Saturday, January 16, 2010

What's your weakness?


I'm a fragrance junkie and I've got the few dozen bottles of fragrance oils to prove it.  I've also got the family who will hold an intervention if I try to buy more.  An intervention was already held when I went on a soap buying binge a few years back - but with scents like "Planets Cosmic Spice", "Osage Orangewood", and "Silken Rosewood" I couldn't resist. (This was before I started soaping on my own...not that that has stopped me from buying a bar of deliciously scented handmade soap now and then.  I just don't buy a dozen bars at a time anymore..)   Add a heavenly fragrance to luscious lather and I'm in the shower for as long as the hot water lasts.
But...



I also love texture...and am willing to potentially pass up a smooth but scented bar if  it means I can get honey and oatmeal.












Of course, the idea of beer in soap still intrigues me.  (Doesn't matter if I've done a couple batches.)  Add herbs to it and I'm in love.  (This batch used a seasonal spiced pumpkin beer with Yucca Root and Comfrey.  Sad to say, the spiced scent did not last through the curing phase.)










I've bought pretty bars of handmade soap in the past where the only thing going for it was that it was pretty.  I don't want that for my soaps...


That doesn't mean I don't want to play with swirls ...........












Or semi dramatic attempts in contrast ...











But that's not my main focus.

So, what do you look for when buying handmade soaps?  Do you look for all natural?  Fun or funky ingredients?  Luxury oils?  Or is it the color and scent that draws you like a magnet?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Certain scents pull me in, Vanilla, Rose, Sandlewood, Lavender. Next, appearance. Anything that replicates marble or stone has me going oooooo, as do micas and nice molding. Finally textured soaps such as oatmeal.

Anne-Marie said...

The contrast bar looks incredible! And yes, I'm a scent junkie too.

I buy for scent, then ingredients and then look. I'm like a pretty bar but I care about functionality over pretty colors, designs and swirls. Now, if I can have it all in a bar ... then, I'm a happy girl =)