serenaglynn
Well-Known Member
I have a bucket of dead sea salt blended with lavender buds and oatmeal that I make bath bags from, can i add a scoop of this to my soap before putting into molds, or will the salt just melt? thank you!
adding salt to soap...
- Thread starter serenaglynn
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danahuff
Well-Known Member
I have heard it is not good to put Dead Sea Salt into soap batter because of the minerals. I know all the instructions for making salt bars that I've read have cautioned against it. I think putting it on top might be interesting and pretty, however.
WallFlower
Well-Known Member
I put sea salt in my soap once. It wasn't that great to me. It didn't melt but it easily came off the soap and left chunky holes in the soap. I won't be doing that again... 
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Dead Sea Salt can cause weeping in batches depending on it's mineral content as was mentioned above (Epsom salts can be problematic, too.) However, several members have mentioned before they did use DDS and it worked fine. I personally wouldn't try it just because I'd hate to end up with a goopy, oily mess. Also, lavender buds turn brown when mixed into soap and resemble mouse poop.
However, you can try sprinkling some on top of the loaf. It should be fine as long as it's not mixed into the loaf. I want to mention the DDS might be a little scratchy if it's coarse in texture.
I'm one of the people who love adding salt (regular and sea) to make spa bars. I've never had a problem with it not mixing in or leaving chunks. You just have to make sure you add it at a medium or thick trace and stir well to incorporate it. Otherwise, it can settle in clumps towards the bottom of the loaf.
eta: I use fine grain salt in my batches.
However, you can try sprinkling some on top of the loaf. It should be fine as long as it's not mixed into the loaf. I want to mention the DDS might be a little scratchy if it's coarse in texture.
I'm one of the people who love adding salt (regular and sea) to make spa bars. I've never had a problem with it not mixing in or leaving chunks. You just have to make sure you add it at a medium or thick trace and stir well to incorporate it. Otherwise, it can settle in clumps towards the bottom of the loaf.
eta: I use fine grain salt in my batches.
danahuff
Well-Known Member
I think the same thing whenever I see lavender buds in soap. :Kitten Love:
I don't remember who mentioned this lovely description originally but I laughed when I read it. Then I thought about it, looked at the pics and realized she was right. I was glad I read it before I added the buds in my batch.
WallFlower
Well-Known Member
Ah thats probably where I went wrong. Thought it would be neat to add coarse sea salt to mine. :lolno:
I'm going to have to try the fine sea salt now though... :smile:
Wandawump
Active Member
What is the purpose of salt bars? What are the benefits?
@WallFlower Not wrong since other people have mentioned they like coarser salt in their batches. I just prefer the salt bars not to be that rough. Just make sure you stir the salt after the soap has thickened. You don't want a layer of salt on the bottom.
@Wandawump
The salt makes the bar very hard and they tend to last a lot longer than regular soap. I find it slightly exfoliating. My skin feels very soft after using one. Depending on the amount of salt you use, they can look like and kind of feel like rocks after using them. Very, very hard! You could really hurt someone if you threw it. The lather is different from regular soap. It's more foamy yet lotion-like. It's hard to describe. I just think they're fun soaps and relatively easy to make. I should say they're easy to make but you have to cut them while they're still warm. The hardness makes them extremely difficult to cut and they can crumble. However, they're not too hard to cut if you use a lower percentage of salt per pound of oil.
Everyone has their favorite recipe when making salt bars. I prefer a high percentage of coconut with some sunflower and castor oil. Because of using such a high percentage of CO, you have to use a higher superfat so the bar isn't drying. I use 18%-20% SF for my batches.
Other people use 100% coconut, some use coconut and a butter, some people use a recipe which is similar to a regular recipe but a little higher CO amount. Normally, salt can kill lather but coconut is the only oil which lathers in salt water so by increasing the amount, you still get bubbly lather. People use different percentages for the salt amount. I generally use anywhere from 70%-80%. Some people use 25%, 50%, 60%, etc. It's personal preference. Some people hate salt bars.
I guess the purpose is just like other soap - they get you clean.
As to benefits, I find them slightly exfoliating and they soften my skin more than a regular bar. However, this is my experience with them. I know other people have said they don't find salt bars made with fine grain salt to be exfoliating. Another member commented the help to heal minor scratches more quickly. I took this comment with a grain of salt (har har!) until recently. I had quite a few small scratches & cracks on my fingers and I was amazed at how quickly they healed when I started washing my hands with a salt bar. It burned at first but it was worth it since I kept re-damaging my hands and they just wouldn't heal. The salt bar really helped me. Several people have said they helped to improve acne.
There have been many discussions about salt batches. If you scroll through the CP section, you'll see the topics about them.
@Wandawump
The salt makes the bar very hard and they tend to last a lot longer than regular soap. I find it slightly exfoliating. My skin feels very soft after using one. Depending on the amount of salt you use, they can look like and kind of feel like rocks after using them. Very, very hard! You could really hurt someone if you threw it. The lather is different from regular soap. It's more foamy yet lotion-like. It's hard to describe. I just think they're fun soaps and relatively easy to make. I should say they're easy to make but you have to cut them while they're still warm. The hardness makes them extremely difficult to cut and they can crumble. However, they're not too hard to cut if you use a lower percentage of salt per pound of oil.
Everyone has their favorite recipe when making salt bars. I prefer a high percentage of coconut with some sunflower and castor oil. Because of using such a high percentage of CO, you have to use a higher superfat so the bar isn't drying. I use 18%-20% SF for my batches.
Other people use 100% coconut, some use coconut and a butter, some people use a recipe which is similar to a regular recipe but a little higher CO amount. Normally, salt can kill lather but coconut is the only oil which lathers in salt water so by increasing the amount, you still get bubbly lather. People use different percentages for the salt amount. I generally use anywhere from 70%-80%. Some people use 25%, 50%, 60%, etc. It's personal preference. Some people hate salt bars.
I guess the purpose is just like other soap - they get you clean.As to benefits, I find them slightly exfoliating and they soften my skin more than a regular bar. However, this is my experience with them. I know other people have said they don't find salt bars made with fine grain salt to be exfoliating. Another member commented the help to heal minor scratches more quickly. I took this comment with a grain of salt (har har!) until recently. I had quite a few small scratches & cracks on my fingers and I was amazed at how quickly they healed when I started washing my hands with a salt bar. It burned at first but it was worth it since I kept re-damaging my hands and they just wouldn't heal. The salt bar really helped me. Several people have said they helped to improve acne.
There have been many discussions about salt batches. If you scroll through the CP section, you'll see the topics about them.
