Returning to a hobby I love after a 3 year break.

[BubbaBobba]

Covid, having a family and excessive work pressures led to a nearly 4 year break from what was previously a routine part of my life.

I've finally hit a point where I made my first batch on nearly 3 and a half years. A 100% olive oil liquid soap that was my favourite soap to make back when I was regularly soaping.

Looking forward to jumping back in and maybe even turning the hobby into some extra income to assist with the exceedingly high cost of living we're all experiencing at the moment.

Cheers!

 

[Zany_in_CO]

 

[lenarenee]

I hope you do, and I wish you the best! Pictures would be great too!

 

[Relle]

Welcome, I haven't made soap for a year until 5 days ago and I'm on here daily looking at everyone else's lovely creations. I doubt in our economic climate in Austalia that soaping will give you much of an income, because ingredients have gone up so much and people won't pay the price you have to charge.

 

[BubbaBobba]

Welcome, I haven't made soap for a year until 5 days ago and I'm on here daily looking at everyone else's lovely creations. I doubt in our economic climate in Austalia that soaping will give you much of an income, because ingredients have gone up so much and people won't pay the price you have to charge.

When there's a will there's a way. Just another problem that needs to be solved

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I doubt in our economic climate in Austalia that soaping will give you much of an income, because ingredients have gone up so much and people won't pay the price you have to charge.

While I agree, you can't make much of an income selling soap, but you CAN make enough for the hobby to pay for itself. Also, keep in mind, people who pay $7.50 for a bar of handcrafted soap won't blink an eye when the price goes up due to an increase in raw materials. Handcrafted soap is a luxury item and those who purchase regularly can afford to do so. Not to worry.

When there's a will there's a way. Just another problem that needs to be solved

SO TRUE! You sound just like my Mom! LOL If you need to support yourself, instead of selling soap, sell high-ticket luxury items (cars, yachts, real estate or whatever) to earn a living. If you want to make more money selling soap,..

1) ...spend time developing a signature formula that creates the greatest profit margin and sets you apart from the others. ZNSC is a good example of that. The raw materials are few, no need for colorants or fragrance (although fragrance sells!), minimal investment of time and energy compared to "fancy" designs, quick cure and ready to sell in less time than other soaps, has a ready-made customer base that is drawn to no-palm, vegan, Castile Soap.
2) ...add popular products to you line, like lotion, bath bombs, etc. that have a greater profit margin and generally sell out by the end of day.
3) ...widen your customer base. For me, that meant making soap and other B & B products for wholesale customers when their production couldn't keep up with demand.
4) ...fill in the blank. Just look around you and fill a need.

HTH

 

[Relle]

While I agree, you can't make much of an income selling soap, but you CAN make enough for the hobby to pay for itself. Also, keep in mind, people who pay $7.50 for a bar of handcrafted soap won't blink an eye when the price goes up due to an increase in raw materials. Handcrafted soap is a luxury item and those who purchase regularly can afford to do so. Not to worry.

At $5 for a bar of soap it was hard to sell at our local market and the soap makers disappeared, so upping the price further would not have worked. You have to find people who will pay $7.50 or more for soap, you can't just drag them off the street. People who purchase regularly can afford to do so - let me know when you find some. It is not that simplistic.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

People who purchase regularly can afford to do so - let me know when you find some.

Actually, I am one! Before I started soaping I was buying my facial soap from DHC, a Japanese Mail Order catalog. When I first started buying from them, their Olive Oil Bar was $5. I started making my own in 2003 when I happened across a book on soapmaking in the bargain bin at B & N -- just about the same time my favorite $5 DHC Mild Face Soap went up in price! Again! At that time it was priced at $14 for a 3.5 ounce bar! YIKES! Today it is $22 on sale for $19! Double YIKES!!

I read the book (Making Soaps and Scents by Catherine Bardey) and I said to myself, "Self, you can do this!" And I did! One of my first soaps was a transparent from a recipe in that book. Just like my DHC Mild Face Soap. And boy am I glad I did. Wonderful soap!

Whenever I think about all the money I saved over the past 20 years, I can easily justify all the money I spend on soap & lotion making. Almost! LOL

Speaking from experience, soapmakers are often reluctant to raise prices because they personally would not pay that much for a bar of soap, or whatever. They might even sell under "what the market will bear" for that reason. It took a little effort to convince my wholesale customers to raise their prices accordingly when the cost-of-manufacture went up. But they did. And their customers went along with the price hike without missing a beat. I will say, tho, that all three wholesale customers that I made stuff for were savvy business women who sold in up-scale markets. That does make a difference.

Feel free to disagree, but yes, it is that simple. It's just good business. If you can't raise prices when the cost-of-manufacture goes up then you shouldn't be selling soap. Find another way to make money to support what is becoming a rather expensive hobby. For me, as well as several other soapers in the Denver area, it was making B & B products and selling to wholesale customers.