Thoughts on soap making and people

[Annavlz]

I started to make soap less then a month ago. I found this forum and subscribed to it. I've been reading it since then every day. But this is my first post here. And it's not a question "how to" or "what happened to.. Help" there is a lot of info around, more then I can digest or try.
I keep experementing and trying oils and technics. But what I get as results and what I read (especially at FB page, but here also) put me into a cognitive dissonance.
On one hand I have no technical questions, because if you read and follow instructions well your chances to fail are almost zero. To fail I mean to get something visually not reminding soap, too soft, or nor soapy, or itchy, etc. This part is easy.
But when I start testing (and after a month I got only 3 batches to test, others are not ready yet), I get the idea of real good soaping mastership: soap has to feel good and nice to your hands! To clean your hands and to be safe and gentle to it! And to be good to handle it for a long time (not to dissolve on the second day of using, as the soap I bought in a very beatiful and professionally looking package). That's the basics. You can add any colours or scents whatever, it's all optional. But if your soap doesn't meet the basics - it can harm people. So that's the one side.
On the other hand I read all this soapmaking posts with pictures and "sweet" comments below "what a beatiful gorgeous amasing fantastic (choose your own) soap you've made"
HOW DO YOU KNOW THE QUALITY OF THE SOAP BY PIC so you comment about it?!!

I know, I know. It's an old and painful topic, but I got 2 messages already from the forum admins how I feel about the forum, why I don't post anything or comment. But I've only started and there is so many things to learn, and I dont have questions (but the above one) I cant find the answers yet.

Some people would say "but its so great when soap looks beautiful". Yes, it is great, when it is plus to great quality. But if there is only looks - it's not a soap.

Sorry, just need to vent it somewhere public, so I can get over the frustration and keep on getting closer to high quality soap)))

 

[CanaDawn]

well many of the terms you mention are just about the visual aspects of the soap...the swirls, the colour, the shapes, the visible texture, so they are totally valid comments that haven't got to try the soap to be accurate. Obviously no one can comment on the lather or the feel of a photograph, and no one is trying to do that. After a while, though, with experience, some soap issues ARE apparent by looking at photos.

I have seen several soap exchanges on the forum where people trade their soaps and get feedback.

As far as I know, everybody gets the new member messages, don't feel obligated by them.

Also, a month is a very short cure for most soaps to be "finished", and for any soaper to be "experienced" so you will probably find you pick up some of this stuff as you get more experience. As you make more soap, and try other things, you'll probably also run into something that you didn't expect would happen based on your reading, although you may recognise it because of what you have read.

 

[lsg]

I like to comment on the colors, swirls, shapes and unusual soaps. You can do that without knowing if the soap lathers well, is drying or lasts a long time. Some of the soaps listed in the photo gallery are really works of art IMO.

 

[kylie_au]

Yes we all comment on the beauty of the soap in the picture, fair enough. Also, for new soapers, they have a sense of pride in what they have done so like to share with the rest of us. Also, the pictures can speak many words regarding techniques and outcomes = swirls, colours, additives etc.
When a batch goes wrong pictures help educate about the bad outcomes, like lye heavy and lye pockets, ricing, seperation etc etc.
( Children learn best from pictures and hands on learning/ so why not soapmakers?)

Yes, technically, you can't summise the lathering or gentleness of a bar of soap from the picture - But, to those of us who have been soaping for a long time, there is a certain "look" to a good soap = IMHO anyway. There is something in the texture and colour of a quality soap as opposed to a poorly made one.

There was another soapmaker lady in central qld, and honestly just by looking at the soap it looked soft - so i squeezed it = yep soft as. There is a different texture to soft soap too. Took some home and the lemongrass one had big stalky bits that would cut you easily and the bar itself was sooo soft easily denting it with a finger, even kinda bendy.

Seasoned soapers know, we can never see enough pictures of soap.

 

[jules92207]

I am still a new soaper and the majority of my experience so far comes from formulating GREAT soap, not making it beautiful. Colors, swirls, etc will come with time for me, and when I do start posting beautiful soaps you can be assured I already spent months, or years, making sure they are really good soaps first. I guess I just assume most other soapers are the same way and if they are posting beautiful creations I expect its with a recipe they have mastered and are already certain its a good recipe. If they wanted feedback on the soap itself I would think they would be giving some up for me to test, but I can atleast admire their creativity.

 

[kylie_au]

Very true jules92207, first learn to make soap - then experiment add some colour or whatever, then learn to swirl and layer and before we know it we are not only creating soap but in many cases beautiful works of art.
Such a pity soapmakers are not recognised in the art world, as there are some piccassos ( sp? ) amongst them.

Having said that though, even a very plain, well formulated soap is one of great beauty .

 

[CanaDawn]

I am still a new soaper and the majority of my experience so far comes from formulating GREAT soap, not making it beautiful. Colors, swirls, etc will come with time for me, and when I do start posting beautiful soaps you can be assured I already spent months, or years, making sure they are really good soaps first. I guess I just assume most other soapers are the same way and if they are posting beautiful creations I expect its with a recipe they have mastered and are already certain its a good recipe. If they wanted feedback on the soap itself I would think they would be giving some up for me to test, but I can atleast admire their creativity.

So assume that...Assume the soaps you see posted are masterful recipes, and people are posting the photos for feedback or admiration of the visual qualities only. Everyone will be happy.

 

[CanaDawn]

I don't think one needs to master the ultimate soap recipe to begin to experiment with colour, etc. Sure, make a plain batch or two to understand the processes, and then branch out IF that is how you wish to learn. IF on the other hand you prefer to master the recipe and leave the colours and other details for later, or never, then great! Neither is more correct.

 

[lenarenee]

Sounds like you value quality above all; and nothing wrong with that. You also sound very diligent and patient (as in, willing to "do the work" in order to get the results you want.

Those qualities define your soapmaking style. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with that.

You'll find many different styles on the forum. Many soapers post pictures of their failures, as well as successes. Both are valuable.

Yes, pics will evoke many positive responses even if we don't know the quality of the lather, cleansing, or hardness. We just can't get that information on a computer screen.

Plus, with all of the things than can go wrong with a soap batch...sometimes having a standing, sliceable block of soap with no cracks, lye pockets, morphing or other weirdness is a feat deserves crowing about!

I posted pics of my plain first soaps simply because it took me over 20 years to be brave enough to try it. I also hope to be posting many pictures in the next 3 weeks, because in the past weeks the house has been under major renovation, I lost a dear neighbor, we've been down with the "never ending cold/cough plague. I've been itching and dreaming about making soap; helps me keep my spirits up. Most importantly, a successful and attractive bar of soap does wonder for my self esteem.

Welcome to the forum. Don't feel pressured to post pics. However, when you want, we'll be happy to hear about how the quality of your recipes is coming along.

 

[Susie]

Hi, and Welcome!

First, welcome to the addiction!

Second, I assure you that sooner or later, you will also be faced with a batch that does not make "great" soap. It may not even make soap. It will happen to everyone eventually. Then you will treasure those long "help" threads as the gold mine of information they are.

Third, never, ever throw out a batch until you have asked for help. Most batches can be saved. And you learn a great deal in the process of saving them.

 

[Dorymae]

On one hand I have no technical questions, because if you read and follow instructions well your chances to fail are almost zero. To fail I mean to get something visually not reminding soap, too soft, or nor soapy, or itchy, etc. This part is easy.

I can see why you might think this if you have been only making soap for a few months and have primarily been using recipes from books and such. However, you will find that your statement is entirely false.

Once you start formulating your own recipes and if you are looking for great quality, you will want to, soon you will find oils scents and colors that don't behave the way you expect them to. Past that if you are serious about finding " the recipe" (and we all have our "the recipe") you will begin to experiment outside of what the books say you should do. (Sometimes the books are too rigid in their technique to give you the result you want.) Once that happens it's not easy to get great soap and have great looking soap.

I'm going to assume you haven't yet seen seizure of your mixture (ie soap on a stick) or seen your traced soap suddenly begin to separate into small clumps of soap swimming in oil. I hope you don't ever see these things but if you continue on making soap you probably will see these issues. Like getting a flat tire - it is not an issue of whether you'll see them, its when will you see them.

So knowing this when I see a beautiful bar of soap I will let people know I think its beautiful. That is half the battle, the other half I have no way of judging. However I can hope that even if it isn't a great bar of soap, perhaps the encouragement of knowing people like the look of the soap will keep them going and they will eventually find their "the recipe".

 

[CanaDawn]

I have to agree with Dorymae. Less than a month into the world of soaping leaves a lot of room for adventure and unexpected outcomes!

There's some truly beautiful soap shown in the photo pages (and some very sad flops, but they are great lessons for maker and observers alike, so they have their value...and sometimes the flops for the maker are actually wonderful soaps for others <- that happens a lot!), so I'm going to let the soaper know I admire their product. (or their courage to post the flop! )

 

[welsh black]

Well I followed instructions and here is a disappointment Lol !! I learn more from my failures than my successes , this Taiwan swirl only looks good from the top. Didn't realise that inside it's rather dull. Looked at more info on soaping 101 and seen that she cuts it horizontally to show the swirls. Lesson learned. I love looking at photos , we cannot smell or touch, but we can use our eyes.

 

[navigator9]

Yes, it seems that a simple batch of soap should be easy to make. But there are so many variables, that even experienced soap makers, making a recipe they've made a hundred times before, can encounter unexpected problems. But failures really are the best teachers, and when you've run up against problems and been forced to deal with them, you learn more than you ever could by reading about it in a book.


I think all of us would agree that soap must be wonderful to use. If it's pretty, but makes our skin feel dry and tight, that's something no one wants. Hopefully a great recipe is a priority. But soap makers love every aspect of soap making, and trying different techniques and ingredients is something that most of us love to experiment with. And since we can't reach through the monitor to actually use the soaps we see here, all we can do is comment on their appearance.

If you become as passionate about soap making, as many of us are, you'll find that you can never get enough. So we love to read about soap, look at pictures of soap, read soap blogs, (I have a list of dozens of blogs, that I check regularly), hear other soap makers stories of successes or failures....we even dream about soap, literally. And because we can't visit each other physically, we enjoy seeing and commenting on what each other has been up to lately. If it's soap related.....it's all good! :-D