Best storage options

[bigjeffb]

For those of us who have or had a bout of SAD, is it at all a concern about "long term" storage? As someone who has acquired what may likely be a couple years' worth of soaps and aftershaves, I've begun thinking more and more about the effects of time on some of the sets I have. Scent fading, performance dropping, going rancid (gasp), etc.
I started wondering because one of my favorite soaps seems to have taken on a sort of plastic-like note until it gets lathered pretty well. And it's about seven months old or so.
So what (other than using it all up of course) if anything should I do to help preserve my stuff as best as I can until I've finally gone through it all?
Are there particular brands or formulations that may be prone to going "bad"?
Or is there really nothing to worry about?

 

[johnwick]

Vacuum sealed food storage bags are great for me! The Haslinger you see is two deep... sigh.
Ones to be mostly concerned are Cella and tallow based artisans. I’ve never had one go bad. Some have. Expect a few years if stored properly at the least.

 

[Clay S]

Vacuum sealed as mentioned above is a good step, refrigeration/freezing is another possibility. Both can be used together. Not sure if I'd freeze creams or real soft croaps. In the dark helps as well.

 

[xxvaleria]

I've used 40-year-old Old Spice soap and 15-year old Crabtree and Evelyn soap, and neither one showed any degradation. They looked, smelled, and lathered like new. I did have some TOBS cream that got put away for ten years or so, and it dried out, becoming more like a hard soap, but still lathered up fine.

 

[KW Driver]

I had a Cella tub turn on me. good thing I didn't love it.

one of the smarter chemists or soapmakers here can verify it, but some tallow based production can result in unsaponified fats left in the mix as a final product. that's what can go rancid. I don't think there's any issue with veggie soaps. there are plenty of going on up to 100 yr old soaps being just fine to use.

you may end up with scent loss after a few decades.

storing spares in a dry, cool, dim place seems to be the best coarse of action recommended.

 

[Clay S]

I had a Cella tub turn on me. good thing I didn't love it.

one of the smarter chemists or soapmakers here can verify it, but some tallow based production can result in unsaponified fats left in the mix as a final product. that's what can go rancid. I don't think there's any issue with veggie soaps. there are plenty of going on up to 100 yr old soaps being just fine to use.

you may end up with scent loss after a few decades.

storing spares in a dry, cool, dim place seems to be the best coarse of action recommended.

Veggie oils can go rancid, just as easily as animal fats. Some are fairly stable, some not.

 

[bigjeffb]

Would it be helpful or worth it to transfer the soap to a glass or metal container?

 

[GearNoir]

Decent soaps likely won’t go bad for many years, though they may begin to lose scent if not sealed well.

If you aren’t going to use one that you’ve used already, just make sure it dries well after it’s last lathering. Usually leaving it open for an hour or more will handle that. Put it away, out of any moist environments. Unless you have generally unsanitary tools or shaving conditions they should be fine.

Soaps you haven’t used yet, keep sealed up and out of moist environments.

I have soaps that are a couple of years old at least, used, and no issues. The oldest I had was a tub of TOBS cream that lasted 3 years before I finished it off. The material composition and visual presentation may have changed slightly, but scent and shave performance were no different from the first day to the last day.

 

[ajkel64]

I like the idea of vacuum sealed food storage bags. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I will look into this further.

 

[BigJ]

Should be fine so long as you store your soaps in a dry spot. I have used decades old vintage soaps that performed better than many current ‘artisan’ soaps (although some had little/no scent).

 

[naughtilus]

Bathrooms are the worst places to store anything, soaps, straight razors, brushes etc. Exposure to low humidity air will result in the soap curing further, which is not necessarily bad. But warm and humid air will provide environment for oxidation, fungus and bacteria. Sunlight will breakdown elements in the soap. A dry and dark place is best to use for storage, as it says on the tin.

I've stopped loading my brush directly from the container and just scoop product, then proceed loading or lathering in a bowl. So much less mess, container labels not falling apart, soaps smelling always strong and fresh, less risk of mold and bacteria growing in the containers, no need to air out soap after use... Only triple milled hard pucks have to be loaded directly, unavoidable.

 

[naughtilus]

I like the idea of vacuum sealed food storage bags. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I will look into this further.

You can make most containers isolated from outside air environment by few turns of electricians tape on the seam where the cap meets the tub. Simple.

 

[ajkel64]

You can make most containers isolated from outside air environment by few turns of electricians tape on the seam where the cap meets the tub. Simple.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[bigjeffb]

thanks for all the tips. definitely going to look in to some.
for the one that is beginning to smell plastic like I think I will transfer it to a glass or metal container to see if it's just me or not.

 

[naughtilus]

thanks for all the tips. definitely going to look in to some.
for the one that is beginning to smell plastic like I think I will transfer it to a glass or metal container to see if it's just me or not.

If the fragrance has evaporated from the top layer (happens if you load soap from containers directly with a wet brush), the soap base smell becomes more noticeable. There's no mistaking rancid fat, you'd know immediately. If it's a tallow soap, they smell distinctly clay like.

 

[Villalobos]

Anecdotal evidence only, not a recommendation. I received an old shave mirror/stand with mug, brush and Colgate barbers soap puck. It had been in a lady’s bathroom as decoration as it belonged to her grandfather. Soap was stored in the mug in the open air. It was dirty and dry. I soaked it overnight and rubbed it on an old towel until it turned a lighter color. Lathered it up and used it until it was gone. One of the best soaps I’ve ever used. So, IMHO any sealed container would work! Happy shaves!

 

[PeteVK]

So vacuum sealed and then placed in the fridge is the best?

 

[naughtilus]

Dark, cool, dry place. You guys are overthinking it.

 

[PeteVK]

Sounds like a fridge to me @naughtilus and yes I agree about overthinking it. I bet most of us on this site overthink everything wet shaving

 

[naughtilus]

Sounds like a fridge to me.

Cool, not cold. Although the soaps won't mind being cold either.