Ugly soap how-to guide

[KimLynn]

Honestly, I agree with the others. I can see why you're disappointed that your design plan didn't go as scheduled. But as an innocent bystander who is also a fellow soap maker, the soap is appealing and interesting to me. Even the "rocks" with holes are fine -- that's what real rocks look like.

Sometimes I have to set a project aside for a few days. When I look at it again with fresh eyes, I realize the outcome is better than I thought. Maybe not what I had in my mind's eye, but definitely okay.

I think this soap deserves a second chance!

If you sell it as "seconds", I suspect your customers will snap them up -- especially if they know your skills as a soap maker. I made a batch of seriously ugly soap and decided to sell it at a discounted price. I called it my "Frank Lee Ugly" soap and it sold quickly.

I call mine Under the BUS - Butt Ugly Soap, and either discount it or foist it on family and friends.

 

[Ephemerella]

I was working on a new product, and after much trial and error, I found the ideal combo of FOs. I presold the fragrance and had a lot of people eager for its release. When I made the soap, to my horror, the FOs riced and seized miserably. What was supposed to be a lovely, complex 4 color swirl was a gloppy patchwork of speckly mashed potatoes with a craggy crater-y top. So I made it again, tried lowering temps, hand stirring, etc., and again I wound up with the same ugly -- but lovely smelling -- mess.

So now, I was stuck! I had people that wanted this fragrance combo, I had shops that had preordered it. I had to suck it up, let it cure and sell it. I was out of time and I had no way of replicating this fragrance any other way.

I was so ashamed when I brought the product to the first store. I was bracing myself for the ensuing eyerolls.

To my utter amazement, everyone thought it was SO COOL! they said how on earth did I get such amazing, unique texture! It is always in my top 3 best sellers and people just can't get enough of the funky look.

Go figure.


So apparently there are orange rocks in NZ! No surprise, everything exceptionally cool is in NZ!