Re: vacuum packing vegtable based soaps - does it help?

[Guest guest]

>

>

> >BUT, I do NOT recommend freezing soap...I've seen soap that was

> >frozen for storage, and it's NOT a nice thing when it comes out of

> >the freezer...it gets sloppy and icky at room temp.

>

> It this because of the condensation? If the soap is vacuum packed,

> the condensation would form on the outside of the packaging rather

> than the soap.

>

I don't think it's from condensation. Both soap (a salt) and

glycerin can bind water through various means (ionic, hydrogen,

etc.). This binding makes the water " unavailable " and when the soap

is frozen the water forms ice crystals breaking these bonds. When

thawed these previous bonds no longer exist so the water is free to

migrate and some of it comes to the surface making for an icky soap.

These bonds with the water can be broken with just a temperature

change so freezing isn't the only means to induce this icky behaviour

in soap.

Kath