Quick Question...

[kage-no-ai.livejournal.com]

Just a quick question for anyone who makes soaps using the melt-and-pour method.

Does anyone know why melt-and-pour soaps must "cure" or "air dry" for a period of two days to two weeks before use? (I have two different books and each quotes a different amount of time, hence the large range there.) I've just been wondering about the "curing" time. Is it to allow the soap and colorant and all of that settle or meld, or...? Will it harm you if you don't allow it to dry?

Just curiosity here. Neither book tells exactly why the soaps must "cure."

Thanks in advance.