Did you know that to make and sell soap within Australia, soap makers not only have to be fully insured but they also have to be registered with the government as well?

The reason for this is because making soap is a science as much as it is an art form (actually, it's probably more of a science and in my case I just prefer to turn it INTO an art form!)

Chemicals are used, calculations need to be made, recipes need to be formulated. Any deviations, additives or changes to recipes needs to be tried and tested a LOT of times over to make sure that not only will the soap itself is stable, but that it won't accidentally burn anyone; For anyone who grew up with "granny's soap", you'll probably remember that burn all too well - while I personally might not be old enough to have used it growing up, I have definitely experienced soap burns many, many, MANY times over so I share your pain!

I, Kate, have been a professional soap maker for the past 6 years with my business Wax & Lye and I LOVE it! It is something I have spent a LOT of time learning how to do, and (sorry for the smug moment!) it's something I actually do well. I take a lot of pride in my work, both with the quality of it and the final designs, and while it might just be "a bar of soap", this is also an expression of art for me. It just so happens to be done in a functional medium. A bloody expensive, at times super frustrating and very time consuming medium - I'm sure all my soap making friends reading along will agree with that statement!!!

Whether it is an "everyday" bar, a natural bar or a more decorative artisan design, I still try and make my soaps interesting and fun, and a challenge to me, and of course keep them full of wonderful skin-loving ingredients that you just can't find in a lot of commercially made soap these days. That's the joy of handmade soap made by a professional, registered soap maker; they know exactly what they're doing because they can't afford to get it wrong AND they want their products to be as far away from a mass produced bar of soap as you can possibly get. Oh, and a lot of the time they have a creative streak that just can't be controlled!

So... Now that you know a little bit more about how and why we are so passionate about our soaps here at Wax & Lye, Why not buy the fancy soap and see what all the fuss is about?!

PRO TIP - Regardless of whether you buy your handmade soap from us here at Wax & Lye or another handmade soap business in Australia, you should ALWAYS find out if the makers are registered to make and sell soap. If you have the opportunity to do so (such as at a market) you should ask the soap maker how long they have been making soap and other relevant questions such as what kind of ingredients they use and even what method of soap making they use - If their answers are a bit wishy washy, you're better off leaving the soap behind than risking a potential lye burn or any other complication associated with poorly made soap. All professional soap makers KNOW the ins and outs of the law for making and selling soap in Australia and are rather particular about the answers - even down to exact labelling requirements - so always make sure you do your research to stay safe. It might look pretty but not all soap is made equally... If you ever see us out and about at the markets and want to question our knowledge and find out more, bring a chair because it could take a while!

AICIS REGISTRATION NUMBER: NIC1005570.

Kathryn Fitzpatrick of Wax & Lye is registered under section 80B of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 on the Register of Industrial Chemical Introducers for the registration year, 1 September 2023 to 31 August, 2024.