Help needed with Salt Bars

[surf girl]

I don't have an oven (really, it's true!), so it just went on the sunny dining room table with towels to insulate.

I used coconut milk because a few threads mentioned it as adding creaminess to the bar, and, since I've never tried it, I thought I'd give it a go. You know, I don't think I've ever made the same recipe twice...

 

[barefootbody]

Creamy is good. Maybe I'll try the coconut milk next time. Do you have to worry about the lye curdling it?

Barefoot

 

[surf girl]

I used 1/2 the liquid quantity as water, dissolved the lye in it, then added the coconut milk (i.e. the other half of the liquid quantity) to it immediately before I mixed into the oils. No curdling.

... as opposed to the buttermilk I also used today (frozen) which turned green and curdled even though the temp never rose above 60F.

 

[ilovedoxies]

Do you have to put it in the oven? I use plastic molds and am concerned. Would a plastic cheese box melt in a 100° oven and would the FO burn off?

I've got to try this!!

Thanks!

 

[barefootbody]

I would think that you don't have to put them in the oven, I think someone said just the salt alone makes the soap get very hot. Mine never did get very hot, even with being in the oven.

As for the FO burning off, I used Oakmoss & it did not burn off, it smells really good! I think it probably just depends on which FO you use, some are more stable than others.

Barefoot

 

[mamaT]

My last batch got so hot that the top started splitting, this was after about 30 minutes. I cut it about an hour and 45 minutes after pouring and it was still very hot.

 

[beachgurl]

Salt bars gel super super hot ... be careful with using plastic molds. You should be able to unmold and cut after about an hour and a half or so. I've never heard of a salt bar batch not gelling .. the salt makes it gel fast and hot .. as a result I use about 1.2 oz of FO (with a FP above 200) ppo. I also generally use at least 75% CO, because like Carebear said, the salt KILLS lather. My first recipe for a salt bar was 75% CO. Team the remainder with something that's high in unsaponifiables (shea butter works), along with Castor (I generally use 10% or more castor in my salt bars). To calculate how much salt to use, multiply .8 by your total oil weight. In other words, you should use 80% of the weight of your oils in salt. Superfatting at a higher level (between 7-10%) is also a good idea to counteract the drying nature of CO.

 

[surf girl]

I've never heard of a salt bar batch not gelling .. the salt makes it gel fast and hot ..

I know. I expected mine to gel, what with the salt, sitting on a sunny table, the house at 21C, towels to insulate... It did get hot, but not as hot as the batch I made immediately afterwards. Now it's possible it was lightening-fast and I missed it, but that seems unlikely. I was there the whole time and despite the towels, I'm a total peeker.

Weird, eh?

 

[barefootbody]

If mine got super hot it got super cool just as quick, because I peeked at mine every 10 minutes, and I never saw it hot!

But it's fine, hard as a rock & super sudsy.

Barefoot

 

[craftgirl08]

When making salt bars, can you just tuck them into a blanket as you do CP for the curing? Do ya have to use the oven? I do understand that the bars set up quickly and would need to be cut within 4 hours.

Any tips welcome.

 

[craftgirl08]

One more question. I see where some have used coconut milk in place of water. Do ya add the lye to this the same way as if you were using water?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Just adding a gratuitous photo of my last salt bars. :wink:

This is just a plain salt bar. 100% CO with 20% lye discount and 50% of the oil weight is coarse sea salt.

 

[craftgirl08]

WOW!! Those are LOVELY!!! Thanks for the info too.

 

[KylieO]

OMG, simply glorious!

 

[Bama]

I followed the recipe on this site and it turned out wonderful. the only thing I changed was instead of Avacoda oil i used Sunflower oil because I had it on hand and it worked great. The soap is wonderful and i have now made two more batches.
http://thesoapbar.blogspot.com/2008/07/ ... works.html

 

[tryanything]

How do you get the edges all smooth and pretty like that? I just made a batch and they look pretty good, but not that polished! There are a few salt granials along where I cut. Do you do something after they've set up to make them look that good or are you just really talented?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

No talent required for these. They are individual silicone moulds and after a couple of hours the soap just falls out. :wink:

 

[Dragonkaz]

Your salt soap looks magnificent Bubbles Galore!

I use similar amounts ... except I add 70% salt. Now to get mine to look as amazing as yours does!

 

[Bama]

Bubbles Galore, thanks for sharing that about the silicone molds. They look fab.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Hey, this week I washed my hair with my coconut oil salt bar and I loved the result. Scalp felt wonderful and hair was really good. I did use a conditioner though. Try it guys. :wink: