*waves* Hey y'all! Hope everyone has had a good week! Have been as busy as a beaver but did manage to make a couple of batches of soap, but decided to devote this post to something that has been discussed recently and is heavily on my mind. There are some that do not take into consideration how much work actually goes into soapmaking. They think that melting down what someone else has spent alot of work making, throwing it in a mold, means they can pass it off as their own creation. It doesn't work that way though. This doesn't apply to the m&p method where the soap base is made specifically to be used as m&p, just to make things clear here.
Besides the m&p method there a few different ways of making soap which in some cases vastly differ from eachother. While each method is equally valid some methods are more lengthy than others, and take a bit more work. You have the Melt and Pour(M&P), Cold Process (CP) , Hot Process, and Cold Process/Hot Process (CPHP). CP is my addiction. ;) I had past experience with M&P, but I wanted the experience making it from scratch hence me trying this method. That isn't the only reason, but nonetheless was a significant one. I had watched tons of cp soapmaking on videos and viewed loads of pictures on the process. On top of this I did quite a bit of research on this process, but I knew I could never fully appreciate what all goes into it until I had hands on experience with it.
Making soap from scratch is a lengthy process , and it isn't like you just slap all of the ingredients together with a scent and call it soap, it isn't that easy. There are alot of things to take into consideration, personal safety is one of them. Lye is caustic but you cannot make soap without it. But that is another post altogether. Anyhow, back to safety. The other day I was making my lye milk, got all of the lye dissolved and put the container aside to cool. I didn't realize at the time but there was a minuscule amount of lye milk that splashed on one of the fingers of my glove. I removed my googles , my nose itched and without thinking I went to scratch it with my finger. While it was a minuscule amount it felt like I had been stung by a couple of fire ants on my nose. I grabbed the vinegar because it neutralizes the lye and goodness gracious it stung like crud!! I was fine though because of the minuscule amount thankfully. The extent of the burn when it was all said and done was like a very light sunburn on that spot of my nose but can you imagine what it would have been like if it were my eye that I rubbed? I will be more careful next time.
Another thing to consider is most people want a soap that is not only healthy for their body but makes their skin feel luscious as well. There is alot of time and effort to formulating a good balanced recipe to achieve the above. Most want a soap that is also pleasing to look at whether its vibrant swirls, textured tops, layered, embedded, bakery themed designs or the grunge/rustic look and so forth. All that goes into soapmaking takes alot of work, and a great deal of trial and error until you find your niche. To alot of soapmakers it isn't just a hobby, or even just a way of making money, it is a form of artistic expression in it's own right that deserves respect. So if you have someone who takes what you have spent so much time and effort creating, and claims it as their own, it is a huge slap in the face and isn't to be taken lightly. I get disappointed when things of this nature take place regardless of the medium it happens to. I always want to think the best of people but when things like this happen, it is very disheartening to say the least. I have some things to get done but want to leave you with the following thought. How would you feel if it happened to you?
Suds & Bubbles,
Soapy
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