Many years ago I tried a salt recipe, it was EPIC but I could never re-create it for some reason. I tried and tried, it was never the same. Perhaps that's one of the joys of soap making? Even if you've made the recipe a million times, it's always like opening a gift on Christmas morning - you never know what's inside.
I was reinspired by a fellow soaper who's had great success with salt soaps, and she shared her recipe with me. So much of what makes up crafts and trades is tradition - one thing being passed down to another person. Something shared with another maker. None of our ideas are unique to us, oh yeah perhaps I blended something that few have blended or made a color combo someone has rarely been done. But soap and recipes and methods are not my own, they have come from many generations before. I still use several recipes I used growing up, mom and I share many of the same recipes to this day. We've done them for years and years.
Alas I've been on a roll (get it, they're round?!?! HAHAHA) with salt soaps. Some are rough and exfoliate beautifully, some are smooth as silk, think water softener. It's clearly marked with a banner and in the description of each batch on the website.
These salt soaps will be a keeper year round - they have gone over well! Friends and customers have enjoyed testing both varieties (if you'd like to be a tester for Little Cabin Soaps or The Perfect Man Club please note that every time you place an order. We will include a prototype that needs testing in your order in exchange for your feedback!)
Why round? These particular molds are used for our shaving pucks for The Perfect Man Club (if you didn't know, I'm the maker of that line) and they kept calling to me to use them beyond the pucks. Salt bars are incredibly hard, they cannot be cut into slices as a normal batch is cut. Thus they must be put into cavity molds - something flexible that can hold enough for just one bar and then be popped out.
And why are some smooth and some rough? Depends on the type of salt used in the recipe. Sea salt is incredibly smooth, like silk in the shower. Pink Himalayan salt is rough, no matter the grain size, it makes a fabulous exfoliating bar of soap. We use several different types of salts just for fun, and will always make note of the end result for each batch when listed.
The photo of rounds glistening (just poured) into the mold is an upcoming autumn batch ....Pumpkin Harvest. Remember soap must cure for a minimum yes MINIMUM of 4-8 weeks. Here at Little Cabin Soaps that means autumn soaps are done in July in order to cure on time for a September release date. However this year I've had a lot of time to reflect on how the holidays work, when the magic of the season really happens. And so, autumn, Christmas and winter is in full swing, nearly finished in fact! This year I'm going to do early releases. As I'm creating this year's line up I realized the magic is IN the season - not afer the season. Something changes December 26th, I don't know why, but it does.
And so this year everything will be ready early, for you to give and treat yourself to the season. If you give soap as gifts this year there will be plenty of non holiday non seasonal bars to give on the actual day - so the magic is not lost when a bar of Christmas Tree is in the shower in January. Maybe I'm the only one who feels those post holiday blues (wow we went from summer all the way to next year in one post!).
Use these special bars in the middle of the season. The Pumpkin Latte doesn't hold its magic in April .... and I feel the same about soap. Whether you use them yourself or give them as gifts (or both) everything will be ready at the start of the season. Enjoy them. Give them. Savor the season and jump in feet first - enjoy each and every day to the fullest. I'm all over the place here, summer to salt to Christmas and back around. Enjoy the day! Get ready for the season! Let's roll! (get it??!?!? HAHAHA)
Mark your calendars for the release dates:
Sept. 1st the entire line for Autumn will be released
Nov. 1st the entire line for Winter and Christmas will be released
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