Where to get supplies

[Jimmy Churro]

Hello I'm new to the soap making world. I've been wanting to make soaps for over 20 years but there are just too many hobbies and crafts to explore in this lifetime!! Now it's time for soap making!! I know where to get lye, my question is where do I buy my oils? I'm guessing I need to buy larger quantities than what the grocery stores have to offer plus the costs might be cheaper elsewhere. I live in southern Ontario. Any advice would be great. Very excited to make amazing soap!!

 

[Jersey Girl]

Hello I'm new to the soap making world. I've been wanting to make soaps for over 20 years but there are just too many hobbies and crafts to explore in this lifetime!! Now it's time for soap making!! I know where to get lye, my question is where do I buy my oils? I'm guessing I need to buy larger quantities than what the grocery stores have to offer plus the costs might be cheaper elsewhere. I live in southern Ontario. Any advice would be great. Very excited to make amazing soap!!

Hello and welcome to a fun addiction! For Olive, coconut, avocado and sweet almond I mostly buy from Costco. I was originally buying Lard from Walmart but now get it in bulk from Bakers Authority. I don’t know which companies ship to Canada but I also Love Soapers Choice and Wholesale Supplies Plus for oils and additives. For fragrances I like Nurture Soaps, Nature’s Garden, Brambleberry and a host of others. Lol. I love Mad Micas for mica but also Nurture Soaps for those too. You will find that shopping for soap supplies is not a one stop shopping experience. Most folks shop around for the best prices and have favorite suppliers for different things.

 

[GemstonePony]

I'm guessing I need to buy larger quantities than what the grocery stores have to offer plus the costs might be cheaper elsewhere. I live in southern Ontario. Any advice would be great. Very excited to make amazing soap!!

Hi Jimmy! What Jersey said, but I would also start out with smallish quantities to start- it'll take you a solid year or two of experimenting to figure out your soap preferences, including what oils/butters, additives, and liquids you use and what cure time you like them at. To do that, you'll need to do a bunch of small batches over time, and oils and butters do not have an indefinite shelf life. And the small batch bit is super important, at this point I can honestly say the vast majority of my batches have been trial batches, and some of those batches have been discarded while others have given rise to better soap. Better to buy smaller quantities of fresher ingredients than to watch bulk items go bad. Once you've established your recipes, buying bulk might make sense.
On a more practical note, I get my coconut oil and avocado oil from Target. I doubt they're the least expensive source, but they're very convenient for me. I get my a lot of my oils and butters from Brambleberry because I love their products, but they do take a month on average to get you things. Amazon can be another resource for oils and butters, but I wouldn't trust them for micas, fragrances, or essential oils.

 

[earlene]

There are several Canadians here on SMF who will come along and give you some suggestions that might be more affordable for you without paying import fees (or tariffs or whatever).

 

[Saponificarian]

You can't beat Costco for the price of Olive oil and Coconut oil. I buy Palm from Windy Point in Calgary but you can buy Palm from New Directions Aromatics too. Windy Point's palm is shortening though so just a little different from what you would get at New Directions Aromatics. Lard from Superstore or Walmart if you use it but I found Tallow Shortening (20kg) with a dash of Canola at Wholesale Club. The price is very reasonable and makes great soap.

Another cost effective oil is Canola. I prefer it to Olive oil and I have always loved it. You can get a 16L jug from Superstore for about $20. Rice Bran oil from Soap Suppliers or London Drugs. Lye from Windy Point or New Directions. I know people get from Hardware stores in Ontario but I have never explored that. I import my own shea butter as I am from a shea producing country. I did 50kg the last time so I am good for awhile but Baraka Shea is worth checking out. I get my Palm Kernel oil from them.

Fragrance oils, that you will have to decide for yourself. You can buy from Windy Point who stock from Wholesale Supplies Plus in the US or Saraphina Coastal Colors or Village Craft but full disclosure here, I buy my fragrances from the US as the Canadian Suppliers do too. I just target sales to make it worth it with shipping and custom duties. You do have to plan ahead as packages are now taking forever to get here.

All the best and happy soaping!

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

As of late Ive found Caster Oil for a good price @ BrambleBerry. Shipping takes a bit longer then Amazon but may be worth the wait. Happy Soaping & Welcome