# First Salt Soap - Not loving!



## LadyM (May 8, 2013)

There are tons of people on the forum that LOVE salt bars but after my first salt soap experiment and while I know it hasn't cured yet and will become better, I'm NOT loving this soap! It feels so yucky! 

I do like the look and there's a wee bit of lather but it just doesn't feel luxurious or enjoyable really on any level!

What do you all love about them? What qualities?

I'm going to try again bumping up the coconut and maybe using coconut milk and castor to get it feeling a bit better than a strange hard dry rock! 
Anyone have any other pointers?

Thank you!

First try recipe:

Coconut Oil - 76%
Olive Oil - 12%
Crisco - 12%

31% lye concentration

Himalayan Salt fine grind @ 50% oil weight


----------



## christinak (May 8, 2013)

Those are beauties


----------



## Lotus (May 8, 2013)

I think they look very pretty! I wish I could feel what you don't like about it.


----------



## Scentapy (May 8, 2013)

I made my first "successful" batch a couple months ago and I don't love them either.  My recipe was very close to yours.  I used 75% Coconut & 25% Olive Oil.  I used 100% Himalayan Salt.  I just didn't think it sudsed very good and it was scratchy.  LOL... and when I washed my face with it (not directly on the skin...I just used the lather), it was like I swallowed some ocean water.


----------



## three_little_fishes (May 8, 2013)

I think they're pretty, at least! I've just made salt soap and it hasn't cured long enough to try using it. I think the consensus was to cure salt bars at least 6-8 weeks. I lathered up a tiny piece and it felt so creamy. So I hope I love it in the long run. This what what I used.

12.8oz Coconut oil
2.4oz Avocado oil
0.8oz Castor oil

4.8oz Water (reflects a 20% discount)
2.4oz Sodium Hydroxide (reflects a 15% discount)

16oz Sea Salt


----------



## Soapman Ryan (May 8, 2013)

What is a salt bars purpose?


----------



## Lotus (May 8, 2013)

Ryan, I would assume it's really good for oily skin, since salt is a major absorbent, and then extra exfoliation?


----------



## chicklet (May 8, 2013)

I love showering with a salt bar, especially after a sweaty afternoon of hard work. I have made beer salt bars and coconut milk salt bars - love them both. I use 100% coconut oil with a 20% SF. I cure mine 3 months. 

Lady M your salt bars look great!


----------



## la-rene (May 8, 2013)

I love my salt bars.  I feel nice and clean after using it. I don't have my recipe with me or I'd post it, but it's not overly drying, I just feel like it's drawn all the crap out of my skin when I use it.  Yours look really nice, though!


----------



## Bayougirl (May 8, 2013)

Salt bars are great with a long cure (like you forget you have them and find them again!).  The longer the cure, the creamier the bubble.  I use them occasionally, but forget about them for awhile and then check them out.


----------



## Soapman Ryan (May 8, 2013)

I've seen salt bars before while browsing this forum. After seeing those beautiful pics, this thread has sparked an interest. That's why I ask, why salt bars? Maybe this will have to be my next research project to start reading about. These forums are great, the more posts I read the more things I get to research and learn about.


----------



## newbie (May 8, 2013)

I think the lather isn't as good when you add in oils other than coconut. Coconut seems to be THE one that can hold up to the lather-killing qualities of salt. It would be interesting to see if you felt there was a difference (a likable difference, I should say) if you made a small batch of 100% CO with a 15-20% sf and then same percentage of salt. I also cure my salt bars for 3 months, minimum.


----------



## Lotus (May 8, 2013)

I agree, Ryan. I tend to pick up on things pretty quickly, most of the time. I love that this is a place where (in the vast world of soap making, where SO many questions come up) you can get an answer to almost any soap question you might have, pretty quickly. So, now that I'm diving deep into the world, rather than dabbling, this is a good place. : )

I do think that the forum search algorithm could possibly use a little improvement. But, if I can't find something that way, I can always ask. I like that. Way back when I made my first batch of soap, the thought of a forum never occurred to me. I love that this forum is so active. The most active forum site I've ever been a part of.


----------



## makemineirish (May 8, 2013)

While I have yet to make them myself, my understanding is that most people use a really conditioning oil and superfat at 20% to offset the high concentration of coconut.  The coconut is a necessity as it is apparently the only thing that lathers in salt water.  Hopefully, someone with more experience will have some more specific suggestions.


----------



## Lotus (May 8, 2013)

All I can think of, is that I use salt to absorb the oils in my cast iron skillet to clean it. The same idea as the industrial oil spill powders (whatever they're called). So, I imagine, you're definitely going to want to make sure it is still moisturizing. Even the oiliest skin would probably have troubles if you didn't. And then with the coconut. . .


----------



## Miz Jenny (May 8, 2013)

Your bars are beautiful. I have to perform cosmetic surgery on mine. I love the way it feels and that was after a 4 week cure. The new batch I'm curing until November.  I used the BB recipe.


----------



## pamielynn (May 8, 2013)

The olive oil might be killing your lather.


----------



## lsg (May 8, 2013)

Very nice soap.  Here is a link to a recipe that I really like:

http://blog.thesage.com/2010/06/25/salt-soaps-a-perspective-from-tess/


----------



## marghewitt (May 8, 2013)

I have only made them once and did not like them at all. They were so incredibly drying. I don't get the attraction either.


----------



## LadyM (May 9, 2013)

Thanks for the replies everyone!  I forgot to mention I did a 20% superfat.

I think after reading all of your responses, I think I'll try another batch with nearly all coconut, maybe a little avo, castor or shea etc. and then wait out a long cure before making a judgment!  

Thanks so much for your thoughts


----------



## dagmar88 (May 9, 2013)

Salt bars are just really a hit or miss kind of thing. 
They're nice and smooth, rock hard, give a dense, silky lather and are cheap to make.
100% coconut is just fine, but I like them with a bit of castor too.


----------



## kharmon320 (May 9, 2013)

I don't "love" them, but I do agree that they are best judged when at least 3 months old.  Waiting until six months is even better.  The lather dramatically changes when it's well aged to a foamy, shaving cream type lather.


----------



## chicklet (May 9, 2013)

Here are some lime EO and patch EO salt bars I made a while back. Nothing exciting to look at  but they smell soooooo good. They're mostly lime, but I added the patchouli to hopefully help anchor the lime. So far, so good. At the very top of the pic you can see some charcoal salt bars too. They're sented with orange EO. As I said before, I use 100% coconut oil. My first couple of batches I used 90% coconut and 10% castor, but I think the 100% coconut bars lather so much better. I SF at 20% and most of the time I use 50% salt (50% of the weight of the oils). Somtimes I use 60%. The lime bars have 100% coconut milk for the liquid, the charcoal bars have half water/half buttermilk. I've also used beer for 100% of the liquid.


----------



## LadyM (May 9, 2013)

Those look reeeeally lovely Chicklet!  

Since you've experiented with both a bit of castor and without, 
I may try the without first since I like the idea of the best lather I can get.  

3 months cure, wow this is a long process to create the perfect salt bar!!!  Good things come to those who wait huh?!

Back to the experimentation pot!


----------



## chicklet (May 9, 2013)

The experimenting is the fun part.    I forgot to add that I use a mix of coarse sea salt and fine table salt.  I get both at Dollar General.  I did make one batch of white salt bars with pink Himalayan salt.  Very pretty, but expensive.  I've also experimented with 70% salt and one batch of 100% salt before settling on 50 to 60%.  Salt is very healing, but it will definitely sting if you use the salt bars on cuts or scrapes. Good luck with your experimenting.


----------



## Scentapy (May 23, 2013)

I tried them again and am very pleased this time with the outcome.  I ended up making them Hot Process and I did 100% CO w/ 20% superfat (Shea, Castor & Olive) at trace.  Big difference.


----------



## LadyM (May 24, 2013)

Ooh interesting!  What's the difference that you're finding?


----------



## Ancel (May 24, 2013)

For those who have tried soap bars in a humid climate, do they attract moisture out of the air? With the recent salt related threads, I'd love to try it but am cautious of making a wet mess. Thanks


----------



## Ancel (May 24, 2013)

Here's a current salt bar thread with experiences using different percentages of salt, compliments this thread well,

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f11/salt-bars-35093/


----------



## scout (May 30, 2013)

I have never tried salt bars.  Can you use epsom salt.


----------



## cmzaha (May 30, 2013)

scout said:


> I have never tried salt bars.  Can you use epsom salt.


Not recommended. Like Dead Sea Salts Epson has to many mineral. You soap will feel sticky, damp and not lather at all, even with 100% CO. I make Dead Sea Salt bars because my skin likes it, but I do not sell them.


----------



## MissJune (May 31, 2013)

I have to agree, I don't like them either and I don't understand why people love them. I have customers that love them with the special request for Eucalyptus for that spa feeling???


----------



## bodhi (May 31, 2013)

Do epsom and dead sea salts even hold together in a bar?


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 1, 2013)

Yes Epson and dead sea will hold together in a bar but they will sweat severly and never feel great and 0 lather. I am a salt bar fanatic. I just sold 10 bars at market tonight scented with Salty Sea Air. They are fantastic salt bars and lather beautiful. You can always decrease the amount of salt and see if you like them better. This makes a really nice salt bar. Coconut oil 75%, Sunflower 10%, Shea Butter 7%, Castor Oil 8%. I use 90% salt but you could use as little as 10% and still have a nice mild salt bar. Good Luck they really are great, and I use them within a month. When using 90% salt I cut my bars in approx 45 minutes and soap at room temp


----------



## LadyM (Jun 2, 2013)

cmzaha said:


> I am a salt bar fanatic.  I use 90% salt but you could use as little as 10% and still have a nice mild salt bar. Good Luck they really are great, and I use them within a month. When using 90% salt I cut my bars in approx 45 minutes and soap at room temp



cmzaha - I still don't like mine at all partially due to the fact that they have no density and feel so light in my hand.  Are yours that way?  Feels almost like I'm holding a lava rock that is so light weight!!!  I really want to love them too!!


----------



## cmzaha (Jun 3, 2013)

I would have no idea, LadyM why your are light. My salt bars are very dense and heavier than my regular soaps. Not sure how you could have made them feel so light other than whipping air into your soap. Such as making floating soapies


----------



## judymoody (Jun 3, 2013)

Try 90% CO and 10% castor at 20% SF and salt at 50-75% of oil weight.

I'm not a fan either but my husband loves them.  I can tolerate them after a 6 month cure.  Otherwise too drying for me.


----------



## dcornett (Jun 12, 2013)

They look awesome...


----------

