Salt bars...what size of salt grain do I get???

Arimara said:

KEEP THAT IDEA AFLOAT!!! Microscopic cuts on your skin will make you hate salt bars for forever and a day.

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Same thing happens with walnut shells. I always cringe when I see an exfoliating scrub with walnut shells. Those little stinkers are very sharp and can cause microtears in your skin.

toxikon said:

Same thing happens with walnut shells. I always cringe when I see an exfoliating scrub with walnut shells. Those little stinkers are very sharp and can cause microtears in your skin.

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I can't use products with tree nuts in them, be they the nut or the byproduct. So I would not have known this. Thanks.

BrewerGeorge said:

The best way to make super fine salt from bigger crystals is to dissolve as much as you can in hot distilled water and then boil away the water. You can get crystals as fine as talcum powder that way.

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Have you made a recipe like that? How did it compare to a "regular" salt bar?

I only use fine grain salt in salt bars. Anything larger will scrape the bejeezus out of your skin. If doing brine soap I imagine you could use any size thou finer would dissolve more quickly.

Also, this is an old thread.

lenarenee said:

Have you made a recipe like that? How did it compare to a "regular" salt bar?

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I'm not a huge fan of salt bars and I've only made one with pickling salt. I do the process I described to make salt for popcorn. The rapid boil makes very, very small crystals and I have to think it would be great for a salt bar.

BrewerGeorge said:

I'm not a huge fan of salt bars and I've only made one with pickling salt. I do the process I described to make salt for popcorn. The rapid boil makes very, very small crystals and I have to think it would be great for a salt bar.

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Before Sea Salt became popular, early 60's my aunt would bring back sea water from Catalina, when they cruised over there, boil it down to make sea salt to cook with. She was well ahead of the times for eating health foods and still passed from cancer at 51.

BrewerGeorge said:

I'm not a huge fan of salt bars and I've only made one with pickling salt. I do the process I described to make salt for popcorn. The rapid boil makes very, very small crystals and I have to think it would be great for a salt bar.

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That's intriguing - I'm going to try that.

I must admit I like the thick shaving cream like lather from a salt bar, but I don't get that "dip in the ocean" feel so many talk about. I don't care for the "fuzzy" look of salt bars either but it's not a big deal. I do make a lot simply because one of my boys absolutely loves them. He goes through about 1 a week because of his fastidious hygiene habits + attends college in a state with lots and lots of rain to feed his showers!