Tell me about Salt bars...why great?

[dibbles]

Thanks KristaMarie. Would you mind sharing how much clay you use?

 

[KristaMarie]

I use 1T PPO, for rose and French green clays

 

[BlackDog]

Thanks, KristaMarie!

 

[tbeck3579]

I've been following this thread and wanting to post a question about using some of the soap I have already made in the design, so it would look something like the pic below. The circles would be a somewhat standard OO soap. Do you think the regular soap and salt soap would argue with one another? That is, would they separate or do very strange things? Has anyone tried this?

 

[tbeck3579]

I went ahead and made some and it seems to be fine. I just finished so I don't know yet. I did a few individual bars and some with embedded soap leftovers so I would know if any problems resulted from the salt soap or the embedded soap.

 

[tbeck3579]

My salt soap traced very fast and took the usual time to set in the mold. I cut it this morning and the soap looks great. The soap is a combination of salt and regular soap. I'm glad I did that because when I washed with the salt soap it was very drying -- which is what I was expecting. The regular soap embedded in the salt should help to keep it from being too drying. Thanks for sharing the salt soap recipes and advice.

 

[JayJay]

Washing with a salt bar is like dancing in the ocean waves while bruddah I'z sings to you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k

I always have a batch of salt bars ready, I love them so. I use 80% CO (5% castor and 15% OO or Almond) and 80 % of oil weight in salt. I keep meaning to try other percentages, but I keep doing this one because its just so good. I dont bother decreasing my recipe to fit the loaf mold, and just pour the extra into cavity molds. I like the look of a cut salt bar, even if they are a pain to catch in time.

The power of emotion. You just sold me! I played the video and now I KNOW that I must make my first salt batch asap. :clap:

 

[JayJay]

That's exactly it - for the actual salt bars, with actual salt rather than brine water, you need a whole lot of co to get it to actually lather. Salt water hinders lathering and co (and I think all pko etc) are the only soaps that can lather in salt water, so to counteract the drying co, you up the sf to compensate

Are salt bars with high CO percentage just as drying as 100% CO with 20% superfat? I find the 100% CO bars too harsh after 8week cure. I am wondering if I will find salt bars just as harsh.

 

[Obsidian]

Have you tried them after a longer cure? I've found that 100% CO needs a longer cure just like a salt bar. 4 months minimum will make a huge difference.

 

[IrishLass]

Are salt bars with high CO percentage just as drying as 100% CO with 20% superfat? I find the 100% CO bars too harsh after 8week cure. I am wondering if I will find salt bars just as harsh.

It truly all depends on your skin-type. Some people's skin just cannot tolerate a lot of coconut at any level of superfat and/or at any length of cure (our Susie comes to mind), while others are fine with it.

For what it's worth, I make a salt bar with 100% CO, 25% salt ppo, 100% coconut milk as my liquid, and with a 13% superfat. I find it quite lovely, even with as little as a 4 week cure, but that's just me and my particular skin-type.


IrishLass

 

[JayJay]

Have you tried them after a longer cure? I've found that 100% CO needs a longer cure just like a salt bar. 4 months minimum will make a huge difference.

I haven't tried them after a longer cure. I have some that I recently made for my husband. I will hang on to them for 4 months and see how it goes.

 

[Obsidian]

I think you will see quite a difference after 4 months.

 

[JayJay]

That's exactly it - for the actual salt bars, with actual salt rather than brine water, you need a whole lot of co to get it to actually lather. Salt water hinders lathering and co (and I think all pko etc) are the only soaps that can lather in salt water, so to counteract the drying co, you up the sf to compensate

I'm new to the idea of salt soap so please forgive if this is a dumb question. What's different about using brine water? Does the brine soap come out as lathery as the salt soap?

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I've not made a Soleseife batch yet (I know, I know) so I will have to let the others do the comparison for you

 

[Obsidian]

With brine soaps the salt amount is lower and in theory, you can use the brine in a more normal recipe. I made a brine soap with a recipe that only had 28% coconut instead of the super high amount a regular salt bar would require.

Its not near as lathery or as nice as a regular salt bar. I'll stick to salt bars, I like them a lot more.

 

[JayJay]

My salt bars always take a long time trace, even after adding the salt it stays quite fluid for a time. Thats ok though, I can make swirls that way if I want.

I am glad that I re-read this thread before making my first salt batch. I was going to add the salt after trace.

Does anyone know what would happen if I added the salt after trace and scent?

 

[green soap]

I find it quite forgiving if not using accelerating EOs or FOs. I add my salt after trace sometimes. Sometimes right after emulsifying. They both work for me.

 

[Obsidian]

Salt should always be the last thing you add, scent and colors come first just in case of acceleration. I add mine at light-almost medium trace, better safe then sorry.

 

[Seawolfe]

I add the salt after medium trace, then the scent. I've read if you add the salt at too thin a trace it can settle to the bottom of the bars and be crumbly.

 

[Obsidian]

I should add that when I do add salt at thin trace, I don't pour until it it thick enough to keep the salt from settling.