"I will PAY you to teach me!"

[IrishLass]

But someone who hints (without actually saying) they see this as a quick way to make cash (ie: make some batches, toss em on etsy, sell soap,.make cash) but has no real interest in learning the deep stuff, or doing research etc, now that person I have no interest in helping or instructing.

Ditto that ^^^^^. I've known a person or 2 with that kind of attitude, and I have absolutely no interest in encouraging them. To me, helping them out would be akin to unleashing a monster on the general public, and I want no part of that.

I have no problem with showing friends or family members the process, though, as long as they have a genuine curiosity in how it's made.

I've made soap with only 2 people before: my son, and also my nephew when he was 15. My nephew chose to make soap with me as a special project for his science class. That was a lot of fun. He told me later that he had no idea that so much chemistry went into a bar of soap and that there'd be so much to learn... and so many notes to take! lol He was so happy that he got to take the whole batch home with him in the end.

Other than them, my SIL is the only other one who has expressed any interest in making soap with me. I'll enjoy doing that a lot because she's a lot like me in that she genuinely loves making things from scratch.


IrishLass

 

[BrewerGeorge]

My oldest daughter's roommate wants to come over and "make" some shaving soap with me. I suspect, though, that her part will be 90% drinking wine and watching. She's bringing the ingredients, but considering that a pound of shaving soap will probably last her three or four years - and she already has the use of my body soap via my daughter - I think she's more curious than truly interested in learning how to do it. I don't have a problem with that.

 

[gigisiguenza]

Ditto that ^^^^^. I've known a person or 2 with that kind of attitude, and I have absolutely no interest in encouraging them. To me, helping them out would be akin to unleashing a monster on the general public, and I want no part of that.

I have no problem with showing friends or family members the process, though, as long as they have a genuine curiosity in how it's made.

I've made soap with only 2 people before: my son, and also my nephew when he was 15. My nephew chose to make soap with me as a special project for his science class. That was a lot of fun. He told me later that he had no idea that so much chemistry went into a bar of soap and that there'd be so much to learn... and so many notes to take! lol He was so happy that he got to take the whole batch home with him in the end.

Other than them, my SIL is the only other one who has expressed any interest in making soap with me. I'll enjoy doing that a lot because she's a lot like me in that she genuinely loves making things from scratch.


IrishLass

Oh that would be a fun science project for sure

My oldest daughter's roommate wants to come over and "make" some shaving soap with me. I suspect, though, that her part will be 90% drinking wine and watching. She's bringing the ingredients, but considering that a pound of shaving soap will probably last her three or four years - and she already has the use of my body soap via my daughter - I think she's more curious than truly interested in learning how to do it. I don't have a problem with that.

LOL you described my two friends. Their helping me make soap was more like chatting with me, asking questions, and distracting me while I make soap hahahaha. Was fun though

 

[cerelife]

I sell at a weekly market and often have people express interest in making their own soap.
A few months ago I went back through my multiple notebooks of soaping notes and created a flyer that lists the books/youtube videos (and of course this forum) that are/were most helpful to me and I also include a little note about how different oils can bring different properties to your soap and list web addresses for a couple of soapcalcs so they can play around with them and 'get' what I mean. At the bottom of the page is my name and home # with the note that they can call me if they have any questions and I will do my best to answer them.
Some people are delighted and some just look at me like I handed them a grilled weasel on a bun.
Therein lies the difference in the mindset of someone who wants to learn and someone who wants to be spoon-fed easy answers.

 

[shunt2011]

I've had people approach me to see if I would teach them but I'm not willing to bring folks into my home. If I had a workshop or a space to offer some classes I might consider it. Plus there's the time factor. Which I have so little of. Between working full-time and running my own business it's plenty enough.

 

[nsmar4211]

Off thread but a "grilled weasel on a bun" made me laugh wayyyy too hard!

 

[heidwil]

The way I lerned was from a book that showed pictures with the instructions every step of the way. Very simple ingredients and pictures of how it should look and what to expect. It made it easy but still very exciting. It gave further recipes to try and to add different ingredients. It made it easy for me to lern.
And after that I checked on the internet and WOW so much information!! It would have been overwhelming for me to start with.

 

[Spice]

I've said it's a lot like cooking. Let that sink in....then I turn around and leave. Sounds rude, but I believe if I say something that many dont like to do (weather m/f) then they will think about that and figure it out....maybe yes or maybe no.:neutral:

 

[notapantsday]

I'd say it's more like baking.

When you're cooking, you can just browse through a recipe, try to understand the essence of it and then follow your gut. Don't like rosemary? Leave it out. Trying to eat healthier? Use less cream. A little more flavor? Use stock instead of water. In the end, if you roughly know what you're doing, you will still have a delicious meal even though you didn't really follow the recipe and failed to weigh out one single ingredient.

As many say, cooking is art - baking is science. And so is soap making, for the most part.

 

[Arimara]

I don't know. Cooking can turn into a lesson in science, mostly physics with a few chemistry lessons. You have to know which oils have what flashpoint and why it's generally a good idea to use 1 part butter to 1 part EVOO if you must use EVOO on the stove. Even down to why it's nigh impossible to to mix cream or dairy in general with citrus fruit, or any acids really. Don't get me started on the evils of cooking on higher temps than medium if you don't need to. Best way to ruin a good pot or pan faster.

 

[dixiedragon]

I don't know. Cooking can turn into a lesson in science, mostly physics with a few chemistry lessons. You have to know which oils have what flashpoint and why it's generally a good idea to use 1 part butter to 1 part EVOO if you must use EVOO on the stove. Even down to why it's nigh impossible to to mix cream or dairy in general with citrus fruit, or any acids really. Don't get me started on the evils of cooking on higher temps than medium if you don't need to. Best way to ruin a good pot or pan faster.

Right?! My parents' stove has 5 eyes (gas), 2 small eyes (simmer eyes), 2 medium eyes and 1 super eye. Dad uses the super eye for EVERYTHING and is shocked when it burns.

 

[Misschief]

Dad uses the super eye for EVERYTHING and is shocked when it burns.

Sounds like my husband. He always used the large element for everything. I've tried explaining that it's more effective to use the element that the pan fits best on but the large one is the one that heats up fastest. We have an ancient electric range that has seen better days. Unfortunately, the landlord won't put in a new one until this one dies a slow and ugly death.

 

[TBandCW]

I didn't set out to make soap, but my hubby thought it would add to the biz (he was so right, we sell a bunch of it). I'm totally self taught thanks to these forums, you tube, many disasters, etc. I now have my adult son helping make it (whew) for the company. When customers ask about how it's made I give them the short version. Many are surprised when I tell them it takes 8 weeks to cure.

 

[BWsoaps]

Just show them how to do it?

I'm sure they will respect you for doing so.

Or they can just do what I did and learn how to do it with a 6 min You tube video, it's easy!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Just show them how to do it?

I'm sure they will respect you for doing so.

Or they can just do what I did and learn how to do it with a 6 min You tube video, it's easy!

I think that's the difference - making soap is cooking, following a recipe. Soaping is more like being a chef, knowing why stuff happens and what will or won't work, trying stuff out and breaking borders.

You can do the former in 6 minutes with YouTube, but when it comes down to problem solving, you're flicking through the recipe book and finding no answers.

That is the crux of the point - showing someone how soap is made is one thing, 'teaching' them 'to soap' is something else entirely.

 

[commoncenz]

Funny you should put it that way TEG ... I've been back at making soap for about 9 months now. After previously making soap for 2 years and taking a ten year break. This time around I feel as if I'm doing "more" than the first time around. More reading, more discussing, testing more boundaries ... and therefore, knowing "MORE" about what is working with my soap and how to fix what goes wrong. I also find myself talking "soap" with people a lot more than before ... quite possibly because I know more about what I'm discussing.

So yes, I agree. There is making soap; like making cake from a boxed mix or following grandma's recipe. There is also SOAPING; knowing the different properties of your ingredients, spending time to understand the process and having the desire to test your and your recipes' limits.

 

[Susie]

I have the kind of mind that has to know "why" before I can grasp a rule or a concept. I was never content with being told to "do this, then this, then that, and done".

It would only take me half an hour to give a quick demo of putting together previously masterbatched ingredients. If that.

However, in order to "teach" someone to soap, they need to show that they are interested enough to access the information I gave them links to. Including this forum and two different YouTube channels. Once I have established who, if any, are sufficiently interested, then I will happily invest more time and effort into sharing info. I would LOVE to have another human being to talk soaping with.

 

[commoncenz]

I like to read about it, do it, process what I've done and read some more. Now, I've spent the last 9 months developing some "go to recipes" by getting a basic understanding of oil properties and deciding what oils I'd like to work with, which ones I'd like to stay away from, which ones I can afford (important) and which of the ones I can afford can reasonably substitute for some of the more expensive "Ooooh your soap has THAT" oils.

I'm now thinking of buying Dr. Dunn's book "Scientific Soapmaking" to see what I can glean from it. For light reading I've ordered Anne-Marie Faiola's "Soap Crafting: Step-by-Step Techniques for Making 31 Unique Cold-Process Soaps". I'm not particularly interested in her recipes as I like the process of developing my own. However, I'm very curious as to what techniques she discusses.

That said, I don't think it's fair to expect someone who has just shown an interest in learning to make soap to have the same "soaping" desire that TEG so perfectly described. But, as others have said, I would expect them to be ready to do some actual research/learning before starting to soap. When my son and daughter made soap with me, they had already heard the sermon about the dangers of lye, the need for proper protective gear, etc. They also already had more than a basic understanding of the process of making soap because of my endless ramblings on the subject .. lol

 

[lenarenee]

The education of good soaping "chef" does not need to start by memorizing all of the
facts before participating in an actual soaping process. We all learn in different ways. Many
people will learn better by experiencing the process first because this provides a platform to build from; an observation from which questions can begin to form. Some people need the visual first.

 

[JayJay]

I too, would love to have a soaping companion. I feel ambivalent about teaching others how to make soap because it IS such a powerful skill that deserves to be approached with respect. I feel like I could be unleashing an ill equipped person onto the public. To harp on Etsy for just a bit longer, there are so many people selling soap on there that it is almost scary. I know that there are many legit soap makers, but there may be just as many people on there who don't know DOS from a hole in the wall.

I did teach someone how to make a batch of soap before. Immediately afterward, I thought, "oh no, what if this person turns around and sells before she understands this process". I gave her all the warnings that I thought were appropriate, but I also know how excited one can be when one first discovers soaping. She is an adult and can ultimately decide what she wants to do. Still, I would feel guilty if someone got their skin burned (or even irritated) because I sent a half cocked soaper into the world. ... Which is exactly what I did.

So, how do we know when a person is serious enough and respectful enough to learn about soaping? Part of me thinks that a serious person would take the time to learn on their own. If they were serious, why wouldn't they have picked tup this hobby before they discovered that I could show them how to do it. I mean, why can't they learn like I did?

Then I had to realize-- I am not a soaping pioneer! I didn't invest in lab equipment and spend years experimenting. I have made zero discoveries. I sat in front of a computer and googled until I found some stuff that other people were willing to share. I tried some "recipes" that I found on some blogs. And like TEG said, I had no idea how to troubleshoot the issues that were present. It wasn't until I found this forum that I started to really understand soap making. If you all had been selfish with your knowledge, I might be a half cocked soaper out there giving my third batch of soap to my co-worker's baby with eczema. You all gave me knowledge. Who am I to act like I have some exclusive rights to soaping.

Still, I feel strange about teaching someone who just wants something to post on instagram. Ambivalence.

I like the previously posted idea about giving people printed resources that they can use to do their own legwork. If they are really serious, they will take the time to at least do a little reading.