minimum cure time

[cnm]

what is the general consensus for a minimum cure time from cutting to using and/or selling?
i know that may be two different time spans and different for specific soaps (Castile).

 

[LuckyStar]

The minimum tends to be 4 weeks. I personally wouldn't give anything to anyone before that, unless i knew they could be trusted to abide by the "dont use before date" i tell them, lol. For selling, i would never use a "dont use before date".

When its just me, ill use soap within a week XD Just the scraps

 

[Obsidian]

Yep, 4 weeks for me too but I do prefer 8 weeks.

 

[new12soap]

My personal minimum is 6 weeks, I much prefer 8. I know others use/sell as early as 4 weeks, but I have never heard of anyone advocating any earlier than that.

p.s. hot process is NOT exempt from cure time!

 

[hmlove1218]

My bare minimum is 4 weeks, but I much prefer 5-6 (trust me, it really does make a difference).

 

[CanaDawn]

absolute minimum cure time for using is about 72 hrs for me. No, it's not at its ideal point, but it's soap and safe at that point with what I make.

Minimum cure for sale in my opinion should be much longer for best commercial results - I would say 4-6wks minimum, depending, as you say, on specific soap. I would expect people will assume the soap to be ready to use, and will form opinions about it based on sale point qualities.

 

[pamielynn]

My bare minimum is 4 weeks, but I much prefer 5-6 (trust me, it really does make a difference).

Same here. Sometimes I'm sort of *forced* to sell at four weeks if I haven't been keeping up with production, but usually soap doesn't go out the door before 6. I think it makes a huge difference with how long a bar will last in use.

 

[gunsmithgirl]

3-4 weeks with water discount 6-8 with full water amount is what I go by.

 

[jenneelk]

I don't sell anything before 2 months unless it's Castile. Just a rule I follow since I like rules.
I have given away before that, but I let them know the don't use before date.

 

[Dorymae]

6 weeks to sell - but to use? Heck I use my soap immediately (almost) and it goes in the bathroom as soon as it wont zap! Hahaha since it's only me and my family and none of us have really dry or sensitive skin we don't have a problem with "testing" them all. That said without a good cure on them they really don't last very long and if you want to prove that just use some soap after it doesn't zap anymore and hasn't cured.

 

[IrishLass]

Minimum of four weeks of cure for me, but 6 to 8 weeks always better, especially for my Castiles. I don't like using those much before 3 months, but 6 months to a year is even better.


IrishLass

 

[fuzz-juzz]

2-3 weeks for scraps and end bits which only our family is using.
4-5 minimum for bigger bars. I personally love really long cure, most of my soaps cure for 2-3 months and longer.

 

[shunt2011]

Four weeks minimum here as well but prefer 6-8 weeks. Right now I'm under the gun with sales and trying to keep ahead of the game but it's beating my behind. I thought I had prepared well over the winter but not so much.

 

[seven]

i'm with Dorymae, i test the soap asap after it pass the zap test. for selling, 4 weeks minimum.

 

[Susie]

I will test the scraps at 4 weeks, but the soap is SO very much better at 6-8 weeks that I really prefer waiting until then.