My first salt bar "salt & Peaches"
- Thread starter Todd Ziegler
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Yaye for salt bars!
I believe that hot orange color will fade to a lighter orange color As it cures. Are those individual cavity molds? Like thin on the edges to cut? They get really hard so be sure to separate them out into individual peices sooner rather than later!
I believe that hot orange color will fade to a lighter orange color As it cures. Are those individual cavity molds? Like thin on the edges to cut? They get really hard so be sure to separate them out into individual peices sooner rather than later!
Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
Yes they have a thin connection that you cut to make individual bars. The bars were 2 hours old in the picture and I cut them right after I took the picture and it was to late. They crumbled around the bottom edges of the bars. I'm a going to let them cure for 2 months before I try one. They are for personal use, so I'm not in any hurry.
I made 2 mistakes yesterday; I let the batch get to thick before I poured it and I let them get to hard before I cut them but I still consider my first salt bars a success and I will definitely try it again.
They turned out nicely. It most certainly takes timing with salt soap but one of my favorites.
Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
I actually followed your recommendations and Obsidian's. I found the information on an older post. My big mistake was letting it get to, to thick of trace before I mixed in the salt and poured it. My first time doing a heavy additive was a MP with pumice and it sank right to the bottom before it cooled and I have been gun shy ever since. Had I known that it would harden that quickly, I would have mixed and poured much sooner.
Question, I am out of sodium Lactate and I am going to use salt in its place but I am not sure on how much to use. I have read 1 tsp & 1 tbsp ppo, what do you recommend. Also I wanted to try a little sugar in my next recipe, is 1 tbsp ppo to much?
Almost everyone waits too long to cut salt bars the first time. Mine was a absolutely disaster, shattered so bad I had to toss it.
Cavity molds really are the way to go with salt bars. I just hate having to babysit and wait for the perfect timing to cut. I've had it take from 1 to 6 hours.
I've always use salt and sugar at 1 tsp ppo. Honestly not noticed much difference with the salt but also didn't notice a difference with SL either.
I recently increased my castor from 5 to 10% and it really made a difference in the lather.
Cavity molds really are the way to go with salt bars. I just hate having to babysit and wait for the perfect timing to cut. I've had it take from 1 to 6 hours.
I've always use salt and sugar at 1 tsp ppo. Honestly not noticed much difference with the salt but also didn't notice a difference with SL either.
I recently increased my castor from 5 to 10% and it really made a difference in the lather.
Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
I am definitely going to use an individual mold the next time.
Thanks for the salt & sugar tip and I had thought about increasing my castor oil. I had to modify my standard recipe and reduce the amount of coconut oil I was using because I can't afford to get anymore until I go back to work. I replaced it with palm kernel flakes. I will pm you with the recipe and tell me where you think I should pull 3% from so I can add it to the castor oil.
I have 10% Castor in my 100% salt bars since I started soaping, trying many different tweaks, returning to my slightly tweaked original which is 85% CO PKO Babassu or a mix, 10% Castor and 5% HO Sun, HO Canola, AVO, or Almond (my preferance). It really is nice in Salt Bars. I also still add in my EDTA/ Sodium Gluconate and Sorbitol. I make them with a 30% lye concentration no milks or butters to cut lather, 17% superfat with a 6-1 yr cure. I prefer 1 yr to infinity
I pour in my loaf mold and cut in 45 min, wearing gloves due to the active lye and the loaf is still very warm.
I pour in my loaf mold and cut in 45 min, wearing gloves due to the active lye and the loaf is still very warm.
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Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
I have never ran across anyone using sorbitol and sodium gluconate. What do you use them for and how much do you use? Are they for salt bars only? I have both of those ingredients and they are not being used at this moment.
Sodium Gluconate as a chelator and Sorbitol in place of sugar. I use them in all my soaps. Actually I use both Tetrasodium EDTA and SG at the rate of 0.5% total batch weight.
Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
Thank you very much.
