elle110

Does anyone use stearic acid in their lotion and if so has it gotton grainy on you? I ready that if you add to much it can get pasty, do they mean grainy? I made a very easy lotion, just experimenting, trying to get the hang of emulsifying wax and stearic acid, I used coconut oil as the oil, does it get grainy in lotion? Also, I know when we make soap to much coconut oil can be drying, what kind of % can you add to lotions and creams without it drying your skin? The lotion/cream did thicken but as it cooled it felt grainy, I like the consistency but the grains are annoying. TIA Elle

I consider large craft shows advertising. It is a great way to get your product out there, give out discount coupons for repeat orders etc. I take every opportunity at shows to sell my product an bix because the customer is there in person and is getting to actually see and try my product. The best part of this kind of advertising is I always come out with a lot of $$$$$ and my investment was smaller that most advertising ventures. This has also gotten me to look at the booth fee differently, when I look at it as advertising it seems like a small investment. My SIL owns a company that produces bridal shows and just one billboard for one show cost them $10,000. Ok, when I consider that, my advertising is peanuts LOL Elle

So, am I reading it right, they got the original "wrong" package back, sent you the new package, and the new package is the one missing? I really don't know who is to blame, but shame on the supplier for saying they don't want your business, so much for customer service It really sucks that you get most of your supplies with this supplier...it will be like starting over with getting all of your supplies with someone you like...and that could be multiple suppliers What a MESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Elle

Oh, forgot to ask. What do you mean giving them a "shower" I know some people clean them, how did you clean yours? TIA Michelle

Those look fantastic, your swirl is superb and the blend sounds yummy. Great work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Looks good enough to eat to me...don't let my dh see that he will for sure try to eat it...apple is his fav LOL Michelle

There is a candle biz listed on ebay, is it the same one? The one on ebay says the canles are NOT made by them, that only the website and contacts are for sale. Interesting, it is also $7000. The candles on their site do look nice but they are not handmade. I don't know what I would do. It sounds like a very intricate deal, which any business deal is. I say no matter what you do, cover you a$$, get an attorney and make sure she is not your competition in a year if you do go for it Elle

I still think the color looks good for Mango Papaya, I have a harder time getting pinks, I'll trade ya!!!!!!! Great Job

where did you get the molds at target and what part of walmart do they have pillow boxes They look awesome michelle

I used to cut my bars of glycerin based soaps approx. 1" but since doing CP soap I do it a little over, my soap weigh approx. 4-5 oz. but again everyone has their own preference. Some people make larger bars and sell them for more, mine go for $5 a bar or 5/$20. Your soap looks great and by the way glycerin soap, IMO, is a PITA to layer. I worked with it for 3yrs and I never did totally master it, I was great at adding additives though and having them distribute evenly throughout a bar LOL Michelle

The other thing you have to consider is that if you "really" have to pay someone else to do them for you (a helper) then their cost is a real cost and most people are going to want approx. $7-$8 an hour, if your lucky to find a college student or someone else who does not need a lot of money. I have shorted myself in the past to get something and I get very resentful by the 2nd order because I am not making $$$. I think you need to sit down add your cost of material and come up with a very real number for labor and add that in, just in case you do have to hire someone, you have them figured in. Also, figure in a # for overhead, it does not have to be a big number, but it is a real cost as well. What if you were to move into a shop next month and had overhead and had the same account, you would have to raise their price, instead already have some kind of # figured in. Once you have that # multiply it by 3 for retail then to get your wholesale # multiply by 2. What I like to keep in mind on my wholesale accounts in that they can get by charging more in a store than I can at a craft show or on-line so on some of my items I multiply 2.5 for wholesale and suggest their retail at a higher amount than I sell them for. The way the big companies get rich is they sell for cheaper but might sell 30,000 of them, so if they only made a $1 on them they still made $30.000. We don't have the resources to make huge accounts like that plus if we did the whole handmade factor goes out the door and we are just another company making bulk product the cheapest way possible. Charge what you are worth and sell the crap out your product and always capitalize off the fact you are offering a different type of product than a BIG company!!!!!!!!!! Good luck and make sure to let us know how it goes Michelle

AWESOME SOAP...welcomet to soap making...it is so much fun and satisfyting...they look great

Thanks for all the patient help Elle

I have several ??? on these. * Do the metal canning seals rust since there is water * Can you use any type of FO, B&B, candle safe etc? * Can you use EO in these? * You actually use 1 oz of FO per 8 oz jar? That seems like a lot to me * Do these sell well for those who sell them? * Can you use other type of jars besides canning jars? Sorry for all the ???, I am looking for an alternative product for my line to candles. I do not have the time or desire to start on a candle venture but my customers are very interested in some type of candle type of product to coordinate with my fragrances etc. I have also had fundraiser requests for these. I would like to market them as Wickless candles or something like that. TIA Michelle

Stunning bars...and I LOVE Mary-Mint...I say go for it

Yumm.....Looks absolutely DIVINE....think I may have to get some coffee butter for my Cappaccino soap...does the butter smell like coffee?

What are the benefits of candelilla wax? When would you use it in cream? What is a good sub? TIA Elle

I am crossing my fingers I get your soap during the soap swap:yay: guess I am going to have to break down and make these. I am curious, can you feel the salt? If so, then it is marketed as an exfoliating soap? Elle

Love the black one and your swirl is awesome!!!!!!!!!!

I have developed a all natural all purpose cleaning product to go in my line but so far I have made it in very small batches and it has been used up quickly, it ROCKS but do I need a preservative or ROE to preserve or prevent rancidity? The main ingredient of course is distilled water and other essential oils, I didin't know if EO and water have the same reaction as water and carrier oils as far as mold etc Also, this might need to be in another area instead of B&B TIA Elle

What are the ingredients in the balm, if no water phase you should be ok, if it is beeswax, oils, butters etc. I would go for a tin.

Generally, the rose petals are done in soap and they are used as single use soaps, I get my rose petals in bulk from ebay, they are all ready to go, just open and start dipping. I guess you can do was as well but I persoanlly have never seen it, but hey, what do I know there a are a million things I have never seen:)

I would definitely sub a butter for the coconut oil and you can use just about any carrier oil in place of SAO. You can also make the bars in disc for and package tins or the like for something different than the tubes :smiley2:

to make the soaps textured, you take a spoon or some other tool to start texturizing the soap like you would icing, I let mine start setting up then I take a wooden spoon and start swirling around until I have the look I want, and of course you cannot put you mold top directly on the soap or your design will be flattened. This is the only way I do most of my soaps now. People comment on that look more than anything else about my soaps when they are looking at them, they love the fact that it seems like art work rather than just dumping the soap in etc. I don't think you would be copying, a lot of people do that to their soaps Elle

I think they look great, I love when soap has texture instead of completely smooth...great job, isn't it FUN