Why is soap making so addictive?

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narnia

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I seem to eat, drink, and sleep soap! I lie in bed at night, thinking about soap...how to improve...what other "flavors" to make, etc! Why is soap making so addictive, I wonder???

I am so excited about soap making, that my other hobbies have gone by the wayside! I was planning to take up oil painting and watercolors and dabbled in that a bit, but once I started making soap, I have not had any more interest in those activities! I can't imagine....as I have always wanted to return to my love of art...and since retiring, I finally had my chance but have left it for soap making! :confused:
 
For me, it's because soapmaking is one activity that satisfies many interests and never gets boring. It is both art and science. It is both creative and practical. I can both keep it and share it. There is always something new to learn about ingredients or technique. There is a bit of mystery to it, as even the most experienced soapmakers don't have all the answers, therefore each new experiment is both exciting and educational. The design possibilities are endless, with all the shapes, colors, and swirls to try. And ohhh, the fragrances...
 
YES!!! I think you put it all in a nutshell!!! As a child, I used to want to be a scientist when I grew up. I love conducting experiments! I also have a love of art and have worked as an artist as well, so this is a perfect marriage of the two!! I never dreamed that I would feel so fulfilled as a soap maker!! Who knew??!!!

Yes!! The fragrances are a HUGE part of it!! So, this particular art/science incorporates the visual as well as the olfactory senses!! Not to forget oh, the wonderful physical properties of making my skin feel light years softer and smoother than commercial soaps ever did!! :D:clap:

Sooooo many benefits!!
 
It is something about making things that smell good and look good that makes me feel good. For me it is simply therapeutic, and make me forget about the pain.

With soap I feel I can do something usefull, something I can can use myself, and also gift to others whilst forgetting how sick I feel.

I have been doing soaprelated things for sooo long now, and still not tired of it one bit! I can only do it on good days when I can stand up for a bit, but it feels wonderfull to make something by hand.

I started around 1999/2000`ish, and developed more advanced and artistic M&P pieces as the years went by. By that I mean soaps that looks like small pieces of paintings (painted with soap paint), rocks, sculptures, ingraved soaps and novelty themed soaps that was still possible to use, all carved and made by hand. For example I once made a soap shaped as a lake, with a fat lady swimming under the water, her behind slightly surfacing the waves, and bubbles trapped under her nose as she dived down. It had handcarved fish underwater and shells and seaweeds on the bottom etc. The person who got it never used it, lol, it was kept on the bathroom sink as decor only. What a strange thing to do with a soap...:think:

I have only been doing CP less than a year ( and some HP too) and CP is a different aproach than M&P. So generally speaking I have NEVER tired of doing soaps. E.v.e.r.

Who get tired of lovely smells, awesome colors and silky skin?

Besides, who doesn`t feel the exitement when cutting into a bar of soap to see how it looks on the inside!!!:mrgreen::lol:
 
By that I mean soaps that looks like small pieces of paintings (painted with soap paint), rocks, sculptures, ingraved soaps and novelty themed soaps that was still possible to use, all carved and made by hand. For example I once made a soap shaped as a lake, with a fat lady swimming under the water, her behind slightly surfacing the waves, and bubbles trapped under her nose as she dived down. It had handcarved fish underwater and shells and seaweeds on the bottom etc. The person who got it never used it, lol, it was kept on the bathroom sink as decor only. What a strange thing to do with a soap...:think:

I have only been doing CP less than a year ( and some HP too) and CP is a different aproach than M&P. So generally speaking I have NEVER tired of doing soaps. E.v.e.r.

Who get tired of lovely smells, awesome colors and silky skin?

Besides, who doesn`t feel the exitement when cutting into a bar of soap to see how it looks on the inside!!!:mrgreen::lol:

That is amazing!! So you have any pics to share of your "soap art?" It could even be a "soap opera!" :)

I have so fallen in love with the lovely smells that I have lavender and lemongrass bars of soap on a plate on my night stand so that I can enjoy the aromas as I sleep!!
 
That is amazing!! So you have any pics to share of your "soap art?" It could even be a "soap opera!" :)

I have so fallen in love with the lovely smells that I have lavender and lemongrass bars of soap on a plate on my night stand so that I can enjoy the aromas as I sleep!!

No, I actually didn`t have a camera those days. But I do now, so now I take pictures of everything under the sun, soaps included:mrgreen: I am super bummed about not having any from my years of making them, because they were so many, and all one-time-only pieces as everyone was different. I would have loved to see what they looked like after all these years!
My favourite smell is Lavender/Lemongrass too, that combination holds up well in my soaps. I have a 2 pound batch on the curing racks as we speak, it is 2 weeks old and I get a whaft of them whenever I pass the rack, lol.
Sometimes I even pop in just to smell them. Is that normal??:think::mrgreen:
 
No, I actually didn`t have a camera those days. But I do now, so now I take pictures of everything under the sun, soaps included:mrgreen: I am super bummed about not having any from my years of making them, because they were so many, and all one-time-only pieces as everyone was different. I would have loved to see what they looked like after all these years!
My favourite smell is Lavender/Lemongrass too, that combination holds up well in my soaps. I have a 2 pound batch on the curing racks as we speak, it is 2 weeks old and I get a whaft of them whenever I pass the rack, lol.
Sometimes I even pop in just to smell them. Is that normal??:think::mrgreen:

It's normal for ME!! I am actually curing these soaps in the bedroom so that I can smell them all night!! It's such a heavenly spa-like experience! :) I love peppermint, too!

However, I cannot tolerate FOs. The one FO that I bought...Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey, I still feel a repulsion to. I feel ill around people who wear colognes, perfumes, etc., but EOs I find to be therapeutic.
 
It's normal for ME!! I am actually curing these soaps in the bedroom so that I can smell them all night!! It's such a heavenly spa-like experience! :) I love peppermint, too!

However, I cannot tolerate FOs. The one FO that I bought...Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey, I still feel a repulsion to. I feel ill around people who wear colognes, perfumes, etc., but EOs I find to be therapeutic.

Lol, good to know I am not alone when it comes to sniffing my soaps as I pass them (or take trips to the curing rack just to smell them:mrgreen:)

Peppermint is awesome, agreed, I like to put a drop of peppermint in a cup to freshen up the air in our livingroom, it clears my head and feels so good. Spa indeed!
 
For me, it's because soapmaking is one activity that satisfies many interests and never gets boring. It is both art and science. It is both creative and practical. I can both keep it and share it. There is always something new to learn about ingredients or technique. There is a bit of mystery to it, as even the most experienced soapmakers don't have all the answers, therefore each new experiment is both exciting and educational. The design possibilities are endless, with all the shapes, colors, and swirls to try. And ohhh, the fragrances...
Exactly this! Well said Muskette. [emoji3]
 
I'm sure you've heard it all before.
I can quit anytime I want to. I just don't want to YET.
It's creamy and it smells so nice. What's wrong with making one more batch. I need to get more curing racks next time I'm in town.
I have those new FO's I NEED to try out. so many possibilities there.
Besides I just got the new batch of coloured micas in that I have to test.
Soap making isn't really addicting.
Dang! I need to try the January challenge ONE MORE TIME just to try and get it "right".
Besides it helps keep my mind active trying to figure out what went wrong THiS time?!?!
I wonder if I can keep a batch in a silicone mould until I have more room on the curing racks?
Where did all the Lemon Eucalyptus go anyway?

:)
 
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