Which design/swirl do people usually like best?

[lenarenee]

I'm trying to get all my Christmas soap done in the next week or so and when I'm short on time, I don't like to do elaborate soaps.

Is there a design or swirl your friends or customers seem to like best?

 

[Sonya-m]

I don't sell so not an opinion from that point of view but for ease a drop swirl or ITP swirl are always quick

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with the drop swirl. Another one I like to do is the tiger swirl or the tiger but then take my chopstick and swirl once or twice down the length of the mold. Otherwise, I stay pretty basic.

 

[kumudini]

I love ITP swirls, zebra swirls, tiger swirls, butterfly swirls, chopstick swirls, well most kinds but I hate most spoon swirls. For some reason I'm seeing intestines and fat tissue and several other weird body organs in a lot of them.

 

[IrishLass]

I don't sell, but I do a lot of gifting, and the only person that's any kind of particular about how I color my soap is my hubby. He prefers pastel or white colored soaps with a little bit of a deeper colorful swirl. In other words, he's not too fond of bars that are a single, solid color such as all deep red, or all deep blue, or all deep purple, etc.. He'll use them anyway, but he'd rather they not be so....bold. lol

My favorite pretty swirls (that are also quite easy/simple for me to make) are hanger swirls using Ione's method (i.e., Ione from Eve's Garden Soaps on YouTube). The swirls come out looking so dainty and flowery-like.


IrishLass

 

[songwind]

Swirls may be better for catching the eye and getting a second look/click than actually securing a sale. The feathered mantra swirl seems to attract attention.

I've never had any complaints about a color or swirl, but people do seem to like the marble look of ITP swirls, the rings of (faux-) funnel swirls, etc. But my plain uncolored soap sells just as well.

 

[lenarenee]

Swirls may be better for catching the eye and getting a second look/click than actually securing a sale. The feathered mantra swirl seems to attract attention.

I've never had any complaints about a color or swirl, but people do seem to like the marble look of ITP swirls, the rings of (faux-) funnel swirls, etc. But my plain uncolored soap sells just as well.

I've noticed that my friends ooh and aah over the appearance, then gravitate toward scent. My focus is on quality. Generally my recipe is 15% co, moderate sf, with the intent to balance bubble factor and protecting natural skin oils - and plumbing! My friends don't mention that (but hopefully that's because with my recipe, with sodium citrate, they don't get a chance to notice possible problems!

I should just quite worrying about what they like, and make the best quality bar I can. I know one teenage guy who comes to me asking to buy my soap. He has acne, and his Dr. gave him a list of ingredients to avoid and asked if my soap had any. Bless his heart; he's a hard working college student who hopes to design robotic prosthetics in the future. I give him my personal supply of plain jane "winter" soaps, (grass fed tallow, unrefined avocado, and only 5% co) because the acne meds dry his skin so much. He feels guilt about the free soap, but I tell him my payment is the satisfaction of knowing my hobby is benefitting someone.

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.

 

[quiltertoo]

I think scent is what sells a soap. I give away a lot of soap and generally offer a choice of colorful swirls and scents. No matter how pretty a bar of soap is , everyone ends up picking the soap that smells the best to them. I'm the same way. When I need a new bar of soap I always choose a scent I love.

 

[shunt2011]

Scent most certainly does sell the soap. However, the colors draw them in. I have customers that but soap for the scents but I also have customers who buy it by color to match their bathroom etc. I have pretty swirled soap and plain soap. EO/FO. I try to have something for everyone. If I don't oh well, I've tried.