I've been reading a bit about salt soaps and realize that a high % of Coconut Oil is necessary to have suds/lather/bubbles. Since CO can cause irritation on some skins, what counteracts that in salt soap - is it the salt itself? So much to learn - so many questions! TIA
A question about salt soaps
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Obsidian
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Its the high superfat, usually between 15 and 20. I use 20% myself.
The high superfat counteracts the CO. I SF at 18% in mine. They are one of my favorite soaps to use after a long cure.
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
Yes, since most recipes are calculated in percentages in soap calcs, you can just increase your SF percentage to whatever you want, but still have the same percent of the rest of the oils that you typically would.
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I think the salt and oil choices also plays a part in the salt bar. I cannot use an 100% CO bar or even a high coconut oil soap with the proper superfat for them but I can use a salt bar, after a long enough cure.
I use an 18% superfat in mine and fine salt at 83% of the oils. I also use mine after a normal cure and have never found it to be overly drying but maybe my skin isn't particularly sensitive. I try to time batches so that I'll have several months before I have to sell it, but I'll grab a bar for personal use before then.
I personally find that the salt helps to deflect the drying factor of the coconut oil, not solely the superfat.
IrishLass
IrishLass
I'm in the minority but love to SF my 100%CO salt bars at 30%. Some of them are just CO+salt; I also make a scrubby gardener's/mechanic's salt soap with added coffee grounds. It is fantastic at cleaning and deodorizing without being too drying! I have some now that are at the one year mark, and they are great. Which reminds me, I need to make another batch NOW so that they will be cured when this current batch runs out.
I'm still a bit of a rookie but a few days ago made a batch of brine bars with 80% coconut, 15% olive, 5% castor, 20% superfat. Used a 25% salt/water solution in which I dissolved the lye. Put in cavity molds and finished in the oven.
A day later and I was already in love with the bars. Amazingly hard and smooth. They lather great already. I used unrefined coconut oil and the smell still comes through, which I love. No other additives.
I recently started smoking again (yay me!) and using this bar gets the smell off of my fingers like nothing else. Even my weirdo cigarette loving cat doesn't bother trying to lick my fingers after washing with this soap. I'm not sure how they will behave in the shower but they are great at the sink.
I can't recommend this type of bar enough! Soleseife for life! Haha.
A day later and I was already in love with the bars. Amazingly hard and smooth. They lather great already. I used unrefined coconut oil and the smell still comes through, which I love. No other additives.
I recently started smoking again (yay me!) and using this bar gets the smell off of my fingers like nothing else. Even my weirdo cigarette loving cat doesn't bother trying to lick my fingers after washing with this soap. I'm not sure how they will behave in the shower but they are great at the sink.
I can't recommend this type of bar enough! Soleseife for life! Haha.
Hello and welcome! Soleseife soap is totally different than salt soap. Two very different soaps. Salt soap contains 35-100% undissolved salt.
Thanks! I was aware of that but just wanted to spread my new found love of the brine bar. I think a salt bar might be my next mission. I'll be interested to see the differences and similarities.
I am not destined to make this bar! You may or may not remember I made this a couple of weeks ago and used far too much Clove oil in it basically rendering the bars unusable.
So today I make a 2nd attempt which went well - I was much cleaner and less messy getting the batter which was pretty thick into the individual molds. I was happy!
Then for some reason while I was cleaning up, I looked at the recipe and realized I forgot to add the Shea Butter which is 10% of my recipe! Lord have mercy on me!
Is this going to be another wasted batch... will it be lye heavy? Thanks - be gentle on my already fragile ego!
OH, so sorry! But all is not lost. What was your superfat? If it was more than 10%, your soap should not be lye heavy.
Also, since you just poured this batch, you can rebatch it right now. Quickly melt down the shea butter, add in your salt soap batter (which is probably hardening and will need to be broken up), and stir them over low heat in a crockpot or on the stove, until the shea is incorporated into the rest of the batter. It will be like stirring half-set concrete, but it can be done. Ask me how I know.
Also, since you just poured this batch, you can rebatch it right now. Quickly melt down the shea butter, add in your salt soap batter (which is probably hardening and will need to be broken up), and stir them over low heat in a crockpot or on the stove, until the shea is incorporated into the rest of the batter. It will be like stirring half-set concrete, but it can be done. Ask me how I know.
Yes, I would just go with it. With 8% SF, it will cure out eventually, and even if it's a little drying, it could make a great gardener's or mechanic's soap.
