Opinions: batch size and fo

[lenarenee]

Right now I use molds that hold 2.5 lbs of soap, or 40 oz/1113 grams of oil. I usually buy fo's in 2 ounce sizes because most are 5 or 6% usage rates - which is often 1 ounce per pound of oil. So, at 40 ounces this mold goes slightly over the size recommended for 2 ounces of scent. But for sake of convenience - one mold needs one 2 ounces bottle of fo. Make sense?

I'm having some custom molds made for fix some issues I've been having. One of them is getting 10 bars out of the loaf, instead of 9 bars. It's silly I know, but the 9 bothers me as it's an uneven number.

The new mold I want, is even bigger by about 5 ounces - so 45 ounces of oil per mold - which is 13 ounces of oil than the 5% usage rate. Now, with the old mold, I've been happy getting away with using slightly less fo for the size of mold, and happy to prevent needing to buy larger bottles. But I suspect the larger new mold will really challenge that; resulting in weaker scented soaps, or smaller bank account now that I'll have to buy 4 oz bottles to make one loaf....then have leftover fo in the bottle that won't be enough to make a second loaf until I order more.

Do you agree that stretching the fo to cover 5 more excess ounces of oils will decrease the strength of the scent enough that I should just suck it up and stick with a 9 bar size? Or do you have any other ideas?

 

[shunt2011]

I say give it a try and see if you like it with a couple. It does get a bit more expensive having to purchase in larger amounts. I personally went up to buying larger bottles as in the long run it was cheaper.

 

[Arimara]

I have been making salt bars for at least 10 years, and at the time there was not much information available for making them. So I admit to making a lot of errors until I hit upon what I use as my go to recipe. I do not make them with 100% CO for one reason they do not last very long since CO make a very soluble soap, being the reason 100% CO soap is considered "Sailors Soap". I like 85% CO, 10% Castor, and 5% any Liquid Oil other than OO with a 17% Superfat and 100% salt. I do not let my soap get to medium trace before adding in my salt but I am using more salt than most use so mine will stay suspended. I also use a 28% lye concentration for my salt bars since I am using so much salt and 8% fragrance.

Does that help your FO stick? Mine has almost faded.

This link may work better for folks without a Facebook account -- 8 Reasons Salt Soap Bars are Fabulous for the Skin | Simple Life Mom

Read this article with a skeptical eye. A few of the supposed benefits of salt soap as listed by this author are unfounded medical claims.

Since she's selling salt bars and listing these supposed medical benefits on her website, the FDA would conclude she's making drug claims as a way to market this soap. Not a smart thing to do.

The info in the link Tashabird gave is more matter of fact, although the vague claim of "detoxifying" is annoying. "Detox" is as trendy as "natural" -- and pretty much as meaningless. But this article is otherwise quite factual and straightforward.

IS that site safe? One of my programs is blocking it and treating it as a threat.

 

[Ford]

Just make your bars 1/8 thinner. If you have the extra thickness to start with.