Question on Batch Number 4:

[Oboegirl]

Last night I made my 4th batch of soap and I have a couple questions. First, a picture!

I was going to use a little log mold but decided against it because I read that salt soaps can harden quickly and be difficult to cut. I used my individual mold instead.

Question, when I pulled it out of the mold this morning it was very slippery. Like totally oily! I invented this recipe and used a 20% superfat, would that make it slippery like that? I think it was a tiny bit soft still for the un-molding so I only pulled the one out.

Next question: I added a tiny bit of white pearly mica (from Brambleberry) and this morning when I pulled it out of the mold a little bit of the mica got on my hand and left a pretty pearly white streak. Is that going to be like that once it cures? That colorant will transfer on to the person?

It smells divine, I used Orange, Chili Pepper FO.

Here is my recipe:

80% coconut oil
12% castor oil
4% cocoa butter
4% shea butter

20% superfat




Thanks for any advice or suggestions you might have for me!

Catherine

 

[porumi]

Looks amazing!


Sent from my iPad using Soap Making

 

[Oboegirl]

Oh, and a question about the salt: I've used salt bars before and you couldn't feel the salt in there at all. In my soap, the salt is definitely there and feels a bit rough. Will that stay that way and act like an exfoliant or will it soften?

Also, my pink Himalayan salt was 75% of the total oils.

Catherine

 

[paillo]

Mine is often oily right after unmolding, seems to be some of the essential oil precipitating out for whatever reason. It's always reabsorbed within several hours, so I don't worry about it. I typically use about 80 percent salt to oils. I often use 100 percent Himalayan pink salt, and don't find it rough or scratchy at all, but instead as smooth as that proverbial river rock. Aren't salt soaps fun to make

 

[Oboegirl]

paillo, YES, soaps are fun to make!

Did your salt feel rough right after unmolding and then turn smooth or do you think I did something wrong because I'm feeling the salt crystals in there?

thank you for your feedback!

C

 

[paillo]

I use individual silicone molds, and where the soaps touched the mold, they are glass smooth. The remaining side on the top definitely feels rough to the touch - but after a use or two, the salt bar is all smooth and glidey. I typically use regular or fine grain salt of choice, but have also used courser salt, and it didn't seem to make much of a difference.

The only one of mine that feels just a tad exfoliating is one I make with red Alaea Hawaiian salt and Aussie red clay. I'm not sure why this is the case, but it's a wonderful body bar.

My recipe is very similar except all shea and no cocoa butter, and I do a 20 percent superfat and use half the liquid as buttermilk.

Your first try at it is lovely, well done!

 

[judymoody]

It might have to do with the % of castor oil?

I would give it a few days and see how it is then.

It looks great!

 

[Oboegirl]

Update: The soaps have been unmolded and they are nice and hard. The slippery oils have all reabsorbed nicely. This stuff smells divine! Can't wait to use it! Thanks again for the feedback.

C

 

[savonierre]

your soap looks great, they polish up like marble once they are used a little bit..Love salt bars.

 

[Skatergirl46]

Looks great!

 

[shunt2011]

I think they look great. I love salt bars and use them almost exclusively myself. I love how they make my skin feel. Every once in awhile I'll get one that's a bit more exfoliating then most but that's okay with me. I make them in a slab mold with dividers. I haven't tried adding Castor yet might have to try that next.