First Salt Soap - Not loving!

[LadyM]

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]

Those are beauties

 

[Lotus]

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

 

[Scentapy]

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]

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]

What is a salt bars purpose?

 

[Lotus]

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

 

[chicklet]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

The olive oil might be killing your lather.

 

[lsg]

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]

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]

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