Soap Making as a Hobby

Dear Community,
have you tried making soap at home, or do you prefer to buy it ready-made?

Oh, I have to admit, I’m not a fan of soap at all. It’s usually way too perfumed for my taste.

Since I’m very sensitive to smells, it’s not easy for me to find a soap that works for me. I once found one while on vacation at the Baltic Sea in a soap shop. It’s been sitting in my linen closet for years, quietly giving off its scent. I like it there, but I don’t need soap on my skin. It just dries out my skin, and as I said, I have to like the scent.

This craze for soap-making started a few years (decades?) ago, and now many retailers offer a wide variety of soaps. All sorts of things get mixed into them. There’s even black soap. None of that is for me. It took a long time to convince my family and friends that I never want to be given anything that’s scented. It just never works out for me.

But I’m sure there are plenty of people here who enjoy soap. Of course, I’m happy for them to have such a wide selection.

Best regards, Ina

Yeah, it’s probably been decades—wasn’t it the TV show “Hobbythek” with Jean Pütz that played a major role in that?
I had a blast making soap with a friend back then; the result was really great, but it definitely took a lot of effort.

My grandson made me some homemade coffee soap for Christmas. I keep it in the kitchen, and it’s really great for getting rid of the smell on your hands after chopping onions.

I’ve been making my own soap for almost 5 years now (it didn’t work out for me before). This way, I can decide for myself what goes into it, what it smells like, how strong the scent is—or whether it has any scent at all. I hardly ever need body lotion or face cream anymore; I no longer have problems with skin blemishes, and I don’t sit there scratching myself right after a shower because my skin is so dry.

Handmade soaps are different from mass-produced soaps, and many people get along better with them—just like I do. Others really love curd soap, and still others prefer their shower gel.