British suppliers

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Chickenpoopshoes

Active Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2019
Messages
38
Reaction score
26
Location
United Kingdom
Hello fellow residents of Great Britain! I need your advice. I like to shop local and I like to support British farming so my soaps will likely never vary from local Tallow and oils I can pick up in town. However, I have not as yet traced a local farm that grows and manufactures coconut oil, castor oil or any of the others I might like to use in skincare applications (funny that, isn't it?!!!) so I'm happy to buy them in from elsewhere.
I can find some funky oils in my local Holland and Barrett, but I don't know about the quality or price in comparison to online retailers.
Where do the rest of you buy your fancy oils and clays and such? I've tried Soapkitchen- any other recommendations? Extra points for fairtrade, ethical, sustainable etc...
 
Yes Soap Kitchen & Gracefruit, also Just a Soap, Livemoor, Bonnymans, New Directions, The Soapary.......just to name a few!
 
Ethical I dont think so, price wise its a bit of a lottery as you will find better prices on one for something but that place is dearer on something else. I have liked very much the FOs from Just a Soap and good customer service, and if I recall correctly Livemoor were about the best on price for CO.
 
I generally use Soap Kitchen, largely because it was the first main supplier I came across and their range is very good. Though I confess to not having researched other suppliers in huge detail. The trouble is, different suppliers may have different prices but you have to remember to factor in multiple postage costs, and to me, shopping around is extra hassle and time I can do without. I find Soap Kitchen's range is good, quality is fine, service is fine and I think generally prices are pretty reasonable. They have also been very helpful on occasion when I have contacted them for advice. Buying EOs from anyone else but a soap supplier (whether Soap Kitchen or another) is a no no I think. Holland and Barrett and Boots etc prices for EOs are on another planet. Fine if you just want to top up your pot pouri but making soap, no way. I don't buy cocoa butter from Soap Kitchen, hugely expensive, generally from The Soapery on Ebay. Quality seems good, but comes in large chunks that I have been cutting up at risk to fingers. (Never occurred to me to melt it down and re harden it into smaller bits till I read another post the other day.) Otherwise, I buy ordinary olive oil from supermarkets, though some people find that it can go DOSy sooner and not last as long, I haven't found this particularly. Also coconut oil I have purchased quite cheaply from Amazon, when they've got an offer on or Sainsbury's, again when they're reducing prices. The brand is KTC. It's pretty basic, probably chemically stripped etc, but I am of the view that if it is good enough for food it is good enough for soap. I've also purchased red palm oil cheaply from Sainsbury's though you'll only want this if you want orangey yellow soap. I've not seen refined palm oil for sale in Sainsbury's but then I've not really looked. Otherwise It might be worth trying local ethnic shops if you have them. Some supermarkets also only sell products like inexpensive coconut oil or palm oil if their are in an ethnically diverse area, so if you live in Kensington you'll only find they stock organic at £12 a pot! The only thing I would say about buying from supermarkets and local shops, is read the ingredients carefully. Some products that say they are olive oil or whatever are diluted with other cheaper oils which would make it difficult to work out SAP values, so you do need to ensure that you product is pure and is actually what it says in big letters on the front of the label.
 
Back
Top