Getting all lathered up
Artisan puts a lot of work, creativity into creating unique soaps
After 12 years, Lisa Strawn gave up her full-time job to launch a new career in selling soap.
Now, she says, that’s all she wants to do. She’s part of a handcrafted soap guild, which calls the making of homemade soap a blend of science and art.
“At least 50 percent of process must be done by hand, so each bar or batch is often a little different,” she said.
True soaps are the result of a chemical reaction between vegetable or animal fats, water and lye. When combined, they transform into soap and glycerin with no lye remaining.
Glycerin is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture on the skin. Often commercial manufacturers remove glycerin but with handcrafted soap glycerin remains, Strawn said.
Handcrafted soapmakers pride themselves on the unique recipes they use to create signature offerings.
“We invest a lot personal care on what we make,” Strawn said. “I think that’s the secret.”
Strawn said she lets her customers tell her which they like best. One of these is her oatmeal, milk and honey bar.
“My customers do not want me to run out of this soap,” she said. “They’ve told me nothing works so well to soothe their skin eczema. Nothing else works.”
One reason for this successful soap creation may be that Lisa raises bees and uses the honey from these homegrown insects. She also promotes an onyx black soap for problem skin. Her other popular soaps use lavender, charcoal or ground-up oatmeal cream.
She also likes to offer the “bath bomb,” a big, round bar of soap.
“Bath bombs are like a giant Alka-Seltzer that you put in your bath water. They fizz, make your water pretty and smell nice. Usually, too, they’ll have coconut oil and so are moisturizing. It’s a great experience.”
Strawn sells her soaps by going to many festivals, and she will begin in November to have a holiday kiosk in Texarkana’s Central Mall.
When there, she’ll be recognized as Miss Bubbly.