New Salt Bar

[Judiraz]

Oh, I think I'm in love. A soap you can formulate, make, mold, unmold, and cut all in one evening..... What's not to love. For someone that has SO much trouble waiting to unmold and cut this is so cool!

I've never used one so now the only downside is waiting for the cure.

 

[Obsidian]

Waiting is the worse, especially with a salt bar as they really need a extra long cure. I give mine at least 4-6 month cure.

 

[Judiraz]

Oh, no! I was thinking 5-6 WEEKS!

 

[Obsidian]

You can use it at 5-6 week but if it seems drying or too harsh, put it away and try after another few weeks. I really like salt bars but I love them after 6 months. I know that seems like forever to a new soaper but after you have a few batches to choose from, its nothing to wait for a long cure. I make multiple salt bars in the winter so they are ready for summer use.

If you want, I could send you a aged bar so you can see the difference. It will also give you something to play with while waiting for yours.

 

[cmzaha]

I just tested one that was made last October and have been testing it periodically. It finally decided to lather. Yeah!! it was a different recipe from my normal 90% coconut 10% castor and does feel really nice. Salt bars take a lot of patience

 

[Cactuslily]

Oh my! I've been wanting to try making salt bars. 5-6 months! Just waiting to cut is rough, let alone standard cure time...must learn patience.

 

[gemsupthepoley]

Ooops. 4 weeks on the dot and it lathers like made. Will put some away in the 'keep for later' box.

 

[Judiraz]

Obsidian, thanks for your offer. I'd love to try one.

I used the following recipe:

85% coconut 76
10% rice bran oil
5% castor oil
15% superfat and substituted canned coconut milk for half my water.
25% oil weight of salt
Used a bit if rose clay and pink mica to color. My Main Squeeze FO from WSP.

I just got a couple small molds to use in my "experiments" so this was only a 4 bar batch. It came together nicely. Thickened quickly when I added the salt, but no problem pouring. Full gel in about 50 minutes and I unmolded and cut at 2.5 hours. They were still very warm when I cut but firm. Cut easily with a wire cutter. Looked real bumpy & rough last night, but this morning they look smoother. Looks like I have some glycerin rivers, but not bad.

 

[Obsidian]

Looks like a nice recipe and the making/cutting went perfect. Any kind of surface bumps will go away quickly with use, salt bars get really smooth like a river stone. They are awesome. PM me your address and I'll dig around in my soap stash to see what I have ready. Do you have any allergies?

 

[vmakkers]

You can use it at 5-6 week but if it seems drying or too harsh, put it away and try after another few weeks. I really like salt bars but I love them after 6 months. I know that seems like forever to a new soaper but after you have a few batches to choose from, its nothing to wait for a long cure. I make multiple salt bars in the winter so they are ready for summer use.

If you want, I could send you a aged bar so you can see the difference. It will also give you something to play with while waiting for yours.

How much fragrance oil do you use with such a long cure? I used my first batch at around 6 weeks and they lathered nicely. They are about to hit the 3 month mark.

 

[Obsidian]

I was using .50oz PPO and most stuck for a year but I recently started using 1oz PPO to try and keep the scent a bit stronger. I generally start using my bars around 4 months but I set most aside for a nice long cure. I have some that are nearly 2 years old and they are amazing.

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

I did not realize that they really liked a long cure. I guess I'll have to put them away in a safe place (I tend to lose things when I do that) and when I find them again they will have their 6 month cure completed.

 

[cmzaha]

I use 7% or 1.1 oz ppo of fo in most salt bars. I find salt tends to overtake the fragrance scent and they smell more like just salt

 

[shunt2011]

I too use 1 to 1.1 oz ppo. I think the salt causes the scent to be weaker.