How Soap Making Saved Me: My Journey Through Healing and Growth

 

How Soap Making Saved Me: My Journey Through Healing and Growth

I never expected a simple bar of soap to become a symbol of hope, healing, and transformation—but it did. What began as a hobby to fill the empty hours eventually turned into a lifeline that carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life.

There was a time when everything felt heavy. The kind of days where getting out of bed felt like a small victory. I was lost in grief, anxiety, and self-doubt. My mind was cluttered, my spirit depleted. I needed something—anything—to ground me. That’s when I stumbled upon a DIY soap making video late one night, and for some reason, I couldn’t stop watching. It was the first spark of curiosity I had felt in a long time.

The next morning, I bought a small kit. I had no expectations—just a quiet hope that the process might distract me. But as I melted the oils, measured the lye, and poured the mixture into molds, I felt something stir inside me. A calm I hadn’t felt in months. There was something deeply meditative about it—the patience it required, the precision, the intentionality. It forced me to slow down, breathe, and be present.

Each batch became a ritual. The scents I chose weren’t random—they reflected what I needed most that day. Lavender for peace. Peppermint for clarity. Rose for comfort. As the soaps cured, so did I, in my own way. Slowly, gently.

What I didn’t expect was how empowering it would feel to create something beautiful and useful with my own two hands. It gave me a sense of control when everything else felt chaotic. I began researching ingredients, learning about herbs and essential oils, experimenting with colors and textures. It was art. It was science. And it was therapy.

Soap making taught me patience. It taught me how to work through things without rushing to the end. It reminded me that even when something looks rough or unfinished, it’s still in the process of becoming. Just like me.

Eventually, I began gifting my soaps to friends and family. Their feedback, their excitement—it brought me joy I hadn't felt in so long. Some even told me how the soaps helped their skin or made them smile after a long day. That’s when I realized this journey wasn’t just saving me—it was helping others too.

Looking back now, I see more than just bars of soap lined up on shelves. I see growth. I see resilience. I see proof that beauty can come from brokenness and that healing isn’t always loud or dramatic—it can be quiet, slow, and shaped like something simple, like a bar of soap.

Soap making gave me purpose when I felt like I had none. It reminded me of my strength when I had forgotten it. And most of all, it became a mirror—showing me that even in my messiest, most fragile moments, I was still capable of creating something meaningful.

To anyone going through a hard time: find your soap. That one small thing that grounds you, inspires you, and helps you reconnect with yourself. You never know how it might change your life.

— Nora