Castile color with age?

[Obsidian]

As much as I like all the fancy colored and scented soaps, they are harsh on my skin. Even the milder one that have aged dries me out.
I decided to make a batch of castile, see if it will work for me but being impatient, I went and bought a couple bars of 1 year aged castile off Etsy.
I was surprised out how tan the bars are that I bought. Do they normally get darker with age? The batch I made are pure white. Also the scent of the aged bars are a bit stronger then mine. Is this most likely from the type of OO used or is it age related? They smell a bit stale but not rancid.

So far I am loving the castile. I was able to wash my face and not feel like a dried up piece of leather.

 

[onugs]

what did you use in it? I think a good castile is next in line for me.

 

[savonierre]

It could depend on what kind of OO was used. Were they 100% OO, lots of listings there say castile and are not true castile.. Mine have stayed a creamy off white colour and smell like soap nothing else, I keep the soap well ventilated..
Are you sensitive to CO, if soap dries your skin out and makes it feel gross it could be the CO..I am sensitive to it, it makes my skin feel dry and itchy..

 

[sistrum]

Mine have never darkened with age. Did the maker use something besides water? Soaps can go rancid which is not the same as coming down with dos. They will start turning a dull orange and smelling. This can happen from not being stored correctly or having a to high super fat especially if hot processed and extra oil was added after the cooking was totally complete. Hopefully that is not what's happening to yours. If so I would contact the maker and let them know. Unfortunately there are many people out there selling soap that shouldn't be. There is a big difference between a soap that you meant to give a long cure to and took the care that's needed and some newbies soap that's been laying around until they found someone to buy it.

 

[Obsidian]

I used virgin extra light OO for mine, I have no idea what they used in the bar I bought. I do know what I bought is 100% OO aged at least a year. I guess its more a creamy color then a tan, it looks similar to my goats milk soap. I just hope mine stays a nice white, its so pretty.

I don't think I'm sensitive to CO, I use it straight on my face all the time and have made lotion from it. I don't get gross feeling from any of my soap, just really, really dry. Even other CP I have bought dries me out so its not just mine.

 

[sistrum]

Coconut oil in soap has been changed in the soaping process and is not at all like when used neat or in lotions. It may not be what is bothering you but maybe try soap make with PKO instead,and see if that makes a difference. It does help for many people.

 

[Obsidian]

Thanks, I'll have to try a batch with no CO but I might use tallow instead of palm.

 

[sistrum]

If you really want to find out which oil is causing the problem you should just change one oil at a time. And remember palm oil is not the same as palm kernel oil. Swapping palm for tallow would be a good thing to try, they feel totally different on your skin. After that if you're still not happy try switching the tallow for some lard. I've used tallow soaps for over 40 years but now my skin likes lard better. Good luck, Sissy.

 

[Obsidian]

I actually have a 100% lard soap that is still curing, so far it feels the nicest out of all I have made. Thanks for all the advice

 

[Atihcnoc]

Mine was in the closet for about 3 yrs, it is a 100% Extra virgin olive oil, it is very white and has no scent, I didn't put any kind of essence or F.O as well I did not add any kind of different liquid not other than distilled water. The superfat is 8% and used at first after 6 months of being made, it was very gentle to the skin, very hard to the touch, very white and not a slimy soap as some of my friend told me their soap was.

I like to make the original formulas, El Castilla, El Marsella, El Alepo, those are ancient recipes that still working, If have worked for so long why changed? The Castille soap is one of the favorites among family and friends, the one I try it was one of two I left, to see the soap changes through the years, after 3 yrs. the soap is excellent!

 

[judymoody]

How do they smell? If they are going rancid, they will have an odor.

It may have to do with the kind of OO they used. Extra virgin, grade A, and pomace can vary a lot in color and that variation can carry through to the finished soap, albeit more subtly than the original oil.

 

[Obsidian]

It smells a bit stale but not rancid and there is no DOS. Keep in mind though, I think most OO smells stale even when its not. Thats why I use extra light, it doesn't smell.

 

[tryanything]

The tan color made me wonder if it might have milk in it. I make 100% OO, 100% buttermilk soap for my girls. I freeze the buttermilk and combine lye/oil at room temp and they came out a light tan color. And other than the whiteness, mine are exactly like atihcnoc describes after 6 months - hard, great lather, no slime and just a great feeling soap.

 

[sistrum]

The tan color makes me think it's going bad, again unless it's made with milk, but that should have been stated on the label.

Do you want me to ask this person what's going on? I would be MORE than happy to give her a call.

 

[Obsidian]

Hmm, well if it is going bad then its just barely. Still very usable and its fantastic on my face. Its made with distilled water and 100% extra virgin OO, I'll try and get a picture that shows the color. Maybe its completely normal, many of the castile bars I see on etsy are similar in color.

Edit: here are pics, mine is the white bar. The smaller creamy colored bars are what I bought, I cut it in half since it was so big.

and on the rack next to mine, they are on the bottom

 

[MOGal70]

You know when I have seen people say that their castile is white, I always thought they meant cream. Now I see that I was wrong. My castile looks like the cream colored one. I have a few from a batch made about 4 years ago and newer ones, they are all cream.

 

[Obsidian]

What type/color of OO do you use? I used the lightest I could find.

EDIT: today I used the bar I bought in the shower, I was really expecting more from a aged bar so I compared it with my barely a week old batch and I saw no difference in lather or slimyness. I like the bough bar just fine, its really gentle on my skin but I think I wasted $7 when mine is just as good.
Does anyone know where I might find a bar that is for sure at least a year or older?