Teach Soap

I do think there are more soap makers on here looking to or have already started selling but are too afraid to admit it. And I bet a lot of lurkers.

I hope a newbie who buys the Business In a Box will come and post and give us their take on how the kit helped or didn't help them.

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Genny

A story I have seen repeated time and time again. Way to stand your ground Genny! Good for you!!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

I am most offended by the soap sellers that purchase their bars off ebay for far less than a $1/bar then sell them as "handmade soap" that they've made themselves. For a quick buck, charlatans don't even need to make soap once. Who knows how safe the soap is, either.

The first time I ran into a seller like that was at a large local farmer's market. I had asked, "What oils are you using in your soaps?" I thought it was interesting looking soap. Rustic like HP, but not HP. Maybe like I imagine traditional ash lye soap looking. Primitive looking with little bumps in it. They had no clue what was in the product. The two minute conversation made it super clear that they had never made soap in their lives. They were doing a brisk business. They were the owners of the "handmade soap" business, not just sellers covering for someone else. That was an eye opener.

Even though I only give my CP soap to people I know very well - I am also educating them to be smarter shoppers of handmade soap in general. Because, you see, you don't GET any soap from me without a long, long lecture about how its made, the basics of saponification, what superfat means, which oils produce which kinds of lather, etc. I tell them this may be the first time they have ever used a soap with coconut oil, and to watch for excessive dryness. They get more information from me than the FDA labeling requires: I give them the percentage of oils in additon to the superfat %, if one bar might have bigger bubbles I tell them why. If I am giving them a high olive oil bar, I tell them to expect a slimier lather but milder soap. Even if a bar in the batch has cured for 5 weeks, I encourage them to use the older bars first.

Most of them tell me they never knew anything about soap beforehand, but they sure know about it now and shop with a keener eye. I also give them some questions to ask farmer's market soapers ("What percentage of superfat is this bar?" "What percentage of fragrance do you usually use?"). I warn them if they get "deer in the headlights" in response, to walk on by - doing my bit to create a small army of people to ferret out bad soapers!

And of course, I send any and all strangers wanting my soap to the website of you pros. Not selling gives one more freedom - no sweat off my back if they buy from one of the pros who post here!

April, I'm thrilled that you tell them what questions to ask when they go to buy handmade soap! It makes my job a lot easier.
FYI, my favorite sellers are the ones that don't even know if they are selling MP or CP soap...

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Linda: LOL thanks, but being on the west coast, don't know how much impact I have in Jefferson City, TN. Which, by the way, I looked up one day - cute little town!!! I need to get my butt to that part of the US someday. The Boyfriend and I talk about doing a "BBQ tour" of states like TENN, KY, Texas....some day.

I just want to comment how appreciate I am of all the help you experienced soapers have given me. I am at a year and a half n still find myself learning from all of you. I have insurance since I give out samples to friends n family.

I have worked on my own recipe n could not dream of using someone else's as my own.

I do internally cringe when I hear of very new soapers selling right away or deciding to teach

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Roxana
*** Just keep trying
Follow my Soaping Journey at:

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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Genny

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Genny

ROFL I'm sorry but somehow this ithread turn out way too funny?

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now know as Gwenann's Sudz...