The soap that arrives at your home is the end result of many calculations.
Many processes happen to get the highly detailed soap to you. Would you like to hear the tale of a bar of Sorcery Soap?
The idea strikes. A fragrance oil inspires an idea with images or a moment of inspiration engulfs me while out in nature, or a variety of ways, but the inspiration happens like a wonderful undetectable scent
meant only for me. It’s that subtle. I might be the only one to smell the fragrance, and if that’s the case, I find it my obligation to take some action on it. It’s like a little unrecognizable seed planted, not knowing if it will grow to a might oak or a beautiful rose. So, I take the chance, nurture it best I can, care for it while it grows in hopes it takes root and then tend it when it’s matured.
Here are more pragmatic steps:
- Development of cold process soap recipe.
- Development of cold process SOAP DOUGH recipe.
- Constructing the idea. I see this like idea-gardening.
- Development of the soap design, also similar to idea-gardening, but a bit more like landscaping.
- Many attempts to create the embellishments, size, shape, details until the idea has matured.
- Developing the over-all bar of soap: colors, fragrances, executing process of previous…
- Making and creating soap, placing embellishment (which can be tricky at best).
- Waiting. Much like a gardener, patience is an alchemists best (and oft-times under utilized) tool.
- Un-molding soap very carefully (many soaps have not made the cut because of unrepairable nicks, etc.).
- Curing. Not for one moment do I ignore the soaps at this point. It would be like thinking a gardener ignores the plants while growing. I tend them, check on them, examine them as they cure.
- Hand beveling edges and general clean-up of each bar of soap, careful to not damage tops.
- Developing labels, names, taking photographs along the way… Sharing the progression and valuing each soap, as it is still unknown if they will survive the journey to your home.
- Writing ad copy for the website so you know what you will receive in each bar of soap, examining in great detail the scents, to effectively communicate the scent and experience of each soap.
- Labeling and shrink wrapping; each stage is a test to see if the soap is sturdy enough to withstand touching, use and shipment. Many soaps are lost at this stage as well. This is, in part, why I strive to develop soap embellishments that lay down, or few parts that stick up, to avoid breakage. It does me little good to make something so elaborate it breaks during the shipment, because I strive to create the very opposite of disappointment – the goal is to create such delight you hesitate to use the soap. Ah, but eventually all soaps will be used, either by you or time.
There is another aspect that I don’t share much, we utilize a bit of each soap, either a sample or a full bar, in our homes and on our persons. I think its important to know how each soap preforms, particularly when using a new recipe.
When I read that a person’s goal is to make money with a soap business I am a bit disappointed. Now, not everyone does everything with identical motives, however, this process, this care that is involved with soap creations is not about that device of trade we have labeled money. It’s like saying that someone is learning to grow flowers to make money. Any art form… It will work, but what will be the out come? This process, Sorcery Soap, not only tests all my artistic skill, but also grows my person, my soul. How can I quantify how rich my life is with each one of you in it? How can I quantify the colorful tapestry of creativity that floats in my world now? And, to think… Its only soap.