Zum Bars

[mattiesmom]

Hello all, a major grocery chain in my area sells Indigo Wild's Zum Bars in their health food section. I've had some customers wanting to compare my soap with the Zum bars, which I find kind of irritating. The entire end of the store where Zum bars are sold reeks of overpowering fragrance coming from these soaps and they come in all manner of bright colors with very elaborate swirls, etc. Some are partially transparent. I checked their website and although they make a lot of claims about their soap and list ingredients, I couldn't find where they say exactly how it's made. For their goat milk soaps they list ingredients added to a "goat milk base". They also say they use "pure essential oils", but the fragrance is so strong I wonder if it's actually fragrance oils. Does anyone know if these really are all natural or cold-process or are they a fancy version of melt and pour? I'd like to have an answer the next time someone asks. Thanks

 

[Arthur Dent]

I have been buying ZUM bars for years. They sure are pricey, that's what got me interested in making my own soaps. If you watch their web site and catalogs they often show photos of different parts of their soap making process, what I see there sure looks like CP, and I think they say in many places (or at least they used to) that they use Cold Process.
I agree that many of their soaps are somewhat strongly scented, will be interested in what others have to say.

 

[Saponista]

I had a look as I've never heard of them. I can't see any proper ingredient lists anywhere which seems a bit dodgy to me.

 

[lpstephy85]

Ugh, we just got a new Giant Eagle Market District store in our city (for those that live in NE Ohio and western PA you will know of this chain) and the store is a mix of whole foods and a regular grocery store. Everytime I go there I see people standing around the Zum Bar soaps. I have to use every ounce of me not to tell these people "hey, I make soap and mine is a better price or the same and you get way more soap for the price!" but I know that will not look good on me! The bars are so small for the price they are sold at. And I also agree that they are scented way too strong and wonder if some of them are even EO's as they claim.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Don't forget, they aren't saying that they don't use FOs - put 0.05% eo and top it up with fo and you can say that you use EOs, but you're just not mentioning the FO at all

 

[OliveOil2]

It may be irritating that they told you they wanted to compare, but I would make it an opportunity. I am sure that your bars are larger than 3 ounces, and you may have a couple of more expensive oils or additives in your soap.
Zum has been around for over ten years and has a loyal following. But Zum is now mass produced, and you can find it at many Target stores. The owner started out making soap like most people here, and sold at farmer's markets. I have seen her reply to comments about her soap. I can not figure out what "in a goat milk base" means? Most buyers are not going to have a clue.
Wow! over $70 for a 3lb log, that is a high price, but she is getting it! Not sure about the coffee, dragon blood and a couple of others as far as essential oils go.

 

[Aline]

It's pretty unlikely they are using sandalwood and frankincense EO, considering the price.

 

[Confused_Penguin]

I have never tried their products but their soaps take a whole section in one of the stores close to my house. I do like the naked look of their soap an the strong scent, but always wondered how they made the smell so potent in their tiny bars.

And if some of your customers do compare your product to Zum Bars you can turn it into a positive experience just as Olive said. Like, "my bars are larger" "contains these ingredients" etc

 

[shunt2011]

I'm with the others. Just show your customers your product is better. We have an employee craft show at my work (hospital) and a friend of an employee must sell ZUM and they were there last year. I cant tell you I out sold them 10:1. I also told the gal in charge that they were not handcrafted but a company. She's the one who told me I sold more that them. Anyway, they didn't come back this year (NOV). I had even better sales this year $1000.00 plus. for 6 hours. Believe in your product and have a good product you will do well.

 

[Obsidian]

The first salt soap I ever tried was Zum salty ocean and I loved. I doubt I would think so highly of it now that I make my own but its definitely better then regular store bough soap.
My local store has loaves set out with a crinkle cutter so you can cut whatever size you like, it is pretty pricey and doesn't sell very well. The loaves are all dried up and warped. I should by a sliver to try again.

 

[jules92207]

They carry a few of their bars at my Target, I have considered buying one or two bars for comparison, but they don't look very appealing to me and way too small for the price. if I saw their bars at a fair next to some of the soapers I see on here I would probably buy yours over theirs too.

 

[biarine]

It's pretty unlikely they are using sandalwood and frankincense EO, considering the price.

Sandalwood it's very expensive for 10 ml if you make a soap with real essential oil of sandalwood you need to sell your soap for 50 dollars to cover the price of the essential oil.

 

[mattiesmom]

Agreed

Thanks to everyone for the input, I agree when someone asks me about the Zum bars it's an opportunity to talk about what good soap really is and I will do exactly that. Loved hearing about the handcrafted soap outselling the mass produced and likely bogus Zum-yea!

 

[Shaefercd]

I like the responses on this thread. Sum bars was one of the first Google searches I did when I looked up Goats Milk soap. Thanks for the comments.

 

[kdaniels8811]

I love Zum bars marketing and catalog and am copying .... urm .... benchmarking their website. They are goofy and make me laugh. On the other hand, I was not able to find an ingredient list either so am suspicious of what they are actually putting in thier soaps. So while I enjoy the marketing, I will continue to use my own product.

 

[Arthur Dent]

I kept some old labels... The patchouli bar says: "saponified 100% food grade olive, coconut, palm & castor oils, in a goat's milk base, with herbs and pure essential oils"

 

[biarine]

We don't have zum bar in UK but we have they called Lush and they claim that they are natural but they still using SLS, Very expensive too and not really hygienic because they don't have wrapper and everyone can touch the products.

 

[seven]

i don't understand the 'in a goat's milk base' part

??

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

It might well be M&P

 

[Arthur Dent]

No, I don't think it's M&P.