Sugar as a bubble booster in a salt bar?

[Marshall]

Is there any value in adding sugar to the lye water in a salt bar recipe? And if so at what porpotion? From what I can see in other threads the usage rate seems to vary by personal preference between 1 Tsp and 1 Tbsp PPO. But can't find specific mention of its use in salt bars.

 

[CaraBou]

I'm not sure you'd need it, but it's easy enough to add and report back your findings

 

[Marshall]

With further consideration and a cocktail I think I agree with you CaraBou. I guess with the extreamly high percentage of CO and remembering that it is supposed to be the only oil the will lather "in salt water" it would kinda be a mute point. I made a batch 2 weeks ago, going to make another slightly different batch tomorrow and was pondering the recipe. Overthinking it I guess. :think:

 

[Steve85569]

If you decide to try it remember the sugar goes in the water first. I, er a friend of mine did it the other way - once - it's not pretty.

Could be an interesting (long) experiment though since salt bars need a long cure.

 

[Seawolfe]

I've only added citric acid to my salt bars, but never thought of sugar because I love the lather, But I don't see why you couldn't - report back!

I typically add 1 TBSP sugar PPO on my lard soaps.

And Im not saying they don't improve with age, but I use and love mine as early as 3 months.

 

[cmzaha]

To much sugar in a salt bar will cause it to sweat more than usual for a salt bar, and really does not add much to the bubble factor. 1 tsp-1 tb ppo does not hurt, just do not go higher. I have already tried that experiment. My normal is .25 cup sugar to my 60 oz oils I doubled it once to see what would happen in a salt bar and rainy city happened also did not help bubbly. I let them sweat and cure for around 4 months and they did not get any better, finally went in the trash. I have made sugar bars by adding in 75% sugar to a very high coconut oil bar and they did not sweat, also did not bubble much different that a regular high coconut oil soap. (85% co)

 

[Marshall]

Thanks to all for the input!
I believe I will delve into a bit of it all. Two weeks ago I made my first salt bars with a little hemp in them. Today I had planned on making the same recipe only replacing the hemp with avocado. (I have both of those oils left over from the new soaper rush that dictates trying at least a dozen oils in the first month ) I didn't put sugar in the first round and think I will hold off on this one. That way I can be introduced to the salt bar and each oil of its own merits. Then make a batch with some ( but not to much as Cmzaha points out) for a comparison.

Sound like a reasonable plan?

 

[KristaY]

That's a perfect plan Marshall! It'll be a comparison of a single ingredient against another so you'll know exactly what caused any difference. I know it's slow going (especially with salt bars) but in the end it'll be worth the time.

 

[Marshall]

In the mold and curing! If this batch plays out like the last I will be able to cut it in about 7 hours or so. I will say it was fun watching the process last time. I checked the loaf and temp every hour. Watched it heat up and gel then begin to cool and harden up. I had never witnessed the process before as I always wrapped it and put the soap up for 24 hours, committing to not fiddle with it. The down side, I believe, to checking on it every hour is that the loaf grew the ash deposits from doom :think:
Hopefully all will go well!

 

[KristaY]

In the mold and curing! If this batch plays out like the last I will be able to cut it in about 7 hours or so. I will say it was fun watching the process last time. I checked the loaf and temp every hour. Watched it heat up and gel then begin to cool and harden up. I had never witnessed the process before as I always wrapped it and put the soap up for 24 hours, committing to not fiddle with it. The down side, I believe, to checking on it every hour is that the loaf grew the ash deposits from doom :think:
Hopefully all will go well!

I'm surprised you were able to wait that long to cut! I cut my first salt loaf at about 5 hours and it crumbled to h*ll and back. Next one I cut at 3 hours, still crumbled. It was probably the knife I used but I switched over to individual cavities after that.

Did you use a silicone loaf mold? If so, run the loaf (still in the mold) under running water and rub the top with your gloved fingers. It'll help decrease the ash. If you used a lined wooden mold, take it out of the wood but keep the lining in place. Run that under water and rub. I've found it's easier to "wash" the whole loaf as opposed to each individual bar (which is a pain to me since I make salt bars in individual cavities, sigh....)

It sounds like everything went well with this batch so congrats!

 

[shunt2011]

I agree. 3.5-4 hours top is my cutting window.

 

[GrantLee63]

I'm gonna' give sugar a go next time I make some. A slab mold with dividers are the 'bees-knees' as far as making salt bars are concerned - no need to worry about when to cut - also, my most recent batch of salt bars are absolutely LOVELY after just 4 weeks of cure-time. Seriously, I am unable to tell the difference between one that is 4 weeks old and one that is 2+ years old.

 

[Marshall]

Ah yea! Out in 5 hours and no ash... yet. We will have to see how it cures out. This one reached its highest temp at hour 2 where the first batch, made two weeks ago didn't peak out until hour 5. I tried to do a bit of swirled action on the top with some of the unscented batter. I colored the remainder of the batter with black oxide since the FO I used was going to discolor.. the first batch is now dark brown. Until today have not played with colors, need a bit more practice.

I have 2 more weeks to wait before I can give my first batch a test flight, can hardly wait .