Epsom salt bars?

[Paintguru]

Anyone tried making these? Considering people like using Epsom salts for baths and soaks, I'm wondering if we'd see a benefit from using it in a soap bar. Trying to think if MgSO4, which I believe goes slightly acidic when hydrated, would have an effect beyond increasing the superfat of the final product. Just an early morning thought during my internet browsing!

 

[dagmar88]

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=34749&highlight=epsom&page=4

 

[Paintguru]

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=34749&highlight=epsom&page=4

Well there you go, somebody tried them.

I'm not sure I buy that they are poor in a salt bar due to excess minerals. Dead sea salts have to come from the Dead Sea, Epsom salts can come from a variety of sources.

 

[DeeAnna]

Magnesium (Mg) will combine with fatty acids to form a magnesium soap which is insoluble in water. Magnesium soap is one component of "soap scum" -- the sticky, greasy, icky coating on your skin if you wash with soap in hard water. I imagine that's why epsom salts added to CP soap doesn't work well.

We've been having a related discussion in another thread -- the OP asked about putting magnesium chloride (MgCl) "oil" in soap. The question in that thread was this -- can MgCl "oil" be added to CP soap batter? Or does the solution of MgCl and water (aka magnesium "oil") have to be added after the cook in HP soap?

The consensus in that thread was adding MgCl to CP soap is a great way to make an icky magnesium-based soap. I'd say adding epsom salts (MgSO4) to CP soap will do likewise. The OP in the magnesium "oil" thread has been adding the "oil" to HP soap with some success, however. You could try a test batch and add epsom salts to an HP soap after the cook. That might give you an acceptable "epsom salt" salt bar, but that's just a guess -- I personally have not tried it.

 

[Robert]

About the only way I could see soap made with Epsom salt as being useful in a bar of soap would be in a small amount as a hardener with a much larger amount of sodium soap. Even then I would think you'd have to mix them in a molten, not wet, condition, as mass-market "freezer bars" are made.

I don't recommend using soap in a bath taken with Epsom salt either.