Scratchy sea salt

[slipknott76]

I gave some of my sample sea salt bars away for feedback they are about at 7 week cure right now. I couple of people I gave them to liked the soap and it's after feel but a few who don't care for a exfoliate in their soap said it was to "scratchy". What do you guys tell people who like the salt bars but not the "scratchy" part of them. Loofah bags?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

My salt bars aren't scratchy, so I would look at that before putting bags on - what salt do you use?

 

[slipknott76]

It's a mix of plain ole sea salt and Himalayin sea salt.

 

[slipknott76]

Gentlemen how do you do keep them from being scratchy. Do yo dissolve the salt first. There really is time for it to dissolve while its in the mix, it gets hard to fast.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I think the grains are key - mine is just normal table salt so the grains are small and more regular in shape rather than being spikey or scratchy

 

[cmzaha]

Extra Fine Himalayan Sea Salt is the one you need. Salt bars will usually become very smooth like a river stone, with the sea salt itself being the natural exfoliant, not the salt bar itself. As EG stated regular fine table salt is best. Sea Salts vary quite a bit and even some very fine sea salts can be a bit rough

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with TEG and Carolyn, using fine or extra fine salt is the key. Every once in awhile I'll have a bit of a scrubby bar but that's if my batter was too thin and the salt settled together. Otherwise really smooth. Though, I don't mind a bit of scrubbiness as long as it doesn't rip my hide.

 

[penelopejane]

So you don't dissolve the salt in the water?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

There are two types of soap using larger amounts of salt -

Salt Bars - salt is added to the batter at between 25% to 100% of the oil weight. This does not really dissolve. This requires a lot of coconut which requires a higher than usual SF - most people use at least 75% CO and a 20% SF. There is no salt in the lye solution

Brine/Soleseife - the lye solution used contains salt (up to about 24%, I think, don't quote me on that) which is added to a pot of oils as usual. This recipe doesn't usually have more CO than usual (although you might want to see how it performs for you) and no salt is added to the batter, just in the liquid.

 

[penelopejane]

Thanks EG. Which do you make? Or do you like both? I tried the first type and it accelerates trace like a rocket.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I haven't yet tried a Soleseife - living in a German-speaking country I think that is a crying shame!

But I do make and love Salt Bars using a great recipe generously shared on here - 80% CO, 15% Avocado oil and 5% castor. Great soap.

 

[dixiedragon]

I use the extra fine salt, and if I scrub the bar directly on my skin it is scratchy. You could make a brine bar - that involves dissolving the salt in water. I think (but I'm not sure) that you dissolve the lye first in the water and then add the salt.

 

[shunt2011]

I haven't made Soleseife yet either. I love my regular salt bars so much haven't ventured away. Might have to try it after the holiday shows rush.

 

[Obsidian]

Salt can accelerate trace, when I make salt bars I add the salt at thin trace so I have time to work with it. I also only use 35% salt, keeps things a bit slower.
I much prefer a salt bar over a brine bar, I like the lather of a salt bar more. I do like brine bars ok but I've found to get good lather, I need to increase the CO significantly and if I'm doing that, why not just toss in dry salt and skip having to dissolve it.

Dixie, how much salt do you use? I've not found fine salt to scratch at all and I always use the bar directly on my skin. I use a lower percentage of salt though, usually between 25% and 50%. Any more then that and the soap it too hard, it doesn't lather well.

 

[slipknott76]

I used a fine sea salt at 75%. I've used the bars and the are scratchy but that is something I like but I understand that isn't for everyone. So do you guys think a loofah bag or something similar would help the people who aren't into the scratchy bar. Or just recommend they stay away from them all together?

 

[shunt2011]

I used a fine sea salt at 75%. I've used the bars and the are scratchy but that is something I like but I understand that isn't for everyone. So do you guys think a loofah bag or something similar would help the people who aren't into the scratchy bar. Or just recommend they stay away from them all together?

As most of us have stated, they shouldn't be scratchy. If they are and they don't like it I would just not give one to them. Generally they are smooth like a stone.

 

[Wildcraft_Garden]

I used a fine sea salt at 75%. I've used the bars and the are scratchy but that is something I like but I understand that isn't for everyone. So do you guys think a loofah bag or something similar would help the people who aren't into the scratchy bar. Or just recommend they stay away from them all together?

I make a soleseife/brine soap in my regular rotation and I love it. The lather is quite nice and the bar is hard. I use it as my facial bar. Even my husband comments regularly on how much he likes it.

 

[cmzaha]

I agree with TEG and Carolyn, using fine or extra fine salt is the key. Every once in awhile I'll have a bit of a scrubby bar but that's if my batter was too thin and the salt settled together. Otherwise really smooth. Though, I don't mind a bit of scrubbiness as long as it doesn't rip my hide.

Himalayan tends to be more scratchy than some of the other sea salts which I why I suggest the extra fine Himalayan

 

[TeriDk]

I make a mineral salt bar and love it! I dissolve 2-3 Tbls in the water before adding the lye. The mineral salt I use is mined from a deep spring outside of Yellowstone NP.

 

[nsmar4211]

The himilayan in the salt shakers that have the grinder top from the grocery store are very scratchy and sharp. Thought I'd use it to dress up the tops of a salt bar I did and YEOW. Nopers, fail.