Sudz

We have been making soap like crazy here at Simmons and with that comes the odd bits and pieces that we can't sell. They are sort of like the misshaped cucumber or bruised apple. But for those that don't mind a dent or two we are bringing back our soap by the pound. I actually feel sorry for the bruised tomato and usually buy it. :)

The Middle Ages could have been called, "The Smelly Ages". It was during the Middle Ages that European physicians were convinced that bathing would open up one's pores and expose the body to "bar air". It was believed that warm water was the absolute worst, and the protective secretions of the body would be removed leaving us poor humans vulnerable to all sorts of ailments and maladies. I guess they believed we needed that extra coat of grime that our mother's always accused us of having (at least mine did).   Frequent baths were an absolute no-no to maintain good...

Keep it Dry, Avoid Mushy Soap. Handcrafted soaps differ from commercially produced soaps in content, shelf life and use. If you've ever left a bar of soap (handcrafted or otherwise) in a soap dish that retained a bit of water, you'll  have experienced the disgusting Mushy Bar Soap syndrome. Yep, that's a thing.  Any soap left soaking in water will turn to an icky, gloopy mush. The soap bar kept above the water will firm up and air-dry, ready for its next use, but the underside soaking in water is, well, almost disgusting.  Not to worry, your soap is just...