Babassu salt bars

Do it or save for leave on products? I made my first salt bars about a year ago and honestly I didn't like them much at all until they were 6 months old. I have been thinking alot about how I can make them better. I have at least 5 lbs of babassu so I think I am going to try unless there is a reason why that is not a good idea. Also if anyone has any input on liquid additives like coconut milk and beer I would appreciate your experience. I see alot of salt bar experiments in my future. I really want to love them like many of you do. Tia

I love salt bars and always add avocado and castor to mine and sometimes shea. I've used miks and beer as the liquid with no problem. Generally 50/50 water/other liquid. I've just recently seen someone say they use Babassu in their salt bars but now I can remember who. Perphaps they will comment.

Thanks for the quick reply. I think I saw that thread in a search before. It seems someone does it at 50% of the co. I think saturday I will just go ahead and try it wigh 80% babassu and 20% avocado. Now how much salt. I think I did 75% last time so I don't know if I want more or less.

I like to use 50%/50% water/coconut milk for my salt bars.

Thanks obsidian, I think you might be one of the ones that really loves the salt bars. Can I ask what you think a good salt percentage is? I will probably try both 50 and 100%.

I generally use around 75%-100% but I really don't see a difference between them and my earlier bars that had 50%. The more salt you use, the sooner you will needs to cut.

Thanks for the heads up cutting was a disaster last time. I would make them tonight but I am waiting for my bb order so I can use individual cavity molds.

You'll love using cavity molds, so much easier.

I am super excited I got them specifically for salt bars. And they were on sale so I stocked up.

I like to use 100% salt and SF 18%. I have also used 100% coconut milk as liquid before, but I prefer to use 50%water and 50% coconut milk.

80% babassu and 20% avocado ?????

I think you are going to have difficulty getting a good lather without using at least 75% coconut oil.

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sadiesmissionsoaps.com

Meganmischke said:

Thanks for the quick reply. I think I saw that thread in a search before. It seems someone does it at 50% of the co. I think saturday I will just go ahead and try it wigh 80% babassu and 20% avocado. Now how much salt. I think I did 75% last time so I don't know if I want more or less.

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Crombie said:

I think you are going to have difficulty getting a good lather without using at least 75% coconut oil.

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sadiesmissionsoaps.com

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I had the same thought, Crombie. I read coconut oil is the only oil that will lather in salt and that it must be in a high percentage. I usually use CO at 80%. But I don't know much about babassu oil and haven't used it so I could be out in left field.

KristaY said:

I had the same thought, Crombie. I read coconut oil is the only oil that will lather in salt and that it must be in a high percentage. I usually use CO at 80%. But I don't know much about babassu oil and haven't used it so I could be out in left field.

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It's how much salt you use, 4% salt won't effect the lather much, but 50% would need a large amount of coconut oil to keeps it's bubbles.

This worked for me. 50% Coconut, 25% Palm/lard, 25% Olive, 25% Salt, a "lite Salt Bar"

I've read on other soap forums about people using 100% babassu but they never did report back if it worked. Would be worth it to try a small batch.

Babassu fatty acid profile:

Lauric 50.0
Myristic 20.0
Palmitic 11.0
Stearic 4.0
Oleic 10.0
Ricinoleic 0.0
Linoleic 0.0
Linolenic 0.0

Coconut fatty acid profile:
Lauric 48.0
Myristic 19.0
Palmitic 9.0
Stearic 3.0
Oleic 8.0
Ricinoleic 0.0
Linoleic 2.0
Linolenic 0.0

Palm kernel fatty acid profile:
Lauric 49.0
Myristic 17.0
Palmitic 8.0
Stearic 16.0
Oleic 4.0
Ricinoleic 0.0
Linoleic 0.0
Linolenic 0.0

"...coconut oil is the only oil that will lather in salt..."

Um, no, that's not really correct. Soaps with a high percentage of lauric and myristic fatty acids are the ones that lather best in salt water. Based on this, any of the three fats listed above should work fine in a salt soap, although there might well be some differences between them due to the % of the other fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, etc) and unsaponifiables.

I concede I've only used CO in my salt soaps. For me, the problem with the others is higher cost for babassu and limited availability for babassu and PKO.

I've used 25% salt per weight of oils -- works well. The bar is plenty hard and plenty salty, but easy to make and reasonably easy to cut. I think Irish Lass was the one who shared that tip some time ago.

Thanks deeanna for taking the time to post the fatty acid profiles. I had looked at the numbers before and was hope the slight increase in oleic might make a differance. Probably just wishful thinking. But I had no doubt in my mind it will absolutely lather. Thanks. ☺

The main reason to use babassu over coconut oil is that babassu has a lower comedogenic rating, so if one is prone to acne, a babassu salt bar would be better than a coconut oil salt bar. Much higher cost to make but a salt bar should work just as well with babassu since the fatty acid profiles are so similar. I have thought about it but not made it due to the extra cost.

I have tried several salt percentages and now I regularly do 50% and 25% salt (as % of oil weight).

Cost currently isn't much of a factor since I was given the babassu. But if I end up loving it then cost will become a factor. I think I will try it in a small batch and do the rest of my salt bar experiments with co. I haven't considered 25% salt but now I am. Saturday can't come quick enough. I am excited to give salt bars another try.