GREAT BRAK RIVIER NEWS - Great Brak resident Thea de Villiers discovered the art of making soap about eight years ago and has been pursuing the hobby ever since.
She says: "I do it to keep my imagination alive. My sister, who lives in the UK, taught me how to make soap when she came to visit one year. Since then I have been hooked. It's quite addictive."
Thea's cakes of soap are absolute works of art. They look too beautiful to use. She is extremely modest about her craft.
She uses oils as part of the soap ingredients, such as olive oil and coconut oil, and shea butter.
"You work out a recipe and use what you have. For fragrances, I use essential oils and I put in a bit of mica, which is a powder colouring."
Works of art. Soap made by Thea de Villiers.
Thea's soaps are sold in a shop in Great Brak. She sells them to friends too and also gives them as gifts.
"I do it for the love of it. If I make some money, I just use it to buy more ingredients. I am not going to get rich out of it."
Thea says people's favourite soap fragrances are lavender, lime, lemon grass, lemon and grapefruit. "Making soap is relaxing. You must not be in a rush and there must be no disturbances."
Thea's day job is bookkeeping. She does this for a company and is able to work remotely.
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