I remember those
Can shaving soaps 'go bad' or 'lose performance' if unused for long periods?
- Thread starter JasonJT
- Start date
I've tried a lot of vintage (over 50 years) soap, and they worked great. Better than a lot of modern stuff, if I'm honest.
The scent is usually the thing to go. If they had a perfume, it is mostly gone.
The scent is usually the thing to go. If they had a perfume, it is mostly gone.
lasta
Blade Biter
Depends on the soap I suppose. One of the reasons why I am not against preservatives.
I've had Mike's and Stirling go oily/rancid in under a year. I also have a near 15 year old dried up tub of TOBS that works fine.
I've had Mike's and Stirling go oily/rancid in under a year. I also have a near 15 year old dried up tub of TOBS that works fine.
Cella has gone bad. No problems with anything else.
old, old soap just smells old, not unpleasant, but old, if i want nostalgia i sniff my old soaps 
[i've sniffed jiff in the supermarket too] but i draw the line at ...............
[i've sniffed jiff in the supermarket too] but i draw the line at ...............
I've had a bowl of Proraso dry up and shrink a significant amount. I started using it again and it rehydrated and performs just fine. Other than that, I've stored both vegetable and tallow based soap pucks from Tabac, D.R. Harris, Tcheon Fung Sing, Pre de Provence, and more in little Pyrex bowls with airtight lids for upwards of ten years without any noticeable degradation.
Old soaps can go bad. I've had Colgate dehydrate so bad it just turned to dust, soaking it did not re-hydrate it. Old Seaforth won't come back around sometimes. Vintage Williams stored bad can turn a dark brown and will never lather right. Modern soap with a lot of water and nothing to combat bacteria can go south too.
Most of the time though, if the soap looks ok it is ok.
Most of the time though, if the soap looks ok it is ok.
I think it is weird that shaving soap alone doesnt have expiration date out of so many cosmetic products.
Arko is the only shaving soap I know that has expiration date printed.
Arko is the only shaving soap I know that has expiration date printed.
Yes, Cella will go rancid
I've had a couple of soaps go bad--artisans used to like to try some unusual oils (avocado, olive, etc.) and I had some go rancid after sitting under the sink for too long. Maybe there are still soaps out there with vegetable oils, but I no longer buy them.
Mike M
...but this one IS cracked.
I have had a tub of Cella start to turn bad on me, you could see the stearic acid crystals on the surface and the scent started to take on a stinky note. I have heard of a number of high fat artisan soaps going rancid. Mostly hard soaps just lose their scent. I had a tallow MWF that gave it's best lathers only when used several times a week when I was 3017ing it, but I believe that was because it kept it hydrated. Now I am cutting my soaps down and have none more than 3 and a half years old which means I don't run into the problem at all.
I did have a 6yr old puck of Wilkinson sword blue bowl that was nearly impossible to lather, but then I remembered that it was nearly impossible to lather when it was new because it was just rubbish as a shaving soap.
I did have a 6yr old puck of Wilkinson sword blue bowl that was nearly impossible to lather, but then I remembered that it was nearly impossible to lather when it was new because it was just rubbish as a shaving soap.
I'm surprised Arko has an expiration date. The way is smells, you'd think nothing could survive it
I've looked at this and results as follows.
I was worried about creams, but a reputable seller said as long as not opened, they'd be good for few years. Most say6 to 12 months life after opening.
Arko says 7 years!
Le pierre lucien says 3 years after opening and Sv 12 months after opening. Sv is triple .
I suspect the time for sv is about loss of scent.
I was worried about creams, but a reputable seller said as long as not opened, they'd be good for few years. Most say6 to 12 months life after opening.
Arko says 7 years!
Le pierre lucien says 3 years after opening and Sv 12 months after opening. Sv is triple .
I suspect the time for sv is about loss of scent.
I'd wager storage conditions have something to do with what happens to what.
I say it does. If the soaps are kept in a cool, dry place and not exposed to light then they’ll last for years
Arko! will still be viable after cockroaches go extinct...
Only because it smells so bad that they won’t touch it
I'm still using soaps and creams from 2009, blooming them first with hot water. The only one I ever had go bad was Cella.
