Friday, November 5, 2010

A Wandering Pondering on "Soap Testing"

I was "testing" soap in the shower today.  Comparing two of my Goats Milk bars, actually, and I began to wonder if my fellow soapers use some of what I consider to be my unorthodox (and quite un-scientific) techniques to judge their soaps? 

The first I'll call "The Right-Left Test".  This is where I wash the right side of my body with one soap, and the left side with another and see which feels more comfortable and moisturized throughout the day.   Surely someone else does this?

My other favorite is "The Right-Left Shave Test" -similar to the Right-Left Test, except you shave the right leg with one soap and the left leg with another & see which feels more comfortable & moisturized throughout the day.  (NO LOTION allowed!)

Now I know this third test, "The Face Test" must be quite common...I ALWAYS try my soaps out on the face.  Just to see which leaves the skin more comfortable.  

I've heard of pH paper for testing -not quite sure how that all works, but it seems a bit "impersonal".  I've also heard of the tongue-zap test, which seems way TOO personal!  Call me a chicken, but I've never tried that one (and that's only half the story!)

Looking forward to hearing everyone elses "tried and true" soap testing methods!  :D   Happy Soapin' to All!

7 comments:

Larissa said...

LOL, I've done the tongue zap test, but never washed or shaved with two different soaps in one shower. I'll have to see if Eric's done that.

Deb said...

I have tried the tongue/zap test but only out of curiosity, not as a regular thing. I have not tried the left-right method. I usually just go by how my hands and face feel after a normal shower.

~Deb

Michele said...

I often try the zap test. I am generally very sure that my soap is not going to zap but, I typically test the zap out on a newly cut end and, after a bit of a cure I always try new soaps out on my face. I figure if it passes the face test it's good to go.

Anne-Marie Faiola said...

I've tried the tongue zap test and I must say, the pH strip is a nice trick. I like your idea of using two different soaps on the left and right to see which feels best. I usually take one soap for a test drive at a time, but your method sounds fun!

Sharon - Platypus Dreams said...

I tongue test all the time, did it that much once when working on new formulas etc that I thought I had wrecked it. lol. But then I am not the usual person, I taste lots of things, don't swallow them but things like lotion as well, it's just about as good as a ph meter with practice. I have a ph metre but getting it out etc, you know the story. Yep done the one side shower thing and it does work when testing products. Same for body scrubs and moisturisers.

Working out which soap formula works in brackish, salty water/ocean or artesian water is fun too. People think you are crazy when you set up a piece of wood on the ocean shore for sitting the soap on and come armed with notes, pen etc and test soap. lol. You look a sight, crazy woman standing knee deep with soap lather all up arms. Washes it off and goes back and does it again time after time. She must be mad. lol.

cocobong said...

Lather, wash, rinse, repeat..numerous times on the hands to determine conditioning, and certainly the face test (apply lather, leave on for a few and then rinse..but once is enough). That one is a dead giveaway for quality. Zap test (not nearly as bad as getting caught in your wool sweater with a hang nail..) only with HP soaps, the others cure for 6 weeks and preferably longer.

thesoapsister said...

LOL! What a visual! I'll bet NO ONE messes with a frothy-armed woman at the beach....as a matter of fact I can imagine concerned bathers gently herding children and pets AWAY! "...I don't KNOW what she's doing, dear...but lets get our things and go over HERE..let's go, dear....don't star, honey, it's not polite..." Too funny, Sharon -thanks for the laugh! ~Becky