This is not an exhaustive list of oils and butters by any means.  It's just a list of what I use.

Olive oil - extra virgin for preference because there is not the chemical load from the extraction of lower grade oils.  Olive oil is conditioning and moisturising and helps to keep skin soft and supple.

Coconut oil - has antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. It contributes a fluffy lather and hardness to soap.  None of our soaps contains palm oil (which makes a very hard soap)or its derivatives, coconut oil's hardness is very useful. We are learning more of the health benefits of coconut oil all the time.

Sunflower oil - contains Vitamin E, so good for the skin! It contributes to the conditioning quality of a soap, and slows down trace so there is more time to make more complicated designs.

Shea butter - contributes to soap hardness and the silky conditioning feel of the soap.  The shea that Merri Creek Soaps uses is organic and comes from Ghana.  It has the most wonderful nutty smell and is spectacular just rubbed onto the skin.

Cocoa butter - is conditioning and moisturising. It also contributes hardness and lather to the soap.

Castor oil - attracts and holds moisture to the skin and makes a creamier soap.

Hemp oil - is a rich green colour with a nutty smell. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential fatty acids and gives a silky feel to soap. We use it mostly in our liquid hand soap.

Avocado oil -is a moisturising oil and contains vitamins A, D, and E, which makes it useful for healing skin. 

Rice bran oil - is moisturising and good for sensitive or special care skin. It can be used in place of olive oil.

Other oils on my list to use are babassu oil and jojoba oil, although that is not  true oil.