A typical cold process salt bar involves adding salt crystals at trace. These are wonderful bars, but they tend to be crumbly and may not last as long, as the salt dissolves with use. Soleseife (or brine soap) is the German name for soap made with salt water. Brine soap is a fantastic alternative to the standard salt bar. The salt is dissolved into the lye water leaving a smooth-textured, creamy white, extremely hard bar of soap. Salt does decrease lather – but this can be counteracted with a high percentage of coconut oil in your recipe. Just be sure to use a high superfat so it does not become drying.

This recipe was actually the inspiration behind the Lavender and Rose Pink Salt Bars. Using a similar design of an in-the-pot swirl with rose clay, these bars look similar but feel drastically different. It’s amazing how using salt water rather than adding salt at trace changes the look and feel. If you’re looking for a small amount of exfoliation, I would recommend adding salt at trace like in the Lavender and Rose Pink Salt Bars. If you like a smooth feel, brine soap is the way to go. Both techniques produce an extremely creamy lather.
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