Experiment: Austerity

For this experiment I decided I would change the feel of the soap to create a mood of austerity. Soap is integral to shaving for both men and women so I thought it would illicit the best response if changed. I read about austerity and austerity measures to get a feel about what direction I should head in when changing the feel of the soap and to what. I read a book which was called The Austerity Book: classic tips for enjoying life inexpensively by Jaqueline Mitchell which had tips and tricks for creating things yourself from wares around the home. This was very popular and common when Austerity was at its peak during and after the wars and during the depression.

From here I decided I would make soap myself and see if it felt different to normal store bought factory produced soap. I wanted to use a method similar to one on this page however I did not have the time nor the ingredients around my home to make this soap. For me buying the ingredients defeats the purpose of being austere which was the point. I found a similar process which involved making your own soap by melting and re-crafting soap from the store. I used this method. When I was finished I was left with a big square.

What I got from the process:
It took about an hour to make the soap. I used a square plastic container usually used for containing dipping sauces to create the shape. I used a bar of Palmolive Naturals soap. I was very proud of my soap when it was finished. I wanted to be less liberal with it when I shaved because I wanted it to last longer since I had made it, it was individual and I had a personal connection to the soap. In terms of actual feel the original soap has a very smooth texture whereas the remade soap has a rougher bumpier texture. I also like that the brand name was not indented on the soap. Being a big block of soap it was not ergonomic and was hard to hold while I shaved. I had to hold it in a big grasp, clutching as one would say for dear life. However with ordinary soap being easier to hold you don't have to grasp it as much. The remade soap didn't let off much soap when I did use it which made me feel like I was being very austere, not used to have little amounts of soap on my legs when I shave. I was very wary of razor burn because of this. I felt very old fashioned having made my own soap and I felt connected with history. My nana used to tell stories of how during the war they used to make their own toothpaste using baking soda as a main ingredient. Im sure she had something to say about soap too but unfortunately she is no longer alive.

Overall I felt that I was being austere having made my own soap and then using it to shave. If I did have soap making ingredients around my house I would have felt even more austere. Using the soap in moderation as well as how I had to hold it to use it made me feel that there was less soap than normal which I also connected with being austere.