total fatty acids.
Soap-quality scores (this oil alone)
| Hardness | 47 |
|---|---|
| Cleansing | 2 |
| Conditioning | 51 |
| Bubbly lather | 2 |
| Creamy lather | 45 |
| Iodine | 59 |
| INS | 123 |
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: 181.8 mg KOH/g (Median of sources (no Codex/pharmacopoeia standard found)), from Honfo G.F., Akissoe H.N. et al. (2012) Microbiological and physicochemical characterization of shea butter sold on Benin markets. J. Stored Products and Postharvest Research. doi:10.5897/JSPPR11.045, Academic Journals (peer-reviewed). Printed value: 186.4–193.7 mg KOH/g.
Published values we checked:
- 186.4–193.7 mg KOH/g — Academic Journals (peer-reviewed)
- 170–190 mg KOH/g — From Nature With Love (soap/cosmetic supplier)
- 170–190 mg KOH/g — Wikipedia
- 182 (organic), 186 (refined) mg KOH/g — The Soapery (UK soap supplier)
- NaOH 0.1296 / KOH 0.1825 g alkali per g oil — Certified Lye
Fatty acids and iodine: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 171429: Oil, sheanut, USDA Agricultural Research Service. Also checked: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fettwissenschaft (DGF) (Iodine value table).
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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