Wow, just WOW! My soaps are good for 6 months of my showers! My kids go through it quicker, but they are the soap, rinse, repeat kind of people. I dunno, looks very unorthodox to me.
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This. I have been making soap just for family for about 4 years now, and it took over 2 years before that of reading and watching video tutorials before I ever made my first soap. And it was a recipe from Soaping101's basic ones, the Bastile, so that I could easily recognize and isolate any mistakes I'd make. Or so I thought. It worked though, so I was grateful to the soaping gods, but I was hooked!
Three years on and quite a few batches of cold process under my belt and I still get incensed when I hear from some in my family about why they won't use my soaps because I haven't added aloe, or some other substance that appears on some other label's beautiful artwork.
How do I compete? Even to my ears it sounds like sour grapes. I offered my father some of my soaps and he gracefully declined because someone else had given him some pretty soaps with very nice fragrances. Mine doesn't have any except for the natural smell from the spices I use to color them. What he was given were some commercial soaps from a hotel chain.
This. I have been making soap just for family for about 4 years now, and it took over 2 years before that of reading and watching video tutorials before I ever made my first soap. And it was a recipe from Soaping101's basic ones, the Bastile, so that I could easily recognize and isolate any mistakes I'd make. Or so I thought. It worked though, so I was grateful to the soaping gods, but I was hooked!
Three years on and quite a few batches of cold process under my belt and I still get incensed when I hear from some in my family about why they won't use my soaps because I haven't added aloe, or some other substance that appears on some other label's beautiful artwork.
How do I compete? Even to my ears it sounds like sour grapes. I offered my father some of my soaps and he gracefully declined because someone else had given him some pretty soaps with very nice fragrances. Mine doesn't have any except for the natural smell from the spices I use to color them. What he was given were some commercial soaps from a hotel chain.
You need to tell them that YOUR soap is better because it does not NEED aloe of strong fragrances!
My family likes things subtle, so are happy with my soaps and conditioner bars.
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This. I have been making soap just for family for about 4 years now, and it took over 2 years before that of reading and watching video tutorials before I ever made my first soap. And it was a recipe from Soaping101's basic ones, the Bastile, so that I could easily recognize and isolate any mistakes I'd make. Or so I thought. It worked though, so I was grateful to the soaping gods, but I was hooked!
Three years on and quite a few batches of cold process under my belt and I still get incensed when I hear from some in my family about why they won't use my soaps because I haven't added aloe, or some other substance that appears on some other label's beautiful artwork.
How do I compete? Even to my ears it sounds like sour grapes. I offered my father some of my soaps and he gracefully declined because someone else had given him some pretty soaps with very nice fragrances. Mine doesn't have any except for the natural smell from the spices I use to color them. What he was given were some commercial soaps from a hotel chain.
That's a tough one; and I would think that a good friend or family member would at least try it in an effort to encourage and show support. As for the aloe comment - there are 2 things you could explain; handmade soap retains it's NATURAL glycerin and doesn't NEED an additive like aloe, 2. Label appeal. Commerical soap companies hire marketers to dress their soaps with fancy words, terms, images, etc. to convince a person their soap is better....whereas YOUR soap is better because you *handpicked* the ingredients to make the perfect recipe. Cost is always a factor to artisan makers - and those handpicked ingredients are there for a purpose - not to "show off" with a fancy costume.
artemis
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People are entitled to like what they like. If Dad likes strongly scented soaps, let him enjoy his hotel bars. My mother prefers liquid soap (which I don't care to make) and my bars sit in the linen closet. I am not offended. It's just soap. It's not going to change her life.
@Iluminameluna
I don't try to compete. I also don't get offended or angry because of this, that or the other thing.
Example: My sister has extreme skin sensitivities. I completely understood her hesitancy in wanting to try my soap because I've seen first hand what can happen...from welts and rashes to looking like the Elephant Man on steroids (except the EM could still see...my sister's eyes were swollen shut). I just gave her the occasional bar of soap and left it at that. I think it was her husband buying an entire loaf of my soap that finally got her to try my soap. She just washed her hands with it...no adverse reaction. And she was surprised that she didn't need lotion afterwards.
Another Example: My husband. I can't complain really, I am the same way with my personal products; I've been using the same brand of deodorant for the last thirty years. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to find an shampoo and conditioner that you love and then you go to the store one day and discover that it's been discontinued. I know how much he loved his Dial Tropical whatever so I didn't even try to convince to try my soap...instead I just made a few test batches of FOs that I thought he would like and left it up to him. Right now, he has 'Just Peachy' in the shower.
Another Example: At a Craft Fair I attended last year I had a lady tell me that my soap was 'bad' because it contain chemicals...specifically it contain Sodium Hydroxide. I explained that you can't make soap without Lye and she told me that I was wrong because she had been using Dove all her life. I told her Dove isn't 'soap'...it's why it says 'Beauty Bar' on the label because it's most a detergent as is defined by the FDA. And BTW, in order to put Sodium Tallowate Or Sodium Palmitate on their label, they first had to mix Beef Fat or Palm Oil with Lye. She then called me an ugly name and walked away...I just shrugged.
I don't try to compete. I also don't get offended or angry because of this, that or the other thing.
Example: My sister has extreme skin sensitivities. I completely understood her hesitancy in wanting to try my soap because I've seen first hand what can happen...from welts and rashes to looking like the Elephant Man on steroids (except the EM could still see...my sister's eyes were swollen shut). I just gave her the occasional bar of soap and left it at that. I think it was her husband buying an entire loaf of my soap that finally got her to try my soap. She just washed her hands with it...no adverse reaction. And she was surprised that she didn't need lotion afterwards.
Another Example: My husband. I can't complain really, I am the same way with my personal products; I've been using the same brand of deodorant for the last thirty years. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to find an shampoo and conditioner that you love and then you go to the store one day and discover that it's been discontinued. I know how much he loved his Dial Tropical whatever so I didn't even try to convince to try my soap...instead I just made a few test batches of FOs that I thought he would like and left it up to him. Right now, he has 'Just Peachy' in the shower.
Another Example: At a Craft Fair I attended last year I had a lady tell me that my soap was 'bad' because it contain chemicals...specifically it contain Sodium Hydroxide. I explained that you can't make soap without Lye and she told me that I was wrong because she had been using Dove all her life. I told her Dove isn't 'soap'...it's why it says 'Beauty Bar' on the label because it's most a detergent as is defined by the FDA. And BTW, in order to put Sodium Tallowate Or Sodium Palmitate on their label, they first had to mix Beef Fat or Palm Oil with Lye. She then called me an ugly name and walked away...I just shrugged.
My mom has made soap in the past; I've been making soap (off and on) for well over 5 years. I still have one sister who won't use hand made soap because it's made with lye. I give up.This. I have been making soap just for family for about 4 years now, and it took over 2 years before that of reading and watching video tutorials before I ever made my first soap. And it was a recipe from Soaping101's basic ones, the Bastile, so that I could easily recognize and isolate any mistakes I'd make. Or so I thought. It worked though, so I was grateful to the soaping gods, but I was hooked!
Three years on and quite a few batches of cold process under my belt and I still get incensed when I hear from some in my family about why they won't use my soaps because I haven't added aloe, or some other substance that appears on some other label's beautiful artwork.
How do I compete? Even to my ears it sounds like sour grapes. I offered my father some of my soaps and he gracefully declined because someone else had given him some pretty soaps with very nice fragrances. Mine doesn't have any except for the natural smell from the spices I use to color them. What he was given were some commercial soaps from a hotel chain.
Thanks, everyone, I don't get mad at my dad, in fact when he declined it was a month after I'd gone over to their house to show my younger sisters how to make soap. Took my own supplies, etc. When I called it was to remind them that the soaps we'd made were ready to use, but I'd made some with honey that they didn't have. So there was that. The whole chemical explanation was useless. He's an educated man. The perfume won him over. Like @artemis said, people like what they like.
The rest of my family love my soaps and that's enough to keep me busy.
The rest of my family love my soaps and that's enough to keep me busy.
Dawni
Well-Known Member
There's also a part where they say they use "**natural fragrance oils of...." then say its "Comprised of 100% Pure Natural Essential Oils and Natural Ingredients.
They are confused.
And oh yeah, it is HP.. Looks like individual molds too. Less water maybe, considering the look of their bars, make em think 24hrs is enough for it to harden enough to use?
I HP and cure minimum 8wks for most soaps and my bars last more than 30 showers lol
Maybe what they mean by "glycerin state" is the last "stage" of HP, where it looks gel like and translucent? If so, then that's when I add all my stuff too.. And most others I've learned from so it's not really a proprietary process is it?
Hmmm.. *scratches chin*
They are confused.
And oh yeah, it is HP.. Looks like individual molds too. Less water maybe, considering the look of their bars, make em think 24hrs is enough for it to harden enough to use?
I HP and cure minimum 8wks for most soaps and my bars last more than 30 showers lol
Maybe what they mean by "glycerin state" is the last "stage" of HP, where it looks gel like and translucent? If so, then that's when I add all my stuff too.. And most others I've learned from so it's not really a proprietary process is it?
Hmmm.. *scratches chin*
I can’t imagine even using a HP after 24 hours. Maybe they are leaving some additives out ... hmmmm, considering their ingredient listing is all over the place.
I almost think they use someone else’s glycerin MP base.
MarnieSoapien
Well-Known Member
Since I was curious and looked this company up, their ads keep showing up on my FB feed. Thanks Google.
One of the pictures on the site looked like HP to me. I was also curious about the ingredient list. I can't imagine (what I assume is) additives being the first thing listed. And I was really curious about the "proprietary process." Did they really come up with a new innovation or is it marketing?
One of the pictures on the site looked like HP to me. I was also curious about the ingredient list. I can't imagine (what I assume is) additives being the first thing listed. And I was really curious about the "proprietary process." Did they really come up with a new innovation or is it marketing?
They are just one company that keeps coming up on my timeline.
I’m also curious about their proprietary process. This isn’t the first soap maker I’ve seen saying they came up with a new faster way to make soap. Why can’t I?
michael732
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Thinking the same thing. Either way, I avoid it at all costs.
BattleGnome
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in my opinion, proprietary often means “mr law man says I don’t have to tell you. Neener neener neener” (or whatever childhood mocking you remember). For this “amazing super soap” it might be a difference between batch size and the vessel they use to mix it in. Making a one bar batch in a cereal bowl could be argued proprietary when the standard is to make 1lb/4 bar batches to have a bit of leeway for inaccurate scales
"Proprietary" just means "relating to an owner or ownership." I.e. it's a fancy way of saying "the way I make soap isn't copyrighted by anyone, so I don't legally have to give credit for where/how I learned my process." Odds are decent every soapmaker on here could claim "proprietary process," legally speaking, since we all have some difference in our approach to stirring utensils, stick-blenders, mixing containers, judgement on technique, etc. A lot of soap makers specify their method if they want their time/effort to make art to be recognized. Otherwise, most use the available space to emphasize the best additives.
By specifying "proprietary" they are essentially saying they don't want to talk about it and won't be answering questions, and that you can either take their claims about what their method does at face value or move along because they will not be substantiating or explaining anything.
Wendlebee
Well-Known Member
"Proprietary" oooooo, sounds so special! Ya right!
Here's one other that bar, and this one's A BEAUT! Claims to not even be soap!
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07J2TGMQZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9aPvFbFC62VYXHowever, if you look at the list of ingredients, it contains lye, or sodium hydroxide, and oils, like coconut, olive, and palm, not always in the same "beauty bar", but they refuse to call the rose by any other name.
Geez.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07J2TGMQZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9aPvFbFC62VYXHowever, if you look at the list of ingredients, it contains lye, or sodium hydroxide, and oils, like coconut, olive, and palm, not always in the same "beauty bar", but they refuse to call the rose by any other name.
Geez.
I am bemused that the message in this Amazon listing is mainly about reducing plastic waste due to less packaging. There's very little about the actual product they're selling.
I also love how they're selling a bar soap but hyping it as "bodywash". I kind of doubt people are gonna fall for this reinvention of the wheel.
Also people nowadays don't want to use bar soap ... so how does calling a bar soap by another name change that fact? Maybe that's why they're also pushing the "less plastic waste" angle?
I also love how they're selling a bar soap but hyping it as "bodywash". I kind of doubt people are gonna fall for this reinvention of the wheel.
Also people nowadays don't want to use bar soap ... so how does calling a bar soap by another name change that fact? Maybe that's why they're also pushing the "less plastic waste" angle?
MarnieSoapien
Well-Known Member
I've looked at this company's website. They are from NZ and seem to be one of the earlier manufactures of solid shampoo and conditioner bars. They have had a fair amount of positive press and are committed to reducing plastic waste. I don't understand what makes a "beauty bar" vs soap. They do have a "soap-free creme bodywash" with ingredients I don't fully understand (link here). I find them less offensive than the other company with the proprietary process.Here's one other that bar, and this one's A BEAUT! Claims to not even be soap!
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07J2TGMQZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9aPvFbFC62VYXHowever, if you look at the list of ingredients, it contains lye, or sodium hydroxide, and oils, like coconut, olive, and palm, not always in the same "beauty bar", but they refuse to call the rose by any other name.
Dawni
Well-Known Member
Ingredients look very similar to the popular shampoo bars... Less harsh surfactants coz some clain soap is too high in pH for the face. I know of some shampoo bars that are labeled top to toe so they function for hair, face, body and everything in between. I think the most difference between shampoo bars and bars like this could be the additives that are meant for hair vs. meant for skin/face.
What's coconut butter though? A fancier way of naming coconut oil that's solid at room temp?
I think the main difference between what they call beauty bars is that they aren't made with sodium hydroxide.
I've seen lots of that brand around.. Probably pay their marketing team a lot. Too expensive for my daily needs if bought here though so I haven't tried.
