savoy052

It’s that time again, when we are preparing our Christmas soap!! This time of the year is a fun one for me…  We have calmed down from our busy summer, done a few tradefairs in Northern Spain which were new for us so we travelled a bit as well. Now back to experimenting, product development and production! Originally this was my “potpourri” soap experiment.  Now it is  our tradition that we save up our cut offs over the year and use them up in our Christmas soap. Grated, shaved or cut into bits.    This year, we are hoping to have enough bars to donate to some of the local charities. I got carried away and had a bit of a disaster when trying something new…  I had to work it into the mould, like playdough with gloved hands.  That was a first...! Happy Soaping everyone!! xoxo Jen  

I have been meaning to write about pricing for a while now.   Ever since I saw a post on a soapers blog calling another soaper’s soap “pricey”.   This was during that trend a few years ago when people sent their soaps in for soap reviews?   I was never really into the soap review thing… neither having my soap judged/reviewed nor publicly judging or reviewing other people’s.   I have tried others soapers' soaps and have found something I like about each and every one.   I love my own the best though as I hope all of you do as well!!      I didn’t like seeing someone calling another soaper’s soap as “pricey”.     I know most of us are undercharging and when I see someone who is charging more, I am rooting for them!     Let’s look at my soaps – 6€ per bar.   Not very often, a new client will make a comment about the price… and I try not to react but my blood boils.   I usually smile politely and say I am sure t...

Silvia at  http://soapjam.wordpress.com/  is one of those lovely soapmakers and bloggers that contacted me early on in her soap making adventures, full of excitement and questions.  I love getting those emails from excited new soapmakers and love helping them.  I really can't believe how far she has come in less than a year!!  She recently asked me to do an interview, sent me some great questions and has now posted the interview in 2 parts on her blog.  If you wish to read the interview, head on over to Silvia's blog. http://soapjam.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/inspiring-soap-maker-jennifer-young-part-1-of-2/ We had 75 litres of wonderful, rich, recently pressed organic extra-virgen olive oil was delivered the other day by David from the olive oil mil we work with.  Inhaling the scent is heaven... so we are heading into full-on soap production!  So excited!   We are also making soap for this olive oil mill with their oil.  Hap...

It has been such a while since I have blogged, and I got one of those emails yesterday that I get occasionally from another soaper reminding me that my blog inspired them.   If I have inspired one person out there, blogging feels more than worth it. So, what have I been up to?   Working hard at the most awesome job I have ever had.   I remember vividly when I was at the point of stress breakdown from the job that led me to where I am now (yes, I am far enough away to look back now and understand why I had to go through that…). I said to mum “I want NO stress in my life.” She said “I have a feeling that there will always be some form of stress… you may leave the stressful job behind for a simpler life, but then there may be a new form of stress, maybe money stress.   Shouldn’t you focus on learning how to deal with stress instead of trying to escape it?”   So wise.   So, amidst the most creative time ever in my life, living my dream, making soap and other ...

Remember this?  http://jenorasoaps.blogspot.com.es/2013/10/ph-in-handmade-soap-shampoo-bars-citric.html   As a follow up, I just want to let you know that after 5 weeks of curing, the pH of this soap/ shampoo bar, is no different than my other bars without Citric Acid.   It has not brought the pH level down.   The shampoo bar is okay, but I actually prefer my bars without it! It was an interesting experiment, although I have so many other things to experiment with... so will probably not be focussing on this right now.  I remind myself that I am not that concerned with lowering the pH in my soap bars as I am okay with where they are.   Has anyone else out there tried this?  With what results?   xo Jen

So many choices and decisions to make when soaping - size, shape, properties, colour, scent, packaging etc. etc. So, for those of you who use exclusively essential oils in your soaps and skincare products, do you create your blends based on how it smells or what it will do for your skin? (My latest Potpourri Soap - with Lavender, Lemongrass, Fennel and Ylang Ylang Essential oils, a blend I created for the scent...) I usually aim for therapeutic value…. But try to blend nice scents.   For example, our oily skin soap has a nice blend of Tea Tree with Eucalyptus.   Our sensitive skin soap has my favourite blend – Patchouli, Geranium and Lavender. Sometimes it is more difficult… so many things to think about.   In creating our Rose Hip facial serum, as we are aiming this product at mature skin, I had a blend in my mind before ever smelling one of the essential oils I wanted in it… Then it arrived… I opened the bottle with so much anticipation (I am like a kid in a cand...