# Two rebatchs & salt bar



## Hazel (Aug 3, 2010)

Umm...I'm not quite sure what I did wrong with this first CP batch. I also made the *big* mistake of scenting it with lavender and citronella. It ended up smelling like a mosquito repellant candle.   

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/4246/1000085k.jpg

I threw it into the crockpot (thanks honor435!  :wink:  ) and cooked it for awhile, added bergamot/grapefruit and here's the finished soap. It turned out much better. You can still smell a little citronella but my sister said it smells good and that it might be nice to wash with if you're planning on being outside quite a bit. 

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/6997/1000090.jpg

My next big mistake was with this coconut milk batch. I now understand about false trace.  Oh no! :shock: Out comes the crockpot again and I thought it turned out quite nice. Vanilla Bean Noel scent with CP color stabilizer and it's remained a lovely cream color. eta: slowly discolored to brown. 

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/6713/1000088j.jpg

Next there's...wait a minute...this isn't soap!

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/1678/1000093.jpg

I guess he was thinking "She's in the kitchen. Is there food?"

And finally, after months of swirl envy and drooling over other people's beautiful soaps, I used Dagmar's recipe from her tutorial and tried to swirl like she showed.

"removed tute link because it's gone"

My results - okay, it's not great but sooo much better than my previous efforts. Thanks for posting the tutorial, Dagmar   

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/2082/1000096.jpg

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/6482/1000097e.jpg

I liked the salt bar so much that I made another batch but I added in a little olive oil.

80% co
12% oo
8% castor

I used a dark rose mica and gold mica for colorants and scented it with Strawberry & Champagne FO. I'm quite pleased with the results but I don't have pictures. I'll have to take some and post them later.

Right now, I've got a HP batch cooking and I'm going to add some coffee grounds and oatmeal to it. One of my sisters has asked several times for a gardener/kitchen scrubby soap so this is an experiment. I really hope it turns out.


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 3, 2010)

Picture #1 looks like a soapers nightmare.  I might have run away.

#3 looks great, can't tell anything went wrong.

#4 cutie, cutie *scratch under chin*

Haven't seen this tutorial.  What a thick trace, I wouldn't have thought you could still work with the soap after it was that thick.

#5 this pic makes me think that you are a perfectionist   I like it.

#6 very nice color combo

Happy soaping


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## Hazel (Aug 3, 2010)

#1 - I didn't run away but I felt like crying. I shouldn't have taken it so hard. I'd been lucky with the batchs I'd made previously so I was due for a salutary lesson. 

#3 is the rebatch picture. I didn't take a before pic. 

#4 - The cute look is just a clever disguise. He's really obnoxious but I'm starting to let things slide since he's getting old.

I am a perfectionist but I need to learn to let it go. The soap will clean just fine even if it doesn't look good.

#6 Thanks - it's actually a little paler than the pic appears but I'm thrilled with it after months of attempting to swirl and not succeeding.


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## Sunny (Aug 3, 2010)

favorite pic: the cat with what looks like possibly a special ear. hehe

all of the soaps look really great. don't take it hard at all, eventually you will reach soaping perfection, though it may take a while. I know for me it's taking way too long  :shock:


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## Hazel (Aug 3, 2010)

The ear is from a fight he had with another cat years ago. I guess it was a territorial dispute. He came back a little mangled but he proudly strutted around like he was king of the jungle.    Of course, it wasn't funny at the time because I ended up with a another vet bill.

Thanks. I'll never achieve perfection but I'll settle for cleansing, conditioning and awesome bubbly lather.


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## miaow (Aug 3, 2010)

Your salt bars look great!  I just made some recently that smell wonderful(south pacific waters from wsp) but I fell asleep while it was in the oven and so it was too hard to cut when I got it out.  So I had my man cut it for me...so the bars broke.   :cry:


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## Hazel (Aug 3, 2010)

I like the color. What did you use for colorants? I've been using micas and herbal powders because it's all I have at this time.

Thanks for the compliment on the soap. I thought they looked rough. I didn't get clean cuts because I was so paranoid that I probably cut them too soon.

I'm sorry yours got hard. At least your man was able to cut them and it looks like you got some decent sized pieces.    Someone posted that when she cut her bars they just crumbled. What percentage of salt did you use? On this first batch, I used 60% and on the second one I became daring and used 70%.   

I haven't used South Pacific Waters. I'll have to check it out.


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## NancyRogers (Aug 4, 2010)

I really like your soaps.  The salt bar is my favorite.  I *love* your kitty.  Squooooosh him!


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## agriffin (Aug 4, 2010)

Nice save on the first one!  

Hehehe...I LOVE orange cats!  

Salt bars look great!


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## tespring (Aug 4, 2010)

I love the color of your soaps and I think they came out great! I think we have to have soap catastrophes to know what good soap is and to learn what to do next. lol  After reading Millers soap, I found out to never throw a batch out, if nothing else can be done with it, I throw it in the wash. It is a great laundry booster.  I just grate it up and throw it in.  

I tried to do the same salt bar swirl but with two colors. It came out nice for me for the FIRST time ever.  I divided the soap up into two equal amounts, divided the salt up the same way, colored one batch then put the salt in, colored the other batched, then put its salt in and then alternately poured it into the mold.  I used blue and green, I will post the pictures soon.  

It has not cured all the way yet so I am not sure if I like salt bars or not.


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## ToniD (Aug 4, 2010)

Wow, great save!   Salt bar swirls are attractive and good colors.


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

tespring said:
			
		

> I tried to do the same salt bar swirl but with two colors. It came out nice for me for the FIRST time ever.  I divided the soap up into two equal amounts, divided the salt up the same way, colored one batch then put the salt in, colored the other batched, then put its salt in and then alternately poured it into the mold.  I used blue and green, I will post the pictures soon.



I did the same thing.  I call them Sea Glass Salt Bars.  Love 'em!


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## Hazel (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks everyone

Nancy. You don’t want to hug this guy. My 8 year old niece already tried and according to her, he’s mean and he scratches. She’s now scared of him. He only has to look at her and she screams and runs to me for protection. Of course, she is a bit of a drama queen.   

Amanda - I think I got lucky on this one. It could have turned out really bad. I haven’t used it yet but soon…very soon. 

tespring & ToniD - The colors are much lighter than they look in the pic. I don’t know why my camera makes everything look dark. But I’m happy with them because this is also the first time swirls have come out for me, too.

BakingNana - great name! Do you use a sea or water-type fragrance?


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

Atlantic Sea Kelp from DayStar.  LOVE IT.  Last time I used Sex on the Beach from I-Can't-Remember-Where.  It was good, but had a lot of pineapple in it.  I like the Sea Kelp better.

Love your soaps!


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

Two questions:

1. bakingnana- does your sea kelp smell like, um, fishy stuff? I ordered some, but am afraid to use it because it smells kind of fishy...

2. has anyone cut their salt bars with a power saw (compound miter saw?)? I know you'd lose a blade width with each cut, but I wonder if it would eliminate the too-hard-to-cut business. I'm always so paranoid that I'm going to let it harden too much- it makes me antsy waiting till just the right moment... If I knew I could just use a power saw, I wouldn't get so anxious. 

And -- thanks for all the pictures!!!  My kitty looks a lot like yours- My kids thought I had posted that picture! Orange tabbies are the best.


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

BSN--not fishy at all.  Smells sort of spa-like.  I wanted to order the abolone one from WSP, but I was afraid that _would_ smell fishy!


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

alrighty-- just so I understand- your dry kelp powder (not in soap yet) doesn't smell fishy? 

When I received my order, it smelled fishy. I wasn't sure if that was right or not. 
I'm suspecting not. I don't want my soaps smelling fishy!!! Bleck!


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## Hazel (Aug 4, 2010)

BakingNana - I'll have to check out the Daystar site. I've heard about it but don't know what they have. I've been on Peak's looking at their fos and making a long, long list.   

Best Natural Soap - Could you use your fishy fo to make a fisherman's soap? It might turn out fine in CP or HP.

Orange tabbies are everywhere! I was outside my house and saw what I thought was this cat running from across the street and then around the west side of the house. I said to my mom some comment about "How did he get out?" and then I stopped because I realized the cat's tail had a white tip. It was then I realized he wasn't my cat. But it did confuse me for a moment.


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

NO...dry sea kelp does stink!  I have it, but haven't put it in soap.  I'm hoping when I do the smell doesn't survive the lye monster.  The Atlantic Sea Kelp I was talking about is an FO from DayStar.  It's a great spa scent.  I don't use EOs unless I'm making something for myself or family.


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

I guess I'll have to make more soap... oh darn. Hee hee. 

I wonder if maybe the lye monster is capable of killing fish? He is pretty nasty. 

I should use it in a salt bar!!! That seems sea-like.


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## Hazel (Aug 4, 2010)

Have you tried it in soap yet?


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## BakingNana (Aug 5, 2010)

As a side note, a couple of days ago I was at Whole Foods getting spirulina and an "earth girl" was standing there.  She asked me what I was going to use it for, and got the soap talk.  She just about jumped up and down with excitement at the idea of kelp/algae in soap.  She thought it would be great for her skin.  She said she puts kelp or spirulina in all her food.  Don't think she'd have cared if it smelled fishy!


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## Stinkydancer (Aug 5, 2010)

Nice salt bars Hazel. It looks like you are learning some things the hard way!  It makes you better in the end!

Your kitty is awesome!


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## Hazel (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks!  But I'd rather learn them the easy way.  :wink: 

I really don't know what went wrong. Maybe I had false trace? But at least I learned how to save a batch.


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## Stinkydancer (Aug 5, 2010)

We all learned the hard way!!! Easy way is no fun. LOL


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## Hazel (Aug 5, 2010)

Right...there's nothing like the excitement of carefully planning, measuring, mixing and blending, then the heady rush of panic when you realize something has gone wrong. 

After that comes the begging and pleading with the soap gods to intercede and save the batch, followed by hissy fits, hair pulling, screams of frustration and then the slow sinking into the numbness of despair. 

Yup! Definitely more fun.  

I should add that after all of this, I recover and start planning my next batch.


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## Stinkydancer (Aug 5, 2010)

Oh hun after 10 plus years of soaping- it's always the same. You just know when that batch has gone wonky.

Only difference is there is no more panic- there is just a big OH CRAP! Sigh...

Like you said- you just move on and go to the next.


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## Hazel (Aug 6, 2010)

Actually when I wrote that I was trying to be humorous. I guess I wasn't.


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## Stinkydancer (Aug 6, 2010)

Nope you were!


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## dubnica (Aug 6, 2010)

What is so special about salt bars?


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 6, 2010)

Salt bars are so wonderfully fabulously great for your skin!!! They leave you feeling soft and silky and smooth- 
They have scrubby texture, and they make you feel moist. 
The bars are REALLY hard, too. Nice lasting power. They feel like river rocks as they get used.


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## Deda (Aug 6, 2010)

You'll love your salt bars more if you let them cure the full month.


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## dubnica (Aug 6, 2010)

Best Natural Soap said:
			
		

> Salt bars are so wonderfully fabulously great for your skin!!! They leave you feeling soft and silky and smooth-
> They have scrubby texture, and they make you feel moist.
> The bars are REALLY hard, too. Nice lasting power. They feel like river rocks as they get used.


Hmmm... it makes me want to try it....where can I find good recipe for it?


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## BakingNana (Aug 7, 2010)

There are recipes out there....a Google search will return a few.  But basically it's a very high percentage coconut oil (I use 80% coconut and 20% castor), but some even use 100%), and 20% superfat in the calculations.  The amount of salt you add depends on what you like, but seems to range anywhere from 50% to 100% of the weight of the oils.  I add 75% of the weight of the oils in fine sea salt.

I mix in the salt with a silicone spatula at a medium trace.  I pack it into the molds, then put them in the oven which has been preheated to 170 degrees and TURNED OFF.  I let them sit in there about 4-5 hours and then cut them as they are still slightly warm.  I use a very thin (boning) knife and cut slowly, but I still manage to lose at least 1 bar out of every 8.  They need to cure at least a month as Deda said.  Seems to take (mine, at least) that long for them to be nice and hard.  

Using a salt bar in the shower IMO gives the benefits of bath salts in the shower.  Whether you use the bar by running it over your skin or lather it up in a washcloth, you'll be amazed how good it feels.  Of course, you wouldn't to wash "everything" with it, if you get my drift!

I just got my 8 bar cutter from TOG, so I'm planning to try it on my next batch of salt bars to see if I can get all 8 out of a loaf!  (sorry, didn't mean to write a book here!)


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## Hazel (Aug 7, 2010)

dubnica - I made my first batch by using this tutorial. I do want to say that I'm not too sure about the 60% salt. It doesn't seem very scrubby. My second batch I used 70% salt but I haven't used it yet so I can't compare them right now.  

"removed tutorial link - it's gone"



			
				BakingNana said:
			
		

> I just got my 8 bar cutter from TOG, so I'm planning to try it on my next batch of salt bars to see if I can get all 8 out of a loaf!  (sorry, didn't mean to write a book here!)



Great! Please let us know how it works. You don't have to apologize for writing so much. I found it interesting and helpful. I didn't know you could put them in an oven. Thanks for the info.


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## dubnica (Aug 11, 2010)

OK so I made this salt bar last week and I already used it and I have to say that you guys were right.  Salt soap IS great!  I used fine sea salt, next time I will use coarse kind to make it scrubbier.


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## Sunny (Aug 11, 2010)

I wouldn't say that coarse salt makes the bar "scrubbier" but I do like the texture much more than fine salt.


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## Hazel (Aug 11, 2010)

dubnica - looks good. Did you use a scent?


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## dubnica (Aug 11, 2010)

Hazel said:
			
		

> dubnica - looks good. Did you use a scent?


I used eucalyptus/mint.  It smells good.


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## Hazel (Aug 11, 2010)

Wow! I bet that would wake you up in the morning.   

I use mints in lotions, massage bars and soap but I've never used eucalyptus even though I love the scent. Where do you get your eucalyptus?


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## dubnica (Aug 12, 2010)

I had a small vial on hand from Michael's so I used it for this trial batch.  It's not the best thing, but it smells pretty good in this salt bar, not too strong.
I like eucalyptus too.


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