OLIVE OIL SOAPS REVIEW

[NATURE BOY]

Greetings from Greece!
I'm an olive oil producer and i begun cp soapmaking six months before:
1. I always use my best oil (extra virgin /virgin) without any EO only with some additives (herbs, flower petals, etc.) or infused the oil before use it. Best scented results came with aromatic rose petals and the best scent of all was infused olive oil with fresh leaves from bitter orange tree or mandarin tree. But of course after the curing the scent weakens.
2. My mystic is the water that i use (a very soft distilled / sterilized water)
3. My soaps PH is always 9-10. Since i started to use my soaps me and my family now we hate to use any commercial soaps that we use before! Those seems now so false, "plastic" and even "ugly"!!
4. Thank you very much for the many useful info that i found in your wonderful forum. One last question: Have any of you very old olive oil soaps? (about 1-2 or even 3 years old)? Are still o.k. for use?
BYE! and keep soapmaking...

 

[dagmar88]

Hi!
You are so lucky, having your own olive oil!
You're definatly on the right track with the water discount. The longer you'll let your olive oils soaps cure, the longer they will last. You could add a little bit of hard oils, like coconut, to get a harder soap with more bubbles; maybe you could search for bastille.
Gelling is something some like, and others don't. You're going to have to find that out for yourself.
How long your soaps will stay good depends on the freshness of your oils amongst other things; your olive oil soaps can last for years.

Nice having you around and hope you'll enjoy yourself!

Dagmar

 

[NATURE BOY]

Hi!
You are so lucky, having your own olive oil!
You're definatly on the right track with the water discount. The longer you'll let your olive oils soaps cure, the longer they will last. You could add a little bit of hard oils, like coconut, to get a harder soap with more bubbles; maybe you could search for bastille.
Gelling is something some like, and others don't. You're going to have to find that out for yourself.
How long your soaps will stay good depends on the freshness of your oils amongst other things; your olive oil soaps can last for years.

Nice having you around and hope you'll enjoy yourself!

Dagmar

Thanks Dagmar! Be strong to continue...

 

[cheres]

Welcome! You are so fortunate to have your own source of olive oil and orange trees. I am new here, but I have tried a 100 percent olive oil soap using the CP method. I find that it takes longer to trace and harden enough to cut. I agree that adding coconut oil is very complementary to olive oil. It adds more lather (bubbles), traces faster, and hardens faster; usually after 24 hours. I make small one pound batches, so I can unmold it and cut it after 8 hours. It should last longer too. As long as you don't let it sit in water in the soap dish. Adding rose petals sounds so nice.

 

[carebear]

Olive oil tend to develop DOS (rancidity) and the risk increases with the age of the oils (or poor storage which is likely not an issue in your case). It's difficult to say at exactly what point you will run into problems, though.

I use commercially available OO which is likely not terribly fresh, and in most cases do not get DOS - but if I store that OO for another year in my house then I get it, or if I get it from a deep discount (dollar) store then it seems likely.

Maybe YOU can shed some light on how old that olive oil in our grocery stores is likely to be...

I do have some 3 year old olive oil soaps, but as I look the bars each month I have to throw away another one = for ME it seems to me that for properly stored soap a year is good, 2 years is risky.

 

[cheres]

Would a little grapefruit seed extract help prolong the shelf life? I have read that it preserves for 10+ years.

 

[Guest]

Welcome to the forum Nature Boy . Wow fresh olive oil to make soapwith , lucky guy.

Kitn

 

[Guest]

Olive oil tend to develop DOS (rancidity) and the risk increases with the age of the oils (or poor storage which is likely not an issue in your case). It's difficult to say at exactly what point you will run into problems, though.

I use commercially available OO which is likely not terribly fresh, and in most cases do not get DOS - but if I store that OO for another year in my house then I get it, or if I get it from a deep discount (dollar) store then it seems likely.

Maybe YOU can shed some light on how old that olive oil in our grocery stores is likely to be...

I do have some 3 year old olive oil soaps, but as I look the bars each month I have to throw away another one = for ME it seems to me that for properly stored soap a year is good, 2 years is risky.

Do you store your OO at room temp , or is it refrigerated ?

Kitn

 

[NATURE BOY]

Thank you all for your replies!
Here in Greece is something ordinary for someone to have olive trees. I believe that is one of the most useful and best tree in the world! Also it is one of the most resistant trees in the world. In Crete there are some trees 2000 or 3000 years old!!!!!(that still produces olives!) It has great wood for fire or sculpture, leaves full of antioxidants, wonderful tasty fruit and the precious oil! So come on! cultivate an olive tree in your backyard (best greek variety is 'koroneiki' - small fruits but great oil)
Maybe there is a better way to store our soaps so to keep them in good condition for many years. What about a freezer? Or a well closed box?
I don't know... but i hope to have big consumption not to need storing our soaps for many months or ... years!
It's quite difficult to guess how old or how 'good' is an olive oil that you buy from a grossery store. Also many of these may be only purified oils - that i think it's still o.k. just for soapmaking. Maybe most of you already know how 'rich' and healthy is a fresh, pure olive oil (full with antioxidants). Generally if oil stored properly under good conditions (in stainless steel containers, in cool dark rooms) it will be o.k. for at least three years.
Be well all of you and enjoy the summer!

 

[Guest]

I wish I could have an olive tree in my backyard .I wonder if they tolerate 40 below .

Thanks natureboy for all the great info.

 

[soapbuddy]

Would a little grapefruit seed extract help prolong the shelf life? I have read that it preserves for 10+ years.

No it wouldn't help.
Just as long as you have fresh oils, the soap should last a good long time.