Salt bars and arm pits!

[SoapSisters]

So much about salt bars on the forum lately! And, okay, I feel pretty weird bringing this up, but . . . my son and daughter, both young adults, have reported separately that salt bars don't clean their arm pits well enough.

They are both very devoted soap testers and have never given me that feedback about other soaps in the year and a half I've been making soap. My daughter LOVES my salt bars, adores the lather and won't use anything else - except for the liquid, commercial soap she uses as a supplement to make sure her pits are clean.

I use a standard recipe: 80% CO, 20% OO, 20% SF, between 50-75% salt. The bars they've used have cured for 6 – 10 months, depending on the batch.

Has anyone else experienced this? Is this some weird, idiosyncratic thing of our biology? Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Obsidian]

I kinda have the same thing happen. I think its deodorant that causes it.
Do they use a wash cloth or bath poof? If not, have them try that.
I've found that with a bath poof, salt bars work better then my other soaps at getting through the layer of deodorant.

 

[SoapSisters]

@Obsidian - Thanks for your response! Happy to know we're not alone in this!

They don't use bath poofs or wash cloths. They are rub-the-soap-right-on-my-skin bathers. I'll pass along your suggestion.

 

[AliOop]

I agree with @Obsidian. I use a soap saver that all the scraps go into, and it’s perfect for scrubbing any areas that need extra attention. For me, that’s always my heels, and sometimes the pits, too.

Also, I don’t think any question about how the soap is working in real life is weird. There is a huge and funny thread here titled, “De-funk da pits” - so don’t feel awkward about asking because clearly, people don’t have a problem discussing this stuff.

 

[Catscankim]

My first thought was that it was the deodorant. I rarely use it, but when i do, I feel like i cant get it off for like three showers.

 

[SoapSisters]

Thanks, @AliOop ! What kind of soap saver do you use? Plastic mesh? Sisal fiber? Other?

My first thought was that it was the deodorant. I rarely use it, but when i do, I feel like i cant get it off for like three showers.

Yes, one of my daughter's complaints is that she can't get the deodorant off with a salt bar. But she hasn't said that about my other, regular soaps, which is why I'm mystified.

 

[AliOop]

I use the cheap plastic fiber ones from the dollar store. I like that they dry out between uses and don’t mold like the cotton ones always do. And the sisal is a bit to scratchy for areas of my skin that are more sensitive.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with obsidian and alioop. Using a scrubbie makes a difference. I too found my soap didn't clean the deodorant off well enough on it's own. I too don't like the sisal scrubbies. Too rough.

 

[Obsidian]

In all honesty, none of my soap works that great on removing deodorant. Sometimes I resort to a soft body brush, helps a little.

When I get really frustrated with it, I use commercial body wash.

 

[TheGecko]

I don't have issues with removing deodorant, but then again, I don't cake it on...a couple of swipes every other day. And I've been using the same brand for the last thirty years.

 

[linne1gi]

I'm with @TheGecko here, I don't have any issues with my salt bars removing deodorant. I just swipe once every morning. But I will say that the mesh soap saver bags are wonderful. I get mine on Amazon, (not the sisal ones, I hate those) they are a very fine mesh and I put all my little soap pieces in it - they suds up something fierce!

 

[SoapSisters]

Thanks for all the feedback!!!

 

[IrishLass]

I'm in the same boat with TheGecko and linne1gi, I have no issues at all with my deodorant easily washing right off with any of my soaps, but I should mention that I always soap up & wash using a wash-cloth made of cotton terry-cloth.

IrishLass

 

[linne1gi]

I'm in the same boat with TheGecko and linne1gi, I have no issues at all with my deodorant easily washing right off with any of my soaps, but I should mention that I always soap up & wash using a wash-cloth made of cotton terry-cloth.

IrishLass

Welcome to the boat - I should mention that I also use a micro fiber wash cloth.

 

[The Bubble Fairy]

For those who are knitters... make your own soap saver bags/sacks in a soft cotton yarn. Much nicer on the skin than plastic. Ravelry

 

[AliOop]

For those who are knitters... make your own soap saver bags/sacks in a soft cotton yarn. Much nicer on the skin than plastic. Ravelry

My problem is that the cotton yarn goes moldy in the shower, so that's a no-go for me.

 

[The Bubble Fairy]

My problem is that the cotton yarn goes moldy in the shower, so that's a no-go for me.

Once you've used it, I find if I squash the soap flat and leave it out to dry, it won't go mouldy.

 

[AliOop]

Once you've used it, I find if I squash the soap flat and leave it out to dry, it won't go mouldy.

I've tried squeezing out as much water as possible, and hanging it so that any remaining water drips out. But... it still molds eventually. My shower stall is small, and in a smaller bathroom, so it probably just doesn't get enough air circulation.

More importantly, between full-time work, growing and preparing organic food, and making all of our body care and cleaning products, I don't have time to fuss with my soap sock on the daily. Plus, I do love the better exfoliation from the plastic mesh. Since one of these lasts me 1-2 years, I"m good with it.

 

[Dawni]

This reminds me of a honey and beeswax soap that several relatives reported to have made em stink lol - thread here, so you're definitely not alone in talking about pits. I've posted about baby's butt's too haha

I don't use commercial deodorants - I have an alum crystal rock thingy that I wet and rub on my pits. The "protection" doesn't last as long as deos do - so if I'm going out dancing or whatever I won't use that lol - but it does wash away easily. They come in handy roll on versions too. When I do use deo, I also need something to scrub it away.

 

[DeeAnna]

I have been following this thread and thinking about why the salt bars aren't "destinking da pits" like your other soap apparently does.

A couple of years ago, I made a batch of salt bars -- um, speaking from memory, the recipe was 80% coconut, 20% avocado, 15% superfat, and plain water, and I think 25% salt per weight of fat. I let the bars cure a good 6 months, tried them, didn't like them. On advice from the salt soap enthusiasts here, I put the soap away for another year, tried 'em again. They had become less drying so my skin didn't prickle after bathing, but I still didn't like them. Let them cure over a year more with no real change. I seldom discard soap, but this was one batch I knew I truly didn't like and was never going to use. So in the trash they went.

What I didn't like when bathing with this soap was my skin got overly dry feeling and ashy looking (even after a 1+ year cure) AND I could feel a faintly sticky and waxy coating on my skin that I found unpleasant. I never get this sensation with my regular non-salt soap, even batches made with lanolin. It was weird.

When I tested this salt soap, I didn't do anything different with my bathing routine -- same washcloth, same water temp, soft water as usual, etc. One day I even washed one side of me with regular soap and the other with the salt soap so I could compare the skin feel immediately. Still felt the odd coating on the salt soap side.

Anyways, given that experience, I think if I used this soap for bathing without a washcloth, the coating from the salt soap could prevent thorough cleaning of the skin and might possibly reduce how well deodorant/antiperspirant residues are removed. That would be especially true if the water is also hard, which would also leave soap scum on the skin.

I don't know if this sheds any light on your situation, but I thought I'd share.