I have a confession .....

[Nanette]

I don't bevel because I prefer a sharp edge to accommodate my cigar band style labels. I do, however, soften the edges by washing & gently rubbing with a washcloth.

True confession: We have "bull nose" (rounded) corners in our house. When I lotion up after getting out of the tub, I put a blob of lotion at a certain height on the corner of the wall closest to the tub. I then back up to it to get lotion on the middle of my back where I can't quite reach. Ahhhh. Washable paint on the walls, of course.

 

[Kae]

With all the different recipes and techniques to try, it’s hard to stop. Now that I know I can make nice, safe soap, I pack it up and give it to family and close friends who give me feedback on the recipes, scents, designs, etc. I don’t give out any soap without labeling it and that takes a bit of work. I’ve thought about donating soap to the local women’s shelter, but I want to give it another few months so I can get reasonably confident that my soaps are not prone to DOS. I want the experience of using my soap to be a reason someone would then buy soap from a seller at a market or shop, not a reason they would avoid handmade soap!

And for the confession part, I have one of those point and click thermometers and I love it. My palms are nearly calibrated to the temps measured with the thermometer + a few degree F.

Interesting. Once before I asked my colleagues to donate soaps we've collected from hotels (since we're always out of town). Would be nice, once I did zap test on all of my soaps, to donate it to local orphanages. Thank you so much for the idea.

 

[Anglezarke]

I work in construction, so it's instinctive to wear full PPE - wraparound glasses, and elbow length, thick gloves. Just because you haven't had an accident yet doesn't mean you won't have one tomorrow. However I do have a confession - the water here is consistent and soft, so I use it straight out of the tap, with zero problems. I wouldn't do this if I was soaping off a different water supply.

 

[Nanette]

Homeless shelters, womens shelters, if you live in a sanctuary city the shelters for immigrants....there is an infinity of places who could use a leg up spiritually that soap could give!!

 

[linne1gi]

I don't bevel because I prefer a sharp edge to accommodate my cigar band style labels. I do, however, soften the edges by washing & gently rubbing with a washcloth.

True confession: We have "bull nose" (rounded) corners in our house. When I lotion up after getting out of the tub, I put a blob of lotion at a certain height on the corner of the wall closest to the tub. I then back up to it to get lotion on the middle of my back where I can't quite reach. Ahhhh. Washable paint on the walls, of course.

That’s what husbands are for!

 

[cmzaha]

That’s what husbands are for!

Zany's beloved husband passed away a short time ago, so I am guessing she has improvised.

 

[linne1gi]

Zany's beloved husband passed away a short time ago, so I am guessing she has improvised.

I'm so sorry, I didn't know.

 

[melinda48]

Interesting. Once before I asked my colleagues to donate soaps we've collected from hotels (since we're always out of town). Would be nice, once I did zap test on all of my soaps, to donate it to local orphanages. Thank you so much for the idea.

I donate all of my overruns and usable mistakes to our local veterans homeless shelter. These men and women put their lives on the line for me; it is the least I can do. Also cook lunches there a couple of days a week.

 

[linne1gi]

I sometimes bevel, not always. I always wear goggles, and mostly wear gloves. I live in South Florida so I never wear long pants or long sleeves. Honestly what’s the point? If you spill lye on your clothes, they’re going to have to come off anyway. If I spill something on myself I wash it off immediately. I definitely make too much soap!

 

[melinda48]

Didn’t realize this was an old thread. Sorry.

I bevel most but not all of my soaps. When I make my lye solution, I wear my goggles and gloves and just leave them on except to glance at my recipe which is when I pop on my readers. Then back on go the goggles. I Don’t worry too much about long pants and am most often barefoot just because I hate shoes! To me, my eyes are the most important consideration as I have to see.

 

[linne1gi]

Didn’t realize this was an old thread. Sorry.

I bevel most but not all of my soaps. When I make my lye solution, I wear my goggles and gloves and just leave them on except to glance at my recipe which is when I pop on my readers. Then back on go the goggles. I Don’t worry too much about long pants and am most often barefoot just because I hate shoes! To me, my eyes are the most important consideration as I have to see.

I agree, you can wash off a splatter easily but not so much with your eyes.

 

[IrishLass]

I don't wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, or shoes when I soap either. I stopped doing that a long time ago when raw batter splashed onto my long sleeve once and seeped through to the skin on my arm, which started to itch and burn. I had to stop soaping to remove my apron and my gloves in order to remove my buttoned shirt so I could wash the batter off my skin and flush with water, then run to the other side of the house to get a fresh shirt on, then get my apron and gloves back on before I could resume soaping. What a circus that was! Ever since then, I wear short sleeves, shorts and go barefoot so that I can do a quick wash & rinse if any batter gets on my bare skin.

I do, however, always soap with my goggles and gloves on. I don't compromise on those. Where goggles are concerned, my eyesight is too important to skimp on those, and where gloves are concerned, my hands never fail to get raw batter on them while soaping. If I didn't wear gloves, I would constantly be stopping to wash my hands. lol


IrishLass

 

[Alfa_Lazcares]

I don't wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, or shoes when I soap either. I stopped doing that a long time ago when raw batter splashed onto my long sleeve once and seeped through to the skin on my arm, which started to itch and burn. I had to stop soaping to remove my apron and my gloves in order to remove my buttoned shirt so I could wash the batter off my skin and flush with water, then run to the other side of the house to get a fresh shirt on, then get my apron and gloves back on before I could resume soaping. What a circus that was! Ever since then, I wear short sleeves, shorts and go barefoot so that I can do a quick wash & rinse if any batter gets on my bare skin.




IrishLass

So much this. I never wore long sleeves (I always wear pants so there is no way aroubd that for me) because it seems just easier for me to get a splash and inmediatly rinse than having to strip first ha!

 

[melinda48]

I don't wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, or shoes when I soap either. I stopped doing that a long time ago when raw batter splashed onto my long sleeve once and seeped through to the skin on my arm, which started to itch and burn. I had to stop soaping to remove my apron and my gloves in order to remove my buttoned shirt so I could wash the batter off my skin and flush with water, then run to the other side of the house to get a fresh shirt on, then get my apron and gloves back on before I could resume soaping. What a circus that was! Ever since then, I wear short sleeves, shorts and go barefoot so that I can do a quick wash & rinse if any batter gets on my bare skin.

I do, however, always soap with my goggles and gloves on. I don't compromise on those. Where goggles are concerned, my eyesight is too important to skimp on those, and where gloves are concerned, my hands never fail to get raw batter on them while soaping. If I didn't wear gloves, I would constantly be stopping to wash my hands. lol


IrishLass

Gloves and goggles are musts-the rest are, maybe, shoulds.

 

[Joanne]

Everyone who doesn’t wear eye protection should realize that accidents DO happen and you only get one set/pair of eyes! I live in South Florida and don’t wear long sleeves or long pants. But I ALWAYS wear eye protection and gloves. It’s better for new soapers to start out right.

Agreed! Don't do like I do!

 

[Joanne]

I bevel my soaps but have gone from a (very expensive) beveler to a simple veggie peeler and have been pleased with the results. It's faster for me, and I've sliced my fingers a couple times on the expensive dedicated beveler. Ow!

 

[RobinRogers]

Agreed! Don't do like I do!

I’m in the mountains of NC. Summers are still hot. I don’t always wear sleeves either. I’ve made the mistake of not wearing gloves and the lye burned my skin. Luckily it was just a small spot. I NEVER soap without eye protection. Hubby got me some with bifocals. I’m so faithful to them that I often forget them on my face and walk from the shop, into the house!! I’m a nurse and I have seen eyes after lye. They just melt!!! It is a famous weapon in the old south for women to use on unfaithful men! Not pretty!! Please, soapers, wear your eye gear if you disobey other safety rules!

 

[Joanne]

I’m in the mountains of NC. Summers are still hot. I don’t always wear sleeves either. I’ve made the mistake of not wearing gloves and the lye burned my skin. Luckily it was just a small spot. I NEVER soap without eye protection. Hubby got me some with bifocals. I’m so faithful to them that I often forget them on my face and walk from the shop, into the house!! I’m a nurse and I have seen eyes after lye. They just melt!!! It is a famous weapon in the old south for women to use on unfaithful men! Not pretty!! Please, soapers, wear your eye gear if you disobey other safety rules!

I will heed the warnings... promise! I do always have on glasses, so never have completely unprotected eyes but will add safety goggles now, too. It only takes one small accident to change your life. TY!

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

My deep dark confession? I soap when I'm working. See I work from home and I will bring my laptop into my soap area and set it up so I can answer emails if needed but I can make soap.

Also I've been setting up batches every night to soap. I basically measure out all of the hard oils into their containers and mix up one batch of lye the night before. In the morning I start by heating up the hard oil container and then while it's melting pour the soft oils and additives into my soap container. Once the oils are melted I add them to the soft oils and pour in the lye. I do a quick stir then mix up the next batch of lye and set it aside and then finish my soap batch with colors and fragrances and splits. I'm able to do about 3-5 batches a day doing this. I'm now running out of soap space. lol

Also I don't wear goggles when soaping but I do wear gloves. My preferred artist for soaping is Freddie Mercury. "Alexa, Play Queen!" is a common refrain in my soaping area.

 

[melinda48]

Please at least wear some sort of eye protection. I cannot stress enough how precious your eyesight is-it is good that you wear gloves but do keep in mind that a burn on your hand will heal; lye in your eyes may heal but it may also blind you. If you must choose ( which you really don't have to do) - choose eyes over skin.