Soap longevity, care and storage

[fistfullofbeer]

I only have 5 soaps which are probably far fewer than a lot of folks here but am curious about how to store them to help with their longevity. I have no idea if the artisan shaving soaps have shelf life after they are opened or not but would want to increase that duration if possible.

What I currently do after my shave is basically put a dry finger in to remove any extra foam out of the soap before closing the lid and putting it away. The soaps just goe in a drawer under the sink but I may at some point start making room for them in the closet.

If someone could comment on how long soaps last and good ways to care for them, it would be great.

Thanks.

 

[Atlantic59]

Most hard soaps will last for many years if they are allowed to dry out between uses.

Soft soaps contain more water and many artisan soaps contain extra fatty and/or oily ingredients. It is hard to give a hard and fast rule about how long they will last, but some may only last 24-36 months based on the European labeling. They might last longer. The problem is excess fats can turn rancid. Excess water will turn the soap to mush.

You want the soaps to dry out to their original consistency between uses. A good routine would be to turn the tub upside down on a rack and leave the lid off for several hours at least before replacing the lid.

Store soaps away from excess heat, air and light. IOW, replace the lid and store in a cool, dark place if possible.

 

[freeasimo]

For my creamy/soft soft soaps I scoop it out with a measurement spoon. And I live in a hot / humid environment so leave these soaps to air out from time to time. Hard soaps leave out for a day or two upside down. Albeit I just started the collection a few months ago. In reading the other threads, there was one user that has had soaps for over 5+ years. So I hope mine last that long if they need to. I put a hard stop on any more purchases or samples.

Here is one example:

Preventing artisanal soaps from going off

I have previously been using mainly factory shaving soaps that have preservatives. I have ordered a few cans of artisanal soaps made by declaration grooming and ariana and Evans etc that are en route. I have been reading some posts of users saying their artisanal soaps have gone off s they lack...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[doug1066]

I have a dozen sticks of ARKO, two tubs of TOBS Sandalwood cream, a tub each of TOBS Lemon and Lime and Grapefruit and about half a tube of CO Bigelow (Prosaso Green) lying about. I have a stick of ARKO in a plastic travel tube and another mashed into an Old Spice mug. I take no particular care of them other than to rinse the mug out, close the tube and the cream containers when I am finished, and put them away. I have never had a soap or cream go “rancid” or “bad”.


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[MrSpeedy]

I let mine air dry after using them, that is I leave the top off 6-8 hours (the time I would have been at work). Then I close it up until the next time I use it. I have one artisan soap that is at least 5 years old and still good.

 

[Timeclo]

From what I understand, softer soaps have more tendency to go bad than harder soaps and soaps with more fats/butters have higher chance as well. I used to load from the tub but after looking at my growing collection of soaps, I scoop now. Scoop enough for one shave, close it back up and store it where it fits.

Most commercial products have preservatives so they should be fine but many artisan products don't. That's one disadvantage but storing them in cool location and not introducing water to the puck can help extend the life.

 

[Racquet]

My 40+ artisan soaps are all good to go, have had a lot of them 4-6 years. I load from the container
and then close them up, of course no standing water on them. I live in a very humid climate and run my house air conditioner and have absolutely no issues at all. There are several threads on this subject with a lot of replies, from
what I gather from them is that there are no issues with soap going bad. I'm sure someone will come along and say different and that they have had soap like cella go bad or some creams go bad but use em and don't close em up with
water.

 

[fistfullofbeer]

Thanks for the suggestions on letting the lid stay off for a few hours or basically turning it upside down on a rack to let the soap dry. That is something that I can definitely do very easily.

 

[Ron R]

I use a lather bowl 96% of the time since I started traditional wet shaving, the reason is to preserve my soaps and mix the soap the way I like and even make Frankenstein soaps from day before partial remnants mixed in with new soap base also.(I have to really like the soap scent or lather qualities to do that.) You should not ever have a problem with mold or strange scent behavior of the soap IMO.

 

[Badgerstate36]

Any hard soap should last for years and keep the scent for up to 2 years as long as you keep the lid on them. If you have a rotation of soaps, Id recommend letting the soap fully dry before you put the lid back on and put it back on the shelf or else you run the risk of mold forming.
I personally use 1 soap and use that soap until its used up, so I always store that soap with the lid off to help it dry but if you have a rotation of a handful of soaps that you use, youd probably want to keep the lid on to prevent them from losing the scent.

 

[BigJ]

I let the soaps in my rotation air dry, then I put them away! KISS works for me!

 

[Steinmetzify]

Load em up, dump out excess water, shave, close em up.

Works for me, never had one go bad.

 

[beg033]

IAMCDB has an excellent video on maximizing soap longevity. I am a total convert to scooping after the acquisition of many different soaps. I use a teaspoon and it's perfect (even works on triple-milled soaps). Captain's choice bowls are perfect to put the soap in and distribute evenly by pushing gently. A synthetic brush then works magnificently to work up a well-hydrated lather. I add the water gradually with the teaspoon, a fail-proof system for me.

I admit occasionally I face lather because it's much fun to load directly from a tub/mug, and I use cheaper soaps (like Arko) this way.

 

[Yuritau]

If you want absolute maximum longevity from hard soaps, let them sit upside down on something that allows airflow (a couple popsicle sticks or the like) for a day or so after use to fully dry out. But in all honesty, you likely won't notice the difference unless you're keeping track.

 

[SHAVEWIZARD420]

I scoop as well when using softer soaps. If you dont scoop enough soap it could give different results, but have had a couple soaps develop issues from moisture including rusted tins and mold issues, but that number is very low compaired to the hundreds and hundreds of soaps i have used over the years. Plus keep in mind not to hold any grudges against the artisan if you have problems, there are far too many variables and sometimes things happen that are out of their control. Scooping makes sure not to introduce water into soap container, makes it easier to trade/sell if you choose. Hard triple milled soaps just get loaded directly on the puck for the most part as those tend to dry faster.

 

[shupey]

I only have 5 soaps which are probably far fewer than a lot of folks here but am curious about how to store them to help with their longevity. I have no idea if the artisan shaving soaps have shelf life after they are opened or not but would want to increase that duration if possible.

What I currently do after my shave is basically put a dry finger in to remove any extra foam out of the soap before closing the lid and putting it away. The soaps just goe in a drawer under the sink but I may at some point start making room for them in the closet.

If someone could comment on how long soaps last and good ways to care for them, it would be great.

Thanks.

That's all I do and I have soaps that are 8+ years old. I have only had 2 go bad. Tallow and Steel Boreal (started to smell funky) and Henri and Victoria French Pear (Oil separated).

 

[Cino]

How would you know if Arko went bad?

 

[Yuritau]

How would you know if Arko went bad?

It starts to taste funny.

 

[RayClem]

With five soaps in your den, you should use them up in about a year. Unless you are storing them in very hot, humid conditions, you should not have any issues with them. Always store soaps in a cool, dry place. Leave the top of the soaps until the surface is dry if you load with a brush. If you scoop the soap with a finger spoon, you do not have to be concerned.

I have over 200 soaps in my den. That is enough to last about 40 years, but I won't live anywhere near that long. I have some soaps that are 7-8 years old.

Hard tallow pucks should last indefinitely, but the scent will fade. In the case of Tabac and Arko, that would be a good thing.

Artisan soaps will tend to dry out over time. I have some very soft soaps that are now rather hard, but they are still usable.

In spite of the number of soaps in my collections, I have never had to throw one out due to spoilage. However, soaps containing poly-unsaturated oils such as sunflower, safflower, and soybean oils will eventually become rancid. Exposure to heat will promote the oxidation of these oils.

 

[Barbarian80]

I'll wipe around the edges of the tub to get the remaining lather and wipe it on my brush before face lathering. Most of it accumulates along the edge anyway. There is some left in the middle but not much. Then I shave and clean up while the lid is off my soap. When i am done with everything the last thing i do is wipe around teh edge of teh tub with a towel and put the lid on. I haven't had a problem with a soap growing mold, yet.