Curing times for CP in the Desert

[AnitaB]

Living in the desert, Does it shorten the time for curing cp soaps? I made my soap on the 5/19, although it's pretty hard and solid I am just curious if it makes any difference?

 

[Ruthie]

Curing is more than getting a hard soap. It is a more subtle change, akin to aging a good wine. Though it is OK to use soap as soon as it is saponified, it will not yet be at its best. So yes, you can use it. But no, it is not fully cured.

 

[AnitaB]

Ok then I'll let it cure for another two weeks. But I will go do the zap test on it :Kitten Love: YUCK! I'll let you know in a few how it is....

 

[Candybee]

I sometimes use the wine analogy when explaining a good cured soap. Only way to find out is by taking a few test bars and trying them out at different intervals for comparison. Try it at 4 weeks, 2 months, 6 months, 1 yr., etc. Then you will understand why a well cured soap is so nice.

 

[AnitaB]

Ok I did the zap test and nothing happened. It just tasted like soap. What's the zap supposed to do?

 

[AnitaB]

I sometimes use the wine analogy when explaining a good cured soap. Only way to find out is by taking a few test bars and trying them out at different intervals for comparison. Try it at 4 weeks, 2 months, 6 months, 1 yr., etc. Then you will understand why a well cured soap is so nice.

Sorry but I know nothing about wine, other then what you guys tell me about it's aging process. Making the soap for us. But when I do make more soap, after cutting I can put back a bar each time and let it cure for a while longer.

 

[houseofwool]

If the soap were lye heavy, you would get a significant zap or tingle on your tongue when you tasted it, kinda like the zap you get from a 9 volt battery. So, if it only taste like soap, you are in the clear for that.

 

[AnitaB]

HOW Thanks for the info, now I know what to be aware of when testing.

 

[mel z]

Yours is hard and dry now due to the lack of humidity and the dry desert air. That just means some of the water has evaporated from it more quickly than it would in another area of the world.

The soap will get milder as it cures. I am guessing the lye and the oils are still working for a few weeks. I haven't gotten the Caveman Chemistry soap book yet, so I don't have the scientific stuff to tell you. If you use your soap now it may be very drying to your skin. It will not do that later, that is the best way I can explain it.

Someone will come along with the accurate scientific info, so keep checking back for that.

 

[Lotus]

Yours is hard and dry now due to the lack of humidity and the dry desert air. That just means some of the water has evaporated from it more quickly than it would in another area of the world.

The soap will get milder as it cures. I am guessing the lye and the oils are still working for a few weeks. I haven't gotten the Caveman Chemistry soap book yet, so I don't have the scientific stuff to tell you. If you use your soap now it may be very drying to your skin. It will not do that later, that is the best way I can explain it.

Someone will come along with the accurate scientific info, so keep checking back for that.

Hey, on this note, I have a question about the last soap I made. . . if you don't mind me asking.

I made a soap. When I made it, it felt so perfect. I don't know how to explain it, but everything came together so beautifully. It looks gorgeous, I just know iti's a beautiful soap.

The thing is, most of my soaps when I try the samples, in about a week, I can usually get a feel for how the soap will be. But, this one gave me a very very sqeaky clean feeling. I did use a higher percentage of coconut oil than usual or even usually advised, so I'm guessing it's the culprit, and I'll lower that percentage next batch. It was at 22%. I'm guessing that's why it's such a "squeaky" bar. But, my question is, would the "mildness" that's supposed to occur over the time it cures likely reduce the squeakiness at all? Or do you think I'm looking at a pretty squeaky bar, with a pretty minor change in that regard?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[mel z]

Lotus;

You may have diagnosed properly if this is the first time you have used 22% coconut and it felt different than your other soaps. Coconut ups the cleansing factor, and can be drying if too much is used, but I don't think 22% would be a big problem.

Perhaps put your recipe up for others to have a look at, maybe start a thread on it.

I no longer try my soaps that soon. I wait at least 4 to 6 weeks, but I find any sooner can feel a bit drying. I have very sensitive skin though, so I am guessing that makes a difference. I see many others test their soap in a couple of days. Wait for the full cure time and try it again. It really, really does make a difference.

 

[Lotus]

Thank you, Mel. I think I may do just that in a couple of hours.