Soapy maturity and the difference practice makes in attitude and perspective :)

When first starting soaping, I was so excited because I was so inspired by the gorgeous soaps I saw. I wanted to make soap that was good for you, of course, but I wanted to create art! I couldn't wait to dive into swirls and colors and techniques. The fancier the better.

And when, after months and months of research, I finally made my first batch of soap four months ago, I was a nervous wreck. I agonized over the recipe for weeks and my hands actually shook a little while I was making it. It was such a simple soap. No colors, no swirls, no molds, and the only FO I had on hand to scent it with. It was quite a funny looking little batch for sure hahaha, but by golly it was soap and I was as proud as a new mama!

Over time though, I started looking at the first batch and instead of being proud, I was disappointed by how clunky it was. It was so plain, had no colors, and didn't look like all the fancy pants soaps that inspired me. It didn't look like so many of the soaps I would see posted by the gurus and experienced soapers on here and the web. I wanted to create that beauty. No plain Jane soaps for me!

So I began playing with colors and learning how to create the lovely patterns I saw, determined to not produce another plain Jane soap again. I had some successes, but I also produced some seriously ugly soaps in my learning. Like the supreme pizza soap and the square poop soap LOL.

Now, months later, having played with swirls and colors and molds, and with gel, non gelled, CPOP, and water discounts, and all the planning needed to create any of them, I look back at the simplicity of that first batch and can now really appreciate the beauty of an uncomplicated soap. I no longer look at the pic and see a disappointment, instead I see potential. I see why an uncomplicated, simply designed, but well crafted bar of soap holds its own next to a highly stylized, heavily decorated bar of soap.

So I decided to pay my first batch a little respect by repeating it. A simple, uncomplicated soap. Of course it isn't exactly the same, I now have molds and more practice, but I think it is a good, more grown up version of my first attempt.

I'll never stop wanting to create soapy art, but I now see why so many soapers make less complicated soaps - Because sometimes ya just wanna make soap and simplicity is just as beautiful as ornate, and in the end, a good bar of soap is still a good bar of soap

This is beautifully written. Thank you so much for posting this. I hope to be in your shoes some day (haven't made my first Soap yet, still researching and plotting).

annalee2003 said:

This is beautifully written. Thank you so much for posting this. I hope to be in your shoes some day (haven't made my first Soap yet, still researching and plotting).

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TY I was feeling very introspective today and realized I hadn't soaped in days because I've been so dang tired and wasn't up to trying to make a complicated soap. Then I saw my redo of my first batch (I made it a week ago) and it got me thinking about attitudes and perspective and why I'm sitting here waiting for the energy to make a complicated soap when I could be making a beautiful simple soap. Sometimes I'm a dope LOL

Keep researching and you'll be ready in no time! And be warned - You're gonna be addicted like the rest of us once you start soaping LOL.

Love this. I feel the same way.

I've only just started out (made two batches so far) but this is exactly how I see it.

A perfect steak is just meat, salt and pepper. No need for dozens of different spices, marinade or fancy decoration. It's beautiful and perfect by itself - the more you add, the more you take away from its perfection.

This is what really gorgeous soap looks like to me.

There's nothing wrong with doing intricate swirls and using an abundance of different oils and fragrances but it's just not my cup of tea. I want to make a simple, basic soap but I want it to be so good that nobody feels like there's something missing from it.

notapantsday said:

I've only just started out (made two batches so far) but this is exactly how I see it.

A perfect steak is just meat, salt and pepper. No need for dozens of different spices, marinade or fancy decoration. It's beautiful and perfect by itself - the more you add, the more you take away from its perfection.

This is what really gorgeous soap looks like to me.

There's nothing wrong with doing intricate swirls and using an abundance of different oils and fragrances but it's just not my cup of tea. I want to make a simple, basic soap but I want it to be so good that nobody feels like there's something missing from it.

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Love the soap pic And as a very wise soapy guru on here told me when I first started - always make what you love