Soaps, Drugs, & Rock and Roll

I have to admit that this is really old news, but I am sure that most people have not heard this story and I wanted to share this great video. The video below explains how real soap tests positive (false-positive that is!) for the date rape drug. This is simply a problem with the drug testing kit, but it turns out to be a great way to find out if what you are using is indeed real soap and not a mixture of synthetic detergents. Their are many cases of products being mislabeled and claiming to be soap when they are in fact detergent. While this test is a pretty cool trick for us soapmakers, I am sure most people will not want to check their soap with a drug kit to determine if it is really soap. An easier way to determine what is in your product is to look at the labels. Be on the look out for "soaps" that have Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate, or Cocomidopropyl Betaine as these are all common detergents used in soap-like products. On the other hand, if the label lists oils and sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide as the ingredients, then you have real soap. I should note that real soap and detergent products can be found in both solid (bar) and liquid forms.

Check out the video below and at the very end you will see a list of companies that are falsely advertizing their product as soap. As a consumer, you should be able to make an educated choice about what products you are putting on your body.

Black Raspberry Vanilla Cupcake Soap

Third times the charm?  Well maybe, the soap was certainly easy to pipe this time, but I can't say that they look as nice as I would have liked. The color was meant to be darker purple and not a light pink. The "frosting" also looks a little soft to me, but I made sure to keep the points lower so that they do not look like pink Christmas trees! Once again I used a circle hole piping tip instead of the flower-like tip. I am not sure yet which look I prefer?  What is your opinion?

Black Raspberry Vanilla Soap Cupcakes

How to care for your natural handmade soap

Handmade soap is made without synthetic preservatives or artificial hardeners. One of the great things about handmade soap is that it does not need these things added to them. If made and stored properly your handmade soap will be very hard and long lasting.  

The number one rule for prolonging the life of your soap is to make sure it does not sit in a pool of water between uses. Get a good soap dish that allows the water to completely drain away from the soap. The best type of soap dish will also allow air to circulate around the bar. It is even better if you can let your soap completely dry between uses. For soap that is unused store it in a dark cool place like a lingerie drawer or linen closet.

In our shower we use one of those metal racks that hang off of the shower head. These racks allow the water to easily drain and the soap to have good air circulation. They are a good bet for a long lasting handmade soap.