CP salt soap

[candicec003]

Hi, I'm interested in making a salt bar but I'm a soaper who intentionally avoids gel phase. I'm wondering if the salt bars have to go through gel phase or not. Also any feedback on salt bars would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[shunt2011]

I love salt bars. I use 80% CO, 15% Avocado or you can use Olive and 5% Castor. You can put it in the freezer but high CO tends to want to gel. And I've found it gels hot sometimes. I use 25-35% sea salt. Can't decide on an amount so switch it up.

 

[candicec003]

I'm planning on doing 18% superfat 85% CO, 10% AO and 5% SB. I will use the pink Himalayan salt. I know they are supposed to harden up fast and thought maybe its gels that fast as well.

 

[Obsidian]

Are you using a loaf mold or cavity mold? If using a loaf, I wouldn't try and stop gel, the time it needs in the fridge to say cold would be way longer then the optimal cutting time. Salt bars need to be cut soon, usually within 2-4 hours so its best to just let the soap do what it want.

I never try to force or prevent gel, I'm more concerned with getting them cut before they harden to the point that they crumble when sliced. Generally, they are still quite warm or even hot when you need to cut.

I really do recommend cavity molds if you have any, makes it so much easier.

 

[cmzaha]

I do not advise Shea, butters really kill the lather in Salt Bars. My go to salt bar, which I have made for several years is 85% Coconut Oil, 10% Castor, 5 Sunflower or other soft oil, 15-17% superfat, 30% lye concentration with 85-100% fine salt. Make sure you use fine salt anything else is to abrasive. I set my out and cut within 1 hr. I am not one to gel but with salt bars you really will not see a color difference and it is easier to monitor if it is out on the table. They need to be warm when you cut, better yet individual silicone cavity molds work well.

Over the years I have tried many different combinations of oils, and butters trying to come up with a less soluble salt bar but end up grinding them up and returning to my original formula above

 

[Steve85569]

^^^ What Carolyn said.
The only difference is that I will go as low as 60% salt ( oh crud I thought I had more fine salt) when conditions warrant.

A word to the wise on using the individual bar molds. MOVE QUICKLY, salt bars really do want to set up HARD right now. You don't have a s much time to work this as most soaps allow. A swirled salt bar is rare for good reason.

Steve

 

[Obsidian]

I have moderately hard water and over 50% salt will really kill the lather for me. I've started using 35% and really like it, enough for it to be salty and still make a super hard bar with the great fluffy lather. Another perk of using less salt, the batter doesn't thicken as fast, I can still do swirls if I want.

I don't care for butter in mine either, I like OO or some other liquid oil.

 

[cmzaha]

I have moderately hard water and over 50% salt will really kill the lather for me. I've started using 35% and really like it, enough for it to be salty and still make a super hard bar with the great fluffy lather. Another perk of using less salt, the batter doesn't thicken as fast, I can still do swirls if I want.

I don't care for butter in mine either, I like OO or some other liquid oil.

I also have hard water and I get a very good lather with the above recipe and 100% even up to 110% salt. For my itchy eczema the more salt the better. My bars are like a rock but are still quite soluble

 

[Obsidian]

I tried your recipe carolyn, used 100% salt and I can hardly get any lather. It was bad enough I had to grate the bars and add it to a new batch.

 

[shunt2011]

I actually have no trouble swirling my salt bars. . The purple one. Made two weeks ago. I swirl in individual molds too but it's usually ITP for those.

 

[candicec003]

I will be using a loaf mould. I know I will have to work fast, thanks all for your input ☺

I actually have no trouble swirling my salt bars. View attachment 18954 . The purple one. Made two weeks ago. I swirl in individual molds too but it's usually ITP for those.

Your soaps look beautiful!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Also bear in mind that you are dealing with a very different soap than anything else you might have made. So while you might not like gelled soaps in general, does that apply to salt bars? With the salt in there, I find it hard to tell if mine have gelled or not!

 

[cmzaha]

I tried your recipe carolyn, used 100% salt and I can hardly get any lather. It was bad enough I had to grate the bars and add it to a new batch.

Interesting, I have been using this same recipe for 6 yrs and it lathers fine. I may have failed to mention my salt bars are aged for at least a year. I just pulled out a Salt bar that contains DDS made in Oct 2014 and it has a very nice lotion type lather. Max lather for a 100% salt bar is 90% CO 10% castor 12 month cure.
I also have no problem swirling my salt bars

 

[Obsidian]

I'll have to check my notes but I believe mine are very close to a year, I'll pull one of the remaining out tomorrow and try it again, its been a couple months since the last test.

Edit: found my notes, my batch is just over a year old. Made with 100% salt, 15% SF with a little over half the liquid as coconut milk.

Tried a bar in the shower, lathers much better than my last test but not like my salt bars. I still think its the amount of salt used. I will make a test batch soon with a couple different salt amounts. My skin feels really nice though, if I can get the salt figured out, It just might be a new recipe for me.