So sad. Salt bar seems drying ...

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Ok, I made 3 batches of salt bars about six weeks/two mos. ago. 75% CO, 10% lard, 10% SAO, 5% castor. Superfatted at 20%, plus I used full CM (in powder form) for the water, so the SF probably ended up at closer to 24-25%. W/the three different batches, I kept the oil mix the same, but used different amounts of salt (30/50/80% total weight of oils) so I could see how that changed things.

I have been trying them for the last couple of weeks. Love using them to wash my hands. When I use them in the shower, they feel great, lather beautifully, again, love them.

Also they do not make my skin *feel* dry afterwards (ie; none of the tightness, us dry-skin types can actually feel - rather than see - when it happens.) But a while after the shower (even if I put on lotion), I get large areas of little tiny dry skin flakes on my arms and legs. Which really, really bums me out b/c I love those bars. I am hoping a much longer cure will help, but I have never gotten this result w/my regular bars (which never exceed 15% CO), so was not sure if that would work in my case.

I am going to keep trying with smaller amts of CO, trying all PKO in place of CO (or a mix of the two), maybe upping the SF - but that is so darn high already. Has anyone else ever experienced this? It seems so incredibly rare that people find salt bars drying. I know that it is me rather than salt bars themselves b/c of this, but if someone has tinkered succesfully to deal with this issue it would be great to hear about.
 
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You may find you like them better and are able to tolerate them more with an even longer cure. I like my salt bars at 2-3 months. At 6 months I love them. Or, you may just be sensitive to that much CO in a batch.
 
B, sorry that you found your salt bars to be drying. You know, I've made salt bars a little over 2 months ago and used one after the 4 wk mark. It's no more drying than my other soaps, the drying effect is only on my lower legs but I have dry skin to begin with. My home made soaps could eliminate most dry skin except in that area I guess. So, yeah no more drying than non salt bars in my experience, my recipe is 75/25 CO/OO with 15% SF with coconut milk and I think 70% salt PPO.
May be your soaps will mellow out by the end of 4 month cure, hang in there.
 
My mother finds my 100% OO salt bar that was cured for 7 months drying. She also finds my bars w/ no CO drying (palm, olive, shea, a bit of castor). She finds all soap drying except for 100% OO bars w/ no salt. I don't even make bars w/ CO because its just that drying to my (and my family's) skin. I havent even tried a high CO salt bar since I'm terrified how it will make me feel so I can't weigh in at a traditional salt bar.

It could be your skin, it could be the salt, or it could be that it needs a longer cure. Lots of "it could be".
 
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I love them with a good cure. They also seem to have a better lather. I made some 6 weeks ago and tried it side by side with some I made 8 months ago and I like the longer cured ones so much better. If you don't have any that may be older, if you give me your address I'll send you one that's well cured to try out.
 
I do really really like my 100% OO salt bar and I love my palm/olive/shea/castor salt bar even more. And after 3 months, that one actually has decent lather! I wouldnt give up on the salt aspect, just maybe the fluffy lather aspect.
 
I hope a longer cure or a different recipe works for you. I don't have dry skin, and am feeling pretty lucky about that now. It even makes up for having oily, pimple prone skin as a teen.
 

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