Hand Crafted Soap

Whitnall teacher honors famous writers with handmade shaving soaps

Andrew Baumann isn't a professional soap maker. Actually, he's a history teacher at Whitnall High School who's just really into the art of old-fashioned wet shaving.

And, just like all hobbyists think to themselves eventually, Baumann wondered last January if he could get into the business, too.

So Baumann, who is an avid fan of classic books, launched The Shave Library, a line of men's shaving soaps on the popular DIY eCommerce storefront, Etsy . He named his soaps after his favorite authors, like Shakespeare, Bronte, Twain, Kipling, Fitzgerald and Hemingway – though considering trademark issues, he's in the process of changing the lines to character names and themes that won't get him in trouble.

Take "Mandalay Bay," formerly known as "Kipling." Including oils of bay rum and lime, the scent captures the spirit of a refined jungle. Baumann says this soap is his personal favorite for summertime use.

"When I read some of these books, I get a feeling, and I can pick up on the scents that the author alludes to," says Baumann, who lives in Wauwatosa. "I actually started with the Fitzgerald soap, since 'The Great Gatsby' is my favorite book and I read it once a year. What scents would Jay Gatsby wear? I came up with a good scent; when I smell it, I smell 'The Great Gatsby.'"

Surely, there are other ways to pay homage to one's favorite authors, so why did Baumann teach himself how to make soap?

"I have all the big English and Italian brands of soap, and they're great," says Baumann. "But a lot of them are really, really expensive. Some of them are $50 to $75."

Baumann says he tried some other Etsy soaps, which smelled good but didn't lather properly, and realized there might be an opportunity for him to innovate.

"A lot of soaps you use in the shower or the kitchen are bubbly and airy. You need shaving soap to make a really dense lather," he says.

He says his goal was to bridge the gap between price and quality, and knowing nothing about making soap, he began buying pre-made soap bases and studied what his favorite soap makers added ... then tinkered with acids and Shea butters in his basement until he got it right.

It took Baumann about six months of trial and error to figure out how to make shaving soap – the kind meant to be applied with a badger or boar hair brush – but eventually he nailed it. For $13 for 4-ounce jar, this is a high-quality, smooth lathering, handcrafted soap at an affordable price.

Top 5 Tips for Using and Storing Handmade Natural Soap » Soaps by ...

Congratulations on your purchase or gift of handmade natural soap!

If not properly used and stored, your wonderful new soap could quickly dissolve in the shower or slowly deteriorate on the shelf. Here are our Top 5 Tips to enjoy your soap to the very last bubble:

1. Store soaps not in use in a covered container that allows air circulation, and in a cool, dry location. Shoe boxes work great for this. If you prefer to store your soaps in plastic, be sure to add ventilation to the container to allow the soaps to breathe. Handmade natural soaps are high in natural glycerin and vegetable oils; non-ventilated storage may result in a “weepy” or rancid soap bar. Keep your stored soaps out of direct sunlight, as natural ingredient colors may fade. Storage life varies, depending upon the formulation of the soap. In general, assuming proper storage, your handcrafted soap should last from 6 to 12 months. 2. If storing several soaps, it’s best to store similar scents together. Sample categories include: lavender, citrus, mint, spice, tea tree, rosemary, eucalyptus, fruit and floral. The essential oils in handcrafted soaps vary in dominance and mellow over time at different rates. Storing a peppermint (dominant) scent with a citrus (mild) scent may result in the citrus scent taking on a peppermint aroma. Even under the best conditions, citrus scents tend to mellow more quickly than other scents.

3. Cut the soap bar in half and use half at a time, storing the unused portion as noted above. Create a “buffet” of half-bar soaps and enjoy a variety of scents during the week!

4. Use a soap dish that offers drainage (e.g. slotted) so the soap can dry between uses. Slotted soap dishes come in many different sizes, shapes and materials. A Google search will offer options such as wooden, ceramic and plastic. Another option is a flexible plastic suction cup soap saver – they’re inexpensive and work well both in the shower and at the sink. Wooden soap dishes can be used in the shower, if there is a high shelf available out of direct contact with water – and if there is adequate ventilation to allow drying between uses. We do not recommend using a ceramic soap dish in the shower, as it may fall and break. 5. Use a soap saver pouch. Place your bar of soap in the pouch and pull the drawstring closed. Wet the soap and pouch and lather up. When done hang up the pouch, soap and all, to allow it and your soap to dry between uses. Soap saver pouches come in several different materials, such as cotton yarn, ramie and plastic mesh. In addition to lengthening the life of your soap, a soap saver pouch will add a gentle exfoliating scrub. Soap savers are great for using up soap slivers – gather slivers together in the pouch and use until gone.

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