Teach Soap

Hi ladies! I was visiting another soap site, and read a post where someone was a beginner at m&p, and she was saying how it was a lot more difficult than she had imagined it would be. I'm just wondering what you all thought when you were a beginner? Did you find your basic recipes to be easy? Did your soaps come out the way you had hoped they would? If you had any problems in the beginning, what were they? I've watched a few of the soap queen videos, and she makes it looks so easy! Her videos make me feel like I'm gonna get it just right the first time (that's how great they are!). But I'm sure this probably won't be the case. haha

The soap part is pretty easy. It's the paperwork and the selling that's harder.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I started out with a nn-bb soap making kit. just to see how well it would go. I enjoyed doing it so much that I picked up the hobby.

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now know as Gwenann's Sudz...

Honestly, I've thought it was pretty easy right from the start. I've had a few batches that didn't come out exactly the way I'd hoped, but they still look nice even though they weren't what I envisioned. When I show them to other people and point out their flaws the general consensus is that if I hadn't pointed it out they wouldn't have noticed or thought anything of it.

I'm with Soapbuddy, the hard part for me has been the paperwork and figuring out pricing and marketing strategies.

I've been at it nonproffessionally for a few years, I originally was looking for crochet patterns when I stumbled on craft bits and got ideas for candles, I got bored fast doing that, then I found recipes for bath salts, and expanded into mp Soaping, I was a little disappointed with my first batch but my second batch I loved, I was hooked. But now I'm just starting to sell, which is crazy Rediculous sometimes, taxes, insurance, paperwork, record keeping... Figuring out what listening I need, and all that jazz. Way more difficult than soap making in general to me. However, this is a medium that you can constantly grow and change. I still have days where things don't turn out the way I invisioned them. Lol

I am still a beginner, but I find it very easy, the tutorials are straight forward. My first soaps came out perfect I couldn't have done better. I haven't gotten to the point of selling or business insurance yet.

Melt & Pour couldnt be easier! My first soap was just a plain old bar of clear soap base, tinted orange and frgranced with a bit of mango i think. For a long time i stuck to the plain one colour poured soap, when i do venture out and try something artistic im always careful to not rush into things, like make sure the layers are set before pouring the next - thats one of my biggest issues i have (im very impatient)

As long as you follow the 'rules' i wouldnt think it would be hard to do.

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Watch out! I have discovered the magical world of CP

"Founding member of Facebook's "Australia & New Zealand Melt & Pour Soapers"

I "thought" it was easy. And, I "thought" my first attempts were fabulous (I made 250 hand soaps for family and friends at Christmas), carefully individually wrapped in plastic wrap and dropped lovingly into organza bags with handmade gift tags. Now, looking back five years, I laugh at those attempts and the photos that have memorialized those early days.

I learn something new every day about soaping. I re-watch those early Soap Queen TV videos and re-read the Soap Queen blog (thank you, Anne-Marie) as refreshers.

First piece of advice -- keep a notebook and document all your attempts if you can. There are still days I want to re-create something I did four or five years ago and can't, for the life of me, remember how I did it -- colors, blended fragrances, pouring temperature to get a specific look, modified molds, etc.

Second piece of advice -- keep an eye on expenses. Set limits on what you can/are willing to spend on supplies. It's so easy to get carried away. And related -- if you're going to sell, know what it costs to make it first so you can set prices so you're not losing money. I customized an Excel spreadsheet I found online to do that. If anyone wants it, send me a private message and I'll gladly send it to you.

Third piece of advice -- dare to take risks, trying new things. Many of my soaps took two, three, four tries before I got what I wanted. In some cases, it never worked at all. But, it doesn't stop me from trying something else.

Lastly, when you see the sun coming up and you realize you've been soaping through the night, think about calling Soapers Anonymous

Connie
http://www.soaprhapsody.com

For me the one color & fragrance was easy. It's when you try different techniques (layering, double-pour, etc) that it became tricky. I had to make sure I had all my tools, fragrance, mold ready.

But the biggest lesson I had to learn (and I do forget sometimes) is to not forget to spritz the alcohol between layers!

It takes practice and before you know it you'll be a master!

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