Salt bar sucks v2.0 (added cut pic)

[AmyW]

In my last thread, I complained about my salt bar batch being crappy. I did a swap with Hazel and newbie and found it was my soap, as theirs was awesome (thanks again ladies!).

This was my recipe:
85% CO
10% Castor
5% Grapeseed oil
17% SF
75% *kosher* salt
no scent or color

The soap has a weird texture during use. None of us liked it. Hazel and newbie's bars still bothered my hands (I have this weird tactile thing, linen sheets bug the heck out of me too) but they were nice overall and left my skin so soft for hours. I *think* it was the kosher salt but I also wonder if it was also the amount of superfat in conjunction with the non-CO oils.

So I made a new batch today:
90% CO
10% Castor
15% SF
75% *sea* salt.
Coconut Milk FO
Pic: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=9 ... =529342663

There's a tiny bit of oil on the top and it's gelling extremely hot, I'm not sure I've ever seen (err, felt) gel get this hot. Soaping is such a fun adventure LOL Anyway, I'm hopefully this batch turns out far better than the last batch. I think it's my only failed batch so far and it's irritating me!

Edit, here is the cut pic: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=9 ... =529342663

 

[Hazel]

OMG! That's gorgeous! You did a wonderful job with it. I can't wait to hear how it turns out.

BTW, I still think you're problem was the kosher salt.

 

[AmyW]

Ok I burned my fingers but it's cut, good thing too, any longer and it'd be really crumbling lol

I used Peak's Coconut Milk and it's morphing in really disgusting ways. OOB was so heavenly but this is nasty LOL I hope it goes back to a coconut smell.

I bet it was too Hazel, still I wonder if the 15% non-CO oils with the 17% SF had something to do with it... maybe someday when I have money to waste, I'll try another kosher salt batch with just CO and see what happens.

Edited, forgot to mentioned I used coconut milk in this one too, for 50% of the water.

 

[Hazel]

I don't think it was the 15% non-CO oils with the 17% SF. One of my recipes is the same percentages and mine wasn't like yours. I did add cream into this recipe so that might make a difference.

 

[AmyW]

That's good to know, thanks! I'll definitely need to use kosher again and test. And remember to hang on to the old batch of salt bars so I can compare. I hate moving lol

 

[falldowngobump]

I've used Peaks Coconut milk last month in a soap, and yes, mine smelled pretty awful too. The good smell did return as the soap cured, but it faded some. I'm not fond of it, but people who smell it seem to like it. I think it smells sort of plastic. It really did smell great oob.

 

[AmyW]

Thank you fallingdown!! I couldn't place the weird smell but plastic fits it perfectly. Weird chemical smell. I only used 1oz for 26oz of oil so hopefully it'll fade a lot and at least not be awful.

 

[Jezzy]

It is probably the coconut milk making it hot. I always use yogurt in mine and it gets really hot too.

 

[Guest]

After the first thread, I gave it a try myself (about same recipe as above, with 5% ricin and 15% superfat) and here are my personal conclusions:

The salt content: putting so much salt in soap irritates the skin. If your skin is thick and/or healthy, you won't feel it, but in more sensitive areas, or if you have scratches, eczemas, etc. it stings.

I have pondered a lot about this, and could not come with one valid reason to add a lot of salt in the soap. Highly concentrated salt isn't really good for the body.

Next time, I am planning to use only 10-15%.

The coconut oil: My soap is somewhat drying.

From reading around the forum, the consensus seems to be increasing superfat to compensate for the dryness.

However, my belief is that is nothing more and nothing less than a waste of CO (seeing that I am buying it rather expensive). Instead, I plan to dial down the CO to 30-40% and use other oils.

Not sure what oils would go best with CO for a salt bar, could use some suggestions here.

The smell: was quite familiar for me. I have noticed it purchasing coconuts which are not that fresh and sometimes with grated coconut bought from the store. Using coconut for cooking, I know that heat exacerbates the smell.

Since my batch was split in 3, I have more info to share:

Batch 1 (HP, with added fruit juice) - very smelly. An interesting side effect of the juice is a pH of 8.5.
Batch 2 (HP) - smelly while cooking, but most of it has faded away
Batch 3 (CP) - imperceptible

I didn't use coconut milk, but I imagine how it could become quite smelly. My suggestion is to skip it, especially since I guess it doesn't contribute much to the quality of the finished soap.

The temperature: Didn't notice any heating with my CP. Probably because I kept it it overnight in the freezer, and the next day refrigerated.

I am also guessing that the low temperature keeps the evil smell at bay.

The texture: My understanding is that salt precipitates the soap, which becomes grainy (in addition to the granules of salt present).

For now, I only tried the HP/juice bar, which is nice and bubbly, just more drying/cleansing than I wanted it. Smelly too.

 

[Jezzy]

The reason for the high CO is because CO is the only oil that will lather with the salt

 

[carebear]

The salt content - do whatever you want. At 15% I wouldn't call it a salt bar, though. It's just soap with some salt in it. The reason to add a lot of salt is that you get a unique bar with an dense and different type of lather, and some find the salt beneficial to their skin. But it's your call.

The coconut oil - again, do whatever you want. But the less coconut oil, the less lather. Have fun.

The texture - No, salt doesn't precipitate the soap - you are thinking of a different process altogether. Lowering the pH will precipitate the soap, but do this, but your 8.5 (1) isn't low enough, and (2) is suspect for a soap.

 

[AmyW]

Starum, you might just need to wait longer (or your skin might just hate the salt bar)...they're best if cured for 3 (or is it 6? I'm still waking up) months.

Jezzy, that is a great point, thank you. I wonder if the high heat contributed to the nasty FO morphing... fallingdowngobump, did your Coconut Milk FO soap gel?

 

[AmyW]

So... I just tested this batch. It's only need a few weeks but I LOVE IT. Perfect. I'd so glad for forum feedback and information or I'd be totally clueless.

 

[Hazel]

Amy -

I'm glad to hear your salt bar batch turned out well. Does this mean you're a convert?

 

[AmyW]

Maybe! Will let it cure a few more weeks and try it in the shower... it's drying my hands out a bit so I'll give it some more time. The lather is perfect and it's not freaking my hands with their stupid tactile issues so it might just be a keeper.

 

[Sunny]

linen sheets bug the heck out of me too

off topic-ish ...you are the first person I've ever met (so to speak) who has mentioned this! I have a weird sheet thing too, I don't like to touch most sheets! they feel too weird! it's getting better as I get older, I'm able to ignore it more. there isn't much else that bothers me in the same way...

okay, back on topic...

I made a delicious salt bar, 100% co, 20% superfat and scented with cocoa cabana from ng (which I think they have since renamed). the coconut scent faded quite a bit but ended up being a nice powdery coconut scent, like a suntan lotion. I think the 20% sf was a bit high for me, I have lowered it to 15%-17% in more recent bars and I think that works better for me. I also like 10-15% of other oils/butters.

The last one I made was 100% co, 15% sf but made with pink himalayan salt (which I ground to a powder) and aloe juice. I HP'd it and I was sure I had made a big mistake - it was really watery and would not emulsify. This is what happened to me when I used dead sea salt for a salt bar - don't ever try it. Back to the pink, over an hour later, it finally absorbed or evaporated off the water and became some soap. The batter was a dark pink but is a very light pink now - you probably would just think it's off-white if you didn't know.

I can't see the pictures of your soap but I'll check back later to see if they'll show up when I click. It sounds like an awesome bar!

 

[AmyW]

Oooo I so want to try some of the pink Himalayan salt. It's good to know it works!

BB has just right right marketing, Anne Marie posts a how-to (most recent uses the pink salt) and I totally want to buy all the goodies and do it (even though I know my version will look like a 2 year old tried to paint the mona lisa).

My oldest son has the tactile thing too, and I think my mom does. Other than that, I hadn't met anyone else either!

Let me know if you can't see pics later, it might be FB being stupid. The pics aren't anything special though, just boring off-white bars

 

[Jezzy]

Amyw. Pink Himalayan is all I will use for a salt soap. It soaps beautifully!

 

[Fragola]

Pink salt sounds good, but I am wondering, does it colour your soap pinkish ? I am not certain I'd want that.

By the way, has anybody tried that other type of himalayan salt - the darker one (kala namak) ? I've been thinking about that: it does have a funky smell, but people bathe in it and cook with it. Besides, I have noticed that the smell fades away with time.

 

[Lynnz]

All sounds so good I am reading with interest as was fortunate enough to score some salt bars from Hazel and I really like the feel they give. I will have to have a play as well once time permits :0)