"preservatives"/antioxidents

[boyago]

It's seems the authors of the books I've been reading have their favorite go-to to keep their soaps from going rancid. In Sarah Ade's book she lists grapefruit seed extract, rosemary extract and Vitamin E as additives to keep soap from spoiling. Do you use these? Also what is the difference between preservatives and antioxidants applying to soap?
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Oh and is rosemary extract the same as rosemary essential oil?

 

[CaraCara]

I use rosemary oleoresin (not the same as the essential oil) and it seems to work well as an antioxidant. As for preservatives I don't think they're necessary in soap. Even with DOS the soap is still usable, just doesn't look good and might smell stale.

 

[lsg]

I use a few drops of Vit. E with every batch. I haven't had any trouble with DOS since I started using Vit. E. Another thing you can do is to add Vit. E to any oils you buy, I think this extends the shelf life.

 

[tryanything]

I don't put anything in my soaps and haven't had any problems, even with DOS. I let my soaps cure open air for about a month, then wrap them up in cotton (I buy the scraps of a yard or so for $1.50ish). They continue to sit on my shelf in my garage once wrapped. I have bastille soaps that are over a year old with no DOS and are perfectly good soaps.

 

[judymoody]

Grapefruit Seed Extract is not a preservative; it contains an additive which acts as an artificial preservative, however.

Rosemary oleoresin and Vitamin E are anti-oxidants and will prolong the shelf life of your oils.

 

[cmzaha]

I add in some ROE (rosemary Oleoresin to by 5 gallon buckets of oil, other than olive, as soon I as get them home to help with shelf life of my oil

 

[boyago]

ISG and Cmzaha, how much do you add to your oils ppo?

 

[Dr.J]

Here is an earlier thread with similar discussion.