Teach Soap

Hello everyone!

2 1/2 months ago I made my first Castille soap using grade A olive oil Members Mark brand from Sams. I used a 33% water discount because I read several posts on this forum saying it would be a good idea and make it harder. I let it sit in the mold for 2 days then took it out, I could barely cut the bars they were so hard. So the water discount was a good idea; thank you everyone!

The soap has been curing for 10 weeks but curiosity got the better of me and I pulled a bar off the curing rack yesterday. This soap is as hard as a rock, you could probably knock someone unconscious if you threw it at their head! Then I washed my hands with it. Not a lot of bubbles but a nice, creamy lather. I wasn't really expecting bubbles though since it's olive oil soap. I would describe the way it made my skin feel as "moisturized" not "slimy", it felt wonderful on my skin! I left it unscented so I could just barely detect a soapy type of odor.

I guess what I'm curious about is this ~ is waiting 8-12 months for it to cure just a personal preference or is there something more that I'm missing here?

Any thoughts or opinions appreciated.

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If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane
~Jimmy Buffett

I think most people wait 8-12 weeks, not months! My olive oil soap is not that hard that fast, b/c I don't do a water discount. I have had trouble with undissolved lye whenever I try a water discount, so I don't bother.

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If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane
~Jimmy Buffett

10 weeks for a castile is good. Save a bar and put it away for another couple of months. I'm sure you will feel the difference.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I let my castille cure for no less than 6 months. It is an alright bar at 8-10 weeks, but no where near as nice as a 6 month bar.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Thank you for the replies Irena and Heather. I will put the rest of the batch up and retest in a few weeks then again in 6 months. It will be an interesting experience to see how they change.

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If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane
~Jimmy Buffett

My first batch of 100% OO, I took 1 bar and used it once a week starting at 6 weeks. There was a HUGE difference in the way it felt at the beginning and the way it felt at 6 months. It definitely gets better with age (like me!)

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!