I'm starting to feel that most artisan soaps are meant to be used and not collected because of the extra fats or oils they contain which will turn rancid over time - even in the best storage conditions. (This is owing to a prevailing philosophy/obsession that a soap cannot compete unless it scores high on "post-shave feel"). (Note that super-fatting is only one way to accomplish a good post-shave feel... but it seems to be the one chosen the most often.)
(That is not a knock against artisan soaps, just an encouragement to use them up and enjoy the premium added ingredients while they're fresh!)
I do think vacuum sealing and freezing *does* extend shelf life as one poster suggested. On the other hand many soaps with no added fat will keep almost indefinitely and get better over time, like a fine wine. This is because the soap's crystalline structure actually changes over time as the molecules realign themselves. I can only imagine what it could be like to lather up one of @SliceOfLife 's 50-year old pucks!
My own experiences making soap line up with this idea. I recently brought out test pucks I made about seven to ten years ago in four categories:
1. Soft Soap High Water Content/Almost Shaving cream - this stayed moist over time because contained and its properties didn't seem to have changed that much. The lather is amazing but I can't bring myself to use it because it contained no preservatives.
2. Soft Soap Low Water Content - This was left in open air and hardened over time - gave a reasonable shave.
3. Mixed Soap With Superfat - (these also left in open air) went rock hard but also turned orange/brown and developed a terrible smell.
4. Mixed Soap No Superfat - I rejected these pucks at the time but they have gone hard as rock and now give glorious shaves with abundant lather.
Rancidity is non-trivial. It not only smells bad but can cause sensitivity to an ingredient that originally presented no problem. I had some macadamia nuts that I wasn't sure about. They tasted only slightly "off" to me but I ate them because, well, they're macadamia nuts and expensive as heck. I felt sick after and have not been able to tolerate them since. The same happens with essential oils, for example. You often hear about people who were fine with lavender and then suddenly could no longer use it. In all likelihood that was because they used some lavender that had become oxidized.
I have now started throwing stuff out even if I think it *might* be off.
(That is not a knock against artisan soaps, just an encouragement to use them up and enjoy the premium added ingredients while they're fresh!)
I do think vacuum sealing and freezing *does* extend shelf life as one poster suggested. On the other hand many soaps with no added fat will keep almost indefinitely and get better over time, like a fine wine. This is because the soap's crystalline structure actually changes over time as the molecules realign themselves. I can only imagine what it could be like to lather up one of @SliceOfLife 's 50-year old pucks!
My own experiences making soap line up with this idea. I recently brought out test pucks I made about seven to ten years ago in four categories:
1. Soft Soap High Water Content/Almost Shaving cream - this stayed moist over time because contained and its properties didn't seem to have changed that much. The lather is amazing but I can't bring myself to use it because it contained no preservatives.
2. Soft Soap Low Water Content - This was left in open air and hardened over time - gave a reasonable shave.
3. Mixed Soap With Superfat - (these also left in open air) went rock hard but also turned orange/brown and developed a terrible smell.
4. Mixed Soap No Superfat - I rejected these pucks at the time but they have gone hard as rock and now give glorious shaves with abundant lather.
Rancidity is non-trivial. It not only smells bad but can cause sensitivity to an ingredient that originally presented no problem. I had some macadamia nuts that I wasn't sure about. They tasted only slightly "off" to me but I ate them because, well, they're macadamia nuts and expensive as heck. I felt sick after and have not been able to tolerate them since. The same happens with essential oils, for example. You often hear about people who were fine with lavender and then suddenly could no longer use it. In all likelihood that was because they used some lavender that had become oxidized.
I have now started throwing stuff out even if I think it *might* be off.
