Care of Your Homemade Soap Bars

Congratulations on your new soaps! Thanks from all of us at Fat Stone Farm. Here are some tips to enjoy your Elderberry, or Elderflower soap to the very last bubble

 

 

1. Store soaps not in use in a covered container that allows air circulation, and in a cool, dry location. Be sure the soaps can breathe. Handmade natural soaps are high in natural glycerin and vegetable oils; non-ventilated storage may result in a “weepy” or rancid soap bar. Keep your stored soaps out of direct sunlight, as natural ingredient colors may fade. Storage life varies, depending upon the formulation of the soap. In general, assuming proper storage, your handcrafted elderberry or elderflower soap should last from 6 to 12 months.

 

 

2. If storing several soaps, it’s best to store similar scents together, and unscented completely separate. The essential oils in our elderberry and elderflower handcrafted soaps vary in dominance and mellow over time at different rates. Storing a peppermint (dominant) scent with a citrus (mild) scent may result in the citrus scent taking on a peppermint aroma.

 

 

3. Use a soap dish with drainage so the soap can dry between uses. Slotted soap dishes come in many different sizes, shapes and materials. Soap dishes are available as wooden, ceramic and plastic. Wooden soap dishes can be used in the shower, if there is a high shelf available out of direct contact with water – and if there is adequate ventilation to allow drying between uses. We do not recommend using a ceramic soap dish in the shower, as it may fall and break.

 

 

4. Use a soap saver pouch. Place your bar of soap in the pouch and pull the drawstring closed. Wet the soap and pouch and lather up. When done hang up the pouch, soap and all, to allow it and your soap to dry between uses. Soap saver pouches come in several different materials, such as cotton yarn, ramie, wool and plastic mesh. In addition to lengthening the life of your soap, a soap saver pouch will add a gentle exfoliating scrub. Soap savers are great for using up soap slivers – gather slivers together in the pouch and use until gone.