The curing rack, that is. Lot's of new things, and some restocks of favorite items are on the curing rack. Some new ones are going on the rack today.
So that begs the question. Why cure soap? Why cure lotion bars?
In a nutshell, curing soaps give a better product. The soap is harder, lathers more, and lasts longer. Same thing with lotion bars. I have found that allowing lotion bars to cure for a couple weeks makes a better lotion bar.
So what do I mean when I write "curing"? Curing is the simple process of putting the items on lined pastry sheets, and putting them in a bakery speed rack. The speed rack protects the product from light and dust, while allowing air to circulate around it. This allows water to evaporate.
With lotion bars, it's as simple as that. Lotion bars are composed of butters, oils, and beeswax. These are melted and poured into molds to form a solid bar. The bars are ready to use ... but .... if I let them cure for 2 weeks, the bars are harder and melt on the skin more slowly. This allows the user to better control the amount of lotion on the skin.
Soap is a little more complicated. Soap is allowed to cure for 4-6 weeks. The bar stops losing weight when it is done curing, so a bar from each bar is weighed weekly.
Soap is made when a base reacts to oils. This is called a saponification reaction, and forms glycerol and sodium salts (soap). It takes approximately 1-3 days for this chemical reaction to happen. After 1-3 days, the soap is removed from the mold, cut, and placed on the rack.
In the 4-6 weeks following cutting, the soap will lose approximately half of the water used in the making process. This makes the glycerine in the soap better able to withstand water.
During 4-6 weeks, the sodium salt crystals align themselves into complex structures called soap crystals. If soap is used too soon, it will dissolve more quickly because all of the longer chain fatty acids have not formed into soap crystals yet. These crystalline structures are what give the soap hardness and durability.
That's why soap must cure. To make it last longer, with better lather.
NOW TO BUSINESS!
Whats on the curing rack?
Patchouli, for my patchouli lovers. You know who you are!
Sea Minerals
Orange Cognac - this one is going in a beard balm also!
Black Cherry Lemonade - yummy
Peppermint
Herbalicious - and it is delicious
Black Orchid
Santa After Dark - hmmmm
and more to come!!
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