Seed Oils in Soap What They Are and Why We Choose a Different Approach

Seed oils are common ingredients in modern soap and skincare. Oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean, and grapeseed are widely used because they are inexpensive, easy to source, and liquid at room temperature.

At The Crow’s Croft, we take a different approach. While seed oils are not inherently bad, we choose to build our soap primarily around lard because of how it performs on skin and how it aligns with our values.

What Seed Oils Are

Seed oils are extracted from the seeds of plants rather than from the fruit or flesh. In soap making, they are often used to create softer bars and bubbly lather.

Common seed oils in soap include:

• canola oil

• soybean oil

• sunflower oil

• safflower oil

• grapeseed oil

These oils are widely available and commonly used in large scale production.

Why Seed Oils Are Popular in Soap

Seed oils are attractive to manufacturers because they are affordable, consistent, and easy to work with. They also allow soap to be made quickly without long curing times.

For mass produced soap, these qualities matter.

How Seed Oils Perform on Skin

Seed oils tend to be high in polyunsaturated fats. In soap, this can result in:

• softer bars that dissolve faster

• soap that can feel drying for some skin types

• shorter shelf life if not formulated carefully

Some people find soaps high in seed oils require more frequent use of lotion afterward.

Why Stability Matters in Soap

Soap performs best when made with stable fats. Unstable oils can oxidize more quickly, which affects both shelf life and how the soap feels over time.

Lard is naturally stable and produces a firm long lasting bar that holds up well in daily use.

Why We Choose Lard Instead

Lard has a fatty acid profile that closely resembles the natural oils found in human skin. Because of this, it tends to clean gently and support skin comfort rather than strip it.

In soap, lard creates:• a hard long lasting bar• creamy stable lather• gentle cleansing• better performance with frequent washing

This makes it especially well suited for dry climates and everyday use.

Seed Oils Versus Traditional Soap Fats

Traditional soap making relied on animal fats and more stable oils because they worked well and lasted. These recipes endured for generations because they were practical.

Modern formulations often prioritize cost and speed over longevity and performance.

Ingredient Transparency Matters

We believe people should understand what is in their soap and why. Using fewer, more effective ingredients allows us to make soap that performs consistently and predictably.

Choosing lard is not about avoiding seed oils out of fear. It is about choosing what works best.

Made for Real Life and Real Skin

Our soaps are made for frequent hand washing, daily bathing, and dry Central Oregon conditions. They are designed to last, to clean gently, and to support skin comfort.

Lard helps us do that better than seed oil heavy formulas.

From Our Farm to the Finished Bar

The lard we use comes from pigs raised on pasture in Central Oregon. That care and quality carry through into every bar of soap we make.

We choose ingredients based on performance, tradition, and transparency, not trends.