heartandsoap
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2010
- Messages
- 229
- Reaction score
- 6
High quality soap making ingredients are a turn on for me. I can spend hours online searching out the best prices for oils/butters/botanicals etc... I think the better the ingredients, the better the soap. I just love natural gorgeous oils and butters. I love essential oils but still use some fragrance oils because I love the experience. I get so excited about the ingredients it's contagious ...then the people I give it to are excited about it.
I started making soap back in 1996. Took a break from it to get into other hobbies (painting and pottery)and am doing it again now. I decided to make soap as Christmas gifts and have been bitten by the addiction again![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Someone who received my soap as a Christmas gift has asked if they can purchase it in bulk.
I'm not selling soap at the moment but the idea has tempted me and has me thinking about it. I know there is a lot more in running a business than just making soap. I haven't sold soap in the past but did have my own business. There is no rush.
Recently, labeling has changed in Canada and I've noticed that local soap makers are using pretty basic ingredients.... different variations of Coconut, Canola, Crisco, and Castor. They look nice and are nicely packaged.
I bought some of their soap to see how it compares to mine. But, personally, those ingredients do nothing to encourage me to spend $5 on one bar. I purchased two bars from different soapers.
One weighed 3oz for $5 (that was the Coconut/Crisco/Canola bar) it was nice. There was nothing wrong with it. It lathered and rinsed nicely but there was no wow factor. I did not like the small portion.
The second one was made with Coconut, Canola and Castor. It was $5 for 4 3/4 oz. The fragrance was gorgeous. The bar shape was awkward to use and it left my hands feeling slippery after I dried them.
The packaging was identical in both , nice.
So, I've kind of been thinking that if this is what soapers in my area have been putting out there for years, people around here might not know what a really nice soap is or don't see handmade as being so great. The business are able to keep it all going. They do other things like bath salts, creams, etc...
I will still be using my favorite ingredients in mine. I think I would rather sell a smaller bar or raise my price to make it cost effective. It's not just about profit. It's also about doing something you take pride in and enjoying what you do. How you spend your time is how you spend your life.
I guess I'm just thinking out loud
I was a bit disappointed that they all have taken the cheap route. I couldn't find a single soap with any Olive oil, Shea butter, Avocado oil, Jojoba oil, Mango butter, Palm oil or Coco Butter in it.
On the other hand, it gives me a niche to fill![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
does anyone have any input regarding ingredients? Does lye know the difference?![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I started making soap back in 1996. Took a break from it to get into other hobbies (painting and pottery)and am doing it again now. I decided to make soap as Christmas gifts and have been bitten by the addiction again
Someone who received my soap as a Christmas gift has asked if they can purchase it in bulk.
I'm not selling soap at the moment but the idea has tempted me and has me thinking about it. I know there is a lot more in running a business than just making soap. I haven't sold soap in the past but did have my own business. There is no rush.
Recently, labeling has changed in Canada and I've noticed that local soap makers are using pretty basic ingredients.... different variations of Coconut, Canola, Crisco, and Castor. They look nice and are nicely packaged.
I bought some of their soap to see how it compares to mine. But, personally, those ingredients do nothing to encourage me to spend $5 on one bar. I purchased two bars from different soapers.
One weighed 3oz for $5 (that was the Coconut/Crisco/Canola bar) it was nice. There was nothing wrong with it. It lathered and rinsed nicely but there was no wow factor. I did not like the small portion.
The second one was made with Coconut, Canola and Castor. It was $5 for 4 3/4 oz. The fragrance was gorgeous. The bar shape was awkward to use and it left my hands feeling slippery after I dried them.
The packaging was identical in both , nice.
So, I've kind of been thinking that if this is what soapers in my area have been putting out there for years, people around here might not know what a really nice soap is or don't see handmade as being so great. The business are able to keep it all going. They do other things like bath salts, creams, etc...
I will still be using my favorite ingredients in mine. I think I would rather sell a smaller bar or raise my price to make it cost effective. It's not just about profit. It's also about doing something you take pride in and enjoying what you do. How you spend your time is how you spend your life.
I guess I'm just thinking out loud
On the other hand, it gives me a niche to fill
does anyone have any input regarding ingredients? Does lye know the difference?