It seems that everything has a trend. Fashion, hairstyles, food, and yes even soap!

I am a member of several soap making forums.

Every season change there will always be questions on what is every ones  best seller, what will be the next "big" Scent in bath and beauty products. Are salt baths in? Scrubs? I really like the questions that go around asking something with out trying to just come out and ask .  Such as " What is your favorite scent in soaps?" Which means " What do you sell the most of?"

In most of the forums soap makers will tell you what  their best sellers are, with out batting an eye.

Because we all have our different markets, or as in my case I make soap because I like creating different types and scents.

A few months ago I made a really nice soap, combining several fragrance oils. I was trying to create a signature men's line.  A day after I cut the soap loaf into bars, I noticed a funky smell. I could make out one of the fragrance oils, but the other or the combination of the two had a off funky smell.

After about 6 weeks it had mellow out, well the funky smell did.  As always I took a few bars to work and laid some out on the kitchen counter. A week later a guy I work for, said the soap had a fishy smell to it. I told him that I thought the scents were still morphing. ( Which they were) Now 4 months later the funky smell is completely gone, and I have a great manly smelling soap that leave a fresh clean scent! Yes I do hold some soaps for months, smelling and testing them. When I make soap I always make  an Oatmeal Honey all natural soap. Then  I put my Dr. Jekyll coat on and do some creating.

I break even on my soap making, most of the time.

I don't charge much more than a bar cost to make, I use several "luxury oils and butters" in my soaps.

As any soap maker will tell you " I don't do it for the money" (Well most of us.) 

So for me I always have the same soap trending. Which is Oatmeal Honey, made with Olive, grape seed, palm, coconut, jojoba and castor oils. With a nice amount of Shea, mango and coco butters.

Yes they do cost more to make. I do cut corners to keep the price down, such as no labels, no packaging, no fancy pictures or booths. Just your plan luxury soap. If someone has a special request, I will do my best to make it. What they don't buy I will sell or give the rest away. I am not in it for the money. ( Well not at this point.) I do it because I love doing it! When I get that signature men's line down, then I might start working on the packaging, with the fancy labels! This week I will be working on that signature line, along with some Oatmeal Honey, an All Natural unscented lard soap (Just like my granny taught me over 40 yrs ago!) and some Organic Rosemary  green tea soap. If I don't drink all the beer, I just may make some beer soap!

Soaping for Family's Health

When I was growing up, I had the chance to live on a working farm. 
Chickens, pigs, cows, horses, a pea patch, along with just about every other veggie.
A few weeks ago I saw a video about a chicken farm not far from where I live. They raise their chickens  as farmers did way back. They just let them wonder around the farm, eating insects, grasses and such. They talked about how much more flavor the chickens have, along with how great the eggs were.
One thing I do remember about growing up on a farm is the Great food! I have yet to find a store bought chicken that tasted as good as those farm hens. I decided to buy a farmed raised chicken, along with some fresh farm eggs. The eggs run about $6.00 a dozen. The chicken was about $ 9.00.
This weekend I will see if it is worth the price!
Well it got me to thinking about how much someone is willing to pay for something that is more healthy for the body.
Which brings me to why I soap.
I guess the main reason, is that I know what is in my soap.
Using natural ingredients that benefit the skin.
I found out that  I will be a grandfather for the fourth time this fall. So I started shopping for natural ingredients  to make some baby soap, baby diaper cream, and baby oil.
I only want the best!
It will cost a bit more, than if I was making a plain soap.

 The last batch of soap I made was a Lavandin Grosso, Rosemary, and Patchouli with poppy seeds. I used mango, and shea butter, along with some olive, and grape seed oil.
Looking over my cost to make this wonderful moisturizing soap I realized that with the added luxury butters and oils it only bump the cost up fifty cents per bar.
For me, when it comes to my family's well being and health it is worth the extra price, rather it be food, or body products.
Back to basics and the simple life for me.
If you have a chance head out to the local farmers market this weekend and stock up on some healthy items. The extra cost is worth it. As you watch your family grow, knowing that you did your best for them you will have an inter peace that you did do your best!