The Benefits of Networking

Last Friday, I received a surprise order from a gift shop/gallery which is opening at the end of this week. Typically, it comes at a time when I have not been making much soap and, although I have enough stock to fulfil this order, I will have to get my act together and get out the cauldron. Sometimes, it is just this kind of thing which makes my mojo come out of hiding and I can get my act together.

The order came as a result of my contacting a local shop, which opened last year, to see if they wanted to stock any soap. At the time, she was not in a position to take on any more products, but obviously kept my details and kindly passed them on.

It is a reminder that when you attend a craft fair, or approach a shop, you may not reap immediate rewards. Even if you do not get anywhere at the time, it does not mean that something will not come of it at some point, and usually when you least expect it.

Why Handmade?

I have been making soap and body products for sale for a couple of years, and it is probably time that I told you why I prefer handmade products to the mass produced, cheaper, commercial ones that I used for so long.

Why should you spend in excess of £3 for a bar of soap, when you can spend a fraction of that at the supermarket?

The commercial soap you buy has in many instances been made with harsh chemicals which do not do your skin any favours. They serve their purpose which is to clean, but ask yourself if your skin feels good afterwards, or if it feels tight and in need of moisturising. If the answer to that is yes, then your skin is being stripped of its natural oils each time you wash.

Handmade soap is different.

First of all, a product which has been made by hand, has been made with love. The heart and soul of the maker goes into each and every product made, from the choice of the ingredients to wrapping the finished product.

More importantly however, is how your skin reacts to this bar of handmade goodness. Good quality handmade soap will have a good glycerine content. Glycerine is a great humectant, missing in most commercial soaps, drawing moisture to the skin and helping to prevent it drying out and thereby reducing the amount of moisturiser you need to use afterwards.

All kinds of goodies, such as shea butter, can be added to handmade soap to bring the best out of your skin. A good soap maker can produce a bar of gorgeous, rich lathering soap which not only does not strip your skin of those important oils, but which helps to put the moisture back.

Surely it is better to spend a bit of money on a lovely bar of artisan soap to help care for your skin, and reduce the money you need to spend on a jar of, hopefully, handmade moisturiser, than it is to buy a bar of commercial cleaning product.