What gives store-sold soaps their long shelf-life?

[misfities]

I think the answer to my question is pretty obvious. When I look at store-sold soaps, I see tons of ingredients I can't even pronounce; those must all be perservatives.

But I see good soaps at places like Body shop that have just a few ingredients like what many of us use. Other than grapefruit seed oil (which I've read doesn't even preserve it all that much longer), what would be a way to make your CP soap last a year or longer?

I'm very curious about this. Thanks.

 

[Chefmom]

What do you mean when you say a soap lasts a year or longer?

I have both cold process and hot process soaps that are well over three years old. The scent isn't what it used to be, but they are perfectly usable soaps, and for one...that I wrote off as a "meh" recipe...it is better three years later than it was after 9-12 months!!

 

[Sapwn]

... what would be a way to make your CP soap last a year or longer?

Mine last for years without any preservative added. Cannot understand why they shouldn't. The perfum may be weaker, but the soap improves with time. The older, the better

 

[Obsidian]

I have a bar thats 25+ year old, made by my gramma. I think one thing to prevent DOS is not to use oils with a short shelf life, if you look at store bought soaps the most common oils are tallow and coconut, occasionally palm and palm kernel.

 

[dixiedragon]

I used to gift my best friend's sweet grandma (RIP) with handmade soap every time I visited. She never used it - it all went in a drawer to smell nice. Most of the bars were still good 5+ years later - no rancidty, not DOS. The bars that did develop DOS all had canola, which has made me avoid it.

But really - what is the benefit of soap lasting 5+ years? There comes a point where sacrifice quality for longevity.

 

[Susie]

^What everyone else said. And store bought soaps are synthetic detergents. Why would they not last?

 

[mattiesmom]

I just checked the website for a long-time well known soap maker (listed as a resource in a soap making book) saying buyers should use their soaps within 3 months. Like the other posters, I have soap that is years old with no problems other than fading scent. What's with 3 months?

 

[girlishcharm2004]

I just checked the website for a long-time well known soap maker (listed as a resource in a soap making book) saying buyers should use their soaps within 3 months. Like the other posters, I have soap that is years old with no problems other than fading scent. What's with 3 months?

Maybe she has a soap prone to Dreaded Orange Spots and she's aware of that. Just a guess.

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with the others. If you avoid oils with short shelf life soap can last a very long time. I have bars from when I first started that are almost 5 years now and they as other state might not be as strong scent wise but are still perfectly good soap (not as good as what I make now though). I have customers that keep them in their drawers forever. I even have one that keeps a bar in her car for the fragrance then buys others to use.

 

[reinbeau]

I just checked the website for a long-time well known soap maker (listed as a resource in a soap making book) saying buyers should use their soaps within 3 months. Like the other posters, I have soap that is years old with no problems other than fading scent. What's with 3 months?

Maybe she has a soap prone to Dreaded Orange Spots and she's aware of that. Just a guess.

Or maybe she just wanted to sell more soap

 

[DeeAnna]

"...When I look at store-sold soaps, I see tons of ingredients I can't even pronounce; those must all be perservatives. ..."

Really??? Take the time to google some of these ingredients, and you may find out otherwise.

As far as rancidity ... I get the feeling most of you are assuming that it is only caused by oxidized fats or polyunsaturated fats. While the choice of fats in a soap is certainly an important factor, there are many other triggers for rancidity aka DOS. IMO, a wise soaper accepts that rancidity may happen despite one's best efforts.

Some possibilities -- the way the soaps are stored; metallic contaminants in water, fat, lye, colorants, or other ingredients; the amount of superfat; etc. Partly used older bars may develop overall rancidity from exposure to tap water from shower or sink, while their unused counterparts are fine.

 

[IrishLass]

I still have soaps that date back from when I first started soaping almost 10 years ago and they are all well and good. The scents have faded, though.

When I look at store-sold soaps, I see tons of ingredients I can't even pronounce; those must all be perservatives.

At the most, I bet that only one or two might be preservatives, but the rest of the ingredients are most likely a mix of surfactants and/or soap and other ingredients that are spelled out using their INCI or Latin names, which make them sound more intimidating than they really are.

IrishLass

 

[Dorymae]

I think the answer to my question is pretty obvious. When I look at store-sold soaps, I see tons of ingredients I can't even pronounce; those must all be perservatives.

But I see good soaps at places like Body shop that have just a few ingredients like what many of us use. Other than grapefruit seed oil (which I've read doesn't even preserve it all that much longer), what would be a way to make your CP soap last a year or longer?

I'm very curious about this. Thanks.

It is not preservative. It is the way they make the soap. Zero superfat, zero glycerin, unless they add it back in. A more complete drying process, much quicker than we could ever hope for, and they are molded under pressure, again something we can not do by hand.

Hand made soap, well made, should last over a year. If you really want a longer lasting soap (years and years) zero superfat and cure for 3 months.

 

[misfities]

This is where my confusion comes in. I see charts that give the expected shelf-life of various oils. Does that only apply to the oil BEFORE I make the soap? For example, I like making with sesame seed oil but read that this spoils very quickly. So I'm afraid if I make soap, it won't last 6 months before it turns to DOS. Sorry, I am still a beginner getting a grasp of things. :wave:

 

[not_ally]

Hey DeaAnna, just wondering about this comment re DOS causes. "Some possibilities -- the way the soaps are stored; metallic contaminants in water, fat, lye, colorants, or other ingredients; the amount of superfat; etc."

Curious about the lye addition to the list, is it b/c of potentially getting an off/inactive batch, usage amounts or something else? Wondering I guess b/c you can change a lot/all of the other stuff but the lye is non-negotiable, so that would be good to know. Don't know if the question is intelligible (not a science person), but I would like to know your thoughts.

 

[not_ally]

Although just realized that you might have meant that DOS could arise from metallic components from lye (among other things.) Sorry if I misread.

 

[DeeAnna]

Not Ally: You caught it -- I was talking about possible metallic contaminants in the lye as well as in the other ingredients. Older lye that has a lower active NaOH content is not going to cause rancidity directly, but it obviously increases the superfat, and high superfat, IMO, increases the likelihood of rancidity.

I just wanted to add a comment about the soapmaker who recommends buyers use soap within three months. The quick assumption of "she has something to hide" seems rather uncharitable to me. Honestly, I don't see anything inappropriate or "shady" about a soap maker who encourages buyers to enjoy her handcrafted soaps when they're at their overall best. That will bring her buyers back for more because they are using her soaps at the peak of scent, appearance, and performance.

My personal opinion is that ~most~ soaps are nicely cured and have their best lather, skin feel, and scent when they're 2-3 months old. After about 9 months or so, the soap will still perform well, but the fragrance has often faded from its peak. On top of that, the soap and its packaging can start to look a bit worn from rattling around for months in someone's drawer or cupboard.

I don't see the point of keeping soap around until it's as old as a mummy, just because one can. I'd rather use my soaps in that 3 to 9 month range myself, because I think they're at their best at that point.

 

[Dorymae]

I don't see the point of keeping soap around until it's as old as a mummy, just because one can. I'd rather use my soaps in that 3 to 9 month range myself, because I think they're at their best at that point.

I whole heartily agree with the exception of olive oil soaps over 70%. For those I really think they are better after a year. ( still not my favorite, but after that I will tolerate them!)

 

[girlishcharm2004]

Or maybe she just wanted to sell more soap

Oh yeah! Duh. That makes way more sense!

 

[Sapwn]

...But really - what is the benefit of soap lasting 5+ years? There comes a point where sacrifice quality for longevity.

I have noticed that for olive oil soaps and Aleppo soaps, longevity is a requirement for quality. Actually, I consider high quality bars the ones that are at least 2-3 years old.

I whole heartily agree with the exception of olive oil soaps over 70%. For those I really think they are better after a year. ( still not my favorite, but after that I will tolerate them!)

I agree Dorymae, at least 1 year.