Labels Needed - help please

[Buckscent]

not really ready to sell just yet, but I would like to get labels so I can put them on the soaps and stuff I do make so 1) I remember what they are and 2) put them on the samples I pass out to friends so I can be at least getting the name out there

I think most people make their own? How? If not, where do you get them and are they the same lables that you just change the name of the soap on?

Thanks

 

[earlene]

Buckscent, I make my own with paper and pen (and hot glue gun to make them stick). Some people here use their computer and printers to design their own labels. I have seen label templates for sale online and I have seen companies that will make your labels for you, which I expect is costly.

If you have a lot of soap, designing them on a computer and printing them out can save a lot of hand work. But having designed labels in the past, it can be time consuming and require a lot of trial and error before you get the font size and all your words to fit on the label you want to fit onto your soap. Personally I never found it to save any time over hand writing. Of course it tends to be more readable in many cases. And it probably looks more 'professional' if you are going to sell.

I did buy soap from a store once where they used the same label on all their soaps, but only wrote in the name of the soap by hand. It has a blank spot where the soap name goes, and when the lady cut and wrapped my soap, she wrote in the name of the soap just before sticking the label to the wrapped soap. The drawback to this was that not all of the ingredients were on the label. In that store there were dozens of different kinds of soaps with various different additives, so none of the labels was accurate for contents. I did not like that idea at all. I still bought the soap because I wanted to see what that particular one was like. Can't say I was very impressed with it, though. Live and learn.

When I first make a soap, I use masking tape on the tray where it is going to cure. I write the date and whatever name I gave the soap in my notebook. That way, when I am ready to label the soap all I have to do is look at the page of that date and that soap name to get the ingredients for the label. I don't sell, but like you I want to include the ingredients on the soap I give to my family and friends.

It's also nice to ask your family and friends for feedback about the soap. I find that unless I ask for feedback, I don't hear much from them. My husband, DIL, my younger son and one of my SIL's are the only ones who have actually given me unsolicited feedback. All of which is highly appreciated because it helps me determine which soaps people actually enjoy. The rest I have to ask and even then I don't get a lot of helpful response.

 

[Kamahido]

I use Microsoft Word 2013 to make my labels using the insert table command. I can fit 4 labels per page.

 

[shunt2011]

I use stickie notes on my curing racks and on the boxes I store them in after cure. I put the date, ingredients and name on the stickie and then put them on shelfs till needed.

I'd say you are nowhere near ready to sell or to think about getting your soap out to folks other than close family. I probably had 400 bars of soap in my house before I started giving them out to family/friends. They were so sad in comparison to what I make now too.

You've only been at this for about a month or so.

Slow down and enjoy the process and learn as much about it as you can. It takes a lot of formulating, curing, research, testing etc before even thinking about selling. We mostly recommend a year of making it. Besides, that part of the fun, at least for me. I love making it.

You need to know if your soap is going to lose it's scent, get DOS, how long it lasts, how it feels on the skin etc.

However, for quick labels I would just do something easy with word or photoshop etc. Also, if you scroll down to the bottom there are other topics related to yours that may give you some ideas.

 

[Buckscent]

I use stickie notes on my curing racks and on the boxes I store them in after cure. I put the date, ingredients and name on the stickie and then put them on shelfs till needed.

I'd say you are nowhere near ready to sell or to think about getting your soap out to folks other than close family. I probably had 400 bars of soap in my house before I started giving them out to family/friends. They were so sad in comparison to what I make now too.

You've only been at this for about a month or so.

Slow down and enjoy the process and learn as much about it as you can. It takes a lot of formulating, curing, research, testing etc before even thinking about selling. We mostly recommend a year of making it. Besides, that part of the fun, at least for me. I love making it.

You need to know if your soap is going to lose it's scent, get DOS, how long it lasts, how it feels on the skin etc.

However, for quick labels I would just do something easy with word or photoshop etc. Also, if you scroll down to the bottom there are other topics related to yours that may give you some ideas.

You are 100% correct and as I stated in my original post I am not ready. But I am making butters, lip balms, bath bombs and scrubs that I will be selling to friends and family to support my crack (soap) addiction, that is what I need some labels for.... Also I am not far behind you already on that 400 bars...

 

[Susie]

I use Post-it notes on my baskets with names and dates. And since I made so much soap so quickly, I have started using the large, lined Post-it notes with the entire recipe, including the FO/EO. It kept me from mixing up the batches. I made labels on my computer using Word and just tucked the slip of paper down in the bag with the bar.

 

[penelopejane]

I used excel and print my own labels with all the ingredients in the back, the date it was made and the batch number. This is to avoid getting feedback like l: I liked the pink one! I also now write down what batches I give to whom so I can identify "the pink one".

I put dates and batch numbers and FO on a small card with my curing soap and take a photo to identify them. My soap diary is an excel spreadsheet which has details of the recipe and the pour and batch numbers and dates.


I tell my friends to compare them by date as well as ingredients. Getting good feedback is tough: mum, it's soap! You have to educate your friends and family on how soap feels!

 

[dillsandwitch]

I used Microsoft publisher to design my labels then I converted that to pdf and then converted that to a word doc (only cause I couldn't figure out how to go directly from publisher to word. I'm sure its really easy and I will feel silly if its pointed out to me, but hey they way I did it worked) That way I can easily change the ingredients, soap name/fragrance and any other details I want. I made cigar bands for my soaps and have the entire design just B&W and then I can print them out on coloured paper or card to change them up a bit. It took me a while to come up with my "perfect" label that I will use if and when I ever decide on selling. Ive been soaping for about 3 years now and still dont think I am completely ready yet. Also I dont have the necessary time to devote to selling soap in person at markets and whatnot.

 

[IrishLass]

I don't sell, but I love making labels for my soap to give as gifts (it's a fun, creative outlet for me), and I'm forever changing the colors, shape and design of them to suit whatever strikes my fancy at any given time.... Anyway, my favorite tools to use for this are Microsoft Publisher and also a program called Pixie from Nattyware that enables me to refine the colors of the wording & designs on my labels to match exactly the colors of my soap or whatever else I'm wrapping. I absolutely love, love, love the both of them because they are so easy to use and allow me to have complete control over so many things.


IrishLass

 

[dixiedragon]

I use the Avery design your own. I buy my labels at Office Depot. FYI, shipping tape is 2" - the exact height of a lip balm tube! Get Scotch brand - the dollar store brand tends to shred.

For my lotion tubes, I have some labels that are 2" high and 4" wide. I place 2 text boxes on it, dividing it in half, so i can have the front and the back on one label.

 

[Dahila]

I use Microsoft publisher for almost all labels, it is true it takes time (I love doing it) today I had spend like 5 hours on computer, but labels are so nice.............really nice. For the ones I order from Labelsonline.com I just use their software Maestro designer.
I made labels from very beginning , even when I was not having the business registered......
I am in Canada and we have a lot of regulation. I do send my formulas with a lot of options, names, few oils, emulsifiers, different humectants. It would be difficult to order the labels, Ten lotions, and different date of batch, or symbols .........

 

[rdelirious]

not really ready to sell just yet, but I would like to get labels so I can put them on the soaps and stuff I do make so 1) I remember what they are and 2) put them on the samples I pass out to friends so I can be at least getting the name out there

I think most people make their own? How? If not, where do you get them and are they the same lables that you just change the name of the soap on?

Thanks

Buckscent I design mine in InDesign and get them printed/trimmed at a local printshop. For a beginner, the easiest way is to buy pre-cut label sheets (the kind that you can feed through a home printer). I've bought some from OnlineLabels.com before and they have worked well on my laser printer. I use these for labeling essential oils when I transfer them to glass bottles, but I assume they would well for your purpose. If you go to their website, they will even send you free samples to test.

Once you decide on a label size, you can even download a Word template, which will ensure they align when printing.

 

[45parallelsoapco]

I too use Avery.com design your own - it is a great program to work with. I just started buying waterproof inkjet labels from onlinelabels.com and like them. But i have to use Word to print my info since avery doesn't have a same sized template.
I have to say that i am not overly impressed wtih the waterproof labels. I will use them, but i plan to go back to using avery labels and covering them with laminating sheets or packing tape.

 

[Soapsense]

this works great, rather than use tape etc.

http://www.krylon.com/products/preserve-it-digital-photo-paper-protectant/