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Noellenc

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Hi fellow soapy folks. I just made that up, but what the heck!

On a crafty whim I decided to try and make my own soap, lip balm deodorant, and probably more when I have more money (eek).... The lip balm and deodorant are like child's play compared to the soap making, so I tip my hats to all of you who make such awesome soap-creations! I did it today for the first time (cold process from scratch) and it turned out surprisingly well from what I can tell so far! I did a VERY small 8oz batch, aiming for a shampoo bar...but I have a few questions!

As I've set out to buy all the ingredients and essentials needed to create a small arsenal of soap-making supplies I started to realize how EXPENSIVE all this stuff is!! I was wondering how much of a profit the average "soapy" (person who makes soap) tries to take in when selling their products, if you don't mind sharing with a noob.

For example, I just calculated that the 8oz of shampoo soap I made this evening cost about $4.50, or about $4.78 taking sales tax on the items into account. If I were trying to sell this I might cut it in half and sell two 4oz bars... Would it be ridiculous to sell them for $5 a piece, or is that sort-of average?

I am NOT going to be selling my soap anytime soon, I definitely want to experiment and test my products and make sure they are worthy before selling anything, but I think it is good to know these things from the get-go so that you're not wasting money!

If you don't feel comfortable replying, or if you'd rather private message me, that's fine. I just don't want to find out that I'm spending way too much making the soap, or, if I do try and sell it, I don't want to overcharge either!
 
If you want to soap more cheaply, you'll need to buy in bulk and probably get most of what you need on line or through a local chemical or restaurant supply store.

I haven't done the calculations but most of my soaps probably cost between a dollar and 1.50 per 4.5 oz bar. I buy most oils by the gallon through soaper's choice, lye through Essential Depot, and fragrance and essential oils from various established on-line vendors. If you buy from your local natural grocery or vitamin shop, you will pay through the nose.

There is a computer program specifically designed for soapers that enables you to input all of your costs and determine price per bar of soap, I'd like to say it's called soapmaker but I don't have it so I'm not sure. Maybe somebody else can chime in.

Good luck!
 
Yep I believe they are up to soapmaker 3. I haven't figured out my costs yet per bar. i am scared to figure them up.
 
Thanks so much for your replies. Yes, I was assuming it would be cheaper to buy in bulk, and I will definitely look into it if I become more proficient and really do want to start selling my stuff. I am lucky to live in an area where small businesses do very well, and the community is quite affluent as well, so I think there is a market if I could ever get there!
 
Buying in bulk and wholesale, my costs run from as low as 45 cents per bar to a high of $1.85 per bar. You will not be able to purchase wholesale from some suppliers unless you are in business. Soapmaker3 is wonderful for calculating costs and keeping track of inventory, among lots of other neat things. You defintely want to keep your costs as low as possible since you are just learning and will undoubtedly have some failures here and there. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you if your eventual goal is to sell. Make sure you keep detailed and accurate records of everything you do. For equipment, search out garage sales and discount stores. It's amazing what you can find for a buck or two. Make sure you understand and follow laws and regulations. Good luck with your endeavors!
 

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