The Story Behind Soap & Flame
I made my first batch of soap after researching ways to help with my dry skin. I fell in love with the science and creative process of soap making.
To my surprise the soap actually did help my dry skin, something I didn’t expect after years of using whatever brand was cheapest at the grocery store assuming they were all the same.
I’ve always been someone who picks up hobbies for a while and then moves on, but soap making was different. This time I pushed through that familiar urge to move on. I read books, scoured websites, and watched countless videos to learn everything I could.
When you're starting out, most people follow established recipes. These recipes teach you the basics of soap making such as how the process works, when to add ingredients, and how to handle lye safely.
But after a while, you want to create something that's truly your own.
That’s where things got really interesting for me. I dove into learning how different oils and butters affect soap. Each one brings something unique to the table—cleansing, conditioning, hardness and lather.
My goal was to create a well balanced soap bar one with a rich lather that cleans effectively without stripping the skin.
That was the problem with the grocery store “soaps” (which, technically, aren’t even soap) they were just too harsh.
I set out to make a soap that was skin friendly, performed beautifully, and used ingredients that were easy to source without breaking the bank.
By combining different butters and oils and researching their fatty acids you can make a great bar of soap!
So I set out to learn about the fatty acid profiles of oils and butters for soap making to combine them to create a soap with the qualities I wanted.
After plenty of trial and error, I landed on a formula I loved. But then I wondered if it could be even better?
That’s when I discovered additives like sodium lactate, citric acid, and sorbitol to make the soaps I was making even better.
Soap making isn’t just about science it’s also about creativity. While my main focus has always been crafting a soap that works well, I’ve enjoyed learning different design techniques.
Playing with colors and creating beautiful swirls is so much fun. I’ve learned so much about colors doing this.
It’s fun coming up with color combinations that look great together. It’s also exciting to cut the soap to find out if the design you planned actually happened.
Each soap bar is unique. Please don’t be afraid to use the pretty soap—it’s made to be enjoyed! I promise we’ll always make more.
Then there’s the world of fragrance. There are thousands of options and it’s like Christmas morning every time I get a new batch to smell.
Unfortunately, not all scents play nice in soap. Some make the batter seize up and overheat and others can even change the color of the soap, looking at you vanilla (brown), ruining the design.
That’s why I spend so much time reading reviews and researching before investing in new scents.
It amazes me that I can take raw materials and create something people enjoy using every day in their shower.
One of my favorite things is when a customer comes back for more because they loved their last bar. It’s such a joy to share what I create with others!
