First Salt Bar

[violets2217]

I made @AliOop 's Coffee Salt Bar! Went with 80% CO and 20% Avocado Butter because I had some I needed to use up. Added some ground coffee and some dark chocolate powder just cause. I put it in a square individual silicone mold and it turned out pretty cool! the hardest bar of soap I've ever felt! I think I could use it as a weapon if needed. I textured the top because I wasn't sure what else to do... but the bars came out so smooth and shiny on the bottom and sides I wish the top looked like that as well!! How can I accomplish that?

 

[earlene]

You can plane the tops, then spray with alcohol & shine them up with a microfiber cloth. I'd suggest testing out one bar before you decide to to it to all of them.

 

[AliOop]

@violets2217 those look beautiful! For future, if you want the tops of your salt bars to be flat, you can put plastic wrap over the top of the filled cavities, and then use the flat side of a spatula to press them down. It's tough to plane salt bars IME; the surface never ends up that smooth. But you can give it a try. Personally, I think they look great as-is! Now you just have to wait at least six months before you start trying them. I recommend trying one at six months, eight months, ten months, and 12 months. You will be amazed at the difference in the amount and the feel of the lather!

 

[lsg]

Very pretty soap.

 

[Guspuppy]

I don't think I have ever seen such a shiny soap! I love it! Might need to get some individual molds for salt bars!

 

[dibbles]

They look awesome! I use individual cavity molds for my salt bars and they almost always get a bit of ash. I don’t like to plane them because I think it is hard on my planer to do that. So it is one of the rare times I live with it. Once they are hard enough, I cover them with plastic wrap and leave in the molds longer than usual.

 

[shunt2011]

They look great! To get them smooth, I pour at very light trace into the molds. I love the shine salt bars get.

 

[violets2217]

Now you just have to wait at least six months before you start trying them. I

I have my cure reminder set for 6 months! I’m gonna try my best to forget about them and leave them be! When I pulled them out of the molds and they were all shiny and looking like a marble countertop I was mentally try to figure out how to make individual covers to press the tops, but sure the plastic wrap will work! Sometimes I just go to over complicated to start! Thanks for the recipe and the suggestions. I’m gonna try the plastic wrap when I make the 100% CO salt bars this week! Then they will be ready for next Christmas!!!!

 

[Cannon1227]

Why do salt bars needs to cure for 6 months instead of the usual 6 weeks? I made some for Christmas 3 weeks ago and was hoping they would be done in time for my gift boxes.

 

[Laura Vohs]

Absolutely beautiful, @violets2217 !

 

[AliOop]

Why do salt bars needs to cure for 6 months instead of the usual 6 weeks? I made some for Christmas 3 weeks ago and was hoping they would be done in time for my gift boxes.

The lather is pretty meager and blah for the first few months, and usually feels very drying during that time, as well. I thought I didn’t like salt bars until I let them cure a lot longer.

That being said, much depends on how much salt and how much CO you used. Less salt and using a soft oil or two, such as castor and AVO, can make a bar that is decent (although prob not ideal) in 3-4 months, instead of 8-12.

 

[Cannon1227]

The lather is pretty meager and blah for the first few months, and usually feels very drying during that time, as well. I thought I didn’t like salt bars until I let them cure a lot longer.

That being said, much depends on how much salt and how much CO you used. Less salt and using a soft oil or two, such as castor and AVO, can make a bar that is decent (although prob not ideal) in 3-4 months, instead of 8-12.

Good to know....thank you for your response.

 

[violets2217]

Second try... this time 100% CO with 50% salt (half pink Himalayan & half table salt) Added some Pink Clay and some powdered milk. Pressed the tops and they are definitely square! Either the fragrance oil or the milk accelerated it a bit so it was pretty thick going into molds so empty spaces here and there on the corners , but still looks cool! Now I need to hide them away until next year. Incidentally, I washed my hands after I molding and cleaning them up and the lather was definitely creamy and fluffy!

 

[AliOop]

Those look great! Sounds like you have a winner

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Wow' another soap added to my bucket list. Ive gotta find out more info about salt bars' i'm intrigued. I thought they would be drying to the skin just from the name. Shocking it takes 6 months for them to cure wow!
Great Job & Pictures.

 

[earlene]

Lovely color! What colorant did you use, violets2217?

 

[AliOop]

@earlene she indicated that she used some pink clay. Aren't these pretty??

 

[earlene]

Aw, I missed that. They sure are pretty, but they look golden or a sort of rusty golden brown to me, so pink clay doesn't sound like quite what I would expect.

 

[violets2217]

Aw, I missed that. They sure are pretty, but they look golden or a sort of rusty golden brown to me, so pink clay doesn't sound like quite what I would expect.

I tried some powdered milk for the first time added to the oils and it really heated up in the molds! So I'm guess that is what changed the color I was going for... my light pink (I love my pink clay!) The are a light gold tan-ish color. Still pretty though!