# Soap making "Addiction" - is it a thing?



## ForTheDogs (Dec 31, 2015)

Yes, I have a cute little Etsy page. Yes, I've sold an extremely modest amount of soaps.

BUT...

I find I make way more than I sell. Is there such a thing as addiction to making soaps? I feel very happy when melting, pouring, design new loaves, cupcakes, whatever.

I find making soap to be a very soothing, therapeutic process and now I'm in this situation where I'll end up with a plethora of soaps in stock, but no real strong customer base to sell them to. I have ideas for bars coming out of the wazoo, too, so that doesn't help. Not to mention the issue of buying stock, molds, fragrances, colors, etc.

Making soaps makes me happy. It's calming, it's pleasant. It's my happy place.

Please tell me that I'm not the only one that has crossed this bridge.

Anyone else?


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## Helenz (Dec 31, 2015)

Oh yes, yes, yes it is very addictive. I started making soap after an illness as something I could do at home and for therapy. But once I started I couldn't stop. I eyed every item for its possibility of becoming a mould.(mold) I had so many ideas of types of soaps to make and experimented until I had so much soap that my husband told me I either had to stop making it or start selling it. So off to the local market I went and started selling it. I did have some competition with someone selling on behalf of someone else. These were soaps being imported from Australia and looked like M&P soaps, brightly coloured and very highly scented, all identical size & shape and I couldn't compete pricewise. However eventually people started to like the idea that I actually made each and every one of my soaps and could tell them exactly what I used for ingredients. I am happy to cover my costs and to be able to buy more supplies to make more soaps and have a wee profit. Sometimes I do very well and other days I make enough left over to buy up fruit and veges from the market. Soapmaking supplies are limited and I have had to buy moulds from Aussie, USA & China, plus alot of home made items. I am green with envy when I read of all the fragrances available overseas and things like cutters & other tools.
I thought the novelty would wear off but no. I am trying to limit myself to making a regular range of soaps of the most popular with the ocassional one offs when I have the urge to play around abit. I love soapmaking, I love making it, using it, reading about it and dreaming about it. Hence I call myself Soapdreamer.


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## ForTheDogs (Dec 31, 2015)

I had to laugh when you spoke about the molds.

I do that all the time. I look at anything even remotely mold-y-ish and ponder if I can pour soap into it.

Soapaholics Anonymous. I'm not even joking.


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## Steve85569 (Dec 31, 2015)

No. There is no such thing as soap making addiction. 
Please excuse me . I have to go make my New Year's batch of Castile. The lye water is in the fridge and the oil is on the table calling my name.


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## ForTheDogs (Dec 31, 2015)

Steve85569 said:


> No. There is no such thing as soap making addiction.
> Please excuse me . I have to go make my New Year's batch of Castile. The lye water is in the fridge and the oil is on the table calling my name.



Good point. I was just saying to the lady that I buy the fragrance from that I...

....wait, just gotta go stir the glycerin.


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## luebella (Dec 31, 2015)

I think about it for the majority of a day!


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## commoncenz (Dec 31, 2015)

I have not made a batch of soap in about two and a half weeks (17 days to be exact). I was about to make a batch today when I noticed that I was out of Sodium Citrate ... we have HARD water here, so I won't make a batch without it. Upon realizing that I would not be making soap today, I began to itch, scratch, and mumble aimlessly to myself. 

What were we talking about again?


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## LoveOscar (Dec 31, 2015)

I feel pretty controlled in that I don't stare at every little thing and think, hey! soap mold! But I don't do all the funky swirls and colors and FO's either. Not my thing, but I enjoy the pretty pictures everyone else posts. I'd sooner re-purpose my leather tools think: already been thinking about it) and hand carve a swirl pattern on my bars than buy a mold that had the pattern in it. What gets me is learning the science behind it and the feel of a bar of soap. I'm all for lather. :shifty: I could play in lather all day. Soft, fluffy, pillowy. It's almost romantic.


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## lenarenee (Jan 1, 2016)

Good grief people you got it all wrong. Soap addiction is a perfectly normal healthy behavior. Only the most psychologically sound display this behavior.

Btw, how many curing bars of soap have you stroked today?


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## Steve85569 (Jan 1, 2016)

lenarenee,
I had to rearrange all my soap racks to fit the castile batch on. So it was a bunch of pretty little ones and quite a few uglies from the rebatches. But they are all resting comfotrably now and eagerly waiting for their new friends from Spain.


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## ForTheDogs (Jan 1, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> Good grief people you got it all wrong. Soap addiction is a perfectly normal healthy behavior. Only the most psychologically sound display this behavior.
> 
> Btw, how many curing bars of soap have you stroked today?



Hahahaha! I poured a loaf batched of colored glycerin for cutting up yesterday (a project I have planned), just moments before I read your post. Yes, I stroked it. Mostly as I was checking it had hardened properly, but partly because I just like it.

**** you!

Hahahaha! :mrgreen::mrgreen:


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## shunt2011 (Jan 1, 2016)

Nope, no addiction here. . After making soap for a bit over a year, my husband told me the exact same thing.  Stop or start selling. So, I started giving it away to family members to try. Then about 6 months later I took the feedback and from the most positive chose my recipes and the rest is history. 

Although I haven't made soap in almost 3 months and my stock is extremely low, I plan on starting my restocks next week and trying some new things as well. 

I am also in the process of rebranding and am working out the logistics. I'm a bit nervous but excited since I just went very basic with not a lot of thought into my business name.


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## traderbren (Jan 1, 2016)

No, it's not addicting. I can quit at any time. And I can quit wandering over to Soap World every time I go in the basement to feed Big Bertha the Woodstove. I don't need to pick up my preciouses and sniff them, or look them over for evidence of Soap Mouse every time. I don't need to jiggle my lard bucket (well that doesn't sound quite right...) daily to see if I need to have Hubs pick me up some more from Walmart before I can make another batch. I don't need to qualify washing my hands so much so I can use more soap, and therefore make more. It's just germ season, and I'm being safe.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go push on my castile soap to see if I can pop it out of the mold yet. It wasn't ready an hour ago...


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## lenarenee (Jan 1, 2016)

ForTheDogs said:


> Hahahaha! I poured a loaf batched of colored glycerin for cutting up yesterday (a project I have planned), just moments before I read your post. Yes, I stroked it. Mostly as I was checking it had hardened properly, but partly because I just like it.
> 
> **** you!
> 
> Hahahaha! :mrgreen::mrgreen:


 
When you say "a loaf batched of colored glycerin - do you mean melt and pour? Will there be pictures soon?

In all seriousness, I love the texture of a bar of soap - I've never had any interest in liquid. When I settle on a favorite soap recipe texture is almost as important to me as performance and definitely more than scent or color.


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## ForTheDogs (Jan 1, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> When you say "a loaf batched of colored glycerin - do you mean melt and pour? Will there be pictures soon?
> 
> In all seriousness, I love the texture of a bar of soap - I've never had any interest in liquid. When I settle on a favorite soap recipe texture is almost as important to me as performance and definitely more than scent or color.



For you, I'll make pictures.


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## lenarenee (Jan 1, 2016)

You're sweet! I don't mean to cause you any trouble; but you know everyone will enjoy the pics, not just me!


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## nsmar4211 (Jan 1, 2016)

I still enjoy it and I'm up to about 200 batches....planning one to do today right now!


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## kchaystack (Jan 1, 2016)

ForTheDogs said:


> For you, I'll make pictures.



Pictures are required around these here parts.  It's in the fine print.


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## ForTheDogs (Jan 1, 2016)

What I have set up requires waiting for my next batch of Shea to come in.

Until then, I can't use my prepared batch. It'll all make sense when the Shea comes.

Honestly, folks, it's really not worth the wait - I'm a newbie. The idea is probably holds more weight than the actual outcome. Haha!


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## ForTheDogs (Jan 6, 2016)

lenarenee said:


> When you say "a loaf batched of colored glycerin - do you mean melt and pour? Will there be pictures soon?
> 
> In all seriousness, I love the texture of a bar of soap - I've never had any interest in liquid. When I settle on a favorite soap recipe texture is almost as important to me as performance and definitely more than scent or color.



I promised you pictures.

Sorry it took so long, but here are some pictures. And some music. 

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWzkCr6kEV4&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Deedles (Jan 6, 2016)

Very cool! I love the 60's 'hippy' feel of it.


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## ForTheDogs (Jan 6, 2016)

Deedles said:


> Very cool! I love the 60's 'hippy' feel of it.



There's definitely a Andy Warhol / Soho / sorta thing going on.

I've got two more on the go, but one will be using these little things I made earlier:


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