Properly storing DIY bath and body products is essential. It extends their shelf life and prevents rancidity, faded colors, and glycerin dew. Learn the best way to store products below.
Cold process soap
Cold process soap needs to cure for 4-6 weeks. That allows excess water to evaporate, which creates harder bars that last longer in the shower. The best environment for them to cure is a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. A few options include your garage, basement, or a large cabinet.
Here at Bramble Berry, we use large bakers racks. The soap gets plenty of airflow, which speeds up the curing process. Make sure the metal is coated because rust can cause rancidity. Ideally, soap should have airflow even after curing. If you're planning on selling your bars, it's a good idea to have one rack for curing and one rack for bars that are ready to package and ship.
If you don’t have the space, just place the bars on any clean surface. Make sure to turn them once a week so each side is exposed to air. Once they're done curing, place the bars in storage containers. Leave space in between each one and don't secure the lid so they still get airflow.
Let the soap fully cure before wrapping it, otherwise moisture can get trapped and cause rancidity. You can also opt for packaging that has openings to let in air, like medium and large shrink wrap bands.
Melt and pour soap
While cold process soap should have contact with lots of air, melt and pour needs to be wrapped immediately. It has added glycerin that pulls in moisture from the air. This can cause beads of moisture on the bar called sweating or glycerin dew.
Once the melt and pour is completely hard and cool, remove it from the mold and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. If you live in a really humid area, you may want to use a heat gun to shrink the wrap on. That way no moisture gets in. Then you can wrap the soap in paper or add extra decorative elements.
Store the bars in a dry, cool place until you’re ready to use them. Avoid the fridge - that can cause glycerin dew or make the soap brittle.
Bath bombs
Bath bombs need a very dry environment. If they come in contact with moisture in the air, they can start fizzing before you're ready to use them.
Store bath bombs in a cool, dry place. If you live in a very humid area, you can run a fan over them. You can also invest in a dehumidifier - it's the most efficient way to keep everything dry.
If you plan to sell or give away your bath bombs, you may want to wrap them in plastic. That will prevent early fizzing in a humid bathroom.
Lotions, balms, scrubs, and bath salts
Any product made with water has the potential to grow mold and bacteria. To prevent that, first make sure to preserve your product. Learn more about preservatives here. It's also important to store water-based products like lotion in a cool, dry place. Extremely hot temperatures can change the texture or break the emulsion. The same goes for balm - store it in a cool place so it won't melt.
Most scrubs and bath salts aren't made with water, but we recommend a preservative anyway. That's because they'll likely be stored in the shower and get water splashed in during use. Make sure to pack them in an airtight container to keep some of that moisture out.
Find DIY bath and body supplies here.
