Salt Bars

[Marilyn Norgart]

I have been reading the post on salt bars off and on today. It got me to thinking about mine that I hid in my closet. I checked and they are 2 weeks shy of a 6 month cure. I tried them and OMG they are amazing. Such thick creamy suds--I am impressed

 

[BattleGnome]

Science is magic. Soaping is science. Soap is magic.

I have no idea what happens during cure but might as well assume salt bars are replaced by shoe making elves while I’m not looking

 

[shunt2011]

Salt soap is a thing all it’s own. They are worth the time for them to mature and do their thing.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

The little cube of salt bar that I made using a recipe Shari posted is pretty nice even at a young age (4 months). The lather is still different from a “traditional” bar. It’s hard to describe, but I would say it’s a bit firmer.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Salt soap is a thing all it’s own. They are worth the time for them to mature and do their thing.

definitely worth the wait

The lather is still different from a “traditional” bar. It’s hard to describe, but I would say it’s a bit firmer.

that is a good way to describe "firmer" and way thicker

 

[cmzaha]

Set one aside and give it a 1-3 yr cure time, you will then have a primo salt bar that you do not want to ever use up. I have a 5 yr old bar that I still use just once in a while.

 

[rkoza]

@Mobjack Bay Would you mind posting where I could find Shari's recipe? I'm new here and don't know where to look for it. Thank you kindly!

 

[shunt2011]

@Mobjack Bay Would you mind posting where I could find Shari's recipe? I'm new here and don't know where to look for it. Thank you kindly!

Here you go, straight from the horses mouth.... LOL

80% CO
15% Avocado Oil (can use Olive or another liquid oil)
5% Castor Oil

I use 40-50% salt and a 17% SF these days. 20% SF is very common. Be sure to run it through a soap calculator.

 

[cmzaha]

This is my favorite
CO 45%
PKO 40% or can use all CO
Castor 10%
SAO 5% can use any liquid oil
100% Salt or whatever percentage you prefer. You can lower superfat if using less salt
Superfat 18%
Lye Concentration 27%
I like to age salt bars for a year and no less than 6 months

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Here you go, straight from the horses mouth.... LOL

80% CO
15% Avocado Oil (can use Olive or another liquid oil)
5% Castor Oil

I use 40-50% salt and a 17% SF these days. 20% SF is very common. Be sure to run it through a soap calculator.

Thank you Shari. I’ve been using 50% salt and 18% SF. I LOVE making the recipe. I know this might sound a little weird, but the texture of the batter reminds me of the behavior of liquified sand at the beach.

@rkoza The recipe behaves well for me (perspective is that of a 6+ month soap maker). It moves faster than many of the “traditional” recipes I’ve tried, but not so fast that it’s a race to get the batter into individual bar molds. I’ve been able to pour ITP swirls with it at light to lt. medium trace.

 

[shunt2011]

I find it's stays pretty fluid unless there's a naughty FO. I've done 1-2 colors with no issue in the past. I've decided to just keep those simple going forward though. Once color. I use loaf molds sometimes but they need to be cut at about the 3 hour mark and are still warm so wear gloves. Last time I made them I used individual molds. I find the individual molds are harder to keep the ash off of but didn't get any this last time.

 

[rkoza]

@shunt2011 & @Mobjack Bay thank you so much!!

 

[Adobehead]

Salt soap is a thing all it’s own. They are worth the time for them to mature and do their thing.

They have to cure? I know about the 6 week cure, but 6 months? I am in love with my salt bars after about 2 months, will save some and check again next year! I had an ageing bottle of Clary Sage EO, so used quite a bit to just to use it up. Then I checked the price to replace the EO and fainted. And it has powdered Bladderwrack, a Seaweed.
Sea Salt and Seaweed, my opinion, to die for.

 

[shunt2011]

They have to cure? I know about the 6 week cure, but 6 months? I am in love with my salt bars after about 2 months, will save some and check again next year! I had an ageing bottle of Clary Sage EO, so used quite a bit to just to use it up. Then I checked the price to replace the EO and fainted. And it has powdered Bladderwrack, a Seaweed.
Sea Salt and Seaweed, my opinion, to die for.

I don't like salt bars at 6 weeks. My personal preference is minimum 6 months but love them at a year or more.

 

[Adobehead]

I don't like salt bars at 6 weeks. My personal preference is minimum 6 months but love them at a year or more.

What don't you like about it? The lather, the gentleness, the looks, the long-lasting-ness? Something else? What are the changes you observe after a long cure like 6 months? A year? Anyone?

 

[cmzaha]

After a year the salt bars become more gentle, the lather is creamier, and they last longer. Just all-around better. I am also an advocate of a min of the 6-month camp.

I am speaking of salt bars using 100-110% salt. For me the more salt the better I like them.

 

[shunt2011]

What Carolyn said above. Everything is better. Before 6 months I find them a bit too harsh and lather isn't at it's potential yet. I'm one who uses 40-50% salt sometimes higher but found 50 is my sweet spot for me.

 

[Roisin]

These soaps sound amazing, I'm looking forward to trying some and stashing them.
For the %age of salt, do you just add this amount of salt to the lye/oils/trace? Or I have that all wrong
Thanks
Róisín

 

[AliOop]

These soaps sound amazing, I'm looking forward to trying some and stashing them.
For the %age of salt, do you just add this amount of salt to the lye/oils/trace? Or I have that all wrong
Thanks
Róisín

The salt is usually added at medium trace so that it doesn't fall to the bottom of the batter. Of course, if you are using 100% salt like Carolyn, you won't need to worry about that - it will stay suspended by virtue of the sheer volume of salt.

Also, if possible, use cavity molds. Salt bars harden very fast (within an hour or two!). A loaf will become impossible to cut if you miss the cutting window.

 

[Roisin]

The salt is usually added at medium trace so that it doesn't fall to the bottom of the batter. Of course, if you are using 100% salt like Carolyn, you won't need to worry about that - it will stay suspended by virtue of the sheer volume of salt.

Also, if possible, use cavity molds. Salt bars harden very fast (within an hour or two!). A loaf will become impossible to cut if you miss the cutting window.

So individual moulds would do?