# Thickening Castile with Salt. Pros/ Cons, other options



## oranget

I would like to thicken a castile liquid, and salt keeps coming up. This, sounds weird to me. Doesn't salt make it harsh and drying ? has anyone used salt and had a problem? If not salt... is there a better option. 

For the ratio, I've read:  1 part salt to 4 parts water, for the salt solution, but, then, how much of this solution is added to the castile ? 

I've also read that it works best on a all -olive or high olive castile, and cold works best for temp.  Does that all sound correct ? Thank you.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman

Well, a Castile contains ONLY olive oil.  A soap with very high OO is a Bastile.

Would the saline solution be a water replacement?  So if your recipe calls for 500g water, you use your salt solution instead?


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## FGOriold

It is really trial and error and good note taking.  After you dilute your soap, you create your salt solution (just plain old table salt, not iodized).  Once you have your salt solution, you add it by small amounts (dropperfuls) and mix it in well.  It will continue to thicken over an hour so this can take some time to get the thickness you are looking for.  Dilute, add solution, mix, wait an hour and repeat if needed.  The final thickness will not be realized until the soap is room temperature too.


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## oranget

Ah,, Interesting Faith.. I was thinking it would be a very precise way, the trail and error and note taking makes more sense. I had been looking for exact directions , but will try that.

Thank You also, Mr. Efficacious G : )

Does anyone have any thoughts about temperature when adding the saline / hot , warm cold ?

and does salt make it  harsh and drying in any way ?


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## Seawolfe

Seeing as I find my 80% salt soap bars wonderfully soothing and kind, I wouldn't be afraid of salt in my liquid soap.


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## oranget

Good to know, Seawolf. I'm just surprised because I think of salt as a hard scratchy rock that can be used to pull moisture out of things. But maybe something happens with the chemistry that I am not understanding. I looks like salt has been the method for a long, long time, so people must like it.


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## oranget

Salt or ... Borax ? I came across someone using Borax, in place of salt, and I'm not sure I even know what Borax is, let alone the pros/ cons of how it would perform compared to salt.


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## Obsidian

One thing to keep in mind when using salt is too much can reduce lather and castile doesn't have a lot of lather to begin with. There is a product call crothix that is supposed to be wonderful for LS.

http://www.brambleberry.com/Crothix-Pastilles-P3215.aspx


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## oranget

Oh Wow, Crothix looks very effective. The review on that site is great, ( Thank you, Obsidian )and then I found this YouTube where it is the clear winner in the tests she does. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM_zR42bOUA 

Note: some shaky camera work, there. Nice info, and I'm always glad people take the time to do that. She tests salt, borax, xantham gum and Crothix. Crothix wins, by a mile, Borax crystalizes.  But... Crothix looks like it it a  man made synthetic. I am sort of wanting natural, as I'm allergic to most things on this planet. I'd be interested in hearing people thoughts on the safety of Crothix.  This site seems to think it is ok:

http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/704528/PEG-150_PENTAERYTHRITYL_TETRASTEARATE/

Although, I may try it, but still keep looking. Maybe some sort of algae or aloe.


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## lady-of-4

I've used Crothix. Didn't like the stickiness it gave. And at one point it's separated out on me. 

You're best bet is to skip synthetic additives like Crothix, and learn to either control your dilution , cook out extra water, or use salt or borax to thicken. Salt depresses foam in the beginning but it does bounce back after a few days unless you used too much. As was said earlier, trial and error.  Rome wasn't built in a day. Great soap isn't created by fixing every issue with a synthetic additive, that can be corrected with more practice and better technique.


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## FGOriold

I agree about controlling dilution, but sometimes you end up with a super concentrated soap.  If you are looking for other options to thicken soap you can try using a combination of potassium and sodium hydroxide (works very good at making castile soap much thicker at 20/80 ratio of NaOh/KOH) and seems to give liquid soap a bit more "body".  I use both HEC and HPMC (cellulose products) to effectively thicken any liquid soap formulation with great success.  HPMC adds lathering qualities too.


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