Dendritic Salt (coarse) in bath salts

[tourist4ever]

Hi

I have decided to start making bath salts and ordered Dentritic salt but it looks like it is coarse. I was under the impression there is only fine version, is it OK to use the coarse version for the bath salts as I read this is meant to maintain the oils better and prevent clumping? From what i reserched you are meant to add about 10% of this.

 

[persephonesgarden]

I don't think I've heard of coarse Dendritic Salt before! Regardless, I think you should be fine as long as you're measuring by weight and not volume. And yes, about 10% dendritic salt can help prevent clumping and maintain your fragrance

 

[tourist4ever]

Thanks for confirming!

I've made my first small batch of bath salts, I'm just wondering how dry are they meant to get before packaging? Recipe below, mine have dried now 24 hrs and still damp .I read some stick the salt in the oven,is this advisable?
25g dendritic salt,
60 Epsom salt
77g pink salt
70g dead salt
5g lavender eo
7g almond oil

I do want to add carrier oil as a preference, I noticed quite a few don't.
I also live in UK where humidity is veeery high

 

[persephonesgarden]

I’ve never dried mine in the oven before so unfortunately I can’t help much with that question! However, looking at your recipe I think the Dead Sea salts are probably the culprit. They pull moisture from the air and at a third of your formula, I would guess the batch won’t ever truly dry out since the ambient air is humid. I would try reducing those greatly or removing them altogether and seeing if that helps with your drying time.

Also, whether you’re making these for just personal use or also to sell I would strongly recommend adding some polysorbate 80! Your almond oil won’t dissolve in the water without it, it will just float on top and it will also make getting out of the bath very slippery. I would start it at about 50% the weight of your almond oil. This is another good reason to reduce your DSS use since the P80 will add to the overall wetness of the mix.

how dry are they meant to get before packaging?

I think this can vary from maker to maker but typically mine will get dry enough that I can shake them and it will sound and move like dry sand. I only have a handful of scent/color combinations that have trouble with this and I think it’s due to using too much (water-based) dye.

 

[tourist4ever]

Thanks so much for speedy reply! I was thinking of poly 80 if needed, haven't yet had a bath so I'm sure I'll agree! I'll try to reduce/remove dead sea salts then to hopefully see if it's done the trick, thank you!

 

[tourist4ever]

Just letting know in case anyone else will have an issue - the salt did not dry even though i only tried it with pink salt, it seems to get dry if you put it in the oven for 15 mins on the lowest setting.

 

[LouisianaMystic]

Hello this is old but you should dry out your salts in an oven (not your family oven) or toaster oven at 170 degrees , stir every 5 mins for 15 mins.

 

[LouisianaMystic]

Hi

I have decided to start making bath salts and ordered Dentritic salt but it looks like it is coarse. I was under the impression there is only fine version, is it OK to use the coarse version for the bath salts as I read this is meant to maintain the oils better and prevent clumping? From what i reserched you are meant to add about 10% of this.

Hello this is old but you should dry out your salts in an oven (not your family oven) or toaster oven at 170 degrees , stir every 5 mins for 15 mins.

 

[tourist4ever]

Hiya
Yes I figured that after a while. Just to ask, I have limited space and not sure if I can fit another oven in my place, if I clean the oven after/before use would there be any issues ? The smell of Eos seem to disappear after ventilation, I tend to do this 3-4 hours after making them

 

[persephonesgarden]

I tried drying some salts in our family oven and even at a very very low temperature, wow, the smell lingered for daaaaaays. I learned my lesson lol. I didn’t try cleaning it after though, maybe that would help.

 

[LouisianaMystic]

Hiya
Yes I figured that after a while. Just to ask, I have limited space and not sure if I can fit another oven in my place, if I clean the oven after/before use would there be any issues ? The smell of Eos seem to disappear after ventilation, I tend to do this 3-4 hours after making them

Nope Nope Nope.
Not only is it gassing vapors off into your food oven --the food will taste like it forever.

Just buy a counter top toaster oven. Gets to the same temp...smaller batches of course but oh well. Who has a whole other oven lying around haha.

 

[tourist4ever]

Oh ok, I have ordered a counter oven, definitely smaller batches!

 

[LouisianaMystic]

Oh ok, I have ordered a counter oven, definitely smaller batches!

Awesome!
How are things coming along? I am just gathering all my supplies and doing testing.

 

[tourist4ever]

Got the oven haven't tested it yet. As long as it works the same shouldn't be a problem. I had all my salts come out ok, I did notice you have to have them heat sealed straight after making, once I left for half a day and they got a bit lumpy and whatnot.

 

[LouisianaMystic]

Got the oven haven't tested it yet. As long as it works the same shouldn't be a problem. I had all my salts come out ok, I did notice you have to have them heat sealed straight after making, once I left for half a day and they got a bit lumpy and whatnot.

OH good!
Heat seal them? In what kind of packaging?

 

[tourist4ever]

I use pouches that you can heat seal.

 

[LouisianaMystic]

I use pouches that you can heat seal.

Oh nice! Do you notice the pouches get puffy due to gassing off of the salts? I heard that if you dont let the salts cool they will gas off in pouches. Do you use pouches for frugality? i thought about doing glass jars but it seems a bit more expensive for price if i wanted to sell them.

 

[tourist4ever]

I did notice some getting puffy.
I use pouches as they don't take much space, I live in a small flat and ordering 100 pouches takes a lot less space than jars!