Sprinkled salt pulling water?

[Hermanam]

I was so pleased with my Margarita Lime soaps, sprinkled with course Dead Sea salt on top, until...

I checked on them today to find large beads of water pooled on top of the soaps. I dabbed it with a paper towel, and it does appear to be water. Do you think the salt is pulling water from the bars? Is this anything to be concerned about? You can kind of see what I mean in the photo. Thanks for the help.

 

[new12soap]

Yep. Dead sea salt is generally considered a no-no in soap, it is very high in minerals and hygroscopic. It will draw moisture out of the air and cause your bars to "weep". If it is just sprinkled on top you may be able to wipe it off.

 

[Hermanam]

Thanks, I didn't know that about Dead Sea salt and soap. If I want to achieve this look again, is there a better salt I could use ?

 

[ilovesoap2]

Unfortunately I do not have an answer about the salt but just wanted to say I love the colors you got on this soap. Good Job!

 

[new12soap]

Sure, just use a larger grain sea salt. They do look great.

 

[engblom]

Salt in general will pull moisture from the air. That is why salt is spread all over dusty roads during the summer. The salt will draw moisture to bind the dust.

 

[DeeAnna]

^^^ What Englom said. Salt is hygroscopic. It's not just dead sea salt -- even salt bars made with regular ol' table salt will "weep" in humid weather. Coarse crystals will weep less than fine crystals, due to less surface area, but they will still weep. (And sugar can weep too, for what it's worth.) Use something else -- sparkly mica? -- if you want to avoid the problem.

 

[cmzaha]

^^^ What Englom said. Salt is hygroscopic. It's not just dead sea salt -- even salt bars made with regular ol' table salt will "weep" in humid weather. Coarse crystals will weep less than fine crystals, due to less surface area, but they will still weep. (And sugar can weep too, for what it's worth.) Use something else -- sparkly mica? -- if you want to avoid the problem.

Yep. Dead sea salt is generally considered a no-no in soap, it is very high in minerals and hygroscopic. It will draw moisture out of the air and cause your bars to "weep". If it is just sprinkled on top you may be able to wipe it off.

I agree with DeeAnna about using mica. Dead sea salt can be used in salt bars but the percentage is very important. I make a killer dead sea salt bar "Kelpie" that lathers beautifully and does not weep badly unless it is left in a very wet shower. But all salt bars can weep if left in a damp shower enviroment

 

[Susie]

I wondered about that. I hesitated to make them due to the humidity issue here.