I will admit to being a newbie that is selling early!! I started making soaps in December 2013 and have made a batch almost every second weekend since then.(I was warned about the addiction) However, in my defense. . .
#1 I am not selling on a large scale , mostly to friends and family
#2 When I make a batch of soap, I wait the 4 - 6 weeks for cure and then use a bar of soap from the batch for myself. If I like it, I hand out 3 - 4 samples (not always to the same people as that would be silly) get their feed back and go from there.
#3 The soaps that I am selling at the moment are about 4 months old.
I have done extensive research and read the forums and other articles on a daily basis (my day job is boring and gives me time to do a LOT of reading) I have purchased books on soaping and EO's etc. I am also a fast learner
I do not have access to some ingredients that I would like to try, so have developed 4 base recipes that I tweak with color and fragrance and other additives. I only use essential oils as I cannot get FO's here, and I know that EO's sometimes do not stick, so if someone does buy a soap from me, I advise them of this so that they do not leave it on a shelf for too long and by the time they get to it, there is no fragrance. I am also making unscented soaps as a few people I know are sensitive to fragrance and so far they love what I have made.
I am only selling my soap bars at the moment as I am still learning about other products like liquid soap. Also, I sell to maintain my hobby and lets face it, with the economy the way it is, hand made soaps are a luxury that a lot of people here can ill afford, so, it is a few dollars here and there.
I think if people are informed and have done their research and test their product etc, it is okay to start selling. People who have used my soaps have encouraged me to sell. So, while it is not a good idea to start selling after your first batch, I think it depends on the individual, their knowledge and their passion to produce quality products.
Just my opinion. . . .you know what they say about opinions right :wink: