Soap - DIY products 101

Freezing soap is a tricky subject, most people think that freezing homemade soap will ruin it but is this really the case? Could it be that freezing your soap might have benefits after all? You can freeze homemade soap for a short period to help with the unmolding process or prevent the gel phase. However, freezing homemade soap may cause your soap to sweat and if frozen for a prolonged period cause your soap to become brittle. One of the biggest problems with homemade soaps is that they take some time to cure before they’re ready for use. This means that you’ll have to wait 2-3 weeks before you can start using it! So it’d be perfect if you had a way to speed up this process. Do you think that freezing the soap would be the one solution to all of this waiting? Let's find out. Can you freeze homemade soap? Before you start to “freeze” your homemade soap with the purpose of preserving it, then there’s one tip that many people claim to work really well. They recommend enveloping homemade soap bars in plastic wrap (individually) and placing them in the freezer. Although some soap artisans recommend it, this method may not be suited for every type of soap. Furthermore, it may not have a direct effect on your soap in the long term or may cause it to go brittle. On the other hand, it’s a good thing to put your homemade soap in the freezer after mold to avoid soda ash and to help with the unmolding process. However, even with this, there are mixed opinions. Some people recommend storing the soap in the fridge for about 20-24 hours, which again can help you unmold it easier. However, we can’t accurately say if freezing helps with conservation in the long run. It indeed helps with certain things, but preservation isn’t exactly one of them. Can you freeze all types of soap? It can be prejudicial for certain soap types, such as melt and pour soap. Although you can store your M&P soap in your fridge for a few minutes or a few hours, please keep in mind that it can become brittle if you submit it to extremely cold temperatures. In other instances, it can also produce glycerin dew or soda ash. Like cold process soap, other soap types should be fine if you store them in the fridge for prolonged periods of time. However, it’s still always recommended to avoid any potential issues to leave your soap to harden at room temperature. Once your soap has completely hardened, you can proceed to unmold it and store it in a container of your preference. Please remember to keep it in a place at room temperature. What happens if you put soap in the freezer? Most of the time, you won’t experience anything special and it’s unlikely that it will help you keep it as good as new. Now, if you put your soap in the freezer AFTER you’ve poured it into the mold, it will help you avoid the gel phase and will become harder in less time. As good as this may sound, you should be careful when removing it from the fridge as it needs to transition from colder to ambient temperature slowly. Otherwise, it will lead to condensation and “sweating” issues. It's recommended that you remove it from the fridge, then place it in a room with AC for a few hours, and then slowly change the temperature as it blends in with the environment. If you wish to prevent the gel phase, then you can store the soap at cooler temperatures. It’s better if you keep them between 80 and 90ºF as it’s better for the lye solution and the oils. Why would you want to freeze soap? People store their soaps in the freezer because this way, they can prevent the gel phase from happening. Additionally, storing soap in the fridge can speed up the whole process and make it easier to unmold. If you’re having trouble unmolding your soap and you’re sure it’s ready, but it doesn't want to come out, you can always store it in the fridge for about 15 minutes longer and try again. This should help but make sure to check regularly You can repeat this process as many times as you need. It is also worth noting that fridges and freezers are dehydrators, which means that they can help the soap to remove all the excess water and become harder in less time. This is why many use the freezer to unmold quicker or when their soap has an excess of water. With all things considered, it really comes down to your preferences. Freezing soap can be beneficial for some people, while others prefer not so they can avoid the potential side effects it may bring. What are the disadvantages of freezing soap? The main disadvantage of freezing soap is condensation, which is also known as sweating. Most soap recipes use glycerin (or have glycerin as a byproduct during the saponification process), which is known for "attracting" moisture from the air. In this process, the moisture will present itself as droplets. Generally speaking, most people would recommend keeping your soap away from the fridge or freezer to prevent it from sweating and attracting moisture. Instead, it Is better if you leave the finished batch of soap to cool at room temperature so you can prevent condensation, and therefore, sweating. Also, remember that it also depends on the type of soap you’re making. If it’s melt and pour soap, it can make it turn brittle or produce glycerin dew. Glycerin dew is a thin layer of glycerin that appears once you've used the soap. However, please note that this phenomenon is more common in humid places. If your residential area is usually hot, then there's nothing to worry about. Either way, glycerin dew is nothing but an aesthetic issue. It will not cause any damage to your soap, and you will be able to continue using it the same as every day. What are the benefits of freezing homemade soap? The main advantage of storing homemade soap in the fridge is that it will harden faster than it would at ambient temperature. However, it isn't the only advantage as it can also give it a more “matte” look. Also, freezing homemade soap can help you prevent the gel phase, which will, as a result, yield the aesthetic change that we’ve mentioned above. There aren't too many major "advantages" of freezing homemade soap, and it all depends on what you want the soap to look like once it is ready to use. When should I start freezing my soap? It depends on your preferences. If you don't mind dealing with the sweating (if it happens), then you should go ahead and start freezing your soap. It will not cause any damage, and you will be able to continue using the soap without any problems. You can also do it if you want your soap to look different than usual. Contrary to this, freezing your soap can provide the right circumstances for it to condensate, which will inherently lead to sweating. The less moisture the soap contains, the more likely it will be that droplets appear. Can you store soap in the freezer? Soap is not meant to be stored for a prolonged period of time in the freezer or fridge. But in case you do, there isn’t any difference between storing your soap in the freezer or fridge. Both appliances should help you achieve the desired results, which would be preventing the gel phase and giving the soap a different look. But soap should be stored for a prolonged period at room temperature.