I finally know what SOS is all about...LOL

[sassylady]

Yep, I decided to try a small batch of salt bars, which I've never done. I've read so much about them here that I just couldn't stand it and had to try it out. So I melted my oils, chilled some condensed gm and off I went.

I used 1lb of oils:

CO 70%
Hydro veg 20%
Castor 10%

SF 20%
GM 38gr
50% RT lye sol(sugar added to water)122gr
14 oz kosher salt (it's what I cook with, so what I had on hand)
White Tea & Ginger FO 1 oz.

I added the FO and chilled GM to the oils and SB'd, added lye sol. and turned on SB and (Wham!) instant soap on a stick! I'd read about some saving their batch by HPing it, so I broke it to get the SB out and stuck it into the microwave for 1 minute. That did the trick and I was able to hand mix it to some semblance of smoothness, with the addition of a little extra water. I quickly added in my salt and then spooned it into a silicone muffin pan and stuck it into the oven which had been preheated to 170F and turned off. I took it out maybe 1/2 an hour later and unmolded. It's lumpy looking, but no zap and some lather. Whew, that was FUN!

I do suppose I'll work with full liquid amount next time I attempt this. :wink: I'm thinking of trying soaping with wine next. I love to experiment!

I was trying to hold off making salt bars till my 12/24 bar TOG mold arrived, but I couldn't hold out any longer. Addiction is like that, I hear!

Anyway, any ideas of why it turned to SOS immediately? Could it be that everything was cold/RT (maybe 69F in the house)?

 

[Guest]

I use a 50% lye solution and it moves fast without salt. I usually use a little more like a 70 - 80% solution when making salt bars because they get hard so fast. I would chalk this up to a combination of things - high water discount - low temps (will always get you to trace faster) and salt. That's if the FO you used is usually a well behaved one.

I've not tried Kosher salt. I always use de-ionized as it is very fine right out of the box so I don't have to stick it in my coffee grinder. Do you grind your Kosher salt first? I am wondering how scrubby it would be.

Marr

 

[sassylady]

To my way of thinking, the 50% lye solution was diluted to 38% by the GM concentrate when it was added to the oils. Is this wrong? I was going for 38% lye solution, but will try again with much higher liquid.

And, no I didn't grind my kosher salt. I've only done 2 test drives, but I didn't notice undue scrubbyness

Thanks for the 411 on not doing a water discount for salt bars, Marr.

 

[Guest]

I'll have to try that the kosher sometime. I cook with it so I always have it on hand. The de-iodized - I think that's what it's called - is easy to find in the grocery store too - but I often forget it as it's not a regular "food staple" around here.

Thanks for the info!

Marr