Wincing at a post from a local soapmaker

[Misschief]

When I first started selling my soap at what is now my market home, one fellow vendor was very welcoming and supportive. She makes facial oils and waters, some cleansers, bath products, etc. Recently, she's branched out into cp soap making. Today, she posted one of her soaps to Instagram with the following caption: "Cold process soapmaking allows us to retain more of the good properties of the ingredients than the hot process method, which is used industrially. It is also better for the environment, healthier for the skin and can be made incredibly moisturising with limitless designs and recipes."

I'm wincing. The only part of her caption that's correct is the last part - limitless designs and recipes.

 

[AliOop]

Wishing you wisdom about whether and how to say anything that might need to be said.

 

[Misschief]

Wishing you wisdom about whether and how to say anything that might need to be said.

Thank you; I really appreciate that. I really don't know if I should call her out or leave it alone.

 

[AliOop]

It's hard to know, isn't it? I have to wait till I get to the place of wanting to help . Because if I start from an annoyed or angry place, it never goes well...

 

[TheGecko]

When I first started selling my soap at what is now my market home, one fellow vendor was very welcoming and supportive. She makes facial oils and waters, some cleansers, bath products, etc. Recently, she's branched out into cp soap making. Today, she posted one of her soaps to Instagram with the following caption: "Cold process soapmaking allows us to retain more of the good properties of the ingredients than the hot process method, which is used industrially. It is also better for the environment, healthier for the skin and can be made incredibly moisturising with limitless designs and recipes."

I'm wincing. The only part of her caption that's correct is the last part - limitless designs and recipes.

Technically speaking, commercial soap is not made via Hot Process but with Continuous Method. They use steam to breakdown the oils into fatty acids and glycerin. The glycerin is separated and the fatty acids are then combined with Sodium Hydroxide and poured into slab molds and refrigerated. Once it’s hardened, it’s turned into noodles and milled, then extruded and pressed into bars.

I would kindly let her know, in welcoming and supportive way, that her statement is incorrect, misleading and could get her in trouble with the FDA.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I would say nothing. Let her cook her own goose.

 

[Future_Ghost]

I would say nothing. Let her cook her own goose.

I agree! There will always be people around you who don’t research, test (correctly or at all), follow proper gmp… let them have the customers who don’t care about that stuff.

 

[BritS]

I would caution saying anything as it could brand you a "hater," which is still absurd. I think I would hesitate to say anything unless it was going to pose an actual danger or threat to someone.

 

[Zing]

I don't do much social media at all, save this forum. But I'm wondering if there's a way to reach out to her privately? I know customers and consumers can do their own research, but many people view a vendor as coming from a place of knowledge and authority. Yikes-kers and good luck.

 

[Future_Ghost]

I don't do much social media at all, save this forum. But I'm wondering if there's a way to reach out to her privately? I know customers and consumers can do their own research, but many people view a vendor as coming from a place of knowledge and authority. Yikes-kers and good luck.

That’s the worst part-people trust you and what if they get burnt (not physically hopefully), and swear off small-made. I’m in the US, and things are pretty lax here. I’ve been approached by some of these “burned” people though, they’re still interested but more cautious and educated, most of them seemed to research on their own. I have a few customers now because I produce in a pet free facility. But yeah, we definitely lose some. To me it feels like the right choice to reach out, but people are protective and love what they do and may not see it as coming from a place of protection and love of the industry. I make the choice to not approach, I 100% understand why people do.

 

[DeeAnna]

As Ann Landers (advice columnist) used to say, it's probably best to MYOB (mind your own business). People generally don't appreciate well-meaning strangers (or even friends and family) offering unasked-for advice, especially when the person has a strong interest in maintaining the status quo.

This soap maker sounds like they've chosen this kind of hype as a selling strategy. Maybe they know better but think this is the way to their customers' hearts. Maybe they're doing this simply out of ignorance. Hard to say.

It's like trying to gently tell a good girlfriend that their sexy new BF with a bad-boy attitude is an utter sleazeball. That seldom goes well.

 

[TheGecko]

It's like trying to gently tell a good girlfriend that their sexy new BF with a bad-boy attitude is an utter sleazeball. That seldom goes well.

She agreed that he wasn't the best choice, but she suffered from really low self-esteem and figured it was as good as it got.

 

[Michelle0803]

In my experience people like this don't usually last long. Their false claims are usually discovered by their customers.

You can educate your customers and followers if they ask about her claims. Educating our customers about our products is one of the many ways we can let our customers know that we have the knowledge and experience to bring them great products.

What we do and how we do it is not a secret. All of the information is readily available on the internet, in books and on forums just like this, even in youtube. Consumers can do the research if they feel her claims are not sitting right with them.

Leave her comments and post alone and continue to create your amazing products safe in the knowledge that you are providing a superior product that makes no false claims.

 

[Misschief]

Thanks all. I won't say anything to this maker; my level of respect for her has certainly dropped but I won't make waves.

 

[cerelife]

What we do and how we do it is not a secret. All of the information is readily available on the internet, in books and on forums just like this, even in youtube. Consumers can do the research if they feel her claims are not sitting right with them.

Years ago I created a single page document to give to my customers who were interested in making their own soap. On this page I listed helpful YouTube videos, this forum, and my favorite vendors for supplies.

 

[lenarenee]

It's so hard to not say something when such inaccurate info is given about a topic you're knowledgable and passionate about! But I doubt she has "ears to hear" right now. It might be better to continue making your own superb products, and educating people at your markets and blog.

 

[jwarnerca]

Years ago I created a single page document to give to my customers who were interested in making their own soap. On this page I listed helpful YouTube videos, this forum, and my favorite vendors for supplies.

That was really generous of you to offer to your customers. I bought soap from local vendors for years prior to retiring and learning to make it myself. It’s such an endless learning process with such depths of creativity. I thank all of you here who so generously share your knowledge.

 

[melinda48]

I don't do much social media at all, save this forum. But I'm wondering if there's a way to reach out to her privately? I know customers and consumers can do their own research, but many people view a vendor as coming from a place of knowledge and authority. Yikes-kers and good luck.

When someone posts something I find troubling, I message them privately using Messenger. It has always turned out well when I use that mechanism. I don’t like publicly shaming or embarrassing people - way too much of that already.

Thank you; I really appreciate that. I really don't know if I should call her out or leave it alone.

Message her privately.