Hello and help!

[aruala]

Hello from Jersey, my name is aruala.. Im very very new to using forums. Ive been making soap for about a year or so now. I started selling them and its been doing great. I use the mp method but i'm wondering what is the best process to use and their benefits. I don't know much about the other methods.. Feeling like Im doing it wrong..


Thanks Much!
Aruala

 

[dixiedragon]

Welcome! By "MP method" I assume you mean you are buying melt and pour base, then adding scent, color etc to it?

There is no "best process" - it depends on what you want from your soap and other things.

I myself do mostly cold process - meaning I melt my oils, mix my lye with water, then mix the two. I have also done hot process, which means after mixing the lye water with the oils, you then cook the soap (I use a double boiler, some people use a crockpot or the oven), and after the cook you pour it in the mold.

 

[aruala]

Hi! Thanks for the quick reply, yes I buy my base and add my colors and fragrance. Thats what im not sure about im wondering what the benefits are of each method, so i can choose the best one for me.

 

[dixiedragon]

I think the benefits of CP are that you can tinker with the oils you use so as to get what you consider the best possible recipe. I have tried MP soaps and I vastly prefer the feel of the CP and how it makes my skin feel. But I know there are people out there who feel the same way about their MP soap, and that's awesome. MP has stuff added to make it melt, and my feeling is that I prefer my simpler CP soap with fewer things added to it. That's the reason that I, personally, don't add vanilla stabilizer to my CP to keep the vanilla fragrance from turning the soap brown. Although I do use fragrance oils and colors, so this is not entirely logical, I fully admit.

Are you interested in trying CP or HP?

 

[aruala]

hmm..

I have noticed that a lot of soap makers use CP, so I was interested in seeing how it was done. Ive been wanted to try it but i have been scared to i think bc i've been so comfortable with how i have been doing it also with how well mine have come out i don't wanna mess it up. The only thing about melt and pour that i didn't like was not knowing what was in it exactly. I found an all natural distributor that i purchase from so that makes me feel a bit better about it. I seem to like the look of the CP soap more but i have really learned how to use and be creative with the melt and pour. Id like to one day open my own store and it just seems a lot of people i tried to talk to about it were pretty negative to MP, it confused me as to why.. :???:

 

[aruala]

Here are of few of my past items..

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Welcome! There was a whole discussion around whether or not M&P is actually making soap or not, as you buy a soap base, which is where some of the negativity toward M&P might come from. That said, how your customers feel is the most important thing to consider!

Using CP or HP might give more freedom regarding the ingredients and the end qualities of the soap, but then of course it's harder to be as creative than with M&P. Looking at the 3 pictures, all of these could be done with CP, I think.

 

[dixiedragon]

Very pretty!

I've never made MP, but there is an MP forum if you want to get recommendations for different bases, etc.

For me, MP vs CP is like cookies made from store-bought dough vs cookies from scratch. While they are both cookies, one is made in a factory and one is made by an individual. I don't buy MP b/c (in my opinion) it's not home-made soap. (Unless you are making your own MP base from scratch.) I personally want homemade from scratch soap.

Not trying to bash you or anything, just trying to share why some people prefer CP.

If you want to give CP a try, www.millersoap.com has a lot of good recipes and instructions. You may be able to find lye at the hardware store.

 

[aruala]

I appreciate everyones help! Thanks so much :grin:

 

[cmzaha]

I would say if you ever open a brick-and-mortor (store) you have a wide selection of both cp and m&P. Some people prefer what they refer to as glycerin soap. Do your research well before opening up a store and know you will have the traffic to support it. That is why I like craft and street fairs, I meet a lot of different people and when sales are bad I am not paying all the bills that go with a store.

 

[ilovesoap2]

Hello from Jersey, my name is aruala.. Im very very new to using forums. Ive been making soap for about a year or so now. I started selling them and its been doing great. I use the mp method but i'm wondering what is the best process to use and their benefits. I don't know much about the other methods.. Feeling like Im doing it wrong..
Thanks Much!
Aruala

You are not doing anything wrong. Your soaps are beautiful by the way. If melt and pour is working for you then continue doing it, it means your customers like it. Then spend some time in the cp forum and watching youtube videos on the process. Once you're comfortable then add it to your offerings. Especially if you ever open your store, nothing wrong in having m/p, cp and hp.
Welcome!