salt soap
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Nevada
Well-Known Member
Stick with cold process. You'll end up with "soap on a stick".
Roy
Roy
LunaSkye
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I second Nevada on this one. I never made one, but salt soaps harden in about half the time of regular soaps and 24 hrs may more than likely make it impossible to cut without making a mess.
Salt soap gets super thick and pretty gloppy at CP, I can't imagine what it would be like at HP. My last batch was ready for cutting 3 hours after pouring.
When I make salt soaps I add my salt at trace - to keep the grains from sinking / settling.
When I make salt soaps I add my salt at trace - to keep the grains from sinking / settling.
Crombie
Well-Known Member
HP Salt Bars
Yes, you can make wonderful salt bars using HP. I make a batch almost every week because they are my most popular soap.
- Use 2 - 3% Sodium Lactate (it will help with fluidity)
- Use only 50% salt to oil ratio
- Be sure to HP at full water (38%)
- SF at 20%
- Keep to smaller batches. I can successfully HP using 48 oz of oil, but I would start with a smaller amount your first time.
- I highly recommend using individual cavity silicone molds. I use the blue one from BB that has 12 rectangles. Put the mold on a cookie sheet.
I have had most success using 85% coconut oil, 10% avocado oil (or a butter), and 5% castor oil.
It is really important when making HP salt bars to have everything ready, no interruptions, and the ability to work quickly once you add the salt at the end of the cook.
Be careful not to overcook your soap batter! The minute there is no zap, add your SF and FO/EO. Immediately dump your 50% salt to oil ratio in all at once and stir quickly. Quickly scoop into your molds (I use a measuring cup with a handle). Don't worry if some of the batter is in between the cavities - the idea is to work super fast. As soon as you have all the batter in the cavities, bang the cookie sheet on the counter. Then take wax paper or shiny side freezer paper or plastic wrap and quickly smooth over the top.
By the time you get your mess cleaned up (about 30 minutes), your salt bars may be solid enough to carefully remove from mold - they will still be warm. Don't remove until you can do so without causing indentions.
While still warm, but firm, I run the tops over a planer/beveler to smooth off. You will have crumbles coming from the top - this cannot be avoided. I bag them up and find other uses.
These can be used as soon as they are cool; however, they are better at two weeks and only get better with age. They are like running a smooth river stone over your body with a foamy lather.
The pictures are Hawaiian Black Lava Salt Soap, Mediterranean Salt & Shea Spa Soap, and Grapefruit & Bergamot Pink Himalayan Salt Soap. All HP.
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sadiesmissionsoaps.com
Yes, you can make wonderful salt bars using HP. I make a batch almost every week because they are my most popular soap.
- Use 2 - 3% Sodium Lactate (it will help with fluidity)
- Use only 50% salt to oil ratio
- Be sure to HP at full water (38%)
- SF at 20%
- Keep to smaller batches. I can successfully HP using 48 oz of oil, but I would start with a smaller amount your first time.
- I highly recommend using individual cavity silicone molds. I use the blue one from BB that has 12 rectangles. Put the mold on a cookie sheet.
I have had most success using 85% coconut oil, 10% avocado oil (or a butter), and 5% castor oil.
It is really important when making HP salt bars to have everything ready, no interruptions, and the ability to work quickly once you add the salt at the end of the cook.
Be careful not to overcook your soap batter! The minute there is no zap, add your SF and FO/EO. Immediately dump your 50% salt to oil ratio in all at once and stir quickly. Quickly scoop into your molds (I use a measuring cup with a handle). Don't worry if some of the batter is in between the cavities - the idea is to work super fast. As soon as you have all the batter in the cavities, bang the cookie sheet on the counter. Then take wax paper or shiny side freezer paper or plastic wrap and quickly smooth over the top.
By the time you get your mess cleaned up (about 30 minutes), your salt bars may be solid enough to carefully remove from mold - they will still be warm. Don't remove until you can do so without causing indentions.
While still warm, but firm, I run the tops over a planer/beveler to smooth off. You will have crumbles coming from the top - this cannot be avoided. I bag them up and find other uses.
These can be used as soon as they are cool; however, they are better at two weeks and only get better with age. They are like running a smooth river stone over your body with a foamy lather.
The pictures are Hawaiian Black Lava Salt Soap, Mediterranean Salt & Shea Spa Soap, and Grapefruit & Bergamot Pink Himalayan Salt Soap. All HP.
---------------------------
sadiesmissionsoaps.com
Last edited:
Sallyj are you in a humid environment? There was just another thread with someone in the Philippines whose salt soap was sweating. Keeping the bars in a bin of rice was one suggestion.
You didn't use Epsom or dead sea salts did you? Those can cause sweating as well. And perhaps iodized salt - not sure about that.
You didn't use Epsom or dead sea salts did you? Those can cause sweating as well. And perhaps iodized salt - not sure about that.
HP soap needs a cure just like CP. No salt bar is going to be nice after only a week, it needs a bit longer curing then regular soap. I cure at least 8 weeks, makes a huge difference in lather and mildness.
@Seawolfe I've used regular iodized table salt before and never had any trouble with it.
Good to know, thanks!
Thank you for posting that Crombie. I do mostly HP but I have only made salt bars with CP. I never really thought about doing it HP. …..until now. I must try this.
Crombie
Well-Known Member
Answer to GuyGarr
Guygarr: For one of my bars I SF with melted cocoa butter (needs to be warm), another I use mango butter, and another avocado oil. Avocado oil is my favorite for SF, but the all are good. In one of my bars, I substitute some of the water with coconut milk which I add at trace and I still SF all my salt bars at 20%. For my black lava salt bar, I sometimes add activated charcoal for a richer color bar. I have a skin allergy to baking soda so do not use it in anything that goes on my skin. I have recently started adding a little kaolin clay to my salt bars at 1/2 tsp ppo.
Up until recently, my fireplace mantle was my cure rack but I now have a baker's rack. After four weeks I put all my HP soaps in plastic shoeboxes that I have drilled holes in for air. I treat them like all my other soaps.
To the person who said their salt bars sweat, did you by chance use epsom or dead sea salts? I suggest regular sea salt (you can by at your local grocery store or Wal-Mart) or Himalayan Pink. I purchase my Himalayan Pink and Black Lava salts in bulk from San Francisco Salt Company which has free shipping.
Guygarr: For one of my bars I SF with melted cocoa butter (needs to be warm), another I use mango butter, and another avocado oil. Avocado oil is my favorite for SF, but the all are good. In one of my bars, I substitute some of the water with coconut milk which I add at trace and I still SF all my salt bars at 20%. For my black lava salt bar, I sometimes add activated charcoal for a richer color bar. I have a skin allergy to baking soda so do not use it in anything that goes on my skin. I have recently started adding a little kaolin clay to my salt bars at 1/2 tsp ppo.
Up until recently, my fireplace mantle was my cure rack but I now have a baker's rack. After four weeks I put all my HP soaps in plastic shoeboxes that I have drilled holes in for air. I treat them like all my other soaps.
To the person who said their salt bars sweat, did you by chance use epsom or dead sea salts? I suggest regular sea salt (you can by at your local grocery store or Wal-Mart) or Himalayan Pink. I purchase my Himalayan Pink and Black Lava salts in bulk from San Francisco Salt Company which has free shipping.
AlicesWonderhands
Well-Known Member
What grind is your black salt?
