Friday, September 27, 2013

Exciting News About Soap Wrapping

   I am getting ready to sell my soaps, but they have to be wrapped, which always produces more than one dilemma. When soap is being cured, it needs to be exposed to the air, and once it is cured, it should not be covered with anything that would keep air out.
  I have a few options on wrapping soap, but each one has a problem. I usually wrap my Goat's Milk-Oatmeal Soap in wrapping tissue, which provides the air it needs to have around it, but, the soap is completely covered in tissue and you can't see the finished product. To some people, that really doesn't matter though.
  In wrapping Fancy Soaps, the goal is to have the customers be able to see the shape of the soap, with all its unique details. If you wrap Fancy Soap with tissue, you can't see it, although the scent might still come through because the tissue is porous.
  One thing I have noticed is how some people sell their soaps with just a paper band around the bar of soap. I have been doing that and really like that idea, however, it is hard to put a band around the Fancy Soaps because of all the details that don't fit evenly under the band. Plus, it covers some, of not most, of the design of the soap!
  So, another idea is to wrap the Fancy Soaps with cellophane or cling wrap. But, as I already pointed out, covering soap with anything that is not porous will keep the air from circulating around the soap, and it could cause the oils to turn rancid, if left too long in the cellophane. But, I have overcome that problem! Tonight, as I was trying to wrap some odd shaped soaps, and being rather unsuccessful at it, I decided to wrap a rectangular shaped soap, but, I am leaving the sides open. I am not being a cheapskate when I do this, so when you see my soaps with the sides left open, you will know why.
  Leaving the sides uncovered helps keep the air around the soap bar more easily, plus, it lets you smell the scent of the soap. Also, if it is covered with cellophane, the design of the soap will show through! It looks very pretty and yet it will not suffocate.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

New Soap Idea

   I was thinking about the different soaps I can make this week. What kind will be in demand most, and do I have enough in my reserve or will I have to make more. The soap that is in demand the most is the goat's milk-oatmeal soap so I find myself making this one more than any other type. However, a thought came to mind last night about another type of soap. I have never heard of soap made from sheep's milk, but then again, sheep's milk is hard to find.
   I am going to receive some sheep's milk this week, and might try using some to make a batch of sheep's milk-oatmeal soap. What do you think? Why I even have a mold for sheep!
   The cost of sheep's milk-oatmeal soap would be somewhat higher than goat's milk-oatmeal soap, mainly because of the cost of sheep's milk. If you have never tasted sheep's milk, you should try to find some. It is very sweet and creamy. It is more digestible than cow's milk.
  So, if you come to the Arts and Crafts Festival in November, that I am part of, you just might see some bars of sheep's milk-oatmeal soap. Of course, they will be in a bin all to themselves! I will report the results of making sheep's milk-oatmeal soap in a later blog.