# Salt Soap Info Search



## TashaBird (May 30, 2020)

Howdy! I’ve read through several pages of searching “salt soap” here on SMF. While interesting, I still don’t understand what it is, what folks like about it, or how it’s made. What does the %of salt mean? (Also, what is “ppo”?) A link to a thorough break down would be great, also a recipe, or tutorial! And, what is happening chemically with salt soap?
Thanks in advance! Really LOVE this forum!

I found this link. Get Clean With Homemade Salt Soap BarsGet Clean With Homemade Salt Soap Bars


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## Obsidian (May 30, 2020)

That page should answer most of your questions. PPO means per pound of oil.

You'll just have to try a batch and see if you like it. I can't quite explain why salt bars are so nice, especially in the summer. They just leave the skin feeling more refreshed and the lather is fantastic.

I make a simple recipe, 80% coconut, 20% olive with 35% salt and a 20% superfat.

I suggest using single cavity molds as cutting salt bars is tricky, has to be timed just right.

Making it is simple, make your batter like any other soap. As soon as it gets to medium trace, hand stir in your salt and quickly pour into mold.
You'll want to color and scent before adding the salt, as salt will cause quick trace.
Don't try for multiple colors at first, just do a simple one color batch.
Cure for at least 6 months.


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## TheGecko (May 30, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> Howdy! I’ve read through several pages of searching “salt soap” here on SMF. While interesting, I still don’t understand what it is, what folks like about it, or how it’s made. What does the %of salt mean? (Also, what is “ppo”?) A link to a thorough break down would be great, also a recipe, or tutorial! And, what is happening chemically with salt soap?



PPO = Per Pound of Oil

Salt Soap can be made a couple of different ways...dissolving the salt or leaving the salt whole. Salt soap is generally made the same way that other soap is made...with a lye solution made from a liquid and Sodium Hydroxide and oils/butters. Where salt soaps differ is in the oils/butters used, the liquid and the types and amounts of salt used. Oh...and it is generally highly superfatted because of the high amounts of coconut oil used.

Some of the 'benefits' of salt soap are that is is exfoliating, detoxifying, can reduce acne and inflammation.

When making a salt soap, a couple of things...1) you need to make sure you blend your soap batter to a medium to medium-thick trace so that the salt is suspended throughout the soap batter, else-wise it will sink. 2) it is best, IMHO, to make salt soap in cavity molds as opposed to making a loaf or logs as salt soap tends to harden quickly and then will be very difficult to cut.

ETA:  Salt Soap needs a longer cure time, a good six months.  I've tried my Salt Bars at a 6-week cure and they were awful; it was better at 3 months, best at 6 months (or more).  Also, your Salt Soap may 'sweat' while it's curing.


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## TashaBird (May 30, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> That page should answer most of your questions. PPO means per pound of oil.
> 
> You'll just have to try a batch and see if you like it. I can't quite explain why salt bars are so nice, especially in the summer. They just leave the skin feeling more refreshed and the lather is fantastic.
> 
> ...


Can salt soap bars only be made with coconut oil?


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## Obsidian (May 30, 2020)

They need to have a high amount of coconut. Salt water prevents soap from lathering, coconut soap is one of the few that will lather in salt.
We counter the high amount of coconut by using a high superfat.


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## Arimara (May 30, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> Can salt soap bars only be made with coconut oil?


Yes but I think it feels nicer with another oil added to the mix. So 75-100% Coconut oil is needed.


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## AliOop (May 30, 2020)

I love my 100% CO 30%SF salt bars. They were ok after 3 months, and are now really nice after six months. I added coffee grounds to make it slightly exfoliating and deodorizing. I always have a bar at the kitchen sink to remove food chopping odors, and to clean up after gardening.

The lather is great, and with all that SF, it doesn't dry out my skin, either. I'm not usually a big CO fan, but I do like these bars a lot after the long cure.

I've also heard that people in humid climates love them because they leave the skin feeling extra clean and less sticky.


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## TashaBird (May 30, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> They need to have a high amount of coconut. Salt water prevents soap from lathering, coconut soap is one of the few that will lather in salt.
> We counter the high amount of coconut by using a high superfat.



Then is this a relatively modern style of soap? Anyone know?



AliOop said:


> I love my 100% CO 30%SF salt bars. They were ok after 3 months, and are now really nice after six months. I added coffee grounds to make it slightly exfoliating and deodorizing. I always have a bar at the kitchen sink to remove food chopping odors, and to clean up after gardening.
> 
> The lather is great, and with all that SF, it doesn't dry out my skin, either. I'm not usually a big CO fan, but I do like these bars a lot after the long cure.
> 
> I've also heard that people in humid climates love them because they leave the skin feeling extra clean and less sticky.


A %30 SF just boggles my mind!


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## Obsidian (May 30, 2020)

30% seems a bit much, 20% is plenty.

I don't know when salt bars were first invented but coconut oil soap has been used by sailors for quite a long time since they lather at sea.


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## Mobjack Bay (May 30, 2020)

There are at least two kinds of soaps that prominently feature salt.  In the beginning, I didn't really understand the difference.

*salt bars* - made with dry salt and the salt is added to the batter.  I recommend these threads: 




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						How do the qualities of salt bars change over time?
					

For those of you who have a stock of older salt bars, can you tell us newbies more about how the qualities of salt bars change over time?    I’m asking in part because I just washed my hands with a little cube of a salt bar soap that I made at the end of June.  The lather was fluffy!  It did not...




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						Benefits of a salt bar?
					

Other than being trendy, what are the benefits to salt bars?  I know it makes the bar harder, but does it make the soap more beneficial for the skin?  I have made salt bars using rebatch shreds, and the bars were very hard, but very little lather, and I didn't notice any exfoliation or improved...




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						What Do You Like About Salt Bars?
					

Earlier this year I read about salt bars and became intrigued. I made about 5 - 6 small batches and proceeded to wait for the cure. I realized that, while I  knew that some of you (or your family members) liked them, I didn't know why.  Now that I've used several, I know at least one reason why...




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*brine or soleseife soaps* - made with salt water "brine" as the liquid. I recommend these threads: 




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						Why do you make soleseife/brine bars?
					

With all the recent discussion of bars made with a brine solution, I’m thinking about trying a classic soleseife/brine bar type recipe. Is the point mostly to increase the hardness/longevity of bars that have a high percentage of soft oils, or are there other reasons to make this kind of soap...




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						Wow, tried this Euro salt recipe, love it!
					

So David Fischer had posted this, and of course I had to try it. http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/SpecialtySoapRecipes/fl/Soleseife-or-BrineSalt-Water-Soap-Recipe.htm?nl=1  Of course I tried it at the most inopportune time, with a big order of wedding favors soaps to get out, mini hearts for...




					www.soapmakingforum.com


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## AliOop (May 30, 2020)

I agree that if it weren't 100% CO, then 20% SF would probably be enough. But I do find 100% CO too drying even at 20%.  

I honestly was skeptical about making a 30% SF soap, but it was a recipe from one of Amanda Aaron's books, and sure enough, it turned out great.


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## cmzaha (May 30, 2020)

I have been making salt bars for at least 10 years, and at the time there was not much information available for making them. So I admit to making a lot of errors until I hit upon what I use as my go to recipe. I do not make them with 100% CO for one reason they do not last very long since CO make a very soluble soap, being the reason 100% CO soap is considered "Sailors Soap". I like 85% CO, 10% Castor, and 5% any Liquid Oil other than OO with a 17% Superfat and 100% salt. I do not let my soap get to medium trace before adding in my salt but I am using more salt than most use so mine will stay suspended. I also use a 28% lye concentration for my salt bars since I am using so much salt and 8% fragrance.


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## TashaBird (May 30, 2020)

Mobjack Bay said:


> There are at least two kinds of soaps that prominently feature salt.  In the beginning, I didn't really understand the difference.
> 
> *salt bars* - made with dry salt and the salt is added to the batter.  I recommend these threads:
> 
> ...


Thank you!



cmzaha said:


> I have been making salt bars for at least 10 years, and at the time there was not much information available for making them. So I admit to making a lot of errors until I hit upon what I use as my go to recipe. I do not make them with 100% CO for one reason they do not last very long since CO make a very soluble soap, being the reason 100% CO soap is considered "Sailors Soap". I like 85% CO, 10% Castor, and 5% any Liquid Oil other than OO with a 17% Superfat and 100% salt. I do not let my soap get to medium trace before adding in my salt but I am using more salt than most use so mine will stay suspended. I also use a 28% lye concentration for my salt bars since I am using so much salt and 8% fragrance.


That sounds like a kind of recipe I’d like to try. Thank you!
Now I need to figure out what exactly the lye as a percentage means. So far I’ve just used the calculator.


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## Adobehead (May 31, 2020)

Mobjack Bay said:


> There are at least two kinds of soaps that prominently feature salt.  In the beginning, I didn't really understand the difference.
> 
> *salt bars* - made with dry salt and the salt is added to the batter.  I recommend these threads:
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting all these threads, I am reading each one.  
Before I joined this forum, I had been soaping in isolation for a long time, always using my tried and true formula.  I heard something about salt and tossed some (seemed like a lot, but I didn't measure) into my normal formula.  I used Clary Sage with it and it was beautiful.  Now the EO has faded and it has aged, I hid it in a bottom drawer in my bedroom.  I hoarde this and now am going to try some of your formulas. I am really grateful to all you generous posters, this is so fun.


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## linne1gi (May 31, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> Howdy! I’ve read through several pages of searching “salt soap” here on SMF. While interesting, I still don’t understand what it is, what folks like about it, or how it’s made. What does the %of salt mean? (Also, what is “ppo”?) A link to a thorough break down would be great, also a recipe, or tutorial! And, what is happening chemically with salt soap?
> Thanks in advance! Really LOVE this forum!
> 
> I found this link. Get Clean With Homemade Salt Soap BarsGet Clean With Homemade Salt Soap Bars







__





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## DeeAnna (May 31, 2020)

This link may work better for folks without a Facebook account -- 8 Reasons Salt Soap Bars are Fabulous for the Skin | Simple Life Mom

Read this article with a skeptical eye. A few of the supposed benefits of salt soap as listed by this author are unfounded medical claims.

Since she's selling salt bars and listing these supposed medical benefits on her website, the FDA would conclude she's making drug claims as a way to market this soap. Not a smart thing to do.

The info in the link Tashabird gave is more matter of fact, although the vague claim of "detoxifying" is annoying. "Detox" is as trendy as "natural" -- and pretty much as meaningless. But this article is otherwise quite factual and straightforward.


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## atiz (May 31, 2020)

It's hard to say what's so nice about salt bars, but I like them too. Even sometimes as a face-wash. I like their hardness and there's also something to be said for salty water.
I've made two kinds, and go back and forth about which one I like more. One is 100% CO, 35% salt, 13% SF. The other is 85% CO, 10% Avocado oil, 5% Castor oil, 50% salt, also 13% SF. They both lather quite well, and neither is drying for me, but they do have different feels.


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## linne1gi (May 31, 2020)

DeeAnna said:


> This link may work better for folks without a Facebook account -- 8 Reasons Salt Soap Bars are Fabulous for the Skin | Simple Life Mom
> 
> Read this article with a skeptical eye. A few of the supposed benefits of salt soap as listed by this author are unfounded medical claims.
> 
> ...


There are people who don't have a facebook account?  LOL  And yes the article is sketchy, but interesting.


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## TashaBird (Jun 1, 2020)

For salt bars in particular, what essential oils have you found that last the 6 month cure?


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## linne1gi (Jun 1, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> For salt bars in particular, what essential oils have you found that last the 6 month cure?


Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Clove, Bergamot, to name a few. I always anchor with a bit of kaolin clay and try to layer my fragrances.


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## shunt2011 (Jun 1, 2020)

I'm a huge salt bar maker and user.  It's my favorite soap to use.  I use it on face and body at least 3 time week or more.    I've shared my recipe many many times here  80% CO, 15% Avocado oil, 5% Castor and 18% SF with 45-50% Salt.   Like cmzaha I've been making them for 9-10 years now.  I let mine cure 12 months or more.   I make several batches a year.  I have some customers that it's the only thing they will use.  I use fragrance oils in my salt soap as I found EO's not to stick well at all in salt soap.   Especially as long as I like to let them sit.


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## cmzaha (Jun 1, 2020)

I personally have found no EO that last in Salt bars, and for that matter very few fo's. The Mariner type fo's hold well. At least not in my 100% salt bars. At one time someone posted their ocean fragrance that was an EO mix and I remember it held pretty well, but I have since misplaced the formula.


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## linne1gi (Jun 1, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> I personally have found no EO that last in Salt bars, and for that matter very few fo's. The Mariner type fo's hold well. At least not in my 100% salt bars. At one time someone posted their ocean fragrance that was an EO mix and I remember it held pretty well, but I have since misplaced the formula.


One of the essential oil mixes I really like in salt bars is: 20% Rosemary Essential Oil, 20% Peppermint Essential Oil, 20% Lemongrass Essential Oil, 20% Eucalyptus Essential Oil and 20% Lavender Essential Oil.  I have a couple of salt bars from 2 years ago and they still retain this scent blend.  BTW it smells awesome!


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## AliOop (Jun 1, 2020)

^^ plus litsea cubeba, rosemary, and patchouli. I think patchouli will survive Armageddon.


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## chayah (Jun 3, 2020)

You know, I make salt bars all the time and they cure very nicely in five weeks.


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## TashaBird (Jun 3, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Clove, Bergamot, to name a few. I always anchor with a bit of kaolin clay and try to layer my fragrances.


Would you use the same amount of EO as in a regular soap?


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## shunt2011 (Jun 3, 2020)

chayah said:


> You know, I make salt bars all the time and they cure very nicely in five weeks.



Nope, I so disagree.   I don't use them for 9 months minimum.  Hate them any time before.  They are too drying and not mature enough.   I've tried them at all different points over 9 years.


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## cmzaha (Jun 3, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> One of the essential oil mixes I really like in salt bars is: 20% Rosemary Essential Oil, 20% Peppermint Essential Oil, 20% Lemongrass Essential Oil, 20% Eucalyptus Essential Oil and 20% Lavender Essential Oil.  I have a couple of salt bars from 2 years ago and they still retain this scent blend.  BTW it smells awesome!


I think this very similar to the blend I was mentioning I think.


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## AliOop (Jun 3, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> Nope, I so disagree.   I don't use them for 9 months minimum.  Hate them any time before.  They are too drying and not mature enough.   I've tried them at all different points over 9 years.


I have to agree with @shunt2011 on the long cure for salt bars. For me, they dramatically improve with more time.

@TashaBird I like to use the highest amount of skin-safe EO for bars that need a long cure, and I use EOCalc.com to figure that out. I also anchor my EOs with clay. HTH.


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## cmzaha (Jun 3, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> Nope, I so disagree.   I don't use them for 9 months minimum.  Hate them any time before.  They are too drying and not mature enough.   I've tried them at all different points over 9 years.


I also disagree. Along with the drying and not mature enough they do not lather anywhere close to what they will in a year. In 5 years they are absolutely fantastic. I always hold some back for stashing away. 


TashaBird said:


> Would you use the same amount of EO as in a regular soap?


No, I usually add in an extra ounce of fragrance to salt bars. I normally fragrance my soaps at 6.8-7% of my oil weight. For salt bars I will go up to 8%.


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## IrishLass (Jun 3, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> There are people who don't have a facebook account?  LOL



We are a rare breed, but, yes, we do exist. 

I make mine with 100% coconut oil, 100% coconut milk as my liquid, 25% to 30% fine sea salt ppo (sometimes I use 25% sea salt, sometimes I use 30%, but never more than 30%).....and I superfat them at 13%.

For what it's worth (going against the grain here), the nature of my skin is such that I can use mine with as little as 4 weeks of cure. Although they do definitely get better and better with a longer cure in terms of longevity and lather and mildness, for me they lather nicely enough and don't dry me out in as little as 4 weeks.  


IrishLass


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## AliOop (Jun 3, 2020)

@IrishLass That makes two of us on this forum without FB. Deleted my account awhile ago and almost never miss it. Sometimes Marketplace was handy, but Craigslist is fine for most things where I live. And no FB means more time for soaping, right?


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## SPowers (Jun 4, 2020)

What do you mean when you say you 'anchor' your EO's in clay?


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## Savonette (Jun 4, 2020)

I anchor my EOs in kaolin also. I add 1t ppo to my EO’s, blend and let sit for an hour or so and find the scent sticks quite a bit longer. 
Is everyone using NaOH for this soap, a combo or just KOH?


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## linne1gi (Jun 4, 2020)

SPowers said:


> What do you mean when you say you 'anchor' your EO's in clay?


I add kaolin clay to my measured fragrance oil & measured essential oil. It’s about a teaspoon or a little more. I don’t measure the clay. I let the fragrance/Essential oils with the clay “marinate” at least an hour, sometimes more, then plop the whole thing into the batter. I do think it helps keep the scent. I have some old soaps (Castile for example) that still retain their scents and I made them back in 2016.


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## TashaBird (Jun 4, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> I add kaolin clay to my measured fragrance oil & measured essential oil. It’s about a teaspoon or a little more. I don’t measure the clay. I let the fragrance/Essential oils with the clay “marinate” at least an hour, sometimes more, then plop the whole thing into the batter. I do think it helps keep the scent. I have some old soaps (Castile for example) that still retain their scents and I made them back in 2016.


That’s so helpful! I’m about to make my first batch of salt soap. I’m going to make a big batch, and I’d LOVE for it to keep it’s scent!


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## cmzaha (Jun 4, 2020)

I and others have never found clay to anchor fragrance. If a fragrance is known to fade it will fade no matter what you do. Patchouli is used as an anchor for Citrus EO's and what I find is the Patch comes out when the Citrus fades. It is much better to use a fragrance that you know will not fade. One group of fragrances that I know hold up well in salt bars is the Salty Air type fragrances.


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## linne1gi (Jun 4, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> I and others have never found clay to anchor fragrance. If a fragrance is known to fade it will fade no matter what you do. Patchouli is used as an anchor for Citrus EO's and what I find is the Patch comes out when the Citrus fades. It is much better to use a fragrance that you know will not fade. One group of fragrances that I know hold up well in salt bars is the Salty Air type fragrances.


My 4 year old Castile soap was anchored with clay.  I used a fragrance oil called Alpine Cheer from JustScent.  According to the website:  Top Notes of Cranberry, Cinnamon, Clove.  Middle Notes of Mountain Balsam, Snow White, Cedar Leaf; Bottom Notes of Patchouli, Musk and Vanilla Sugar.  It's one of my favorite scents and my 4 year old soap smells great.


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## SPowers (Jun 4, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> I add kaolin clay to my measured fragrance oil & measured essential oil. It’s about a teaspoon or a little more. I don’t measure the clay. I let the fragrance/Essential oils with the clay “marinate” at least an hour, sometimes more, then plop the whole thing into the batter. I do think it helps keep the scent. I have some old soaps (Castile for example) that still retain their scents and I made them back in 2016.


thanks so much!


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## cmzaha (Jun 4, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> My 4 year old Castile soap was anchored with clay.  I used a fragrance oil called Alpine Cheer from JustScent.  According to the website:  Top Notes of Cranberry, Cinnamon, Clove.  Middle Notes of Mountain Balsam, Snow White, Cedar Leaf; Bottom Notes of Patchouli, Musk and Vanilla Sugar.  It's one of my favorite scents and my 4 year old soap smells great.


It does not mean that the clay helped it stick. I have a soap that is 6 years old fragranced with Wisteria and it still smells nice. A bit faded but not bad. Some scents just stick well.


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## linne1gi (Jun 4, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> It does not mean that the clay helped it stick. I have a soap that is 6 years old fragranced with Wisteria and it still smells nice. A bit faded but not bad. Some scents just stick well.


No, it doesn't, but in my over 7 years of soap making, I have noticed that clay helps.  Maybe it doesn't help you.  But I feel it helps me.  That's all I am saying.


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## emi (Jun 7, 2020)

linne1gi said:


> Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Clove, Bergamot, to name a few. I always anchor with a bit of kaolin clay and try to layer my fragrances.


Interesting! So you mean the clay helps to keep the EOs in the soap? I'm going to try that. 1tsp per lb?



atiz said:


> It's hard to say what's so nice about salt bars, but I like them too. Even sometimes as a face-wash. I like their hardness and there's also something to be said for salty water.
> I've made two kinds, and go back and forth about which one I like more. One is 100% CO, 35% salt, 13% SF. The other is 85% CO, 10% Avocado oil, 5% Castor oil, 50% salt, also 13% SF. They both lather quite well, and neither is drying for me, but they do have different feels.



When you say "35%" salt, does that mean 35% of the amount of water? If so, how much water do you use for brine soap?  Do you calculate water amount by lye concentration or water to oil ratio?


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## linne1gi (Jun 7, 2020)

emi said:


> Interesting! So you mean the clay helps to keep the EOs in the soap? I'm going to try that. 1tsp per lb?


Yes, I measure out my fragrance, whether fragrance oil or essential oil. I then add between 1-2 teaspoons of kaolin clay directly to the fragrance and let this sit together at least an hour.


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## emi (Jun 7, 2020)

Savonette said:


> I anchor my EOs in kaolin also. I add 1t ppo to my EO’s, blend and let sit for an hour or so and find the scent sticks quite a bit longer.
> Is everyone using NaOH for this soap, a combo or just KOH?



KOH for CP? Wow I've never heard of doing that. Is that to combat the hardness? I once made brine soap that just completely shattered when I tried to cut them so I had to lower the salt amount. I don't even know how I'm seeing recipes saying 100% salt. How is that even possible? Does that mean 100% of water amount by the way? Certainly not oils right? And I also remember another time I made CP soap accidentally using KOH and it stayed mushy and never hardened up. It was a real face-palm moment when I realized why. So does using part KOH allow prevent brine soap from being too hard and shattering??

I'm definitely going to try that clay anchoring for the EOs. I've never heard of that until this trhead. I'm tryin to put a brine soap recipe together.


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## AliOop (Jun 7, 2020)

When I measure my salt for salt bars, it is by percentage of oil weight. I like 50%, but people generally do anywhere from 25% to 100% of oil weight. 

The salt is added after mixing the lye and oils together. If you are using lower salt amounts, bring the batter to a medium or medium thick trace to keep your salt suspended in the batter, rather than sinking to the bottom. If you are using higher amounts of salt like @cmzaha, your batter can be thinner and still hold the salt in suspension.

You can also make soleseife or brine bars by dissolving salt in the water used to dissolve the lye. That would be a much lower percentage of salt, since water can only absorb so much salt + lye before it will precipitate out. If you want to make that kind of salt bar, I'd recommend searching this forum for more info and suggested percentages of salt to water,

Some people do use a little bit of KOH with their NaOH to make a slightly softer salt bar, because salt bars harden up fast and are often quite crumbly if you try to cut them from a loaf, or even trim the edges. Personally, I make salt bars in cavity molds - no cutting or trimming required, and no need to make a dual-lye soap.


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## atiz (Jun 7, 2020)

emi said:


> When you say "35%" salt, does that mean 35% of the amount of water? If so, how much water do you use for brine soap?  Do you calculate water amount by lye concentration or water to oil ratio?


No no no. This is salt bar, not brine soap. So the percentage means that of the oil weight. Sorry, I should've been more clear.

For brine soap, I calculate it as usual for lye concentration, but I usually work with 30% lye concentration in that case. I measure out the water that's needed to dissolve the lye (that's about equal to the amount of lye), and make a saturated salt solution with the rest of the water. I forget, but I think it's about 26% salt solution -- that is, 26% salt in that rest of the water.
E.g.: let's assume I need 50g lye for my soap. To have a 30% lye solution, I need ca. 115g of water. I dissolve the lye in 50g of water, which means I'll have 65g of water left. Now, I want to have a 26% salt solution with that 65g of water, so I have to add 23g salt to it (23g salt in 65+23=88g solution -- 23/88=ca. 26).
But actually you don't have to do all the math, just dissolve in your leftover water as much salt as it can dissolve, and strain out the rest. (If you don't strain it out that's fine too; it will have some extra salt in it.)


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## Obsidian (Jun 7, 2020)

Savonette said:


> Is everyone using NaOH for this soap, a combo or just KOH?



No KoH, you use regular old NaOH just like any other CP.


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## emi (Jun 7, 2020)

atiz said:


> No no no. This is salt bar, not brine soap. So the percentage means that of the oil weight. Sorry, I should've been more clear.
> 
> For brine soap, I calculate it as usual for lye concentration, but I usually work with 30% lye concentration in that case. I measure out the water that's needed to dissolve the lye (that's about equal to the amount of lye), and make a saturated salt solution with the rest of the water. I forget, but I think it's about 26% salt solution -- that is, 26% salt in that rest of the water.
> E.g.: let's assume I need 50g lye for my soap. To have a 30% lye solution, I need ca. 115g of water. I dissolve the lye in 50g of water, which means I'll have 65g of water left. Now, I want to have a 26% salt solution with that 65g of water, so I have to add 23g salt to it (23g salt in 65+23=88g solution -- 23/88=ca. 26).
> But actually you don't have to do all the math, just dissolve in your leftover water as much salt as it can dissolve, and strain out the rest. (If you don't strain it out that's fine too; it will have some extra salt in it.)



Thank you so much for this. I'm all about following the math so I really appreciate the breakdown. I've only made brine soap twice before. The first one was a total disaster and shattered everywhere. (I think I probably made the mistake of following a salt bar recipe but made brine soap!). The 2nd one I used less salt and canned coconut milk which I really liked, but my expensive EO scent was almost non-existent, plus since I just followed some brine recipe I never knew why and how to proportion the salt amount when changing the batch size. I always like to be able to create my own recipes rather than just following someone else's. So this info about the salt and water amount is super helpful. I guess I generally like knowing what I'm doing, you know? haha! I'm going to try that clay anchoring too. I'm now all set to try another brine soap!


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## Savonette (Jun 8, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> No KoH, you use regular old NaOH just like any other CP.


Thanks. I just made a small tester batch. Can’t wait to try them out —next year 



emi said:


> KOH for CP? Wow I've never heard of doing that. Is that to combat the hardness? I once made brine soap that just completely shattered when I tried to cut them so I had to lower the salt amount. I don't even know how I'm seeing recipes saying 100% salt. How is that even possible? Does that mean 100% of water amount by the way? Certainly not oils right? And I also remember another time I made CP soap accidentally using KOH and it stayed mushy and never hardened up. It was a real face-palm moment when I realized why. So does using part KOH allow prevent brine soap from being too hard and shattering??
> 
> I'm definitely going to try that clay anchoring for the EOs. I've never heard of that until this trhead. I'm tryin to put a brine soap recipe together.


I’ve been scrounging information about re-working my formulas. For regular CP soap I’ve leaned that 95%NaOH + 5%KOH helps with lather when you use a lot of hard oils. That’s where my question was coming from.  And the answer to 95/5 in salt bars was “No”. 
I learned of “anchoring” EO’s when I first started soaping. It seemed to help keep those fading EO’s from just fizzling out. I think bentonite clay was the most helpful but it’s a thirsty clay and can firm up the batter too fast.


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## TashaBird (Jun 23, 2020)

Thanks for all the responses and helpful links. I think I’ve read all the things, and this is what I’ve got so far. What do you think?


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## cmzaha (Jun 23, 2020)

I am guessing you mean to use 70 g salt and not 70 ml. The same for your clay. Actually I would leave out the clay in a salt bar, you are going to deter the lather even more. Sometimes in Soapers Friend when adding in additives you have to check the measurements do not change from oz to gr etc. I would also lower the lye concentration to 30%, since salt will thicken your batter. Otherwise, your recipe looks fine.


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## shunt2011 (Jun 23, 2020)

@TashaBird   I personally would use a bit more liquid as cmzaha suggested.  Salt soap can move pretty quickly.   I do 29% but 30% would be fine too.


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## TashaBird (Jun 23, 2020)

cmzaha said:


> I am guessing you mean to use 70 g salt and not 70 ml. The same for your clay. Actually I would leave out the clay in a salt bar, you are going to deter the lather even more. Sometimes in Soapers Friend when adding in additives you have to check the measurements do not change from oz to gr etc. I would also lower the lye concentration to 30%, since salt will thicken your batter. Otherwise, your recipe looks fine.


It did change my measurements, it does that sometimes. I fixed it. And, I removed the clay.


shunt2011 said:


> @TashaBird   I personally would use a bit more liquid as cmzaha suggested.  Salt soap can move pretty quickly.   I do 29% but 30% would be fine too.


I read that many people use %100 CO to get any lather. I figured that would be hard to work with. Is %70 CO going to still bubble?

Below is edited recipe. I can increase the avocado oil.


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## TashaBird (Jun 23, 2020)

Also, I read %8 for a lasting EO. That’s a lot! I usually use %5 because I like a strong fragrance. So, I’ll do it. Just want to confirm.


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## shunt2011 (Jun 23, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> It did change my measurements, it does that sometimes. I fixed it. And, I removed the clay.
> 
> I read that many people use %100 CO to get any lather. I figured that would be hard to work with. Is %70 CO going to still bubble?
> 
> Below is edited recipe. I can increase the avocado oil.



I've never used less than 80% CO.   I would be concerned that is wouldn't lather well.   I get a nice creamy lather.  I use coconut milk in my soaps using the split method.  I SF at 18% for my Salt Soap.


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## TashaBird (Jun 23, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> I've never used less than 80% CO.   I would be concerned that is wouldn't lather well.   I get a nice creamy lather.  I use coconut milk in my soaps using the split method.  I SF at 18% for my Salt Soap.


How much EO would you use for scent?


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## TashaBird (Jun 23, 2020)

Removed the spirulina for colorant. I’m using Redmonds fine sea salt, and it’s a little pink. Going to see how my first batch comes out keeping it really simple. Here’s revised recipe again. Thinking I might use a combo of lavender and peppermint oil. ?


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## shunt2011 (Jun 23, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> How much EO would you use for scent?



Depends on the usage rate of the EO you're using.   I don't use many EO's.


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## AliOop (Jun 23, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> Depends on the usage rate of the EO you're using.



*Yes, this!! ^^^ * 

*There is no such thing as a standard safe usage rate for all EOs or even FOs.* 

I believe this dangerous misconception comes from the fact that all soap calculators set a default scent rate of 3%. I wish they would just leave that box blank so people wouldn't assume that 3%, or any other percentage, is automatically going to be safe for every EO or FO across the board.

Use 3% of lavender, sure - but you can safely go even higher for better scent retention. 

Use 3% of anise, cinnamon, or clove, or other "hot" EOs, and you will probably get skin burns, or at the very least, significant skin irritation.

*Always* check the safe usage rate given by the manufacturer, or with an online *EO calculator* (NOT the default number in soap calculators).


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## TashaBird (Jun 23, 2020)

AliOop said:


> *Yes, this!! ^^^ *
> 
> *There is no such thing as a standard safe usage rate for all EOs or even FOs.*
> 
> ...


I checked them in EO calculator. I wish they had a bigger data base of EO though. They’re missing some oils that I think are fairly common.


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## AliOop (Jun 23, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> I checked them in EO calculator. I wish they had a bigger data base of EO though. They’re missing some oils that I think are fairly common.


I totally agree! I often have oils that I want to use but there is no info.

There is another EO calculator at Majestic Mountain Sage that you can cross-check. Also, if you are buying the EOs through a soap supplier, they should be able to give you the safe usage rate. The other option is to get Robert Tisserand's EO Safety book. It's pricey, but it has TONS of info on so many oils.


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## cmzaha (Jun 23, 2020)

3% of total batch weight may hold in a salt bar but I find it doubtful and will not hold if based on oil weight. Salt tends to wreak havoc on the fragrance. But you have to take into consideration I use 100% salt. I use 7.5-8% fo based on my total oil weight in salt bars.


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## LunaLe (Jun 24, 2020)

Do you have to use fine salt? Could you use coarse or would it be too scratchy?


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## TashaBird (Jun 24, 2020)

LunaLe said:


> Do you have to use fine salt? Could you use coarse or would it be too scratchy?


Too scratchy, from what I’ve read.


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## LunaLe (Jun 24, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> Too scratchy, from what I’ve read.


I figured. This thread really has me intrigued. Now I want to try making a salt bar.


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## shunt2011 (Jun 25, 2020)

LunaLe said:


> Do you have to use fine salt? Could you use coarse or would it be too scratchy?



No never use anything but fine salt.  It will cut your skin.  Also, not recommended to use  Pink Himalayan Salt as it's super scratchy. I use pickling salt or European Sea salt.   I have also used powdered salt. I cure them for 12 months.  I keep batches in rotation curing so I don't run out.  I too scent them more than regular soap.  7-8%


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## Megan (Jun 25, 2020)

shunt2011 said:


> I too scent them more than regular soap.  7-8%



Now you all have me thinking. I'm thinking about bumping up my scent in my salt bars. Right now I can smell them at ~6.7% (I base my fragrance load on a combination of lye and oil weights but not total batch weight)...but they are definitely milder than I like my soap to smell. I'm worried too about how the scent will stand the test of time in a salt bar versus a normal bar.


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## Arimara (Jun 25, 2020)

I was about to tell you to just got to the store and get some regular fine sea salt. Himalayan pink sea salt will scratch you up, if it doesn't leave micro cuts on your skin. Even coffee grinds are gentler to the skin that that salt. Also, some one could correct me on this but avoid iodized salt too. I think it has something to do with the outcome.


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## Obsidian (Jun 25, 2020)

TashaBird said:


> Removed the spirulina for colorant. I’m using Redmonds fine sea salt, and it’s a little pink. Going to see how my first batch comes out keeping it really simple. Here’s revised recipe again. Thinking I might use a combo of lavender and peppermint oil. ?



NO!! don't use redmans, there salt contains small particles of sand. Its incredibly scratchy, the worst salt I've ever used in soap. It was so bad, I actually threw the whole batch out.

In fact, don't use any pink salt, its clay and minerals that make it pink, its all scratchy.

I just use cheap canning salt or regular white sea salt.


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## TashaBird (Jun 25, 2020)

Obsidian said:


> NO!! don't use redmans, there salt contains small particles of sand. Its incredibly scratchy, the worst salt I've ever used in soap. It was so bad, I actually threw the whole batch out.
> 
> In fact, don't use any pink salt, its clay and minerals that make it pink, its all scratchy.
> 
> I just use cheap canning salt or regular white sea salt.


Oh NO! I just bought a 8lb bucket of REdmonds. It’s our favorite salt for food use. SHOOT! 



Arimara said:


> I was about to tell you to just got to the store and get some regular fine sea salt. Himalayan pink sea salt will scratch you up, if it doesn't leave micro cuts on your skin. Even coffee grinds are gentler to the skin that that salt. Also, some one could correct me on this but avoid iodized salt too. I think it has something to do with the outcome.



I have a few 1lb cartons of regular salt, but it’s iodized. Can someone confirm if this is a problem, or if it’s ok?


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## Obsidian (Jun 25, 2020)

If you haven't opened the redmans, see if you can return it. I ended up using what I bought for food but it was only 1 lb.

If you want to see why redmans is bad, dissolve a teaspoon in a few ounces of water and check out the sediment.

I have used iodized in a pinch but it was a small batch so it wasn't in storage for a long time. I have no idea if it would affect the soap long term.


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## Arimara (Jun 25, 2020)

I was wrong about iodized salt. It's ok. I might have been thinking about epsom and dead sea salts- those are the no-no's. A quick search solved that and Cmzaha used it.


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## IrishLass (Jun 25, 2020)

Arimara said:


> I was wrong about iodized salt. It's ok. I might have been thinking about epsom and dead sea salts- those are the no-no's. A quick search solved that and Cmzaha used it.



Yep- iodized is perfectly fine, but stay away from using Dead Sea salt and epsom salts. The latter 2 have a different mineral composition than regular sea salt or table salt. Regular sea salt and table salt are comprised mostly of sodium, but the other two are high in magnesium and other salts. Many who have used either of the latter two in their salt bars lived to regret it. Their bars turned out weepy and soft.

I use Bob's Red Mill fine sea salt in mine.


IrishLass


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## LynetteO (Jul 29, 2021)

atiz said:


> It's hard to say what's so nice about salt bars, but I like them too. Even sometimes as a face-wash. I like their hardness and there's also something to be said for salty water.
> I've made two kinds, and go back and forth about which one I like more. One is 100% CO, 35% salt, 13% SF. The other is 85% CO, 10% Avocado oil, 5% Castor oil, 50% salt, also 13% SF. They both lather quite well, and neither is drying for me, but they do have different feels.


May I inquire as to what the “feel” difference is between the two recipes?


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