Teach Soap

So I'm tentatively planning to make and give lots of soap this year for Christmas presents (what else?). What I'm wondering is if it's smart to start making those NOW or should I wait? I like to let my soaps cure for at LEAST 4 weeks but more like 6-8 before I feel they've reached true hardness. My recipes are vegetable based and generally include some or all of: PO/OO/CO/Castor/shea and/or cocoa butter. I do use additives like milk/botanicals/honey/clay/beeswax (saponified) in some soaps but not all. I also use EOs in most. One recipe I've made also contains a small % of rosehip oil which I'm quite liking. I superfat usually at 7%.

What kind of shelf life do you generally expect for your soaps? i.e. once they're cured how long do you consider them "okay for sale or gifting"? Obviously the idea is fast turnover so customers get the longest life out of their soaps because I realize people don't use them right away necessarily, though that's what should be encouraged.

Thoughts?

Karri

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I soap therefore I am.

I am working on holiday soaps now. I say go for it. Depending on your recipe, scents and any addtitives soaps can last a very long time. I have soap here from my mother that's about 10 years old and it's fine.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I have soap in my house that's more than 3 years old. Some of the scent is faded, but it's still good soap. I generally make my "Holiday Batch" in June or July, this way, I'm not scrambling later to get orders filled. I think most of us that sell soap make our holiday soaps well in advance, for this same reason.


Hope that helps,

Brandy

Thanks Irena and Brandy! I'd better get crackin'

So basically then, as long as there isn't DOS, a soap can last a super long time?

I always wondered if DOS wasn't just a function of formula but perhaps aging ... though I know castiles can last forever. It's amazing to me that any handmade soap could last that long given it's superfatted!

Karri

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I soap therefore I am.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Good to know ... thank you!

_________________
I soap therefore I am.