Why My Soaps Are Ugly Sometimes *and Why That's a Good Thing)

If you’ve ever made anything by hand, you know this truth: sometimes, things don’t turn out exactly how you planned. Soap is no different. When I pour a fresh batch into the mold, I always have a vision in my mind — but the soap sometimes has a mind of its own.

Maybe it heats up a little too fast before I can get it poured. Maybe I try a new design or blend and the bar splits on top or gets an unexpected pocket of air. Or maybe I just didn’t slice it as smoothly as I’d hoped. Whatever the reason, I always end up with a few misfits. Sometimes more. They are bars that are every bit as good, but don’t quite look the part.

Soap That Works — Just Not Pretty Enough to Sell Full Price

These slightly quirky bars are still my soap. They still have the same nourishing ingredients, the same herbal infusions, the same essential oils and creamy lather. They’re just… a little off. Maybe a funny edge, an air hole, or a wobbly top. And we use them all the time — at home, at the shop, I even share them with my six adult children who grew up with my handcrafted soap. But as you can imagine, there are more than we can use.

That’s how our soap grab bags were born.

A Bag Full of Surprises

Instead of letting these oddballs go to waste, we bundle them up into assorted grab bags — and they’ve become a bit of a favorite in the shop. Each bag is a mix of different types of soap whether from a classic batch like Honey Oatmeal or something completely unexpected. They’re all perfectly usable, just not perfectly shaped.

Customers love the mystery. Some even come in just to see if there are any grab bags available. They tell us they don't care what they look like, but love getting a deal.

Why I Keep Making Them

As a soapmaker, I believe in honoring the whole process — even the parts that don’t come out Instagram-perfect. These grab bags let me do that. They help reduce waste, they offer a more affordable way for people to try high-quality soap, and they’re just plain fun.

And honestly? I think there’s something kind of wonderful about them. Each bar is a reminder that handmade isn’t supposed to be flawless — it’s supposed to be real.

Want One?

I wish I could offer these online, but shipping them would cost more than the soap itself — especially since each bag is packed with twice the value for what you pay. So for now, grab bags are available only in-store at Melanie’s Health & Nutrition. If you’re in the area, come by and check the soap shelves. You might just score a bag full of imperfectly perfect goodness.

Just don’t be surprised if they disappear quickly after this post. 😉