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scented rock salt crystal potpourri - HELP?!


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I saw other questions of this type here, so here goes!

I have been making soy tarts, aroma beads, and "ornies" for personal use for some time now. I recently saw a thread here about the scented rock salt crystal potpourri. Becoming intrigued by a new way to use FO, I decided to do some research. I found lots of different recipes, but nothing definitive like the tart or aroma bead recipes. I've made several batches of the crystal potpourri and I'm just not happy with the way it's turning out. Is anyone willing to share their recipe? I'm making it for personal use and gift giving only so it won't show up for sale anywhere...

I am becoming so discouraged! And it makes me not want to do other things. A lot is going on in my life and finding distractions that make me happy are becoming harder and harder. Thank god for FOs, and Disneyland! :D

I love this board! I'm a long time lurker and first time poster.

TIA!

-Marcella

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I've played around with a few methods but the main one is...

4g glycerin, 12g FO, a few drops of liquid candle color (about 1/2 oz total of all liquids)

to 454g (1 lb) of rock salt (solar salt from Lowe's)...

All shaken well in a #5 plastic storage container, then layed out on foil covered cookie sheets to dry.

Doesn't seem to dry. Seems greasy and the color is speckled. I don't wash the salt first, if that makes a difference.

Am I using too much glycerin or FO? Is liquid candle color the right dye to use?

I was picturing dry, translucent "precious stones" when they were all done. Sort of like how the aroma beads turn out.

Maybe I'm just being a baby and need to experiment more, but FO is not cheap! :o Just looking for someone who has that GREAT recipe!

TIA, again!

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I haven't tried these, but what is the point of the glycerine? I would think that the glycerine is the reason for the greasiness. Salt tends to absorb moisture, but if you make it oily, that would prevent it from absorbing scent and colour, or so I would think.

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I had good luck with just FO & color. I have used the liquid candle dye and the soap dye and like the soap dye better. Seems to dry faster. The only time I had an issue with greasy looking salt is when I added too much FO. I did put it on once, let it dry and reapplied more FO for a stronger scent. Seemed to work ok, I put them on a cookie sheet lined with foil and sat it under my halogen lights under my cabinets. I'm not sure about the glycerin, maybe that is to add sheen to the salt but I don't feel it is necessary, unless I am missing out on something. I hope that helps you a little, I'm by no means an expert but this is what worked for me. Good luck, I hope you find the answer you are looking for.

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Hi,

A quick rinse first can help the salt look shiner without the glycerin. The glycerin can pull in moisture to the salt and make it a bit messy.

Liquid candle dye is not skin safe. I use the same types of coloring that I do in soaps and lotions. Gotta play with that a bit cause of brightness etc. some colors can vary so just have to find something that will work for ya.

Dendritic salt can help with FO retention. Add the FO to that first then add that to the sea salt. You can get it here:

http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/product.asp?product_id=othdendritic&searchflag=1

HTH

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AH! Thank you soo sooo much, Erin and Rebecca.

I will try the dendritic salt.

Does the 1/2 oz of FO to 1lb of salt seem right? Do you let the salt "cure" in the container you mix it in or do you turn it out on to the pan immediately? Is foil the right thing to use on the pans? How dry is the salt after the rinse before you add the FO/color? How do you dilute the dye if it's too bright?

---

Doris, I was adding the glycerin to make the rocks shinier and the FO have more staying power... or so the recipe said!

THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S HELP SO FAR!

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My recipe is 4-6g of FO per pound of Slat rock. 1-2 drops of candle dye. I mix all of it in a mason jar, then (while wearing latex gloves) pour out onto paper towels. Blot quite a bit and take a heat gun and slowly go over all the rocks as I continue to blot. I can make about 6 batches of 2 lbs each scent in about an hour this way. When I'm done I put the rocks back in the mason jar to store until I have an order for them. HTH.

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I use about 1 teaspoon or little less per pound. Alls I do is get a glass bowl (like pyrex that comes with a lid), take the dendritic salt, mix with the FO, put lid on and shake, add the other salt/color, lid on and shake then just store in the same glass container.

If you rinse first, the salt should be dry before adding anything.

Not really had a problem with the colors coming out too bright so I haven't had to dilute anything. I just start out with one or 2 drops of color and go from there.

HTH

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I rinse my solor salt in a strainer with cold water. I lay it out on a towel to dry thoroughly. (I use old towels that I would normally send to the garage for the cars...not bath towels that I still use). Once the salt is dry, I add 2 tablespoons of FO to 1 lb of salt, mix thoroughly. I then sprinkle and stir in 2 TBS of dendritic and mix thoroughly. I color last using micas or soap dye. I put mine in cello bags. I have batches going on 3 weeks and the scent is still holding up as if I just made them today. HTH

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I made some more last night and it's still so wet/oily this morning. I mixed 1 lb of salt (rinsed and DRY) with a small dab of Wilton cake coloring and 4g of FO. I shook it up in a #5 plastic container, then turned it out onto a cookie sheet lined with a brown paper market bag. I set them out to dry and this morning they are still wet to the touch. This doesn't seem right! :cry2: I don't know what to do! I also made some soy tarts out of EZ soy last night and they turned out great. I thought the salts would be easier! HA!

I guess I'm still using too much FO. Does the salt eventually dry after adding the FO? About how long does that take? Do you package them immediately after making them or do they sit and "cure" on something absorbent? If they are dry you can use them in tulle/organza bags for sachets in drawers, right?

Any more suggestions?

THANK YOU!

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They can take forever to dry if you leave them to air dry on their own. That's why I blot the excess off with a paper towel while I heat with a heat gun. As soon as I'm done blotting I put back in air tight canning jar and only package into organza bags/polypro bags when I have an order for them, that way the stay fresh. HTH

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I rinse my solor salt in a strainer with cold water. I lay it out on a towel to dry thoroughly. (I use old towels that I would normally send to the garage for the cars...not bath towels that I still use). Once the salt is dry, I add 2 tablespoons of FO to 1 lb of salt, mix thoroughly. I then sprinkle and stir in 2 TBS of dendritic and mix thoroughly. I color last using micas or soap dye. I put mine in cello bags. I have batches going on 3 weeks and the scent is still holding up as if I just made them today. HTH

CORRECTION: 2 TEASPOONS OF FO. NOT 2 TBS. sorry.

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  • 5 weeks later...

This probably sound silly but what sort of salt are you all talking about? Is it like the salt you use in a grinder for cooking or is it bath salts or is salt just salt?!

See told you it was silly. It's getting close to that time of the month when I get on the stupid bus lol.

Ruby

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