Teach Soap

Hello - Looking for some advice on making a Sea Salt bar. Would like it to have gentle exfoliation. So when do I add the salt and how much?
Also, any advice on using kelp powder or spirulina powder? Does it smell (fishy or low tide-like) in soap?

You can use your regular recipe, but add another 50% as regular table salt at a medium trace. Kelp powder or spirulina powder will smell fishy in soap.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

50% of oils? so if I was making a batch with 50oz of oils, I would add 25 oz. of salt at trace?

I've done all coconut oil bars, with 20% superfat, and salt equivalent to about 80% of the oil weight. I used individual molds (because they set up like concrete in a few hours, and a lot of people have trouble with them crumbling when they cut them). I've heard of useing anywhere from 70% to 100% of the oil's weight.

I've also done a 7% superfat, no palm (olive/coconut/cocoa butter/avocado) bar with a smaller percentage of salt, about 4 oz to the 2 lbs of oils. Those sweat a lot more, but after a few weeks, they're pretty nice. I also used Dead Sea Salt, even though I've read you're not supposed to. Worked for me!

Both types seem to benefit from a longer cure (like months). Neither is drying even to my middle-aged, usually dry skin. Both have a really nice, creamy lather, but I wouldn't say they're exfoliating. I think the salt melts before it can become scrubby.

I've also done rebatch and added coarse salt to it, a couple of tablespoons of coarse salt per pound of shreds. I think it improves the lather, and I like the sparkly look of it on top of the bars. Like little diamonds!

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

So i made the sea salt bar tonight and in less than 3 hours it is all cut up! Can't believe how hard it got so fast! Anyway, it looks just how I had hoped so far! Hope I don't wake up to soap drama! Will post a pic tomorrow...very excited. this is the first time I have planned out a recipe and it all worked out just as I hoped!

Salt bars need to be cut fairly quckly as they get very hard very fast. If you wait too long, you will end up with crumbly bars when you cut.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.