Soap and cream expiration

[tob1303]

Hello folks. It has been 12 years since I was active here - glad its still goin strong.

Have a related question. I’ve been a beard man for the better part of the past 12 years and thus, have lost touch with shaving. I did not get rid of anything though. I have several soaps and creams left from 2010 (pictured below). My question is do soaps and/or creams expire? They still smell great but the creams are pretty…firm.

Thanks.

 

[RayClem]

Welcome back and enjoy the ride.

Hard tallow soaps seem to last forever. I had one I used that was over 25 years old. Although it was as hard as a rock, once hydrated, it was still usable.

As softer soaps and creams age, they generally become harder and the scents will diminish. However, as long as the product does not have strange discoloration or scents from bacterial or fungal infections, you should be able to use them. However, when in doubt... throw them out.

Many traditional soaps and creams have been reformulated in recent years, including some of the products pictured. Many people claim the new formulations are inferior to the older products, so do not discard your products lightly.

Since you have been out of the shaving loop for a while, you will be amazed at the number of new products available. Some of the best shaving soaps in my extensive collection were not even available a year ago. At least in North America, many artisan products have overtaken traditional soaps and creams, just as beers from microbreweries have taken share from large internationally owned interests.

 

[xterribad]

Nah, they should be good to go. Just make sure there's no mold or you might have an issue then. Other than that, should be fine to pick up where you left off. Like RayClem said, people have used soaps that are decades old without issue. Just beware of asbestos

 

[tob1303]

Welcome back and enjoy the ride.

Hard tallow soaps seem to last forever. I had one I used that was over 25 years old. Although it was as hard as a rock, once hydrated, it was still usable.

As softer soaps and creams age, they generally become harder and the scents will diminish. However, as long as the product does not have strange discoloration or scents from bacterial or fungal infections, you should be able to use them. However, when in doubt... throw them out.

Many traditional soaps and creams have been reformulated in recent years, including some of the products pictured. Many people claim the new formulations are inferior to the older products, so do not discard your products lightly.

Since you have been out of the shaving loop for a while, you will be amazed at the number of new products available. Some of the best shaving soaps in my extensive collection were not even available a year ago. At least in North America, many artisan products have overtaken traditional soaps and creams, just as beers from microbreweries have taken share from large internationally owned interests.

A couple of them darkened a bit - a little yellowing. That the discoloration you speak of?

 

[xterribad]

A couple of them darkened a bit - a little yellowing. That the discoloration you speak of?

Correct. They're generally still good to go (again, except if there's mold).

 

[BigJ]

Welcome back!

As others note, your soaps are likely good to go. Suggest you give them a try!

 

[Samon]

I found after not shaving for a year my portion of Cella which I separated from the 1kg block into a glass diah had gone all brown and manky looking..

The block is still fine and smells lovely and I thought my little refillable dish would last. I used a rubber band with wax baking paper on the top to keep it fresh but a year is too long for this method. I've found my tube of Palmolive cream is still fine after 6 years and my proraso green has gone a slightly yellow colour after 2 years of infrequent use but still both work fine. I won't be testing the gross brown Cella tho..

 

[RayClem]

If discoloration is uniform, you are likely to be good as long as the soap does not smell rancid. If the discoloration is splotchy, it may be that bacterial or fungal colonies are growing.

 

[chinmusic82]

I still have stuff I bought in 2013 (when I joined) that are perfectly serviceable. I didn’t use any special storage methods either. Give them a go and see if they’ve still got the magic. Bin what doesn’t work and pick up some new products. The current choices are mind blowing. Enjoy your shaves and welcome back

 

[ackvil]

Welcome back.

When I moved to Florida and then Arizona some of the soaps and creams I had seemed to have gotten "lost." Two in particular, were the TOBS Sandalwood Cream and GFT Sandalwood Cream. Both changed their consistencies from a normal cream to one that was similar to a soft soap. Nevertheless, they both performed great and I was able to use them all up. The old soaps I dried up a bit and developed cracks. However, after a few uses, they were just fine.

 

[tob1303]

If discoloration is uniform, you are likely to be good as long as the soap does not smell rancid. If the discoloration is splotchy, it may be that bacterial or fungal colonies are growi

Welcome back.

When I moved to Florida and then Arizona some of the soaps and creams I had seemed to have gotten "lost." Two in particular, were the TOBS Sandalwood Cream and GFT Sandalwood Cream. Both changed their consistencies from a normal cream to one that was similar to a soft soap. Nevertheless, they both performed great and I was able to use them all up. The old soaps I dried up a bit and developed cracks. However, after a few uses, they were just fine.

When you used the hard creams did you just use them like soaps? Mine is not exactly soft enough to scoop out.

 

[ackvil]

When you used the hard creams did you just use them like soaps? Mine is not exactly soft enough to scoop out.

Yes, I used them as a soap. However, after a few weeks, they softened a bit and I could scoop them out a bit. See post 150 in the thread below.

Where is the Tallow?!

Sorry, I should have asked does Tabac shave soap stick (which I consider a soft soap) have a use by or best before date? I am currently looking into sourcing a 10 year supply of Tabac shave soap sticks. If you look at the ingredients list for the soap refill and the shave stick, the soap and...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Brutus]

Just a small tip: If you have any creams that have solidified and are difficult to coax out of the tube, try putting them in a fridge overnight.
It may sound counterintuitive, but often it works.

Unless the creams smell rancid or have started separating you should be o.k.


B.