Salt Soap

[volya]

I want to make salt soap and have couple of questions.
1. If I use granulated salt - will the finished soap have the icy look? Or for such results the different grains salt is needed?
2. When salt is added - after the trace along with other additives?
3. What percentage should be - I think about 70-80% of the oils total weight.
4. When it's better to cut ready soap - I heard some cut after 2-3 hours after it was gelled in the oven. it is the best time?
5. What do you think about the following recipe?
90% Coconut oil
10% Castor
35% water
12% SF

Thank you!

 

[Genny]

I use table salt because I don't want the soap to be too scratchy.
Here's what mine look like (I sprinkle a little colored salt on the tops of mine)


I use an equal amount of salt to oils.

I use individual molds so I don't have to deal with them getting too hard to cut. But on how hard they are also depends on what oils you're using? I use mostly coconut oil, with castor & shea butter. So mine are really hard & when I used to use loaves, I'd have to cut within 2 hours of pouring.

 

[new12soap]

I use fine sea salt (the kind you can buy in the grocery store), and I only use 25% weight of oils and they are PLENTY hard and salty for me!

I would not add the salt with the rest of the additives, stir in everything else and then add the salt last right before it goes in the mold. It will get very thick and hard very fast, you will not have time to do much other than get the salt stirred in and slap it in the mold!

Salt soap gets HOT, I don't think it is necessary to put it in the oven, you may overcook it if you do.

When I do have to cut them (I usually use individual silicone molds, too), I unmold as soon as it is firm, while the soap is still warm and cut it right away. In my case I think it is usually 1-2 hours. If you wait for the soap to cool I don't think a machete would cut through it.

I think your recipe looks good but I would probably kick up the SF a bit. I use 13-14% SF but I also use coconut milk on top of that, so my SF turns out closer to 18-20%

eta: you can use whatever salt you like, except epsom salts or dead sea salt. your bars will get soggy and be gross!

 

[Genny]

Just saw that you added your recipe & agree with new12soap, I'd increase the sf a bit. I use a 30% sf for my salt bars, but that's because I find coconut & castor oil drying at lower superfats.

 

[volya]

I use table salt because I don't want the soap to be too scratchy.
Here's what mine look like (I sprinkle a little colored salt on the tops of mine)


I use an equal amount of salt to oils.

I use individual molds so I don't have to deal with them getting too hard to cut. But on how hard they are also depends on what oils you're using? I use mostly coconut oil, with castor & shea butter. So mine are really hard & when I used to use loaves, I'd have to cut within 2 hours of pouring.

Thank you for sharing a picture. Since it's not clear I can't see if it has that sparkling icy effect I saw on some soaps. I want the snowy effect and those soap I saw has the salt crystals uniformly shaped, so I figured out the salt is partially coarse.

 

[volya]

Thank you, new12soap! Good point about the SF, I think I will increase SF to 18%.
Also, I thought about the menthol/mint soap this to be - do you think that these combination is hillarious and the salt and menthol will be tooo much excitement in the shower?

 

[new12soap]

personally I would not put menthol in a soap. I would not want myself or anyone else to get that in their eyes or on other sensitive areas. perhaps others have used it with success, I just know I would be leary. you can use menthol for shower melts or for a vick's-type balm, but I would not want that much tingle or "excitement" as you say in the shower!

 

[volya]

I think I will use the Himalayan salt for my first batch and will pull up my sleeves right now Still figuring out the flavor Maybe some florals.

 

[three_little_fishes]

Some people seem to like a minty soap. I've never used one, but I used some eucalyptus bath salts once during the flu. It was horrible and hilarious at the same time. My entire body was freezing! Haha! I don't know that I would use a mint soap after that.

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

My salt soaps are 80% Coconut/10% Castor/10% Cocoa Butter with a 75% Sea Salt:Oil ratio and a 20% superfat...I adjust my water between 30%-38% depending on the EO I'm using and other factors. Sometimes I use fine Pink Himalayan Salt, sometimes medium Sea Salt...and sometimes I add beer. I add my salt at medium trace so that it doesn't sink to the bottom. I use individual silicone square molds and lightly cover them with a towel. I can usually remove them without damage at about 8 hours after pour. I have not had anyone complain that the medium salt is too scratchy, but if you have sensitive skin, I can see how it may be too abrasive/exfoliating. Table salt will work just fine and shouldn't be scratchy at all.
I do make a Rosemary Mint salt bar...I used dementholized Wild Mint/Corn Mint from FNWL.

 

[volya]

This is off topic question, but I really don't want to start a new thread with such simple question. Can someone remind me how to figure out the weight of oils to be used in the mold? My mold is silicone, bar divided, not the log type. All I could find is the formula for log type mold. Thank you!

 

[tryanything]

Volya, I'm pretty sure you can use the same formula for the log mold for one cavilty and just multiply that by how ever many cavities you have. But I could be wrong.

Regarding the salt soap, my favorite recipe is 100% coconut oil/100% coconut milk for the liquid, 80% salt to oils, 20% SF. For my very first batch I cut within 3 hours of pouring, just after it had gelled and firmed up. By the time I was finishing the soap was getting HARD! Now I use silicone cavity molds. Much easier to handle. Good luck! I'm a huge salt soap fan. I just made another batch a few days ago since I'm out. I tend to give them out as gifts. All my friends love them as well.

Edit: oh wait, do you mean like a slab mold? Again, I think the same formula will work. It's basically area of the mold times .4 isn't it?

 

[Badger]

Yes, the formula is width x depth x height x .4 to figure out the weight of oil in the mold. If it is divided, I believe you would figure out the area of one of the sections and then multiply it by the number of sections.

 

[cerelife]

I've been kicking the idea of a menthol soap around for a while. I just want a touch of coolness, so I'll be using the menthol at very low rates. AND I plan on testing it on myself (including my face and naughty bits) thoroughly before letting anyone else try it out!! Even if I'm OK with it, I'll still add a warning that it contains menthol and not to use it on sensitive skin/face/privates...

 

[volya]

Thank you! But the formula will not work for the mold that has round flowers with lots of details. I remember seeing one time somewhere in the Internet this other formula but don't remember where, it's just different all I remember.
I will try the menthol soap as well, but maybe not in the salt soap because the salt scratches and the menthol gets deeply to the pores, and I think this is too much feelings But you never know until you try. Or even - better I will make the regular CP batch with menthol, and will add just a bit salt to one or two bars to try out for myself

 

[jeremmy]

I would think you could just fill one mold with water and figure it out that way.

Ive made 2 salt bars. My favorite so far is the one soaping 101 did with the charcoal and kaolin clay. Its really nice.

 

[flavapor]

This is off topic question, but I really don't want to start a new thread with such simple question. Can someone remind me how to figure out the weight of oils to be used in the mold? My mold is silicone, bar divided, not the log type. All I could find is the formula for log type mold. Thank you!

There is a sticky on the cp thread about how to calculate this.

I use 85 coconut and 15 shea butter with 1/4c salt per lb. I dont get much exfoliation but just enough. I use a 20% superfat

I do like the coconut milk idea, does it discolor or do you put it in the frig?

I usually add my salt after trace and put it in the oven for an hour on my warm which is about 140 F. and I cut it within 15 mins of taking it out, basically as soon as its cool enough to touch without burning yourself, and its rock hard within 30 mins.

I once waited an hour to cut it and it was so hard it crumbled as I cut, the entire loaf was ruined, not one good looking bar came out, so I tossed the chunks into organza bags and we used them as salt bar bags in the shower.

 

[tryanything]

I do like the coconut milk idea, does it discolor or do you put it in the frig?

The first time I used milk in my salt bars it did discolor slightly to a light tan, but I know the milk wasn't thoroughly frozen and it scorched. This last batch I just made, the milk was frozen solid and my container was sitting in a cold water bath. It turned a light brown, then yellow (that was the FO though) but now that it has supponified it is a beautiful creamy white. And I didn't put it in the fridge. I just made sure the milk was good and frozen and added the lye very slowly to prevent scorching.

Not sure how others who use the method where you just add the milk to the oils turns out. Probably nice and white also.

 

[flavapor]

Thanks Tyrany

I am gonna give that a try. You set it on the counter I guess, not cpop