brydean

I have all different kinds of molds! LOL I personally don't like having all my bars look the same. Of course I do have a very efficient cutter.. DH!! He actually yells at me if I try to cut my own bars, he's says I'm too sloppy! If I ever get big enough, that cutting is too hard for him to keep up with, then I may rethink a uniform system. But, this one works for now!

Hi,

I just make mine with a basic CP recipe, I do use a high percentage of coconut oil with it. I figure since its for men they usually like it to be more cleansing. I use 1/2 oz ppo. I think that is plenty strong enough. It is actually my only soap that I box, rather than cigar band. It's a very popular soap for me, but I can't stand the smell of it!

I made what I thought was soap, but it turns out, I found the secret ingredients for Playdoh. I have a whole batch of soap that has the back half of my house smelling like a Playdoh factory. I hope it cures out and the stink goes away.

I also accidently created playdough a few months back. But unfortunately, someone else already had the patent on it. So I couldn't market it as such, so I waited patiently for it to turn back into soap. Never did happen! LOL:p

This isn't a tool but I love my work space and my 36 foot long work bench.

I'm jealous!

Mine would be my gigantic soaping pot! I've never measured but it has to be at least a 20 qt. stock pot, if not bigger. I've made at least 12lbs. of soap at one time and had room for more!

Best part I got it for $4 at Goodwill!

(or as I prefer to call it- 'the colloidal suspension caused by the high amount of oleic acid') on the younger soaps at all.

MarieJeanette

I like this, can I use it? LOL:thumbsup:

I think one thing that is a tremendous help in getting your products noticed on Etsy is if you join a team. I would guess that the majority of traffic (and sales) on Etsy is generated by conversations people have about it on numerous forums.

The Dish established their own team. If there's enough interest, we could do the same--even if you belong to that one, joining another one could only increase your odds of exposure.

I don't know? I joined a couple of teams. When I first signed up with each one, I got alot of hits. But they didn't translate into many sales. Especially when you join a team of people who do the same thing that you do. I don't see how that will generate any sales. It takes alot of time to keep up with all of them also. I'd rather spend my time, promoting myself outside of Etsy. Of course I could be completely wrong,(often times I am!) LOL

The iCraft, is free for the first year. I think you need to be signed up by the end of the month though. HTH

OOPS! Double post!

Yes, I got signed up on iCraft under the free year. I really do like the site and I'm hoping getting in on the ground floor, will benefit me as its grows. (hopefully)! Mine is 3 Lil Indians, I think that is going to be my main online place, instead of Etsy. I like the fact that they also allow you to link to your personal website. Which Etsy does not allow.

I have pretty much just given up on my Etsy shop. I've sold several things. But, there are so many soap sellers on there now, I find it impossible to keep up. I used to list an item and would get quite a few looks within the first 24 hr. Last few things I've listed, barely had any looks.

I did try the forum thing, but I just don't have the patience to hang out on the forums to get noticed!

I do check the shop daily and I'm not going to close it. I just don't expect much from it.

I also have one on iCraft.ca. That one I can easily keep on the front page, but it is so new there are no customers! LOL

I"m doing much better with face to face sales. JMO:D

I make my own. I seem to always want to change them somehow.

Thats me too! I print them out at home on nice cardstock then dh takes them to work and cuts them up. I gave up using the actual business cards in my printer. I never could get them to line up.

I don't usually bother with samples much anymore. But sometimes when I get them for some reason, I'll use them for body butter, or sugar scrubs. Something that doesn't require much scent. I hate to make soap batches that small. I've also been know to take samples sitting around and small amounts of leftover FO and put them all together in a batch of soap! Sometimes it turns out really well!LOL

Myswirls are more like blobs of color! LOL I embrace the rustic look! LOL

Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't make very pretty soaps. Usable, nice soaps but not pretty!! LOL

Buut I have finally deicded to let fellow soapers see a few anyway!

Can't wait for summer so my flowers can make my soaps look better! LOL

Maybe if I post it here. I will actually get my butt in gear and get this soap made! I need to make shaving soap, salt bars, plain castille and calendula castille, and a lilac. I'm getting low on sugar scrub also!

Now when I'm going to find time to do this all, I have no idea! LOL:tongue2:

Ok, read quick while hubby isn't looking!:tiptoe: LOL

Thanks for the replies everyone. I like the idea of checking out the stores and just playing it by ear according to how busy they are.

I don't mind the cost upfront, I figure if I can get a couple of accounts then it will more than make up for it.

There are a couple of small towns around here that I think might have the right kind of stores. I just need to figure out what to do with the kids for a few hours, so I can go check them out.

I made the mistake of taking them with me once! Never again! Of course I have to admit, the store i was visiting that day is now my best seller! LOL

Thanks!

I am so terrible at self-promotion, I absolutely hate doing it. But, I really do want to get my products out there. I do really well in the few places I'm in.

So I was thinking of making up a small sample bag, containing a sample of body butter and 1 or 2 small soap samples. Then attatching them to the really nice brochure dh(graphic designer) designed for me, along with an introductory letter. Then either just dropping them off in stores for them to look at when they have time. Or possibly even mailing them.

Does this seem like a reasonable idea or no??

Thanks!!

I store some of my supplies and my freshest batches of soap on wire cube racks I got at Target, in my(large) kitchen. They can be rearranged and I can collapse them down and use them for shows when I need them.

My living room couch is on an angle and there is alot of wasted space behind it. So dh found several large wooden plant racks by the side of the road. I polyurthaned them and put them behind couch. Gives me a nice neat looking area to store quite a few soaps back there.

Bonus, people always walk in my house and comment how good it smells! LOl:D

I make a calendula salve for my sons eczema, works really well for him. None of the commercial products ever helped him at all. I could load him down with all the Eucerin and Neosporin I could find, didn't help at all. He's allergic to hydrocortisone creams. The only the the ped. could give me was Elidel but then said use it sparingly, the side effects are bad!:undecided

Guess why i started make bath products!

Ok, I was watching Martha Stewart.... yup, I really gotta stop watching the DIY network

One can NEVER watch too much DIY network!!

Unless of course they are watching the Food network!

I like Sage & Citrus and Tuscan Nights for men.

I use mine just for soap. I bought a seperate one for food. I have noticed after using it for soap for awhile, the shiny glaze on the inside is gone. I assume the lye has eaten it away. I think a seperate one is a better idea. JMO:)

When I started I would mix it up outside then carry it in. Not only did it get too cold, to be running back and forth! I decided going back and forth with the lye container wasn't any safer than just mixing it up in my kitchen sink. My front and back doors both open into my living room. I feel I have more chance of having a child or pet related accident that way then just staying put in my kitchen. I usually HP so no worry about cooling.

Ok, I'll go opposite on this. I actually think HP is easier. I don't have to stand stickblend or stir so long, don't worry about temperatures or finicky FO's. I just mix it all together stick blend utnil I'm sure I have a good emulsion then throw in the oven and foget about it for awhile. Stir it every so often until done then throw in my extras and plop it in the mold!

It took me longer to master CP, I'm rather impatient.

I do both now depending on what soap I'm making!

My mom can't use coconut oil. So I make some soaps with palm kernal oil, she loves them.

Your local Goodwill is a great place to get nice pots cheap. I got a huge heavy duty stainless steal stock pot for under $5. Just make sure its stainless, if I can't find a mark on it identifying it as such, I don't buy it!

Glad your all OK!