I was looking online today at www.artfire.com and looking through everyone’s soap.  People are truly creative.  It was a pleasure just looking at all of it and imagining myself using it in the shower.  Honestly, I can tell you, I was jealous!  My soaps are “no frills” because that is the type of person I am.  They reflect me, their maker.  That got me thinking as to the usefulness of some of the bars I saw.  If you sit back and imagine yourself using some of them in the shower, some of them seem not well suited for it.  Take this picture for example:

Can you imagine trying to use this in the shower with all of the pointy tips?  I cannot.  I do not use a towel or poof in the shower.  I tend to use soaps that have exfoliating ingredients in them and those are wasted if I use something to lather it on my skin.

When you are looking to purchase soap, think of the ease of use in the shower.  I tend to prefer soaps with groves in them or round bars.  They are much easier to hold and lather.  Here are a couple of examples:

Also another thing to consider is what type of handmade soap you are purchasing.  I prefer Cold Process to Melt & Pour (also known as glycerin soap.)  To me, the M&P just leaves my skin feeling slimy and slick.  I do not get that “clean feeling” from my shower.  Cold process soap is completely natural and does not have the chemicals in it that Melt & Pour has, thus it leaves your skin cleaner.  Be sure to check the ingredients in the soap before you purchase it.  If you would like truly natural soap, then you need to look for: coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil, castor oil, hemp oil, canola oil, lye/sodium hydroxide, and water.  There can also be essential oils and colors/micas present.  If you see something that says “added glycerin,” I would be wary of that.  Soap makes enough of it’s own glycerin during the saponification process.  There is no need to add more to it.  If the soap is not labeled “Cold Process” and that is what you are looking for, please contact the seller and ask directly if it is.  They will be more than happy to tell you about their soaps and ingredients.  One somewhat easy way to tell the difference between CP and M&P soap is that M&P soap looks glassy, while CP soap looks dull.  However, you have to be careful with going by that now as they have come out with M&P that looks like CP soap.  The only way you can know for sure, is to look at the ingredients or ask the seller.  One good thing about Melt & Pour soap is that it is so flexible, you can create just about anything with it.  Take a look at some of these amazing soaps:

Like I said, it’s inspiring!  They are truly wonderful creations and to be honest, if I bought one, I wouldn’t want to use it!  I would want to save it to show it off to people.

If you love your soap as much as I do, be sure to order from a local soaper.  They will appreciate the business.  Also, you never know what you’ll find, as everyone has a different creative vision.  A couple of great sites that you can look online for handmade soap are:  www.etsy.com and as mentioned earlier, www.artfire.com.  You can also find some on www.ebay.com.  If you look locally, you might find some at a local beauty salon, farmer’s market, or trade show.  Handmade soap is one hot item that is on the rise, as people learn how beneficial it is to their skin.  Also, it has a great value compared to store bought soap.  I would go through an 8 bar pack of Dial in one month, whereas now I go through one bar of handmade soap a month.  My skin loves me for it too!  One thing though, if you are going to invest in Handmade Soap, you MUST use a soap saver.  These little things are great for letting your soap dry out after using it and it makes it last longer.  Please do not let your soap sit in a wet place, you are wasting your money.  If you would like a handmade soap saver, be sure to look where you bought your soap (if online) or you can go to any local store to find one.  I give away a free one with every order.  They are that important.

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.  Remember:  Handmade soap is good for your skin and good for the environment!

Cheers,

Mischelle Bradford

Mischelle’s Handmade Creations

www.myhandmadesoap.net