Getting ready for Salt Bars

[loriag]

I am formulating a recipe for salt bars. First time, and three months into my soaping journey.
It looks like this-

Total oil weight 360 g
Water as percent of oil weight 38.00 %
Super Fat/Discount 20 %

Water - 136.80 g
Lye - 49.37 g
Coconut Oil 75 % - 270 g
Palm Oil 8 % - 28.80 g
Olive Oil 12 % - 43.20 g
Shea Butter 5 % - 18 g

I thought I would add
1 teaspoon Kaolin Clay
.36 g ROE

Fine Sea Salt - I was going to divide the batch in half and do 50 % of oils (180 g) in one half and 25 % (90 g) sea salt in the other. So I can see if I prefer one over the other.

I was planning on using Love Spell FO at 7% = 25 g (% recommended on several salt bar recipes online for FO) is this ok even when the Max Usage rate is 6 %?

So I usually soap at Water as percent of oil weight 33.00 % - I just like this %.
I was thinking maybe leaving it at 38 % (soapcalc default) as it hardens so fast when the salt is added. Thoughts?

I do plan on using individual molds.

Would love your thoughts on all of this.

 

[lenarenee]

Use full water is a good idea for your first try.

I use 33% lye solution and salt up to 40% (depends how much I have on hand) and haven't had issues with hardening up too fast UNLESS I use a troublesome fo (which I often do for salt bars). I make a double batch of 90 - 100% coconut oil, and can make simple one color swirls with no problem.
I haven't used any other oils in salt bars except castor, ho sunflower or shea - all in small amounts. I've gone back to 100% coconut oil because none of those made a lick of difference when used at 5%.

Enjoy! Salt bars are fun! I like mixing by hand, and not having to second guess my choices of colors and swirls since simpler designs are usually better.

 

[Lin19687]

I do 100% CO, 20% sf and Full water. It is just easier to use Full water in case there is any issue with FO or anything.
I do 50% regular salt.

Just remember to move Fast as the salt makes it very thick. And BANG the mold more then usual if you use 50% or more salt.

 

[amd]

Even though the shea butter is low, I would take it out of the recipe completely. It's one more thing to inhibit the lather. I don't know about Palm Oil, but my personal experience with Olive oil in salt bars is that it becomes too drying (cleansing) on the skin. @shunt2011 and I use avocado oil. I have also used Hemp oil, which made a nice salt bar too. I also split my water amount with coconut milk.

 

[Obsidian]

I agree with the shea, butters just aren't very good in a salt bar. For that matter, I would also take out the palm, really no need for any hard oils. My salt bars are 80% coconut, 20% OO with 35% salt. I generally just use water but occasionally use coconut milk, its quite nice in a salt bar.

 

[dixiedragon]

My salt bar is 95% coconut, 5% castor and 20% superfat. I also use 50% salt.

 

[lenarenee]

I do 100% CO, 20% sf and Full water. It is just easier to use Full water in case there is any issue with FO or anything.
I do 50% regular salt.

Just remember to move Fast as the salt makes it very thick. And BANG the mold more then usual if you use 50% or more salt.

Okay, Lin and other on the forum have said salt makes it move fast. Is there an explanation as to why salt doesn't do that for me? Or - maybe I just get it mixed and colored fast enough that I don't notice it? (I am not a fast worker, btw)

 

[rjuconnfan]

ok , first timer here. Hoping to make salt bars for my psoriasis. Do these proportions and oils work if I use DSS?
and is this HP or CP? I am gathering recipes but there are so many different things it gets confusing for a newbie. Also any feedback about good sources and good brands/types of DSS? Trying to mind my budget but make good quality too. Thank you!

 

[Christy Moss]

What is DSS May I ask? (I’m a newbie)

 

[amd]

ok , first timer here. Hoping to make salt bars for my psoriasis. Do these proportions and oils work if I use DSS?
and is this HP or CP? I am gathering recipes but there are so many different things it gets confusing for a newbie. Also any feedback about good sources and good brands/types of DSS? Trying to mind my budget but make good quality too. Thank you!

I'm assuming DSS = Dead Sea Salt. You don't want to use that in salt bars. They will weep moisture. You can use extra fine/fine sea salt, regular table salt, or canning & pickling salt (my personal favorite because I can get 4lbs for 2USD). I did some salt bars with extra fine pink himalayan salt, that I haven't tried yet - still curing - but others have said the pink himalayan salt is too scratchy even at extra fine.

 

[Obsidian]

Okay, Lin and other on the forum have said salt makes it move fast. Is there an explanation as to why salt doesn't do that for me? Or - maybe I just get it mixed and colored fast enough that I don't notice it? (I am not a fast worker, btw)

I'd like to know the reason for this too. My salt bars never move fast, in fact I soap hot so it doesn't take too long. After adding the salt, I have to SB for a few minutes to get it thick enough the salt doesn't sink. Once it hits thicker trace, it does start to set up quickly though.

 

[dixiedragon]

I think they move fast because of all the coconut. Mine don't move fast, because I soap them at around 80%. I actually usually end up putting the pot back on the stove on low heat to get the soap to thicken up.

I add lye water to the oils, blast with the stick blender, then add the salt, then blast a few times, then put it on low on the stove and blast off and on until thin trace.

 

[rjuconnfan]

I'm assuming DSS = Dead Sea Salt. You don't want to use that in salt bars. They will weep moisture. You can use extra fine/fine sea salt, regular table salt, or canning & pickling salt (my personal favorite because I can get 4lbs for 2USD). I did some salt bars with extra fine pink himalayan salt, that I haven't tried yet - still curing - but others have said the pink himalayan salt is too scratchy even at extra fine.

So glad I asked! Will look for the canning salt today when I get my scale etc. at Walmart. Price sounds good! I have a big grinder of the pink salt. I guess I could try crushing or grinding that too. Experimenting right? I just want to find a salt bar that helps my psoriasis as it gets really sore and irritated in hot weather, and we are just now getting hot weather.....I am dreading it. Don't want to use steroid creams again or the other stuff that is cancer causing! If I can find a homemade soap and other creams etc. to hold it at bay will be very happy. Thanks for your help with getting started at soaping.

 

[amd]

Don't use the grinder for salt, it doesn't grind into fine round edges but into shards which will cut your skin rather than roll over it.

 

[rjuconnfan]

Don't use the grinder for salt, it doesn't grind into fine round edges but into shards which will cut your skin rather than roll over it.

Good to know..I appreciate that feedback as I don't need more problems..this rash hurts enough as it is!

 

[randycoxclemson]

Funny, I just made my first salt bar 5 days ago.

Coconut Oil: 893 g
Mango Seed Butter: 119 g
Olive Oil (pomace): 119 g
Castor Oil: 60 g

Water: 393 g (33% wgt of oils)
NaOH: 167 g

Sugar in the lye water: two heaping "table" spoons (like a serving spoon, not a measuring spoon)
Salt: 2 lbs, 10 oz added after very thin trace
FO: 2 oz Spring Rain added just before the salt

That's a total of 42 oz oils and 42 oz salt (100%).

I also reached for the bag of titanium dioxide to make it whiter (didn't need it in the end), but grabbed kaolin clay instead. I dumped a wad of that (maybe a tablespoonful) into the mix as well.

Mostly individual molds, but one 1-lb loaf mold as well and, fearing all the talk of brittle cutting, I cut it after about 3 or 4 hours. Those little bars look horrible (rough sides) while all the molded bars look great. Firm and smooth with some speckles of salt, but not much.

And I took the scraplings after the first day and made a little ball of soap which I have used each day since for hand washing. Plenty of lather, great smell, and not gritty as I expected it would be. Could be a keeper.

 

[amd]

Just a reminder for salt bars: they do need a good long cure. My husband will take his as early as 8 weeks, but if he let me have my way they would cure a minimum of 12 weeks. If I were to sell salt bars, they would cure a minimum of 6 months. I know others here who would cure 9-12 months. My personal use point is after 18 months.

 

[Lin19687]

I should say that it is a THICK batter once the salt is added.
It also depends on the recipe, how thick a trace, FO and mainly the amount of salt you use.

I had someone tell me that theirs was so fluid you couldn't tell it was a salt bar. Turns out they were using only 25% salt.

I like to get mine to a thick trace, then add FO, then salt so that it holds the salt better.
I also do a round mold so pouring is not as easy. I always manage to get it on the sides.
That may be where mine it 'faster'
I then wrap and usually cut in about an hour.

 

[shunt2011]

I make salt soap frequently. It’s always fluid, I can make swirls. Also, you need high CO or the lather will be terrible. I cure mine a minimum of 3 months for personal use, 6 months to sell.

 

[loriag]

ok , first timer here. Hoping to make salt bars for my psoriasis. Do these proportions and oils work if I use DSS?
and is this HP or CP? I am gathering recipes but there are so many different things it gets confusing for a newbie. Also any feedback about good sources and good brands/types of DSS? Trying to mind my budget but make good quality too. Thank you!

I do CP soap. When I did a quick search on psoriasis and soap I can see there is allot of recommendations for using Himalayan pink salt. I just picked up both Himalayan and Sea Salt from Costco.
I am going to eventually try both in soap. I have also seen allot of recommendations to leave salt bars cure for at least 8 weeks and longer for a nicer creamier lather.