The Chronicles of Lunacy (aka my first salt bar)

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LunaSkye

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I made my first salt bar yesterday, partially out on a whim. I first reduced a beer into a syrup by accident. I then made a chamomile tea to reconstitute it and additional water to get the residual beer syrup out. Next, I used the chamomile tea/beer syrup combo for a test run to dissolve 8oz of salt (50% to oil weight) and realized I forgot to measure the liquid for the lye-solution (remedied by using some of the salted combo with liquid to spare).

Before I mixed the lye, I realized that I did not spread anything on the table to catch the mess (fixed that) and I also forgot to get some gloves. Had my niece not been walking about, I would have gone to get a pair (hence, a safety fail). Thankfully, God was on my side despite my folly because my goggles were with my other equipment.

Goggles on, I measure the lye and mix it in with the liquid. I received two small burns that did not leave a mark (I applied the vinegar just in case). I turned to the CO in my crock pot and find that I forgot to heat it. The straw broke the camel's back and made me spill my remaining marbles. I decided to make an experiment out of the ordeal and poured the lye into the room-temp oil, pulsing the SB and stirring at times. I eventually added the salted combo and blended just enough to break down the salts.

As an after thought, I added honey to the the soap (thick trace achieved at this point), blended, then set into the mold. After an hour had passed, I struggled to pull the hardened mass out, cut the soap and marveled at the beautiful ugliness that I had created. There are gaps in my soap, but it was also a nice shade similar to ginger snaps. I also enjoyed the fact that it smelled like cookies (no FOs used though). With the soap cut and still relatively warm, I decided to put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The end result was a soap that was hard, but not cracked or brittle to the touch.

As I am typing this, I am thinking to myself that I really need some sleep. I am going to have to edit this (maybe), but I just felt like leaving behind a tale (or rant) of some thing good coming out of a failure. That and hopefully a lesson in being absolutely prepared before you make your soap.
 
Here's a pic of the soap. I didn't have time to take pictures of other angles, but this showcases it's flaws:

soap0724141.jpg
 
Okay WOW! Your first salt soap
And you decide to add beer AND honey . That is either courageous or crazy . Both of those additives trend to be a bit tricky, can you tell if the soap worked? I can't really tell from the pic, it looks a bit grainy but that may just be from the salt. Good lesson in not being prepared though. I know I've done that a time or two also. Soaping is for sure more peaceful when you have everything at the ready. Haha
Thanks for sharing your tale! I'm off to make some soleseife now too, probably add coconut milk...but nothing too crazy.
 
If you were trying to make a brine soap you cannot dissolve 50% from my understanding you can only disslove 25% salt to water weight. Salt bars are made by not dissolving the salt and you can use up to 100% to oil ratio. But you will need min of 75% coconut oil and a high superfat works nice with salt bars. I find brine soap bars work well with 30% coconut with 8% superfat or higher if preferred. When I make brine soap I still cannot get it to dissolve at a ratio of 25% to liquid. I just dump the unmelted salt in the bar.
 
If you were trying to make a brine soap you cannot dissolve 50% from my understanding you can only disslove 25% salt to water weight. Salt bars are made by not dissolving the salt and you can use up to 100% to oil ratio. But you will need min of 75% coconut oil and a high superfat works nice with salt bars. I find brine soap bars work well with 30% coconut with 8% superfat or higher if preferred. When I make brine soap I still cannot get it to dissolve at a ratio of 25% to liquid. I just dump the unmelted salt in the bar.
I originally intended to make a salt bar, but It didn't occur to me to try and use my mortar & pestle to grind up the sea salt. Instead, I decided to try to dissolve the salt.

@AKjulz: I wish I could say the graininess is probably from the residual salt, but it looks like I took a bad quality picture
 
Good job on your first salt bar ! Honey and beer sounds like a beautiful combination !
I made my first salt bar a few days ago and ... I could name so many things wrong with it. LOL.
Glad yours turned out so beautiful ! I wonder how it would be like lathering up?
 
Good job on your first salt bar ! Honey and beer sounds like a beautiful combination !
I made my first salt bar a few days ago and ... I could name so many things wrong with it. LOL.
Glad yours turned out so beautiful ! I wonder how it would be like lathering up?

I actually love how it came out & I'm thinking it will be better with a proper cure. So far, the lather is nice & creamy while the salt helped me with some burns on my arms. It still reminds me of cookies for some reason.
 
It looks like the bottom of a chocolate chip cookies, you know the brown sugar granules below and stuff like that .. LOL.
I am horrible at describing but yea, it has the colour of a chocolate chip cookie !
With a proper cure, it must be even more wonderful now ! [I might rebatch my salt bars... sigh]
 
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