[Marchetti_Wingtips]

Epic failure: Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) added to my cold processed soap (CH3 (CH2)16COONa).
 
I wanted to create soap bars which would help to soothe muscle pain and decided to add magnesium sulfate to my cold processed soap batch. After adding magnesium sulfate I poured my soap into silicone mould.  I observed the following:
1). The soap become very crumbly and difficult to unmould or handle;
2). the soap did not lather; somehow saponification processed got altered by the addition of magnesium sulfate;
3). Instead of lathering, the soap slakes off some thick waxy greasy substance (soap scum?)

Could someone please explain what happened to my soap? Thank you all.

[stewie griffin]

Calcium and magnesium ions are what contribute to hard water, and hard water reduces the suds that we typically expect of soap.
http://www.wqa.org/sitelogic.cfm?ID=477

[Parisa]

Dear Marcheti

In soap production, for removing of water hardening effect (Mg²⁺ & Ca²⁺), EDTA is added. here u added Mg²⁺ in ure soap and it was wrong!