Salt bar recipes please

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bhelen

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I want to make a salt bar but I have never tried it before so don't know all the potential issues. My regular recipe is a milk soap using the split method, and the oils are: 45%OO, 20%CO, 25 - 30%PO, 5%Castor oil, (5% cocoa butter). SF5%.

Is it best to use 100% CO for salt bars or can I stick to my regular recipe? And what do people mean when they say 100% salt for example? Does it mean the same weight of liquid and salt? Should I use a 20%SF? Does the salt affect fragrance amount or type? Can I still use milk or should I stick to water? Should I work at a particular temperature?

The other thing is I use silicone molds and usually pour at emulsion or very light trace to get a smooth finish. Will I be able to do that with the salt bar, or what will happen to the texture?

Thanks! I want to be as well informed as possible before experimenting.
 
You should use at least 70% coconut oil, you can use whatever other oils you want. My favorite is 80% CO, 20% OO. Yes, use 20% SF with salt bars.
100% salt means 100% of the oil weight. If you use 10 oz of oil, you would use 10 oz of salt. I actually prefer 50% salt, more then that makes the bar harder to lather.

You can't pour salt bars at thin trace, it has to be thick enough that the salt doesn't sink. I add my salt at thin trace and stir until its thick. Salt can cause acceleration so mix it in by hand. I use them same amount of scent as I would with regular CP, some people add more, some less. Ass fragrance before the salt.

Yes, you can use milk, I love coconut milk or beer in my salt bars.

Salt bars get hard pretty dang quick. I always recommend using individual molds if you have them. Learning to time cutting is the most difficult part of salt bars. If making a log, you want to cut as soon as the soap is firm enough to unmold. Usually within 1-4 hours, make sure you have time to stay home and baby sit it. You log will most likely still be warm, possibly even hot when you cut.
 
Thanks, that is all really helpful. And my molds are individual, so no worries there.
 
Use plain canning or sea salt, you want to avoid iodine, and you don't want large crystals (they are too scratchy). Although I have used 1/3 flaked kosher salt to good result. No epsom salts or dead sea salts - they make weepy soap.

My recipe is 80% CO, 15% OO and 5% castor - I try other things for that 15% and keep coming back to OO. I have always used 80% salt, but next batch Im going to try Obsidians suggestion. I add my fragrance at thin trace, sb a bit to med trace and add the salt. I find it helps to add the salt in a stream while stirring by hand.

Oh and I don't bother adjusting my recipe, I just have extra molds out for the increased volume of soap.
 
If for 100% CO is used 100% salt, is it ok for x% CO to use x% salt for any given x?
 
Bhelen, if you like a smoother finish you might also want to check out brinebars (also called soleseife.) These use salt but are a bit different b/c you use less, generally, and add the salt to the lye water rather than at trace. I use my regular recipe and add the salt (at 25% in proportion to water weight.) I really love brine bars.

Here's couple of links:

Brine bars from David Fisher:

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/S.../Soleseife-or-BrineSalt-Water-Soap-Recipe.htm


Soaping101 brine video:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=44266&page=2
 
If for 100% CO is used 100% salt, is it ok for x% CO to use x% salt for any given x?

I wanted to say no at first, because salt is a lather killer, but I actually think you're on to something as a basic guideline for maximum salt. But some people recommend using less than the max.
 
Thanks so much for all the great advice! I can't wait to try both the salt bar and brine bar. I will update when I've done it.
 
Yes, do update, it is always good to hear other people's results. Also, EG's threads reminded me, I added the salt to the water *before* I added the lye, I found it dissolved better that way. That way the salt dissolves some by itself, and the heat generated by the lye helps it along even more. At least for me.

In addition, if you like a smoother bar, one of the reasons I like brine bars is that I think they trace slower than salt bars, easier to pour, etc.
 
If you put a lot of salt in the water is there any risk that water cann't disolve the lye you put after the salt?
What means too much salt in this case?
 
I haven't had too much of a problem w/t the salt dissolving in the lye water w/the brine bars. A bit of it seems to not want to melt, but I use a strainer and push it through w/a spoon when I add it to the oils. I have a little bit of residue on the strainer, but not much.
 

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