I don’t know why I keep making soap. I probably have over a years’ supply now. I’ve got one bar left from my original plain batch last summer, and plenty from my lavender and oatmeal beeswax batches. But it’s just such a fascinating process. There’s different recipes and techniques to try and my brain is just always scheming about “next batch”.
Most recently I tried a recipe for shaving soap. I made some rounds, to go in a shaving mug or bowl, and some bars.
Some home-production projects take a lot of effort for only a little return. (For example–my skill-level of knitting.) But soap-making is a different story. I didn’t find the process to be too difficult to master. So easily in one venture I could spend an hour and my family would be set with soap for a whole year. And soap is soap. Many people use their homemade soap as shampoo, or grate it up and make homemade laundry and dish soap, and with a few special additives I have a soap perfect for replacing shaving cream.
So maybe that’s why I can’t stop. In life we try a lot of things–creating five-year plans, housekeeping routines, parenting techniques, diet plans– and so few things actually turn out how we want them to. Maybe that’s why I’m enjoying making soap–it’s predictable and turns out like I want it to.
Give it a try. . . maybe it will turn out for you too.
Urban Pioneer Story 
I’ve made soap once. But I used ylang-ylang fragrance and it was so sweet! Also, our soap seems really slimy. Maybe that’s just the recipe I used. What ingredients are you using? I’m just curious! I’m like you – always scheming what the next combination will be. But I’ve been hesitant because of the slimy factor.
Love the shapes of your soap. Very, very nice!
Do you mean the feel of the soap is slimy or the soap get’s slimy? Homemade soaps contain all their natural glycerine (which is removed from commercial soap to sell separately) and some recipes are “super fatted” to make homemade soap definitely more moisturizing than storebought. But if you mean they get slimy and break down then there are two things you can do. First you can cure the soap longer. That hardens the bars up more so they don’t dissolve as quickly. Second make sure you have a soap dish that drains really well so that the soap is never sitting in water–that definitely makes it slimy.
The shaving soap used castor oil, olive oil and coconut oil. Ive also used lard in some soaps, and vegetable shortening in some along wiht the olive oil and coconut oil.
Soap and cheese are (and have been forever) on my list to try next! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I went through my soap making phase a decade ago when my son was bringing home bugs and critters in his pockets. I know what you mean, it is so much fun experiemtning, adding new things to add additional properties and health benefits. I miss those great bars of soap. Nothing in the store compares. After seeing your beautiful soaps I may have to get bit by the soap bug again. Thanks for the inspiration. Have a great week.
Pingback: Sustainable Shaving | Urban Pioneer Story