Problems with pink Himalayan salt bar...

[spenny92]

I've made lots of successful batches of salt bars so far using regular table salt and 90% coconut, 10% castor and 50% salt. I picked up some pink Himalayan salt at the shop the other day, and decided to use it with a new FO - black cherry bomb. Enhanced the pink of the salt with a little rose clay. Everything was going as usual - I added the salt at light trace (which I usually do) and normally the salt thickens the batter right up and I have to plop it in the mould pretty quickly. This time, the batter stayed veeery fluid. I didn't want to SB anymore as I was worried the salt would thicken the batter, but it didn't! I poured it into the mould and checked it a couple of hours later. I can normally cut my salt bars at 1-2 hours. This one was still super soft and squidgy at the 4 hour mark. I left it another couple of hours and decided it was now or never! I didn't want to wait much longer for fear of it crumbling. It was still squidgy, but I did manage to cut it somewhat cleanly.

What I'm wondering is if the pink Himalayan salt is the factor in this odd soaping session, or if there could be something else at play? I didn't do anything else differently between these 2 batches... Unless it was a temp thing?

I made a second salt bar around 1 hour after the first, using table salt and a different FO. This one played nicely and did what normally happens - thick batter after adding salt, plopped in mould, cut after 2 hours! It was ready to cut before the 1st batch.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

If you had used the same scent or the same salt in the second batch, we could then really pin it down - or it might well have been a combination of the scent and the salt that on their own don't cause an issue, but when combined leave you with a very slow moving salt soap

 

[spenny92]

If you had used the same scent or the same salt in the second batch, we could then really pin it down - or it might well have been a combination of the scent and the salt that on their own don't cause an issue, but when combined leave you with a very slow moving salt soap

True. I had dismissed the idea that it was the FO, as all I've known as far as problems with them is the opposite - acceleration! I think I'll try another batch tomorrow, but SB to thicker trace and then add the salt?

It was odd, when I added the salt it just seemed like it disappeared, the batter was so fluid. When I use table salt, I can kind-of feel it when I mix it in - I don't know if that makes sense on paper! :crazy:

 

[kumudini]

How old was your lye? Lye hanging around too long especially the last of the bottle may have lost some effectiveness. I wonder if that's the case here.

 

[spenny92]

How old was your lye? Lye hanging around too long especially the last of the bottle may have lost some effectiveness. I wonder if that's the case here.

It was a new, just opened tub and I used the same lye for the second batch which turned out fine.

The bars are fine this morning, very hard like regular salt bars. I'll make it again today and SB to thicker trace, I think.

 

[kumudini]

Cool!

 

[Ellacho]

I am glad your second batch came out fine. I've made over 20 batches of pink Himalayan salt bar(my favorite!) and they came out perfectly each and every time! I think your first batch didn't quite reach a trace. You will love your Himalayan salt bar !

 

[hmlove1218]

I recently had a batch of salt bars that I actually had to force to gel (after 2 hours of waiting!) because of the FO, so it can slow down saponification quite considerably.

Now, having said that, I've never used full pink salt, so it may have had something to do with it as well. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.