My first sea salt CP recipe

[cpacamper]

Update: Made a batch Friday night. I sub'ed castor for sunflower oil, melted my oils, mixed my lye water, combined all in a stainless Kitchen Aid mixer bowl and proceeded to mix on low speed. After about 20 minutes, I grabbed the stick blender ,and after a couple 15 second bursts reached heavy trace. I then dumped in the salt, mixed well with a silicone spatula, and poured into my silicone mold. Left them overnight (about 9 hours), then removed the soap rounds from the mold.

The 500mg recipe filled 5 out of the six rounds in the mold completely, so upon unmolding I though the pucks were too thick. I got the bright idea to cut each round puck in half through the radius to get two smaller rounds from the thicker one. That's when the crumbling happened. After a frantic SMF search, I read that cutting should be done a couple hours after molding to reduce crumble risk; live and learn!

I tested a round this morning and it lathered up very well (thanks to the two CO's) but I will wait impatiently for 4 weeks before really using a puck.

I'm wondering if I should use less salt but use a courser grind, maybe 50% of oil weight instead of 75%. The sea salt soap I'm trying to duplicate seems to have a courser ground. Here are the post crumble pics (and my daughter had loads of clean fun!):

 

[Seawolfe]

From what I've read, coarser grinds make the soap scratchy - so Ive only ever used fine grind. Except if I put large crystals of Hawaiian salt on the top as garnish or something.

Yeah cutting salt bars properly - my husband calls it my "white whale" I have single molds and use them, but I do love the look of a cut salt bar - provided it survives the attempt.

 

[cmzaha]

The only coarse salt I would recommend is Kosher coarse table salt. It is a flaked salt and I only use it as a portion of my salts. Coarse sea salt is very abrasive and can actually lacerate the skin.

 

[goji_fries]

Very informative and good post overall.

 

[cmzaha]

I did 8% sf, 20% and 15%. I like 15% the best but everyone is different.

I also like 15% superfat. 20% feels oily in my opinion

 

[kmarvel]

I agree with all this plus I would up the fo to 1 oz ppo. I usually 1.2 in my salt bars. I find the fo gets lost and just smells like salt after time.

I agree. I usually make a 3 lb loaf with 2 oz of FO. You would think that would be a strong scent but it mellows out but doesn't fade.

Where does everyone buy their salt for their salt bars? I love the Himalayan pink salt I get at Walmart.
But I have to grind it in the coffee grinder to try and get a good salt coarseness. But it usually grinds it too much. So the salt bar doesn't get that "scrubby" feeling.
Any suggestions??

 

[goji_fries]

I agree. I usually make a 3 lb loaf with 2 oz of FO. You would think that would be a strong scent but it mellows out but doesn't fade.

Where does everyone buy their salt for their salt bars? I love the Himalayan pink salt I get at Walmart.
But I have to grind it in the coffee grinder to try and get a good salt coarseness. But it usually grinds it too much. So the salt bar doesn't get that "scrubby" feeling.
Any suggestions??

Use a coffee grinder/mill that has selections for medium, coarse and fine.

 

[cmzaha]

Salt bars are really not scrubby, if they are they are to coarse and the risk of tissue damage arises. Most salt bars with become smooth like a river rock upon use. Grinding causes sharp edges to the salt. Even using fine salt and the coarse kosher salt I label mine with a warning to always wet and rub the bar with their hands before using on the body. Pearl salt is harvested from Lake Assal in Afica.

 

[kmarvel]

Salt bars are really not scrubby, if they are they are to coarse and the risk of tissue damage arises. Most salt bars with become smooth like a river rock upon use. Grinding causes sharp edges to the salt. Even using fine salt and the coarse kosher salt I label mine with a warning to always wet and rub the bar with their hands before using on the body. Pearl salt is harvested from Lake Assal in Afica.

thanks, cmzaha!!! :clap:

 

[kmarvel]

Use a coffee grinder/mill that has selections for medium, coarse and fine.

Maybe use medium grind??

 

[cpacamper]

OP here with a follow up on my original recipe. I expected my salt bars to have some scrub to them, kinda like cmzaha described above (like a smooth river rock). Instead, my bars are soft and slick like regular soap. Its as if the salt crystals completely dissolved. What did I do wrong?

 

[Obsidian]

You didn't do anything wrong, salt bars are really smooth, not scratchy at all. River rocks are very smooth, thats why we compare them to salt bars. If you want a bit of scrubby, you can add in some finely ground coffee grounds.

 

[SozoArtisanSoaps]

That's actually good to know lol...I bought a salt bar from another company (handcrafted) and when I use it, it scratches up my skin really bad... I can only wipe in on now after lathering it up. I made some myself and it was smooth with no scratchiness. I thought I did something wrong lol

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

Anyone here use Hawaiian black lava salt? I adore the river rock like feel of my salt bars! I run them over and over in my hands almost like a meditation! And I've only used fine sea salts.

I am designing a charcoal salt bar and have a bit of the lava salt on hand..... so pretty!
I Dont want to give up too much of that smoothness...
What method of application have you or would you use?

 

[Obsidian]

I used black salt after running it through a spice grinder. It made the soap ever so slightly grey since the salt is coated with charcoal. How big is the grain of the black salt you have?

 

[cmzaha]

Fine black lava salt works well, but will not necessarily give a pretty color. When I use Black lava salt I add in more charcoal to color it, or I split the batch and use regular fine sea salt and black lava with the added charcoal for a black and white swirl. Black Lava is sea salt is produced on the Island of Moloki but is not black, charcoal is added for the black. I personally save my money and use regular Pacific sea salt, that I buy for $.10 per lb and add in my own charcoal

 

[danielle22033]

Personally I would swap the 5% sunflower for castor oil, but that's only because I loves me some bubbles. Yeah +1 put the SF to 20% like Obsidian recommends.
If its in a loaf, be ready to cut in a few hours, mine are always still hot when I cut them.
Edit to add - I see you're using individual molds - never mind about cutting!

I have not made salt bars however I am curious about doing it. Your comment really stood out to me. Is there a reason why you cut while still hot? Does it get that hard?

Also, I was wondering what SL stands for?

Thank you

 

[Obsidian]

Yes, they get that hard. If you wait too long, the bars will break apart when you cut them, thats why individual molds are often recommended. SL is sodium lactate, not a ingredient I would add to a salt bar as it helps harden the soap.
SF is superfat, it important to have a SF of 15-20% with a high coconut oil salt bar.

 

[cmzaha]

I have not made salt bars however I am curious about doing it. Your comment really stood out to me. Is there a reason why you cut while still hot? Does it get that hard?

Also, I was wondering what SL stands for?

Thank you

SL is Sodium Lactate which is used to help harden soap. I do not find it at all necessary in salt bars. A no miss recipe for salt bars is 90% coconut oil, 10% castor oil. After a 3-6 month cure they will have a lather that you cannot imagine. I find 6 month cure time optimal for salt bars. I am using one not that has cured 1 year and is the best salt bar in the world!! It is such a thick lather with lots of cushion you could shave with it.
I cut my salt bars not later than 90 min, wait to long and you will not get them cut. Once they are cool or cold it is to late. Indivudal silicone molds work great for salt bars. The nine or 12 cavity square silicone molds make nice size salt bars

 

[AlicesWonderhands]

I used black salt after running it through a spice grinder. It made the soap ever so slightly grey since the salt is coated with charcoal. How big is the grain of the black salt you have?

If you google Hawaiian black salt, it looks like most of the pictures that come up. I would call it a medium grind. I really want to just mix it in with the whole bar, but i DONT want to make scratchyness. maybe just a bit in the bottom of the mold? I have charcoal I am going to be using in the bars as well. I would really love to do a black and white swirl type, but im not sure how to do that with the salt bars. would you have to split the soap before you add the salt?
sorry, tons of questions I know. But i am just so excited to have others to talk to about the soaps, hahahaha! And these salt bars are just blowing my mind!
Thank you very much for all who share the knowledge!