Salt Soap Info Search

[shunt2011]

I'm a huge salt bar maker and user. It's my favorite soap to use. I use it on face and body at least 3 time week or more. I've shared my recipe many many times here 80% CO, 15% Avocado oil, 5% Castor and 18% SF with 45-50% Salt. Like cmzaha I've been making them for 9-10 years now. I let mine cure 12 months or more. I make several batches a year. I have some customers that it's the only thing they will use. I use fragrance oils in my salt soap as I found EO's not to stick well at all in salt soap. Especially as long as I like to let them sit.

 

[cmzaha]

I personally have found no EO that last in Salt bars, and for that matter very few fo's. The Mariner type fo's hold well. At least not in my 100% salt bars. At one time someone posted their ocean fragrance that was an EO mix and I remember it held pretty well, but I have since misplaced the formula.

 

[linne1gi]

I personally have found no EO that last in Salt bars, and for that matter very few fo's. The Mariner type fo's hold well. At least not in my 100% salt bars. At one time someone posted their ocean fragrance that was an EO mix and I remember it held pretty well, but I have since misplaced the formula.

One of the essential oil mixes I really like in salt bars is: 20% Rosemary Essential Oil, 20% Peppermint Essential Oil, 20% Lemongrass Essential Oil, 20% Eucalyptus Essential Oil and 20% Lavender Essential Oil. I have a couple of salt bars from 2 years ago and they still retain this scent blend. BTW it smells awesome!

 

[AliOop]

^^ plus litsea cubeba, rosemary, and patchouli. I think patchouli will survive Armageddon.

 

[chayah]

You know, I make salt bars all the time and they cure very nicely in five weeks.

 

[TashaBird]

Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemongrass, Clove, Bergamot, to name a few. I always anchor with a bit of kaolin clay and try to layer my fragrances.

Would you use the same amount of EO as in a regular soap?

 

[shunt2011]

You know, I make salt bars all the time and they cure very nicely in five weeks.

Nope, I so disagree. I don't use them for 9 months minimum. Hate them any time before. They are too drying and not mature enough. I've tried them at all different points over 9 years.

 

[cmzaha]

One of the essential oil mixes I really like in salt bars is: 20% Rosemary Essential Oil, 20% Peppermint Essential Oil, 20% Lemongrass Essential Oil, 20% Eucalyptus Essential Oil and 20% Lavender Essential Oil. I have a couple of salt bars from 2 years ago and they still retain this scent blend. BTW it smells awesome!

I think this very similar to the blend I was mentioning I think.

 

[AliOop]

Nope, I so disagree. I don't use them for 9 months minimum. Hate them any time before. They are too drying and not mature enough. I've tried them at all different points over 9 years.

I have to agree with @shunt2011 on the long cure for salt bars. For me, they dramatically improve with more time.

@TashaBird I like to use the highest amount of skin-safe EO for bars that need a long cure, and I use EOCalc.com to figure that out. I also anchor my EOs with clay. HTH.

 

[cmzaha]

Nope, I so disagree. I don't use them for 9 months minimum. Hate them any time before. They are too drying and not mature enough. I've tried them at all different points over 9 years.

I also disagree. Along with the drying and not mature enough they do not lather anywhere close to what they will in a year. In 5 years they are absolutely fantastic. I always hold some back for stashing away.

Would you use the same amount of EO as in a regular soap?

No, I usually add in an extra ounce of fragrance to salt bars. I normally fragrance my soaps at 6.8-7% of my oil weight. For salt bars I will go up to 8%.

 

[IrishLass]

There are people who don't have a facebook account? LOL

We are a rare breed, but, yes, we do exist.

I make mine with 100% coconut oil, 100% coconut milk as my liquid, 25% to 30% fine sea salt ppo (sometimes I use 25% sea salt, sometimes I use 30%, but never more than 30%).....and I superfat them at 13%.

For what it's worth (going against the grain here), the nature of my skin is such that I can use mine with as little as 4 weeks of cure. Although they do definitely get better and better with a longer cure in terms of longevity and lather and mildness, for me they lather nicely enough and don't dry me out in as little as 4 weeks.


IrishLass

 

[AliOop]

@IrishLass That makes two of us on this forum without FB. Deleted my account awhile ago and almost never miss it. Sometimes Marketplace was handy, but Craigslist is fine for most things where I live. And no FB means more time for soaping, right?

 

[SPowers]

What do you mean when you say you 'anchor' your EO's in clay?

 

[Savonette]

I anchor my EOs in kaolin also. I add 1t ppo to my EO’s, blend and let sit for an hour or so and find the scent sticks quite a bit longer.
Is everyone using NaOH for this soap, a combo or just KOH?

 

[linne1gi]

What do you mean when you say you 'anchor' your EO's in clay?

I add kaolin clay to my measured fragrance oil & measured essential oil. It’s about a teaspoon or a little more. I don’t measure the clay. I let the fragrance/Essential oils with the clay “marinate” at least an hour, sometimes more, then plop the whole thing into the batter. I do think it helps keep the scent. I have some old soaps (Castile for example) that still retain their scents and I made them back in 2016.

 

[TashaBird]

I add kaolin clay to my measured fragrance oil & measured essential oil. It’s about a teaspoon or a little more. I don’t measure the clay. I let the fragrance/Essential oils with the clay “marinate” at least an hour, sometimes more, then plop the whole thing into the batter. I do think it helps keep the scent. I have some old soaps (Castile for example) that still retain their scents and I made them back in 2016.

That’s so helpful! I’m about to make my first batch of salt soap. I’m going to make a big batch, and I’d LOVE for it to keep it’s scent!

 

[cmzaha]

I and others have never found clay to anchor fragrance. If a fragrance is known to fade it will fade no matter what you do. Patchouli is used as an anchor for Citrus EO's and what I find is the Patch comes out when the Citrus fades. It is much better to use a fragrance that you know will not fade. One group of fragrances that I know hold up well in salt bars is the Salty Air type fragrances.

 

[linne1gi]

I and others have never found clay to anchor fragrance. If a fragrance is known to fade it will fade no matter what you do. Patchouli is used as an anchor for Citrus EO's and what I find is the Patch comes out when the Citrus fades. It is much better to use a fragrance that you know will not fade. One group of fragrances that I know hold up well in salt bars is the Salty Air type fragrances.

My 4 year old Castile soap was anchored with clay. I used a fragrance oil called Alpine Cheer from JustScent. According to the website: Top Notes of Cranberry, Cinnamon, Clove. Middle Notes of Mountain Balsam, Snow White, Cedar Leaf; Bottom Notes of Patchouli, Musk and Vanilla Sugar. It's one of my favorite scents and my 4 year old soap smells great.

 

[SPowers]

I add kaolin clay to my measured fragrance oil & measured essential oil. It’s about a teaspoon or a little more. I don’t measure the clay. I let the fragrance/Essential oils with the clay “marinate” at least an hour, sometimes more, then plop the whole thing into the batter. I do think it helps keep the scent. I have some old soaps (Castile for example) that still retain their scents and I made them back in 2016.

thanks so much!

 

[cmzaha]

My 4 year old Castile soap was anchored with clay. I used a fragrance oil called Alpine Cheer from JustScent. According to the website: Top Notes of Cranberry, Cinnamon, Clove. Middle Notes of Mountain Balsam, Snow White, Cedar Leaf; Bottom Notes of Patchouli, Musk and Vanilla Sugar. It's one of my favorite scents and my 4 year old soap smells great.

It does not mean that the clay helped it stick. I have a soap that is 6 years old fragranced with Wisteria and it still smells nice. A bit faded but not bad. Some scents just stick well.