As I am fairly new to the crafty online selling community, I was somewhat surprised to find several people selling soap. I guess I always knew that some people do make their own soap but I had never really given it much thought. But there is a significant market there so I decided to explore it some. Here is some of what I found out in the process.
Here is what some of those crafty Soap Maker had to say..........
Chocolate Cupcake with a Strawberry on Top Soap
I love making soaps again! I used to love it and then it took over as a business but I'm going back to it as a hobbyist again, yay!
I've made M&P (melt & pour), lye soap (cold, hot, and microwave processes), and just about any variation of those possible. When I was very young I watched my grandmother make soap in the basement and to this day I can still hear her, "You just stay back there cuz I don't want you to get burned!" and see her dressed up in her attire.
Why did I start making soap? Because I have 2 red-headed kids that have VERY sensitive skin. Now I make it because it relaxes me.
Soap Smith
Soap Smith
Stardust Handmade Cold Process SoapI made my first soaps in the mid 1970's. I was drawn to the craft because of the long history of soap making and the handing down of techniques through the generations. I am an avid gardener and enjoy incorporating my herbs into my soaps. I am a member of the Handmade Soap maker's Guild as well as the Pa. Guild of Craftsmen.
Now with the advent of the Internet, the soap making community has grown by leaps and bounds. I believe we have the responsibility to advance the craft and pass along our new found modern soap making methods. In that light, I teach and do demos for newbies as well as seasoned soap makers at conferences and symposiums. I also offer tutorials for the soap making community through forums and mentor many new soap makers.
I make cold process hand made soap as well as glycerin soaps such as my hand carved gemstone soap rocks. I also make a full line of bath and body products. I enjoy the challenges of formulating my products and take great pleasure in creating and recreating the products that have become customer favorites. My customers are my motivation & inspiration, they continue to support my efforts with their purchase and gratitude. For that I am most grateful.
Now with the advent of the Internet, the soap making community has grown by leaps and bounds. I believe we have the responsibility to advance the craft and pass along our new found modern soap making methods. In that light, I teach and do demos for newbies as well as seasoned soap makers at conferences and symposiums. I also offer tutorials for the soap making community through forums and mentor many new soap makers.
I make cold process hand made soap as well as glycerin soaps such as my hand carved gemstone soap rocks. I also make a full line of bath and body products. I enjoy the challenges of formulating my products and take great pleasure in creating and recreating the products that have become customer favorites. My customers are my motivation & inspiration, they continue to support my efforts with their purchase and gratitude. For that I am most grateful.
Peppermint SoapMy soap making evolved out of my love for making all sorts of things myself. I like to grow my own fruits and vegetables, make my own jams, jellies, and pickles, and cook and bake all sorts of things from scratch. When I found out I could make soap in my own kitchen, I had to try that too!
I make hot process soap using only essential oils for fragrance, and try to incorporate herbs and botanicals into my products in other ways, like using herbal teas for the water, and adding ground dried herbs. I'm interested in the different ways scents and herbs can enhance a soap and enhance the mood of the person using the soap.
I'm also in the process of going organic. I try to buy organic food as much as I can, and I use organic techniques in my gardening, so it just makes sense to use organic ingredients in my soap as well.
Lastly, I like making soap because I'm a science nerd! I have a biology degree, and I like reading about the different fatty acids and what properties they add to the soap. It's fun to experiment with different recipes. I actually like reading about saponification and fatty acid profiles and so on.
Cucumber Glycerin Loofah BarI first started making soap back in 2000. Seems like a life time ago. I love the different ways it can be made. It's an addiction that's for sure! I make soap because I have sensitive skin. I did lots of trial and error recipes and found one cold process one that I love.
Did you know that if you select the Bath and Beauty category of ArtFire it comes up with 4128 listings. And if out of those you just click on soap you will still get 2125 listings. That's a lot of soap.
There are many more so be sure to hop on over to ArtFire and check them out.
Congrats everyone! Those soaps look good!
ReplyDeleteIrena