Speaking in Soap Tongue

[JackiK]

I work with court reporters, so reading "code" is something I do every day. Those unfamiliar with the craft go cross-eyed trying to read it. I was sitting on the porch with my coffee thinking how strange it would be for a non-soaper to try and understand our recipes. A good example is as follows:

After measuring all ingredients, mix the Naoh with the H2O. At desired temp, add this mixture to your choice amounts of CO, OO, SB, CB, BO, SFO, RBO, AO, HSO or PKO. At trace, add EO, FO, or mixture of the two. After 24-36 hours, cut with a Tank.

I know, I have too much time on my hands. Hope you all have a great soaping weekend!

Jacki

 

[Hazel]

Funny! I know when I first started soaping, I was confused by the acronyms used by experienced soapers.

 

[krissy]

lol, that is how i write all of my recipes and no one but me or another soaper knows what i am talking about.

last summer i was excited to meet a soaper that was selling at a small market. i spent time looking at all of her stuff and smelling etc. all of her soap was lumpy and brown and kind of translucent but not as clear as MP so i asked her if she did CP HP or MP. i told her i made soap too. she had no idea what i was talking about. i explained what the letters meant and she said she uses her own process and it is a combination of all of them, and when she thought i had left her stall ( i was just on the other side of a large display, i'm short) she started making fun of what i had asked and saying a mixed up alphabet mocking me. she lost a customer. but i also ended up thinking she had no business selling if she can't be nice to potential customers. i have since realized she was just selling MP full of different additives. :roll:

 

[JackiK]

Poor lady. I've always believed that if you give someone enough rope, they'll hang themselves. Sounds like that's exactly what she did.

 

[Hazel]

i also ended up thinking she had no business selling if she can't be nice to potential customers. i have since realized she was just selling MP full of different additives. :roll:

I think she doesn't have any business selling if she didn't even know what MP meant. She obviously hasn't researched and doesn't know what she's doing especially if her soaps were as unattractive as they sound. It sounds like she bought MP and some additives, threw them together and opened the booth within a few days. :roll:

all of her soap was lumpy and brown and kind of translucent but not as clear as MP

she said she uses her own process and it is a combination of all of them

Are you kidding me? A combination of them all? Yeah...this is a person who's passionate about producing quality soaps and has done the research and testing. I'd say she was intimidated by your knowledge and that's why she was mocking you. It sounds like she's not interested in making quality soaps but is only throwing MP and additives together to make money. Now I've got nothing against making money. I'd love to be able to make and sell soaps to bring in some extra income. But if you can't talk knowledgeably about your craft then you're not concerned about customers' safety or the benefits provided by additives. Was her booth busy? Was she actually making any sales? I wonder if she even knows what qualities the additives would add to the soaps.

Just because I'm a mean person, I think you need to open a booth at the same market and blow her business. :twisted:

Although this probably won't be necessary. It doesn't sound like she'll be in business very long.

 

[JackiK]

I'm a mean person, I think you need to open a booth at the same market and blow her business. :twisted:

LOL!! I knew we had a lot in common

 

[kelleyaynn]

When I first started I too was intimidated by all the acronyms. Luckily, there is a sticky on the introduction forum that explains many of them:
http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4437

 

[Fyrja]

LOL Hazel, I think the meanness is probably the reason we get along so well. The sad thing is that if anyone new to the world of homemade soap happened to buy from her then there's a chance they might have the misconception that all homemade soap is lumpy brown crap, and that is just sad!

Personally I'm still learning the acronyms, sometimes others directions begin to read like a crochet pattern to me, so I have to slow it down and research. Luckily most all the acronyms are logical enough to not leave me in the dust.

 

[Hazel]

I just asked my sister (who isn’t a soapmaker) if she knew what CP, HP and MP stood for. She gave me an odd look (like wondering why I’m being an idiot and asking) and then said “Cold process, hot process and melt and pour.” She knows and she doesn’t even make soap! :shock:

I had my sister read what Krissy wrote and she said “Does this woman really understand what additives can do? Does she understand that some people have allergies or sensitivities to certain ingredients? I don’t much about making soap but I wouldn’t want to buy from someone who doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

She also said that it was very unprofessional of this woman to make fun of a potential customer. She agrees this woman was intimidated and said this woman doesn’t know crap and threw stuff together thinking it would be an easy way to make money. She said real soapers love to talk about soaping. When they find someone with the same interest, they talk and are friendly and helpful. Of course, this is my sister and she’s basing this on what she’s seen me doing. Maybe not all soapers do this.

I just thought of this - did the woman have ingredients listed on her labels?

Fryja and Jacki -

I don't think of it as being mean. I just consider it lethally assertive.

 

[MizzBee]

I'm still getting used to the acronyms, sometimes I find myself lost but thank goodness for the sticky.

Gosh how rude of that woman mocking you Krissy! But like everyone else has said she'll be out of business sooner or later. Karma will boomerang right back to her :wink:

 

[krissy]

She also said that it was very unprofessional of this woman to make fun of a potential customer. She agrees this woman was intimidated and said this woman doesn’t know crap and threw stuff together thinking it would be an easy way to make money. She said real soapers love to talk about soaping. When they find someone with the same interest, they talk and are friendly and helpful. Of course, this is my sister and she’s basing this on what she’s seen me doing. Maybe not all soapers do this.

this is why i approached her in the first place! i love talking soap and i was much newer to everything and was looking at it as a possible learning experience. she only sold these large hand balled MP soaps and these huge jars of bath scrub that are in a "serve yourself" type jar. she had ladles and you could scoop out the salts (which were full of botanicals too) as you wanted. the jars were pretty and were what drew my attention initially. the only thing was EVERYTHING was brown and kinda gross looking up close.

i would love to open a booth and blow her out of the water but i am not ready for it yet.

 

[Hazel]

I'm still getting used to the acronyms, sometimes I find myself lost but thank goodness for the sticky.

Gosh how rude of that woman mocking you Krissy! But like everyone else has said she'll be out of business sooner or later. Karma will boomerang right back to her :wink:

MizzBee - I agree. Eventually it will come back on her.

Krissy -

Perhaps it was good this happened. You've seen the dark side of soap now. It's a good example of what not to do and the wrong way to treat customers. I can't imagine this woman would have repeat business on the basis of unattractive soap and some bath salts. It would be interesting to know if the woman is back at the market this year.

Too bad you're not ready but maybe next year. It will give you time to develop a line of more than a couple of items.

 

[Araseth]

When I first started reading posts here I saw someone talking about a recipe made with POO and I was really confused hehe

Krissy that sounds like such a disappointing experience. To see another soapmaker and be ready to launch into chit chat about the stuff you love and then she mocks you because she doesn't know what she's selling. Some people *sigh* It would have been good for her to ask you questions and she would have learned to make some better soaps.

 

[llineb]

When I first started CP I read a post about a great mold someone got from DH. I looked everywhere...every website...google...etsy. So finely I pm'd the girl and she wrote me back that DH means Dear Hubby...I'm sure you guys knew this but I felt so lame. :?

 

[Hazel]

I know what you mean. I don't remember what the acronym was but I had to ask what it meant. I felt really stupid when I was told.

 

[calico21]

Although there are a lot of acronyms on here, I got the biggest kick out of my DH the other day when on another forum he was reading what I posted and wanted to know what DH stood for. He said "I know its me, but what's it mean?"

 

[delicious]

When I first started I too was intimidated by all the acronyms. Luckily, there is a sticky on the introduction forum that explains many of them:
http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4437

Oh thank you!
I was wondering when someone would start giving anwsers
I should have checked the introduction forum... something I tend to always skip :roll:
Yes, I'm still new to the alphabet

 

[starrfeef]

I'd say she was intimidated by your knowledge and that's why she was mocking you. It sounds like she's not interested in making quality soaps but is only throwing MP and additives together to make money.quote]

I'd say Hazel hit the nail on the head with this comment!! What a lame experience for Krissy ...what an immature person to treat someone who was being friendly and knowledgeable like that!!

 

[starrfeef]

She also said that it was very unprofessional of this woman to make fun of a potential customer. She agrees this woman was intimidated and said this woman doesn’t know crap and threw stuff together thinking it would be an easy way to make money. She said real soapers love to talk about soaping. When they find someone with the same interest, they talk and are friendly and helpful. Of course, this is my sister and she’s basing this on what she’s seen me doing. Maybe not all soapers do this.

this is why i approached her in the first place! i love talking soap and i was much newer to everything and was looking at it as a possible learning experience. she only sold these large hand balled MP soaps and these huge jars of bath scrub that are in a "serve yourself" type jar. she had ladles and you could scoop out the salts (which were full of botanicals too) as you wanted. the jars were pretty and were what drew my attention initially. the only thing was EVERYTHING was brown and kinda gross looking up close.

i would love to open a booth and blow her out of the water but i am not ready for it yet.

LOL Yeah, everything up close was "brown and kinda gross"...Like her attitude!!...LOL

 

[kelleyaynn]

Although there are a lot of acronyms on here, I got the biggest kick out of my DH the other day when on another forum he was reading what I posted and wanted to know what DH stood for. He said "I know its me, but what's it mean?"

I could come up with a number of possibilities, depending upon whether or not my husband is in my good graces (or not).