Shampoo Bar

Well I always wanted to learn how to make soap. For my first attempt, I made a lemongrass-scented shampoo bar with a recipe from skincarenaturals.com. Also pictured is my latest design for the soap tote, designed with thicker, larger soap bars in mind.

My goals for soapmaking are twofold. One is to have soap to sell along with my soap totes. I think that would make a neat, all-in-one gift. Just add a bow! Plus the "packaging" is reusable after the soap is used up. 

Another goal is to learn how to make soap and shampoo bars suitable for use on the guaifenesin protocol. I was bored with the soap options available to me and decided to learn how to make soap. Standard soapmaking oils like coconut and olive oil have to be changed to ones that don't have salicylates, as they are absorbed through the skin, blocking the effectiveness of the guaifenesin.   For those who are interested, the allowable oils are corn, rice, rye, oat, wheat, and soy. Not allowed are common soapmaking oils like olive, castor and coconut oils.  The protocol works for me  -- I've been on it and benefitting from it for 4 1/2 years now -- and I'd like to keep it working by using only the allowable oils.  But if you put forth that question on a soap making forum, you get more than a few dissenting opinions, I'm just sayin'. However, I will continue to heed this warning:  "Salicylates are readily absorbed through the skin and intestine when introduced from medications and supplements including plant oils, gels and extracts. Individual genetics determine ease of blocking but all patients should assume a high level of susceptibility and take no risks." So, I will be doing some experimenting to see if I can make a shampoo bar that has only the allowable oils.

I had some bloopers with my first batch of soap. My soap got stuck in the PVC pipe mold, but released a day later. Soup can + rubber mallet = splat! Overall it was a successful experiment.

Hanging Soap Box design

I have been thinking lately about how to make soap totes for thicker soap bars and shampoo bars.  This because I have been thinking that perhaps the soap tote needs to be sold along with a shampoo bar, making the combination a slam dunk for gift giving and travel.  And shampoo bars are made thicker in their shapes, I am observing. I'm even looking into shampoo bar recipes to make and sell along with the soap tote.

One of my early Soap Tote designs was a boxy shape. I have decided to revisit that design, and I'm nearing completion of that task.  I used the tips in this tutorial to get the box corners instead of sewing a bunch of pieces together like I did before.

It will feature a boxy shape for both the upper part of the bag and for the drying mesh. As you can see in the photo, the mesh bag is held in an open position, which makes it easier to drop the soap into after use.  I'm happy with the proportions and I'm ready to start producing these for sale.

Soap Box - tab and slot closure

I saw a company out there advertising boxes, and I thought, "why not try designing a soap box out of recycled vinyl?" It occurred to me that a fold line could be created with a dash-cut line. And it worked! I embellished this prototype with a filagree design from a vinyl bracelet that I had designed earlier. It has tab and slot closures so there's no need for added fasteners.

HEY SOAPERS, this kind of eco-friendly packaging could be tailored to your company name, or the soap name, or be decorated with the kinds of ingredients that go into the soap. For example a daisy cut pattern for camomile. The soap box can also be used for travel or storage after the soap is gone, because the box looks nice. if you are interested in trying this kind of packaging email me vinally@vinally.ca

Soap Box from recycled vinyl

I wonder if any soapers out there would like to package their handmade soaps in a nice, recycled vinyl box such as this one? It could have the company name in a surrounding sleeve, or it could be a vinyl decal, or it could even be carved out into the packaging itself. The vinyl takes a fold well enough if I put in a cut dashed line on the fold lines. I suppose something like this could double as a travelling soap dish, also. But more thought would be needed on that score.

Soap Box

I'm making another version of the Soap Tote, a Soap Box. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20896301