seawater and 100% coconut oil soap

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Deeore2017

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Hi

Am back into soapmaking and eager to try recipes with only available products locallly. One product easily available for soapmaking here is the coconut ( oil or milk). So want to stay with 20% superfat- 100% coconut soap as the basis and play with this.

I want to try a ylang, coconut and seawater soap (20% superfat) - and wondered about the way to measure the (filtered) seawater : would it be the same as water? Or is there anything that i need to consider in weighing the quantity of seawater i would need?

Has any tried to work with seawater in soaps ? Would be grateful for your experiences! Many thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice ...

Deeore
 
Sea water is really only about 3% salt, so it's nowhere near salt bar or even soleseife territory. It's basically the same as using 1 tsp of salt per pound of oils, which is something many of us do for harder bars.

However, sea water is hard - really hard - and a lot of that hardness is magnesium. That's why the old rule of thumb is that only 100% coconut oil soap will lather in sea water, because it's so **** hard. I don't know what magnesium does to soap, but it can be done because people have been doing it forever. Hopefully someone else knows more about the magnesium angle.

As for measuring it, either choose a middle of the road lye concentration for calculations and ignore the dissolved solids, or add around 4% to the total solution weight to account for them. Weight of water in a recipe is a choice, after all, and a little variability is fine.
 
However, sea water is hard - really hard - and a lot of that hardness is magnesium. That's why the old rule of thumb is that only 100% coconut oil soap will lather in sea water, because it's so **** hard. I don't know what magnesium does to soap, but it can be done because people have been doing it forever. Hopefully someone else knows more about the magnesium angle.


www.livestrong.com/article/527853-how-to-separate-magnesium-from-sea-water/
I'm not the science or chemistry smart kid, so I did a Google research because this reminds me of Teresa's thread de-funk the pits...
And there are some info about sea water and magnesium hydroxide. But it involves NaOH & centrifuge. So DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.
It's an interesting read anyway. ;)

Though this might not be answer regarding soap and magnesium. :p
 
Thanks for all your inputs and comments!

I think i'll try a small batch with seawater and see how it goes before deciding whether to revert to sea salted water. i've just discovered a small local firm that makes sea salt , so both options are available. I'll see how it goes!

As for the science bit, i'll leave it on the side for now ( and probably forever or for another life :)) but interesting to know about the crytsallisation process and other bits! I've learnt something today! :)

Deeore
 
I have made soap with filtered sea water several times. Makes a lovely hard bar. Do filter it though, as you may inadvertently have tiny fish, crabs, shrimp, etc. My hubby and I like to go to the Gulf of Mexico and get a 5 gallon bucket of water, then bring it home to the small aquarium to see what grows up. We have caught 3 crabs, 2 fish, and I can't tell you how many shrimp and other tiny, tiny critters.
 
I have made soap with filtered sea water several times. Makes a lovely hard bar. Do filter it though, as you may inadvertently have tiny fish, crabs, shrimp, etc. My hubby and I like to go to the Gulf of Mexico and get a 5 gallon bucket of water, then bring it home to the small aquarium to see what grows up. We have caught 3 crabs, 2 fish, and I can't tell you how many shrimp and other tiny, tiny critters.

Great! Thank you for the warning!

D.
 
in cases where potash [KOH] has been used to make soap - seawater was used to get a harder bar instead of a soft bar (like in the case of African black soap). Its a age old practice used to make Savon de Marseille, where they use Mediterranean Sea salted water and boil the soap for several days . when poured , cooled , and cut will eventually give birth to a hard bar once cured.
"
It takes our Maitre de Savon (soapmaster) two weeks to make Savon de Marseille. The delicate mixture of olive oil, alkaline ash from sea plants and Mediterranean Sea salted water are heated for ten days in antique cauldrons, then poured into open pits where it hardens. Cut into cubes and stamped, the soaps are then set out to dry in the sun and mistral winds.
The fine white powder on the surface of the soap is a bit of the sea salt, which will disappear once the soap is wet. This beloved characteristic affirms the authenticity of genuine Savon de Marseille. Fresh Marseille Soap can be a bit moist. Allowing it to dry and harden will make it last longer. "
https://savondemarseille.com/about/

so i think its possible { as Susie said } to get a nice bar of soap .
 
Feedback

Hi everyone,

With all the discussions about secondary effects re seawater, i finally ended up using local seasalt bought with a local producer.

It went all very well and very pleased with the bar. Was surprised by how fast the trace happens....but all good!

I recently tested it after an almost two month cure . This is a winner for me, and probably the first bar I am happy to share with the wider world!

:)

DeeOre
 

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