What do I do with all this soap?

[marilynmac]

I made my first batch of soap a little more than a month ago. I just finished batch 5. So what do I do with all these cured bars of soap I'm accumulating?

I imagine some will end up in the trash like batch #2 did; but other will be perfectly good. I can already see that what I've made is so much nicer then grocery store soap so I hate throwing it away.

 

[Susie]

Why are you making all that soap, if not to use it or give it away? You need to at least save one bar from each batch to see how they behave over the long term. Be sure to label them according to the recipe. I put an index card piece under each one that is labelled.

If you truly are getting rid of bars, you can donate to Clean the World, or your local homeless/abuse victims shelters. They are always looking for soap. Just call before you go to find out how they want it packaged/delivered . My local shelter wanted the bars cut into "hotel sized" bars. Easy enough to do.

 

[shunt2011]

Start passing them out to family and friends. That's what I did. Then after about a year when I had way more than I ever dreamed of my husband told me to either quit or figure out how to make some money to support my habit. So, after another 6 mos...I was doing markets, shows and other venues. I gave out 100's of bars to friends and family who are now some of my biggest supporters.

I also donate quite a bit to homeless / family shelters. Primarily those bars that are not perfect (in my opinion) or have lost their scent or been dented, dropped and abused or just don't sell well.

 

[Seawolfe]

If you only started a month ago, your first batch only just finished curing. Save some, gift some, share around for testing.

 

[marilynmac]

"Gifts" was my original intention, but then I started learning.

I was worried about "what if they are not right"? I guess as long as i use one and find it fine, then it's OK to give them to someone?

I'm always dancing with my perfectionist brain. rrrh!

It all started when I gave a bar with clary sage EO to my pregnant friend, then told her not to use it because the 5th site I read about clary sage said not to use it when you are pregnant.


Seawolf: yes, I have 2 batches that have cured. I can see how they changed.

 

[dixiedragon]

I take a box to work and label it "free soap".

 

[Susie]

I am a perfectionist also. It is a constant battle.

This is how I deal with soap that is less than perfect(and all of them are): I keep a bar of the syndet that I used to use in a plastic travel box under the counter. When I start criticizing my hand made soap, I pull that out and wash my hands with the syndet, then with the hand made soap. That reminds me that my worst soap is still better than the best syndet.

 

[marilynmac]

LOL, Susie! That's great advice!

 

[fuzz-juzz]

You can try and donate or give out to friends.
I just try and contain myself from making more. Luckily I study and get really busy for 2-3 months in a row and get no chance to soap in that time. That gives us plenty of time to use up whatever I made during the break. Plus I give out some to family. I'm really itching to make some, but it'll have to wait for another few weeks. Last time I made soap, I made test batch of BB sensuous sandalwood/vanilla and it's soooo nice but I just don't have time to make more until end of Sept.