I have 3 pucks of soaps that are probably 50+ years old. They make a great lather, but there is no fragrance and they smell old. Is there any way to "spice" them up? Brands are Colgate, Colgate Menthol, and Williams Menthol. I have a nice cheese grater so grinding them up is not a problem. Thanks!
Interesting question. Now this is only an idea, so don't everybody start yelling at me, but...... What if you took a bit of glycerin shave soap and melt it, then pour it over these old soaps after you re-mill them with your handy dandy cheese grater. Only suggestion I can think of. I don't think it would be a good idea to just add a fragrance (EO or FO) oil to the old soaps, even if you did grate them. I don't think the fragrance would mix with the old soap that way. But I don't know....
Would mixing in some shea butter after grinding them up work? Then adding a FO/EO. And of course there is Superlather.
I was hoping to see more energy than just superlather.... This is what I was hoping to see My only thought was to add EO to the grated soap I like the idea of seeing what happens if you blend Tallow with Glycerine..I don't know. I'll bet that you can blend some other soaps...tallow or veg.shred some stuff that you're not too excited about and see if you can reach a fine smelling "concoction" Tom
I've found that Shea Butter kills lather in my soaps. Not sure if you want to try it with this project.
I think it is somewhat difficult to ascertain how a 50 year old soap will react. JoAnna's idea is actually something that is done is the soapmaking community with left over CP tallow based soaps. The shavings are place in the melted soap and then placed in a mold. THe MP base is usually clear so you can see all the different color shavings. Kinda purdy. It would be at this stage, before it is poured, that I would add the desired scent. I have not read about milling old soap and scenting the same. This of course does not mean it cant be done. I have seen re-milling tutorials where the soap, after milling, is placed in a seal ziplock bag type and placed in boiling water until melted. It was at this stage that, when melted, that scent was added. After a little old fashion bake and shake the melted mixture was poured in the desired mold and left to cure. Again, this was rather new soap and not 50 year old soap. Maybe Issy can chime in. Raf
To be honest, I wouldn't tamper with those soaps. I have some vintage ones as well, with their scent being almost gone, but that belongs to the character of the soap as it is. Melting it down, adding to it or whatever else would change the soap and you wouldn't have the soap you've had before. But, of course, that's just me
I'd probably alter it to increase the pleasure... But it will take a LOT for me to take it out and start using it. Tom
I have to agree, unles you are on a very tight budget and need to get your soaps to last you through a rough phase. But I'd still go with the "lightly" scented option. If you want to experiment with melt and pour I'd suggest you buy a bar and do it by the book, you'll get much better, and [hopefully] predictable, results.
For me it's not about the danger of ruining the soap, it's just a no-go to alter things I might probably never get again. I want to use them things as they were, unadulterated, untouched.
Yes, but at the same time they are no longer untouched. They have been touched by the ravages of TIME..the scent is gone.. I'd just leave it alone and whip up some lather.. Can you put a drop of EO into your lather bowl and get something good????? I'll bet you could Tom
