Salt bar questions

[DKing]

I have yet to make a salt bar, but I want to do it soon. I have no problem with allowing it to cure a year (or more) as I have MANY bars of soap to use until then. Does the formula for salt bars change depending on skin type, or is a sort of one size fits all type of thing? I am peri-menopausal/menopausal and have the lovely drier skin we older ladies have come to have. (one of the reasons I opted to try a homemade soap in the first place) but my husband has "normal skin" and my son would be leaning towards oily. If I were to choose, I would want one that leans towards their skin types more, since most of the soap I make tends to be meant more for me currently.
The recipe I am leaning towards is 80% coconut, 15% avocado, 5% castor........probably either goats milk or coconut water as a water replacement unless anyone has a better idea to help with lather? 18% super fat....but what would be ideal for the salt.....30%, 50%.....more? I am using fine sea salt. I am considering peppermint as the EO since it seems to really stick a long time...possibly combined with Litsea?!!! (any other recommendations?) I do plan to use individual molds.
Also, would you recommend citric acid to help with the high superfat amount? (is there extra soap scum from the high superfat?)
Thanks to anyone willing to lend their experience with this!

 

[Obsidian]

They are pretty much a one size fits all type bar. I have dry skin too and like salt bars a lot. They are a little much in the winter so I just use some lotion if needed.

Your coconut, avocado and castor sounds like a good recipe. 18- 20% superfat.
I like 35% salt, its a sweet spot for my water type.

You really don't need any additives to increase lather, the high coconut does just fine.

Make sure to use plain sea salt, not himalaya or dead sea.

 

[shunt2011]

My recipe is exactly what you’ve posted. I use Coconut Milk in mine. I dissolve the lye in water and add the difference in milk. I use 50% salt in mine. I love a well cured salt bar. I SF at 18%.

 

[DKing]

They are pretty much a one size fits all type bar. I have dry skin too and like salt bars a lot. They are a little much in the winter so I just use some lotion if needed.

Your coconut, avocado and castor sounds like a good recipe. 18- 20% superfat.
I like 35% salt, its a sweet spot for my water type.

You really don't need any additives to increase lather, the high coconut does just fine.

Make sure to use plain sea salt, not himalaya or dead sea.

yes, I have plain sea salt to use. I will try the 35% salt and see how it goes. Thank you!

Maybe I will try somewhere between you and Obsidian and do a 40% sea salt. I have no problem with a minimum 1 year cure, so that isn't a problem at all. Do you do a 100% coconut milk swap for the water? or a 50/50? (50% water with the lye and the 50 coconut milk directly into the oils?) I have not used coconut milk yet but I have a lot of it in the cupboard (do love a coconut curry mmmmmm) so I have been planning to use some in soap sometime soon. I regularly use goat milk and coconut water as a full swap out, so know how they both perform for me, and feel comfortable predicting the outcome so I might stick to one of those for this attempt. @shunt2011

 

[Obsidian]

When I used the canned coconut milk, I do a 50/50 split.

 

[dibbles]

I have settled on 50% salt as my favorite. Even with just plain water, they lather beautifully. I use the same oils and percentages as you have posted.

 

[AliOop]

I do 100% CO, 20%SF, 50% salt. They are decent at six months and lovely at 12. I also have dry skin and have no problem with these.

Make sure you are at medium trace before adding the salt, so it stays suspended in the batter and doesn't sink to the bottom.

ETA: when I make a scrubby version, I add coffee grounds and bump up the SF.

 

[Misschief]

I use 50% sea salt in mine. I have, and have always had, dry skin. My daughter has slightly oily skin and my 16 y.o. granddaughter has acne prone oily skin. My husband loves it and even uses it occasionally for shaving. His skin is very dry and tends to get rashy after shaving. The salt soap is a fave with all of us. The bar we're using at the moment is probably close to 2 years old and is almost finished.

I start selling mine at a minimum of 3 months but do let customers know that, if they can, they should put them away as they really are like fine wine.... they get better with age.

 

[DKing]

I use 50% sea salt in mine. I have, and have always had, dry skin. My daughter has slightly oily skin and my 16 y.o. granddaughter has acne prone oily skin. My husband loves it and even uses it occasionally for shaving. His skin is very dry and tends to get rashy after shaving. The salt soap is a fave with all of us. The bar we're using at the moment is probably close to 2 years old and is almost finished.

I start selling mine at a minimum of 3 months but do let customers know that, if they can, they should put them away as they really are like fine wine.... they get better with age.

Maybe I will try 50% then? I really mostly want it for the men, but it would be nice ot use it myself if it won't give me alligator skin. Time is flying by anyhow, so a year or more cure is no biggie for us. I had plans of coming to buy one from you during your July 12th sale to try it out, but my husband sprung it on me that morning that there was a surprise lunch for me at my inlaws' so I couldn't go. (my birthday was the 14th) Until my new supplies arrive (hopefully in the next week) I have enough castor and SH to do one more batch of whatever, so I am trying to decide what to do. Salt bars vs another attempt at the August challenge. Hard choice!!

 

[Misschief]

Maybe I will try 50% then? I really mostly want it for the men, but it would be nice ot use it myself if it won't give me alligator skin. Time is flying by anyhow, so a year or more cure is no biggie for us. I had plans of coming to buy one from you during your July 12th sale to try it out, but my husband sprung it on me that morning that there was a surprise lunch for me at my inlaws' so I couldn't go. (my birthday was the 14th) Until my new supplies arrive (hopefully in the next week) I have enough castor and SH to do one more batch of whatever, so I am trying to decide what to do. Salt bars vs another attempt at the August challenge. Hard choice!!

I'd offer you one of mine but I'm down to one bar with two batches curing. It's been very popular this market season for some reason. It's just a small market (30is vendors) and one Sunday a few weeks ago, I sold 9! That's extremely unusual for any single soap that I've made.

 

[DKing]

I'd offer you one of mine but I'm down to one bar with two batches curing. It's been very popular this market season for some reason. It's just a small market (30is vendors) and one Sunday a few weeks ago, I sold 9! That's extremely unusual for any single soap that I've made.

Nice! I am glad that you are doing well. Not the easiest year to have a business.
I figure I may as well commit to a batch anyhow and see how it goes. From the sounds of what everything everyone says about them, I think I should like them as well.

 

[linne1gi]

I have yet to make a salt bar, but I want to do it soon. I have no problem with allowing it to cure a year (or more) as I have MANY bars of soap to use until then. Does the formula for salt bars change depending on skin type, or is a sort of one size fits all type of thing? I am peri-menopausal/menopausal and have the lovely drier skin we older ladies have come to have. (one of the reasons I opted to try a homemade soap in the first place) but my husband has "normal skin" and my son would be leaning towards oily. If I were to choose, I would want one that leans towards their skin types more, since most of the soap I make tends to be meant more for me currently.
The recipe I am leaning towards is 80% coconut, 15% avocado, 5% castor........probably either goats milk or coconut water as a water replacement unless anyone has a better idea to help with lather? 18% super fat....but what would be ideal for the salt.....30%, 50%.....more? I am using fine sea salt. I am considering peppermint as the EO since it seems to really stick a long time...possibly combined with Litsea?!!! (any other recommendations?) I do plan to use individual molds.
Also, would you recommend citric acid to help with the high superfat amount? (is there extra soap scum from the high superfat?)
Thanks to anyone willing to lend their experience with this!

I use 80% Coconut Oil, 20% Shea Butter, 30% superfat, coconut milk for half the water (I master batch my lye) and I use very fine sea salt at 75%.

 

[cmzaha]

I use 85% CO or CO/PKO split with 5% SAO or AVO and 10% Castor, equal amount of salt to oil with 18% superfat vinegar as liquid. This is the original recipe I always return to after making salt bars for at least 10 yrs and trying many different formulas.

 

[DKing]

I am thinking I might have to make a few different batches using all these suggestions and then see which ones work best for us. Thanks everyone for their help!

 

[linne1gi]

I use 85% CO or CO/PKO split with 5% SAO or AVO and 10% Castor, equal amount of salt to oil with 18% superfat vinegar as liquid. This is the original recipe I always return to after making salt bars for at least 10 yrs and trying many different formulas.

I totally agree that once you find a recipe you like, you return to it again and again.

 

[Obsidian]

I am thinking I might have to make a few different batches using all these suggestions and then see which ones work best for us. Thanks everyone for their help!

Yes, that's the best way really. I found the salt amount is what really changes how the soap performs for me. Anything over 50% just doesn't lather well in our water.

Also, any hard oils or butters aren't to my liking. I was really surprised that I don't care for lard in salt bars when its my favorite soaping fat.

 

[Steve85569]

I go complicated. NOT
I use 100% coconut oil and add an equal weight of salt.
Soap rocks starting at 6 months.
ANY salt bar will harden faster than the same recipe without the added salt.
BE SURE you watch the first couple of batches so you can cut it. I waited too long on my first batch and ended up needing to use a hack saw.

 

[Misschief]

BE SURE you watch the first couple of batches so you can cut it. I waited too long on my first batch and ended up needing to use a hack saw.

Or use cavity molds like I do.

 

[DKing]

Or use cavity molds like I do.

yes, I already have some so that I don't have to worry about cutting them in time.

 

[Paulainsc]

I use 85% CO or CO/PKO split with 5% SAO or AVO and 10% Castor, equal amount of salt to oil with 18% superfat vinegar as liquid. This is the original recipe I always return to after making salt bars for at least 10 yrs and trying many different formulas.

Could you explain the use of vinegar in your recipe? Thanks