I’m telling you, folks are SOMETHING ELSE! I’m not sure what, though. I joined a few soaping communities, thinking I’d get some encouragement, ask some questions and learn. I know all forums have less-than-civil folks, and I know that as a newbie, I would probably get the once/twice over. No big deal.
At this one spot, I notice after I ask a few questions, folks start headin’ over here, from over there. I’m being checked out and evaluated. How dare I ask about selling, when I’m in a community of “experienced” soapmakers and I’m not actually a soapmaker. So, naturally, I need to be “put in my place”, with questions about just how “new” I am, along with helpful feedback about not thinking I can sell soap, without years of reading and research. Who are these people? Plus, if you came over here, then you already knew that I was very new, so why the games?
I asked a simple question: When you started your business, how many soaps did you sell? Simple question. Real simple. I didn’t ask for advice about how long I need to research and study, before I sell soap. Nothing wrong with being helpful, but at least answer the question I asked, right?
Now, anybody who knows me knows that I speak up for myself, and I don’t get intimidated by mere mortals. So, I left, cuz I don’t wanna get banned (or “boo-ed”) my first day on board. Plus, I don’t need the drama.
Sheesh!
A Nappy Girl
I actually read your post and the comments and thought you were given sound advice since your new to soap making, no one was being overly harsh. You say you were there to learn and get information, which you were given.
It often amazes me how people can suddenly start selling soap, when they haven’t even tried to make it, it’s not as easy as it looks, and you do need to know the texture, feel and how your soap recipe works. how it will be in say in 6 months time. But if you want to sell a product that is inferior to others, and could damage someone’s skin then go right ahead and start selling before you know your product inside and out. you are just asking for trouble by doing this.
Over in the uk we can’t just sell products that go on the skin without having them safety tested first, and have safety certificates, Personally I think other countries should do the same.
My advice is make a few batches, see how they turn out, then send samples to testers to get feed back on them before selling, you don’t have to wait 2 years but you do need to know what your doing first.
Personally I’m about to get my soap tested after making batches for the past year and half some went wrong and stopped making for a bit but the last 4-5 months I know what I’m doing so much better than i did say a year and half ago.
I’m hoping to start selling around September/October time, and just about to start making my batches i will have for sale all year round plus the seasonal specials I will offer
in total I will have around 15-20 different types fragrances and eo’s then 4-5 seasonal specials With 4 base that have been tried and tested and I know like the back of my hand, though some scents am still experimenting with and still have the odd seizure.
This isn’t harsh it’s critical analysis of what was written on the soap dish and my advice
mai
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You don’t get banned there for being foolish, so unless you were planning to make personal attacks you would have been welcome to remain and could have learned a lot. Which would have been a good thing for you. People on that forum have a lot invested in their craft (many do it for a living) and having folks selling unprofessional, or worse yet unsafe soaps gives everyone a bad name.
Newbies there are actually nurtured. With advice (harsh and gentle), information, and guidance. Take it or leave it – your choice.
I must ask – do you have insurance? If you are going to sell you need it. And of course don’t forget to register your business but I’m sure you know all about that. Oh, and of course you will need to learn to make a consistent safe product and become knowledgeable so that your product is safe and so you can answer questions that arise.
I wish you the best of luck.
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First off, let me say to both of you: Welcome!
Let’s cut to the chase:
I didn’t ask what I needed to do to sell soap. I asked one question. Why a few of you felt the need to answer what wasn’t asked, I’m not sure. But it’s not always a good idea to volunteer info, just because you have it.
What is “overly harsh”? No need to be “harsh” PERIOD. There’s a way to give advice, when asked. Secondly, when you say “Don’t take this the wrong way!”, that means that what you’re about to say will probably be taken the wrong way. So, think before you say it — especially when you don’t know the person you’re talking to. I’d just joined, for goodness sake.
Which brings up a second point: You don’t know me, nor do you know what I do and don’t know. I’m not a wide-eyed, bubble-gum chewing teenager, who thinks making soap is really “kewl”. Doesn’t matter though, cuz you need to be nice anyway, regardless of the age/cluelessness of your “victim”. I would never sell ANYTHING that wasn’t safe or substandard. I’m not going to start selling soap this weekend. Again, do you know anything about the person you’re “helping”? No, you don’t.
I’m 44 years old, and I’m a very nice person. But I don’t let anybody run over me, because I’m a “newbie”. Some of your members are presumptuous and out-of-line, which is just basically…rude. Slow your roll, be more concerned about welcoming and being helpful, and LESS concerned about “setting the record straight” and making sure people “respect the craft”. Respect people, first.
Oh, finally: You’re not the only soapmaking community on the internet. There are a few other places to get good, solid info, from nice, helpful people. I only joined your community, because you were recommended — with, I might add, a caveat about the rude, know-it-all members (some of you). So, don’t think everybody is going to put up with the less-than-warm interaction, JUST because your members know soapmaking. There’s always some place else to go. Always.
Thanks for your comments.
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First you resist advice and now you are telling US how to behave? Sweet.
Go post the identical information on the other forums and do please let us know the reaction.
I truly do wish you the best of everything.
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care,
First, you come on my turf, and try to “scold” me? Sweet, indeed. Second, I have no interest in visiting your forum again. I advise that you use common sense and decide to stay on your side of the fence.
This is not your space, it’s mine. I can say what I want, when I want, if I want. You’re out of order — which is fine, but not up in here. So here’s some advice for you (don’t resist it):
Respect MY space — do whatever you want, on your own turf. Convo ended. I suggest you take heed.
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WOW! What nerve! I don’t even know anything about the original post/issue, but how dare folks come over here and try to intimidate you. What soaping community IS this? You don’t have to list it here, but please email me.
I’m a soapmaker, and a damn good one! CP soapmaking is NOT hard. Yes, there’s a lot to learn, but you’ll never learn it all. I sold my SECOND batch of soap (first batch was PERFECT and I gave it away) — all of it. I needed extra income to help with single parenting. I couldn’t wait for years, trying to make sure I knew everything. I knew the most important stuff, when I started. The rest came, and continues to come.
I sent you a contact email, with my contact information. Contact me ANYTIME. I’ll help you anyway I can. You don’t need a bunch of “Kiss my ring” a$@holes, who think you should bow to them, in order to get a question answered.
BTW, I started off with about 6 soaps total. You don’t have to have a lot, to start with. Make sure your website is tight — based on what I see here, I’m sure yours will be great. Presentation is everything. A lot of soapmakers make good soap, but they’re presented poorly and their websites like a crackhead designed them.
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I am a member of a few soap boards/forums/groups, and have tried to get into a few others. I have a couple books, access to a library and the internet (obviously). I am trying to learn as much as I can about the craft. In my searching for knowledge, I have found more than one group on the ‘net that is very…what are the words I am searching for?……defensive? paranoid? exclusive? you-can’t-do-what-I-do-until-we-deem-you-worthy-regardless-of-the-fact-that-we-do-not-know-you-and-what-you-bring-to-the-table? I have seen the reaction you received on more than one occasion. I have also seen published books ripped to pieces by whole groups, and authors refusing to take any constructive criticism of their works. I have seen more than one group/board/forum require substantial “vouch-fors” and questionaires to become a member.
Was there some cataclysmic event that created this attitude?
All that being said, I have also found groups that are VERY welcoming to new people, tolerant of being asked the same questions over and over (YOU may have heard the question before, but THEY are new, remember?), and HELPFUL in an encouraging manner.
Please keep searching until you find a welcoming spot. They are out there.
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I think that the gist of it is this. Soap forums get a lot of new people every single day and some (few I hope) just want to take, take, and take some more. You are right. We don’t know anything about you and your intentions so those more experienced soapers go on immediate alert. This is just my personal experience with a variety of forums, but I always like to do an “I’m new here” post to give a little bit of background about myself, what I hope to get out of the forum, and what I hope to contribute. I find that it eases the “newbie” experience just a bit and makes others more receptive. For all we know you got bitten by the handmade soap bug yesterday, made one batch and are ready to sell. Unfortunately it takes time, energy and money to get a good product. It also gives the crafter time to know the ins and outs of their products, what works, and what doesn’t before selling their products to the public. All it takes is one bad batch for people to get the impression that Handmade soap is bad and start to bad mouth it. Which ruins it for all of us. From what I’ve read on your feelings about Handmade soap I would guess that that’s the last thing you would want anyone to say about your products or handmade soap in general. Just a guess though.
As there are a lot of things that can go wrong with soap making there is great concern over those that decide on a whim to make and sell soap without getting a true feeling of what it’s all about. There are tons of resources out there books and online, but unfortunately a lot of the information is wrong. This incorrect information can not only harm the soap maker, but those using the products as well. When I first started out the book and info that I was going from had 2 incorrect steps. One it didn’t specify that only stainless steel needs to be used for pots (and other metal utinsels) and Two that the water was poured into the lye and not the other way around. I not only had my lye water volcano over everything, but when I went back to redo the batch (with the proper lye into the water instructions I found elsewhere) I had it volcano out of my pot because it was aluminum. Luckily I wasn’t hurt as I had on all my gear. But I could have been and very seriously.
I thought that my first batches were great, but they have NOTHING on what I’m doing now. I thought in the beginning that my first batches were sell worthy, but now I know better. It’s taken me a lot of experimentation to come up with just the right recipes.
I hope that you reconsider and visit the forum again. It has a wealth of information and very nice ladies and gents. Yeah we get bitchy and mean sometimes, but seriously what forum doesn’t? :lol: I have learned so many new things in the last few months that I was never able to get just by reading books and doing research.
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I had already been making soap for about six months when I joined a few months ago, and I thought people were really mean and harsh too. I made a couple of faux pas and quickly got spanked. I apologized and started contributing, and quickly found out how helpful people really are. In truth, I have learned more from the forum than ANY other resource, either online or off. Once you’ve been a member for a few months, you can access the archives, and seriously, you can get lost in there for days.
But the issue at hand was your reception. Please understand that there are people who come in every day asking how to sell soap. They ask for recipes, bestsellers, marketing strategies, you name it, and never come back. You asked a simple question, it’s true, but you’re unfortunately feeling the backlash of all those other people. I’m sure you’re a very nice person. Not everyone is. I’ve seen it firsthand. Personally, I think SOME people overreact (actually, you didn’t encounter any of those people, believe it or not; there was even a thread about it a while ago). And I can understand how it feels, having been there myself. I didn’t ask about selling, but I bashed melt and pour soap and boy, was that asking for it. :-)
In the beginning, you just think, well it’s just SOAP, right? How hard can it be? I know I did. But to many people, this is their livelihood and they’ve spent a lot of time perfecting their recipes, etc., and I imagine they feel insulted. I probably would too. The thing about the forum is that it’s a very tight-knit group with people who have been on there for years. It can be very daunting at first, and it feels hard to break into the club thing. But please, stay, hang out, read, use the search function (something else that’ll get you spanked). It’s really worth it, I promise.
And while I agree on not selling just yet, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making that your goal. Everyone is right, though; there are SO many bad books and sites out there. To get started, I would really recommend Susan Miller Cavitch’s The Soapmaker’s Companion.
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You are so correct. How dare those bitches get pissed when you threaten their livelyhood by trying to suck them dry of info and then sell your first batch of soap that will no doubt be shitty and most likely dangerous, ruining legitimate soapmakers futures because people will assume all handmade soap sucks as bad as yours. Perhaps you need to ditch the ghetto slang and act like a 44 yo woman and realize you screwed up and expected people to fall for your please “help a sista” bullshit and feed you our recipes and trade secrets on your first post.
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hey guys…give it a rest. leave well enough alone.
good luck Nappy!
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No…keep it going. I’m allowing it. I can force all comments into moderation, at will. But I’m just letting you get it all out.
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Wow. I can’t even believe people act like this….and you asked ONE question. People need to realize that there are other people behind the screen names..and apply the Golden Rule. Good LORD!
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Rikki, I think you’re right; a lot of us say things online that we wouldn’t in person. In any case, we hope we’ll see you back over there, and if you want to talk soap or bounce ideas off anyone (just about making the stuff, I don’t sell), please feel free to contact me directly. Good luck!
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WOW! These are PROFESSIONAL soapmakers? :shock:
I’ve never seen folks sho’ out like this. Blessings to you. I’m sure you’ll do well, which is why folks is drunk on “haterade” (is that “ghetto”?).
Sheila
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Why in the world would you go back to a forum, where folks tried to rake you over the coals, for asking about…soap? All these long-winded-ass comments, from people who STILL don’t get it, but want you to think you did something wrong, because you didn’t “snuggle” with them, before you got down to business. They think a person is stupid enough to not do enough research, read some books, and ask some questions, before making/selling soap (just because some of them were). That, right there, shows contempt. I mean really, like every newbie doesn’t know about “The Soapmaker’s Companion”. :roll: Is that like, a “trade secret”?
I wish to GAWD she would post the thread link, so you could see these vicious harpies, in their native soil. She’s much too classy of a lady to do that, but I’m not!
Can I NEA? Plee-ee-ze!!!
:mrgreen:
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Darlynn,
Nope, you can’t. :razz:
Folks are what they are. They aren’t going to stop me from doing what I’m going to do. I allowed them to comment — I definately was generous for doing so, since this site is mine.
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NEA
Good luck with your soapmaking venture! Just ride right on past the haters (was that “ghetto slang” comment kinda…derogatory/racist?) :twisted:
Hmmm…only cowards post like that, and don’t identify themselves. It looks a little….disturbing.
I love your site, BTW. I’ve been wearing locs for 10 years!
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Hey NEA,
My sista..
When I read your post, I am the one that contacted you (in good faith) I told you they were going to do that to you. This is why I told you about the other sites.
I been on that site off and on for 5 years, the same site where I learned poweful lessons about giving out information.
If you dont fit in their “click” than you dont fit in period. Who would have thought that the soapmaking community can be so cruel right? especially behind one question.
I sold soap on my 6th batch or so… and thats only because I wanted more supplies. Contact me personally if you like.. I will help the best I can. I did direct you to other sites that may be much nicer.
I say ignore them… I have seen many sistas like us come through there and get spoken to rudely..
Keep using your “ghetto slang” sista… FIGHT THE POWER LOL.. FREE THE PEOPLE! LOL
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@ Culpepper,
Yes, it (the “ghetto slang” comment ) was and it was TOTALLY uncalled for. They couldn’t teach me how to chew a stick of gum, let alone how to make soap. The fact that they keep buzzin’ around here, shows that they got some SERIOUS mental problems.
All that cuttin’ up, over some damn soap? I wouldn’t buy one bar, from none of them.
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NEA,
Welcome to the soapmaking family! After about 4 batches, I started selling. I started with four different varieties. You can’t learn everything anyway. There’s so much to learn. I’m sure you already know that, so I’m not going to do the dissertation. I’m sure you’ve got your books lined up, and you know how to “Google”. You don’t need that community to become a great soapmaker.
I’m a member at that forum (I just lurk), and I’ve never seen anything like it. The majority of the population doesn’t even know who any of them are (me included). There’s a few “masters”, but most are not. So, I don’t really understand all the uppity arrogance. It looks like the word “nappy” threw them for a loop. :roll:
Some of your comments have disappeared? Not sure if it’s some kind of server hiccup.
Anyhow, God bless you and email me, if you need ANYTHING!
Rosetta
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Actually, I keep coming back because I can’t decide whether to respond to that Kiss my Ring comment or not … and finally have to say something about it. Mainly to distance myself from it. Some of those comments are completely out of line. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck. And please, whether you sell it or not, make soap. It’s fun!
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I hope none of these Hoo Hahs are on your links page. They couldn’t give me a bar of soap. Yep, that “ghetto slang” comment was off the chain. :twisted: Is that “ghetto”, too?
Silly rabbit.
I’m gonna mention this thread (and that ignorant, racist comment), in my blog.
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:lol: @ Kismet…what’s a “Hoo Hah”?
NEA,
I think folks want you to kiss their behinds. That’s the bottom line. They’re trying to intimidate you, by ganging up on you, en masse. Kinda primitive. Sometimes it works, but I’m sure you’ve peeped their hand. You have a very strong online family. We come out and speak up for our own. We nappies stick together!
As far as the “Kiss My Ring” comment. “Becky”, and all her friends/family/community members, can kiss my #ss! (I know I can’t cuss on this site, so…). You ain’t seen “ghetto” yet, missy.
You don’t have to apologize to those nuts, for anything. WTF?: “I messed up and I got spanked, and I apologized, and they embraced me…and….!” Yep, you just got spanked again!
Don’t let them knock you off your square! Send me some free soap :!:
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Napparella, I’d be happy to send you a free bar of soap … only you’re anonymous.
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Massa, ize sorry fo my “ghetto slang” but dats all i no! :sad:
:roll:
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@ Leaf
Had to come back and read your comment, because your whole comment was so on point.
If my goal is to help someone learn to make soap, then that’s what I should be about doing. If I’m SO concerned about folks selling soap that’s lye-heavy or just…off, then I don’t want them ending up so ticked off at my rudeness that they come to the conclusion that they’d be better off learning to make soap from notes on a Cracker Jack box, than spending anytime learning from me.
If I’m SO concerned about “the craft”, then I need to be just as concerned about the people who are learning the craft. Don’t get caught up in your own greatness. Just because it may take me 3 years to sell, I shouldn’t try and manage someone else’s clock. Stay in your own lane, and run your own race.
Thanks so much for your comment.
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