6d • Soap Making
Seawater Soap vs Soleseife (Brine Soap): What Actually Works
This question comes up a lot, so let’s clear it up properly.
Using actual seawater Fresh seawater contains microbes, organic matter, and unpredictable minerals.
While high pH soap isn’t a friendly environment for microbes long-term, cold process soap does not sterilise seawater in a controlled way. The contaminants and mineral load remain, which can lead to:
accelerated trace
reduced or unstable lather
sweating or texture issues
higher risk of DOS over time
Because of this, most experienced soapmakers do not recommend using raw seawater in cosmetic soap.
Cosmetic sea salt is different Cosmetic-grade sea salt is:
washed and purified
dried and consistent
free from biological contaminants
This makes it suitable for skin products and repeatable soap batches.
What people usually mean: Soleseife The correct method is Soleseife (German for brine soap).
Soleseife uses:
distilled water
cosmetic sea salt (fully dissolved first)
then lye added to create a controlled brine solution
This is not the same as high-salt “salt bars” where large amounts of salt are added to oils.
Why Soleseife works
predictable and repeatable
very hard bars
smooth, creamy lather (less bubbly, more dense)
no microbial or contamination risk
Bottom line If you want a “sea soap”:
❌ raw seawater = unpredictable and unnecessary risk
✅ distilled water + cosmetic sea salt = professional, controlled method
That method already has a name — Soleseife — and it exists for a reason.
If there’s interest, I can share a clean Soleseife cold process soap recipe and usage tips in a recipe...
Comment if interested.
0
0 comments
Seawater Soap vs Soleseife (Brine Soap): What Actually Works
powered by
skool.com/alpine-apothecary-5186
Courses, workshops, and community for anyone who loves making natural products. Clear guidance, real formulas, and support for all skill levels.
Suggested communities
Powered by