How long before testing a bar?

[GuacamoleSalad]

I know cold process soap needs to cure for weeks or months. I have 4-6 weeks in my mind although I'm sure it varies by recipe. But I'm looking for basic information about the batches I've already made because I'm still working on a recipe: like, how does it feel, how does it lather, how does my skin like it? Can soap that isn't all the way cured be tested for things like that, or does it really need to cure fully before it's possible to tell anything about the batch/the recipe?

 

[AliensrReal]

You can test it a few days after it’s made and continue to test to see if it becomes more mild and lathers more. You really won’t know how the final product is until cured. I actually prefer to cure my soaps for 3 months because I just love longer cured soaps. Also keep a soap for a year and test it. My favorite bars are 2 years old.

 

[GuacamoleSalad]

You can test it a few days after it’s made and continue to test to see if it becomes more mild and lathers more. You really won’t know how the final product is until cured. I actually prefer to cure my soaps for 3 months because I just love longer cured soaps. Also keep a soap for a year and test it. My favorite bars are 2 years old.

Thanks so much, that's great to know.

 

[KiwiMoose]

As long as it's not 'zappy' you can test. If gelled, that can be within 24 hours. As @AliensrReal has said - you can try them out, and keep detailed notes as you go. 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, etc. bear in mind that the younger a soap is, the harsher it will be, so don't be too quick to judge if you don't like it at 1 week because it could be a completely different animal at 3 months. From your earlier batches it is a good idea to save one or two to test at the one year point - although by that point you may have completely moved away from your original recipe onto something else if you have been making tweaks along the way.