Dead Sea Mud & Salt Hot Process Soap Recipe: Using Salt in Soap Making
Want to learn to make handmade salt soap bars, just like the ones found in high class spas? This handmade hot process soap recipe takes you through the special steps to make homemade salt soap with salt from the Dead Sea.
This homemade soap is made with Dead Sea salt and French green clay, along with beautiful essential oils that yield an amazing soap you’d normally find only in high class spas.
It’s so simple, with only four oils….but it delivers a wonderful lather, cleansing and exfoliation, all while being incredibly conditioning for the skin. The essential oils also have anti-bacterial properties and are super refreshing! What more could you ask for in a natural, handmade sea salt soap recipe?
Now, salt soaps can be a little tricky, and if you don’t have the oils right, they tend to “sweat” too much or be too crumbly. This soap does “sweat” (give off extra moisture) for a very few days, but it calms right down and hardens up completely VERY quickly. I’ve shared more about sweating soaps below, in case you experience this phenomenon.
I used it in the shower right away (literally the same night as the day I made it), but if you are selling or giving it away as gifts, you’ll probably want to wait a few more days for complete evaporation to take place.
Are you wondering why you should use salt and clay in your handmade soaps?
I know I wondered about this when I first began making my own handmade natural soaps. It turns out the minerals in natural salts are incredible for your skin. They also nourish and moisturize the skin and help exfoliate too. Any soap that can help slough off dry skin cells is one every woman wants. What a dream!
And the green clay? It gives the soap an incredible “slip,” making it feel fabulous on your skin. It also helps purify and tighten your skin.
FTC Disclosure: There are affiliate links scattered throughout this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
This handmade hot process soap recipe is INCREDIBLE! The sea salt, French green clay, & pumice make a bar of high lather, super skin conditioning homemade natural soap. This Dead Sea Mud & Salt soap recipe is a real winner! It’s easy, ready to use right away, and is a great gift for any occasion. You can make natural handmade spa soap at home. #DIY #ideas #withlye #essentialoils #howtomake #soaprecipe #sensitiveskin #natural #handmade #hotprocess #spa #salt #DeadSea #skincare
Dead Sea Mud & Salt Hot Process Soap Recipe (Gotta Love That Handmade Natural Soap!)
This soap is a lovely light green color, which is perfect for the sea theme, I think. You can certainly use a different color clay, though, if you’d prefer a different color. Brazilian purple clay, or maybe a Red Moroccan Clay would also be nice.
I used finely ground sea salt and just a hint of pumice for extra exfoliating power!
OK! Now on the to soap recipe!
Ingredients for Dead Sea Mud & Salt Soap:
The Oils:
** 8 ounces Coconut Oil
** 16 ounces Olive Oil (I buy both the coconut oil and olive oil, organic, from Costco)
** 6 ounces Shea Butter
** 2 ounces Castor Oil (I get mine from good health food stores or drug stores)
The Lye Solution:
** 12.16 ounces filtered water
** 4.42 ounces sodium hydroxide (lye)
The Fragrance Blend (Essential Oils):
** 0.5 ounces Tea Tree essential oil
** 1 ounce Lavender essential oil
** 0.5 ounce Patchouli essential oil
NOTE: This is a two pound soap recipe, so I’m using a total of 2 ounces essential oil. If you don’t like a heavy scent, just cut the measurements for the essential oils in half. I suggest starting with a half ounce of essential oils per pound if you’re sensitive to scent.
A SECOND NOTE about essential oils for soap making. Using essential oils in soap making is not considered therapeutic use, and you do need quite a bit more than is typical when making something like a roller bottle or a spray. The links above are to Amazon and in sizes that will work for this soap recipe.
However, I haven’t tried these brands from Amazon, and there are only a few companies I really trust. You can find out more about choosing a good essential oil company here—-I give you all my recommendations plus my criteria for choosing a good company.
For all my own soap making needs, I tend to order essential oils online from Starwest Botanicals. They are a little more costly than the Amazon links, but are not prohibitively expensive like some of the big multi-level marketing companies’ prices, and you can purchase them in larger quantities as you get started with your soap making adventures.
**One more note on using essential oils in soap: Soap is a wash-off product. You’re not leaving it on your skin for any length of time, so dilution is not as important as a leave-on product, like a lotion. This soap recipe contains safe essential oils, but if you’re using a “hot” oil or one that is sensitizing like cinnamon, clove, etc., then be sure you’re considering the amount of that specific essential oil you’re using in your blend.
Other Additives for Color and the Spa Experience:
** 11 ounces finely ground Sea Salt
** 1 1/2 tablespoon pumice (optional)
** 1 1/2 tablespoon French Green Clay
NO, it’s not really Dead Sea Mud, but I thought the name was cute! Nor is it salt from the Dead Sea either. BUT, it is sea salt from Costco. ;-) Shh! Don’t tell!
Directions:
Now, I’m not going into a lot of detail here because I’ve created several really good picture tutorials on the blog.
If you are new to making handmade soap or to hot process soap, please be sure to read through these detailed picture tutorials:
OR I recommend the no-nonsense soap making course and book that comes with it: Natural Soap Making the Hot Process Way.
Now on to the steps in the recipe:
STEP 1) Measure out your oils
Using a large crock pot set to LOW, add your oils. Your coconut oil and shea butter needs to be completely melted, so I do this part first. Add your French Green clay to the crock pot too.
STEP 2) Measure out your lye solution
STEP 3) Add the lye solution to the oil mixture & bring to trace using a hand blender.
STEP 4) Cook until finished! (See the tutorial(s) for all the detailed directions please)
STEP 5) Add the salt, pumice, & essential oils
Stir these in REALLY well. Your soap will get a little harder at this point. That’s ok. You do need everything stirred up completely.
STEP 6) Place the hot soap in your soap mold.
Press this soap down WELL. It’s easy to get little air pockets in salt soap with the hot process method. You don’t want that.
STEP 7) Cool completely
STEP 8) Remove from the mold, cut, and enjoy!
A Quick Note About Homemade Salt Soaps that “Sweat”: What is Sweating, and What Causes It?
Did you know a soap can sweat?
Well, not really, but it sure looks like it sometimes!
Salt is hygroscopic, which means it pulls water from the air. This may cause your soap to “sweat” or have little beads of water on the surface and/or underneath after it’s removed from the mold.
Usually cure time will solve this problem. However, if you are finding that your salt soaps still sweat after a couple of days (hot process method—- in cold process soap making, the sweating will last much longer, potentially), it’s best to move them to a dry sunny window or place them near a heat source like a wood stove or electric heater.
I haven’t had too many problems with my soaps sweating, but this soap recipe did sweat a bit for me. I just did as I said above—-moved the soap block to a dry and warm location for a few days.
If you live in a dry area, your soap will not sweat at all or should be quite minimal.
The sweating won’t hurt you at all. It’s just a little strange to see liquid appear on your fresh, handmade soap!
Find out how to make your own handmade, natural soap! Learn textures, natural colors, and how to use essential oils for natural, non-toxic scent.
Final Thoughts on Dead Sea Salt Soap Using the Hot Process Method
This soap was a success! So much so, that I just couldn’t save it only for the book or my soap making course. I had to share it with you right away!
If you are making gifts for St. Patrick’s Day or Valentine’s Day or any kind of “gift” day, this spa soap is a real handmade luxury.
I hope you’ll give this homemade soap a try!
Be sure to join my FREE Facebook group, Practical Herbs + Oils with Heidi!
If you are just beginning your soap making journey and are feeling a little overwhelmed or intimidated—-that’s OK! I’ve got your back, here.
I recommend my eBook, Creating Natural Hot Process Soap , which is FREE with my own hot process soap making course with step-by-step videos—the better option.
Here are some related soap making articles you might enjoy:
How to Make Natural Hot Process Soap and a Citrus Dream Recipe
Lavender-Rosemary Vanilla Hot Process Soap
Sexy Wild Man Hot Process Soap Recipe
Can You Make Soap Without Using Lye?
10 Common Soap Making Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
Cold Process vs. Hot Process Handmade Soap: What is the Difference? (and which is best?)
and there are a LOT more over on the blog! Just head on over and search around!
You can also see me making soap on my YouTube channel! I hope you’ll subscribe!
Also, would you like my cheat sheet/checklist with all the steps for making your own hot process soap? You can download it from the Resource Library by completing the form below! It’s free!
Hugs, Health, and Self-Reliance,
Heidi
P.S. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter! You’ll never miss a thing, and you’ll also get immediate access to the growing Resource Library with the FREE Soap Making Checklist! It contains eBooks, guides, checklists, cheat sheets, and more for your self-reliance journey!
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Sources:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/my-100-salt-soap-bars-sweat.18812/
Find out how to make natural spa salt soap! This recipe is a tutorial for Dead Sea Mud soap that is incredibly detoxifying and moisturizing. This is also a hot process method soap using salt, and it’s easier than you think! #soap #recipe #saltsoap #howtomake #easy #forbeginners #natural #handmade #crockpot #hotprocess #healingharvesthomestead