The Levan Institute at Bakersfield College offers numerous creative and hands-on courses for students who are interested to learn the process of crafting. The art of soap making is being offered to students who are willing to learn a creative practice.
Students will have the chance to learn how to make colored fragrant soaps and bath salts. It is the process of old-fashioned soap making, which is referred to as the cold process.
Dahlia Langendoefer is the master of the craft who instructs the courses that are offered twice a semester on the BC campus.
“I have 50 years of experience with soap making, I began at age six with my mother and sisters,” said Langendoerfer. “We also made candles, bread and numerous dairy products by hand.”
“Apart from those processes, I quilted, sewed my own clothing, knitted, crocheted and made decorative things from wood and glass,” said Langendoerfer. “With that being said, I am eager to teach my students all of my handmade techniques.”
The classes offer students detailed instructions of proper materials, equipment and the secrets around the craft. Langendoerfer will also be demonstrating her shampoo and lotion recipes to interested students.
Langendoefer advocates on how the making of soap has grown to be more of a sophisticated technical process instead of trial and error. With the extensive practice in making the material, Lagendoefer shows the students what is the best and most safe material to use. She advocates on the proper products for all individuals that range from skin sensitivity to the colors and fragrances that will benefit the user overall.
Lists of materials and actual locations of stores in town and online shops are given to the students so they can find products.
Peggy Schrader, 61, is a first-time student to the soap making class. Schrader enrolled in the course with intentions to learn all of the tricks behind the hands-on crafts.
“I am here to learn soap making for my own personal use,” said Schrader. “There are many wonderful hand made soaps at craft fairs, although, they are too expensive.”
“I was interested to get into the Levan Institute at BC in order to take advantage of the creative classes,” said Schrader. “I have made soap in the past, but I knew I was not following the right and cheap steps. I have learned just in the first class meeting of soap making that I can use cheaper material than what I was using before.”
Langendoefer allows the students to do all the steps in class with her as a mentor, which include measuring oils and mixing of materials in order for students to get the feel of the process. Safety gear is offered and the steps are advised to a great extent.
“There is absolutely nothing like the feeling of giving a gift to someone and saying, I made it myself,” said Langendoefer. “The love gets passed along when we give someone something we’ve made ourselves.”
Shelly Downs, a student with a soap making background, enrolled in the classes in order to gain further knowledge of the accurate steps.
“I am taking this class to benefit myself and also to give as gifts,” said Downs. “I did try to make soap on my own, but it was beyond confusing so I came to learn the actual steps. So far I understand the right calculations that Dahlia has explained, and I strongly recommend this class to all.”
“To have an institution acknowledge creative courses to so many lives is wonderful,” said Langendoefer. “We have surpassed the time of education for the sake of education and advancement and are now in the time where we want to learn for the sheer sake of enrichment.”