Thank youIt is *safe* to use within about 48h (sooner for hot process) as all the lye will have saponified, but the cure time is not about safety. It is when the excess water evaporates from your soap and the crystal structure of the soap develops.
It'll become harder (longer lasting), milder and nicer to use with a longer cure. I like to test mine at 2 weeks, then compare it several weeks later when it's fully cured. It tends to feel a bit harsh and drying on my skin early on, but becomes gentler as it cures. My low bubble soaps tend to become a bit bubblier as they cure too.
4-6 weeks is the general advice for cure time, but actually it's things like your specific recipe, humidity and temperature in your cure area that will determine how long it needs to become as good as it's going to get. That's a minimum, and most soaps will be ok for general use after that time, but some need a lot longer.
Thank you I will try itA caveat to the above. As a safety precaution, I would suggest doing a zap test with young soap before using it. Especially as a beginner, to be sure the soap has really fully saponified and that no measuring (weight) errors contributed to an accidental lye-heavy soap.
Actually, the 48H is not necessarily true, zap testing is the best way to tell. A soap that is poured at emulsion can easily stay very zappy for 72hr before the zap switch turns off.It is *safe* to use within about 48h (sooner for hot process) as all the lye will have saponified, but the cure time is not about safety. It is when the excess water evaporates from your soap and the crystal structure of the soap develops.
Actually, the 48H is not necessarily true, zap testing is the best way to tell. A soap that is poured at emulsion can easily stay very zappy for 72hr before the zap switch turns off.
Is it safe to use soap after a week of curing?
If you have made a well-calculated batch of soap...yes. But you will be disappointed as your soap will be 'short-lasting' and 'harsh' in comparison to letting it 'cure' for six to eight weeks...........
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