Care and keeping

Castile soap originally referred to soap made from olive oil but has pretty much come to mean soaps that are created using plant based recipes and are usually cold processed. Cold process soap is slightly softer and more delicate than commercial soaps and while there’s no problem at all with treating both exactly the same way, cold process soap does better when handled a bit more gently.

Soap’s enemy is water, which would be fine if you didn’t need to use it in the wettest place in your house and this presents a challenge. Your bathroom remains the most humid place in your house for hours after morning showers are done and a closed shower curtain can trap humidity in all day. Because our soap bars are big, many people cut it into two or three pieces and store what they’re not using in a dry place until they need it.

For the soap that you’re using, a well draining soap dish is a big plus. The dish should allow the soap to drain and dry after each use and keep the soap out of direct contact with moisture.

There are many people who use their soap for things other than washing and we endorse that, but suggest rotating these soaps into regular use at least every twelve months. Our soaps are scented using essential oils which are much more volatile than synthetic scents and will fade over time. If you like to put a bar in your sock drawer then just replace it every six months or so and enjoy the old one in your shower before it becomes unscented. The soap will remain viable as a cleanser for years but the scent and color will likely fade.