Family Members And Homemade Soap- A Rant

[SueH]

Thanks to everyone for your support and responses!!:highfive:

[divayoki]

See this is why I love being here. Only someone "walking" in your shoes can understand your "pain". Thanks for the inspiring bits, you all just made my whole week.

[JenT]

Funny you should mention your brother and soap. I do all rebatching...haven't got over being afriad of lye yet..LMAO.

So I get 5 pound blocks or 10 blocks of soaps.

I remember the 1st time I order a 5 pound block of goats milk soap and my brother came over while I was giving rebatching a try.

I had started by cutting the soap in workable pieces and my brother picked up a piece "whats this?"....I said goats milk soap. My goodness I thought he was going to throw the darn of soap across the room...lol...he was like YUCK...that is SO nasty...I still don't understand what is so nasty about.

[blazerina]

Well... 'Goats Milk' in and of it's self DOES sound disgusting, lol. But you and me, and everyone else here realize it's a luxury type additive and we're lucky to be able to reap it's benefits. You have to remember men are simplistic, lol... sorry guys. If it sounds gross, it probably IS gross in their mind, lol.

I'm still waiting on feed back from B&B gift baskets w/melts that I gave family and inlaws for Christmas. What I wish they would understand is ....

I make this stuff... they WILL get more. Make no mistake.

Do they wan't good stuff... improved stuff.... or the same crappy stuff I made when I first started????

Hummm?????????

"Think about it people!" :rolleyes2 We NEED feedback. We WANT feedback.

[doris]

iMy mother died in 2002, and about a year before that, I had given everyone in the family a box of soap, CP with EO's, along with their Christmas gift. My father has been making a point of downsizing, and has given gifts back to the person who gave them. So last fall, he gave me back this box of soap, not even one had been used. Still nice soap, although the scent (lemon EO) of one of the bars had faded.

Two years ago I spent a week with my family, and since one of my sisters had expressed an interest in CP (she did some M&P), I offered to do a batch with them. I premeasured everything at home to save having to pack my scale, and packed my lye in a little plastic container, which was then taped closed, placed in a plastic bag, which was then taped closed, placed in another plastic bag... to the point of having about 7 layers of plastic on this little bit of lye. I stayed with my father, and when he found outabout this little bitty bit of lye, he nearly went ballistic. How dare I bring this dangerous stuff into his house, etc. This from the man who drives 50 miles to get a better price on gas, and stores 5 cans of it in his basement. He also suggested spreading some poison on a large part of my property that has these awful bushes on it. The gas and the poison are OK, but the lye is a problem. Go figure.

Nobody in my family (siblings) uses my soap, but my daughter, when going on a school trip last year, wanted me to buy her one of those plastic containers to carry your soap in. I said why, they will have soap at the hotel. But she didn't want their yucky soap, she wanted one of mine. What a kid.

[SassyLady]

My DH never asked for my soap, but I've been talking to him about detergents (sulfates) and how bad they are for us and the environment. He was using Dove's sensitive skin body wash. When he ran out I gave him my first attempt, a naked bar. He has since asked for his own stash!!! His skin likes it, so he's ok with it. He does roll his eyes a bit when I'm talking about my "projects" to others when he's around, but if that's the worst I get from him, I'm doing' OK. My sis aldo asked for more stuff after I gifted her soap and B&B for her birthday in November. It's nice being appreciated!!

I did give soap, candles, and b&b as gifts this year and have had great responces. I'm working up a brochure listing products and prices, as so many have expressed interest in purchasing my stuff!! I guess this is how it starts.

Lisa

[sage]

I read all the soap rants and laughed a good laugh. I started my business three years ago after many years of figuring this all out. (Still figuring lol) My sister in law who worked in this really nice furniture and gift store decided I was worthy to come before the boss with my products. Well the boss ordered some products to sell and my sister in law who is an interior decor. puts some of the most beautiful displays in the store together. She has such talent and has made them a lot of money. I thought I had a good thing going. Well weeks later I walked in the store and couldn't find my products anywhere. They were shoved down on the last shelf of bath and body things with other products placed in front so they were lost in the shuffle. I got the hint from her so when we have gatherings I love talking about all my new wholesale clients and shows. No more freebies for her.

ere is my mom who bless her heart trys to support me and buys my soap. She always tells me I need to make an antibacterial soap. Mom will not be convinced my soap will take off the germs too. It is how you wash your hands and do it properly. Got to love them!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wildheart75]

My MIL and Sis give me feedback when I ask. However my BIL and his GF give me DETAIL feedback, right down to how many hours it lasted, those 2 seem to get it. They know exactly what I want to hear and have no quams about telling me if something didn't work exactly the way "I" think it should, lol. They know what I am looking for in the way my candles burn and the scent so they really pay attention when they are burning them.

My friends on the other hand are a diff issue. I gave one of my friends some M&P soap I made and she said her and her DH loved it but that it was peeling her 14yr old daughters hands....however she did mention that her daughter did clean using straight bleach with no gloves just before she washed her hands with my soap....so my friend seems to think it was a chemical reaction from both products and could not possibly be from using straight bleach with no gloves. But thats ok, her and her DH loved the soap and are asking for more, lol.

[CareBear]

however she did mention that her daughter did clean using straight bleach with no gloves just before she washed her hands with my soap....so my friend seems to think it was a chemical reaction from both products and could not possibly be from using straight bleach with no gloves.

I'm constantly amazed by the stupidity of some folks. This one def. rates.

[Michelle at WW]

I was thinking about this thread last week and didn't realize it had been revived.

I, too, have found that it is simply best to not worry about the people who don't get it. I gave CP soap as part of my gift box for far away friends - but only to those who I knew would "get it". I had email feedback from each one of them within days of unwrapping. One of the friends who didn't get soap acted all insulted to find out that others got soap (one of them mentioned it). She didn't take the sample I gave her when she came over, though. Not worth my effort.

My husband is my greatest supporter. Uses the less girly-scented soaps, the ones with fugly swirls, talks up my craft work with anyone who will listen, and acted all indignant for me when the local farmers' market said they already had a soaper (they didn't care about the differences between M&P and CP). I am pretty lucky.

And Doris, you have a great kid. My kids are only 5 years old, but are so proud of the things "Mommy" makes. They love it when I let them go "shopping" through my finished products to pick gifts for their teachers.

Michelle

[thecandlespastore]

I made gorgeous Christmas gifts this past holiday season with Rosemary Mint by Aveda. In these gorgeous handcrafted bags I managed to score on were my whipped shea, whipped body wash, roll on perfume, and bar soap. Gave one to my aunt-in-law, cousin-in-law, and the daughter of the people next door since she just graduated from college (gave it to her mother to give to her because she was out of town.) Its been over 3 weeks. Think I have heard one word of feedback? Nope. I am around the in laws every other day and I dont even smell it on them!

Not only that, but the daughter next door has been back in town for over 10 days and has not called, emailed or came over to thank me for her gift (where are manners these days?) DH finally caught her outside yesterday getting into her car and she said she loved everything, did not know that I had made it all myself, and that her manager at Cache wants me to make samples to put at the store after smelling it on her. Well, that's great news, but I guess I was supposed to be Madame Cleo or Dionne Warwick and just know that with my amazing psychic powers:laugh2:

[asheebeans]

My in-laws are actually great about my soap, it is my own family that I have to turn Soap-Nazi on!! My MIL loves my OMH soap and raves about it to everyone she sees! My SIL, she loves my Lavender-Chammy soap....and same deal....can't stop talking about it! Even my co-workers are hooked on my soap and buying it up.

Now my dad and stepmom and their brood--forget it. I went over there at Christmas time and noticed a bag of soap that I had given them THREE YEARS AGO sitting in their bathroom! There are also bath bombs that I made two years ago, still wrapped and sitting in a basket on the back of their toilet. I had made them some cute MP bars too.....still sitting around their bathroom. WTF??? Yet every year, they ask me for soap or candles. I gave them all candles this past year, and craft show leftovers at that! :whistle: No soap for them!! Why waste all my wonderful bars of soap and bath bombs on people who won't use them? I will keep them for myself, dammit!!!