Soap Longevity

[doctordial]

How long does shaving soap last? I have a Mama Bear's Dragons Blood scented soap. Most of the fragrance is gone abd it has little white balls in it. Is it still good to use? If this soap was a human, I think it would be about six yrs. old or older.

 

[silverlifter]

There are people here shaving with hard pucks and sticks from the 1960s... I'd look at the ingredients and see what, if anything, has the potential to go rancid. Then maybe try some palm lathering to check for viability.

 

[doctordial]

There are people here shaving with hard pucks and sticks from the 1960s... I'd look at the ingredients and see what, if anything, has the potential to go rancid. Then maybe try some palm lathering to check for viability.

It's a glycerin soap

 

[GoodOutcome]

Soaps going rancid is actually kinda rare. So long as there is no mold/weird discoloration and no harsh scent it should be fine.
Regarding the white balls - you can melt it in the microwave and then stir it, it should be back to normal.

 

[midwestshaver71]

I've read several posts here from guys using soaps pulled out of the back of the closet from the 90's or earlier.
I think the biggest take away is slight loss of scent but not a major issue from what I've read. I think creams are probably a bit quicker to go bad.

 

[Wombat ESQ]

You will be able to smell old soap, it will smell worse than ya grandmother, not that that's bad.
It has a unique ''old'' smell, not unpleasant but not really appealing to a picky consumer.
As I'm not going to lather any of my old soaps, ever, all I can say is they do smell old!

 

[Whisky]

You will be able to smell old soap, it will smell worse than ya grandmother, not that that's bad.
It has a unique ''old'' smell, not unpleasant but not really appealing to a picky consumer.
As I'm not going to lather any of my old soaps, ever, all I can say is they do smell old!

Just make sure you don’t confuse old soap with NEW Tabac which has a grandmother’s purse scent.

 

[DesertIguana]

Soap come in so many dents, you should find one you like.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Hard shaving soaps can last almost indefinitely. It's best to store them in a cool, dry and dark place.

Soft, artisan-style soaps can last for several years. Some of them will lose water over time and become firmer. A technique that can extend their life is to scoop out soap into a separate container for use. If using a brush on the soap directly, let the soap dry out a few hours before putting the lid on again.

Cella Red is one soap that seems to have a shorter lifespan, depending on how it is stored. Over time, it can develop an "off" scent.

 

[musicman1951]

Old soap with little white balls. Mmmmmmm, sounds delicious. You could scrape off the top layer, but most of us are happy to have an excuse to buy some more soap - that's what I'd do.

 

[JimmyJoeMeeker]

Just make sure you don’t confuse old soap with NEW Tabac which has a grandmother’s purse scent.

Wholly Kaw's Project Leather smells like Granny's purse too. I half expect to see a pack of Juicy Fruit, lipstick, coin purse, and one of those combination pick/combs any time I open up a container of Project Leather.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I have used old soaps from the late 50's and the 60's. Yardley, Old Spice etc, they do not go bad, they just lose the scent. But these were all old style milled tallow soaps. Not sure about the glycerin based soaps, I do not use them. Even newer artisan soaps show changes within a short time frame, but performance-wise I have not seen a decline. They just do not look so good anymore.

 

[BanjoDadPDX]

What ingredients go rancid?

 

[Whisky]

What ingredients go rancid?

It happens mostly with softer soaps and it’s usually caused by the fats/oils in them not being properly/completely saponified. I had a tub of Cella start to smell a little off once, but it was 4-5yrs old by the time I noticed it.

 

[Whisky]

I half expect to see a pack of Juicy Fruit, lipstick, coin purse, and one of those combination pick/combs

How did you know my grandmother?