Help Please- Salt Bar Issue

[volleypc]

I decided to try my hand at salt bars this morning, but I think I may have a problem. The first bach I made sat in the crock pot for a long time and I couldn't really tell if it was ready. It was pretty clumby and never really got the applesauce look to it. I put it in the mold anyway but thought I had messed it up.

I had seen where other people reach trace and then put it in a wooden mold and leave it in the oven on 170 degrees for 90 mins. So the second bach I brought to trace, put into the mold, and placed it in the preheated oven for 90 mins. The problem is I just tried to zap test it and it has a strange sensation. I thought maybe it was the salt so I checked the other batch and even though it had the salty taste..it didnt really have the same sensation. It wasn't the zap sting like a 9 volt battery but it still seemed to have a sting to it. This is the recipe I used for both batches.

Olive Oil 3

Coconut Oil 26.5

Castor Oil 2

Salt 25

Water 10.3

Lye 4.9

I do not have ph strips. Is there anything else I can do to tell if these bars are going to be any good? I was able to somewhat pour it into the molds (with a little help) so maybe it hadn't thickened up enough (althought I thought it had). Anything I can do to save these bars?

[LuminousBoutique]

hmmm... all I can do is tell you how I make my salt bars, and I'll try to explain why I do it that way.. I've only had one batch go weird on me since using this method, and it was just not cooled yet so it actually turned out OK in the end.

OK so my recipe first off is:

70% coconut

25% shea

5% Avocado

5% superfat

I use the same amount of salt as oils, so say I am making a 42oz batch, I use 42oz of salt. I use NON iodone table salt. To pour into my mold which normally holds a 42oz batch, I have to cut the recipe down to 32.

You want your recipe to be high in coconut oil, so you are good there. I've used olive oil and had a bad result in the past, before I found this recipe and stuck with it, the bars were weepy, so I switched to shea and avocado and havent had a problem since.

I do CP, lower my lye to room temp, make sure my oils are room temp, because I want plenty of time to work with it. The salt thickens it up pretty quick and I want to be able to pour into my mold, not slam it down into the mold. Wehn I reach a SUPER light trace is when I add my salt, and stir until the salt "suspends". It will want to sink at first. When you see the salt suspended at the top, you know you are onto something. Be cautious when you are using FOs that accelerate... if you are, add them to your oils before pouring your lye.

I pour into a pre-warmed wooden mold lined with parchment paper, it works the best IMO. I then place it, covered, in a 170 oven for 60 min. I am basically forcing it to gel faster. When I bring it out at 60 min its normally done gelling, but if its not I give it more time... and when its done I pop it out and cut right away (wearing gloves because its hot hot hot) and cure for 4-6 weeks like any other bar.

Thats my method.. its always worked for me! Sometimes when the soap isnt done gelling yet, it can still have a slight zap. that should go away within a day or so. If it doesnt, you may have a problem. I thought salt bars cant be rebatched but a member on here let me know they kinda can, you can crush them up and add them to another batch of CP soap, so worst case you can do that if they dont mellow.. but unless you used too much lye they should be fine. Give them some time and check back on them in a day or two and see if the zap is still there. in the maentime you can always order some PH strips! you can find them super cheap and they are nice to have around for peace of mind.

[Carrie]

I do mine CP also. My recipe is

85% coconut 76

5% babassu

5% castor

5% shea

When it comes to light trace I add salt. I use the same amount of salt as oils, for 2lb of oils I use 2lb of salt. I use 50% non-iodized table salt and 50% fine sea salt that I buy in the bulk bins at the grocery store.

I either use my Tony's 1/2 round molds or my Kelsei mold. I use the Tony's for men because they are large bars and the Kelsei for women because they are small bars.

That way they can sit in the mold for days and I can still unmold them.

I also don't use my salt bars for several months after making them. I find that the salt bars just get better with age and at 6 weeks they are still too harsh but at 6 months they are amazing on the skin.

[Kitn]

I agree with a nice long cure for the salt bars, they really rock after a 6 month or longer cure.