BLSoaps

I really like the look of the treatment pumps. They put out much smaller amounts, and have a very classy, upscale feel (at least most of them). I think they're perfectly suited for facial products where a lot of product isn't needed (so there is less waste). Here's a general picture, so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about. There are many styles out there, and many companies carry them.

I've seen a lot of candles that have paper labels (like a cigar band around a bar of soap) around the pillar. It's removed before burning. I've seen all kinds of paper used. From a simple kraft, to fancy printed, and elegant vellum. There are a lot of options here.

I've been using it without any problems today.

Both Olive Oil and Rice Bran Oil are wonderful in lotions! I use both quite a bit in my various recipes!

He shaves his head, so its more than just a face thing. I believe it's Head Slick. It comes in what looks like a small yellow sports bottle.

Shhhh! If we tell them, then they'll trademark it! Sorry, couldn't resist! I understand trademarking company names, but the common names like "Sweet Pea", I don't get how they approve trademark requests like that.

Bentonite Clay in CP Soap is supposed to make a wonderful shaving soap. I haven't made it before, so I can't say. My husband's too stuck on what he currently uses for me to try to convert him to a bar. However, his is a natural liquid soap (I was suprised after reading the label), so were going to attempt to recreate it soon!

There are two types of Vitamin E. Vitamin E Acetate is more prevalent, and from my understanding, is synthetically made. There is also Vitamin E Natural. I know MMS offers both, and they usually have pretty good product descriptions. I bet they could go into more detail on this.

To get them hooked, this would probably be a great opportunity to hand out samples in current orders, just enough for one bath (make sure you include full instructions). Samples are a great way to get people to come back for more!

Salt will sting if you have any nicks or cuts (like if you use it on your legs after shaving). But I sell both, and both sell equally well. Sugar, unless you use larger grains, like demarra, will be a gentler scrub as well, because the sugar granules are smaller than most sea salts, even the fine. Try out both, and see what you like, and a few testers.

I ship quite a bit, and I've found for boxes that weigh about 3 or 4 lbs and less, it's cheaper to ship through the Post Office. The higher you get after that, it's usually cheaper to move over to one of the other carriers. With the UPS site, you need to click "detailed time and cost", before it'll pop up the dimensions. It's not on the main rate page. Once you're able to sign up for daily pick ups, rates with the other carriers start dropping, especially with UPS. I believe I was quoted that they're 28% below what's quoted on their site. (they're trying to woo me over from my fedex pickups). Because the post office already has someone coming to your house everyday (unlike UPS and FedEx),they can keep they're rates for lighter packages lower.

I'll try to remember to take some pictures. I may even be able to make some today. I think I've got a quieter day ahead of me. If nothing else, I've got some paste to dilute on Sunday (I know, it's Easter, but my family is celebrating on Saturday). I'll see what I can do about taking pictures.

Part of the problem with using Food Colorings or Wilton's Colorant Pastes, is that they're not FDA approved for cosmetic use, they're approved for food use. It would be illegal to use these in a bath product and then sell it. If it's for your own personal use, there really isn't a problem with it, but there may be a reason it's not approved for cosmetic use. Mostly because of staining issues. But there may be more serious reactions such as skin irritation. I honestly don't know, but that's mostly because I don't use them. I do know most of the food coloring dyes aren't light resilent. They'll most likely fade with time. Purchasing FD&C or D&C dyes (or other cosmetic approved colorants - the 'C' in those abbreviations are what's key) usually isn't expensive. And it's a worthwhile investment. If you buy quality colorants (some are seriously diluted down), they'll last you a long time as well.

I like the feel of the first one, but agree that the name should 'pop' a little more than it does.

My experience in the batches I've made so far, it is a little more drying than Bar Soap. But it makes sense to me. I superfat my liquid soaps at 1-2%. I don't get the crystal clear soaps, but they're decent. If I compare that to my bar soaps, which are 5-8%, well, it makes sense that the LS wouldn't be as 'moisturizing'. I know some companies dilute with Aloe, and when my current paste is ready to dilute, I'm planning on testing a portion of it with that.

http://shrinkwrapstore.com/ They're wonderful to work with as well! I recommend them 100%! :highfive:

Brief Description of Cold Process Liquid Soap First a few abbreviations: CPLS - Cold Process Liquid Soap CPBS - Cold Process BAR Soap HPLS - Hot Process Liquid Soap Disclaimer: I have never made HPLS. I have Failor's book on Natural Liquid Soapmaking, have read it probably a couple dozen times, but never attempted either of her methods. I've only done this process. It takes longer from beginning to end, but is less hands on. With my boys, that's a neccessity. This 'tutorial' is based on my experiences only. I superfat at 1-2%, so I also skip the neutralization process. My soaps come out decently clear, but not crystal clear, and I'm happy with that. Step One: Choose your recipe. I've tried all different things, and have fun experimenting. This is one of those cases where Failor's book comes in handy, as she helps explain the characteristics of the oils that can be used. Step Two: RUN IT THROUGH A CALCULATOR!!! I personally use MMS's calculator, but most any liquid soap making calculator can be used. The recipes in Failor's book, if I remember correctly, are slightly lye heavy, intending to be neutralized. Step Three: Mix Lye (I'm using lye in the generic sense here. This is a KOH, or Potassium Hydroxide Solution), and set aside. Melt Hard Oils. Once these are melted, I then add the liquid oils to help bring the temps back down. Step Four: Add the lye to the oils. I do this right away. The KOH doesn't get nearly as hot as NaOH. Step Five: Stick blend the heck out of it. It will take MUCH longer to trace than CPBS. Find something else to work on during your stick blender breaks. I tend to stick blend for a minute or two (I'm abusive to my stick blenders ), go do something else for 10-15 minutes, then come back and do it again. It will be a nasty oil mess for a while, then it will all of a sudden start turning into a thick paste. Keep Blending. Chances are, when you walk away and then come back, it will have separated somewhat. You will get to the point where you will not be able to stick blend it. Keep stirring with something else if it keeps separating. Keep this up until it stops separating. Each recipe will behave slightly different in this aspect (I had a 100% Olive Oil Batch that did this for 4 hours). Step Six: Once the paste stays together, cover it, and store it in a safe place. In HPLS, you would normally cook the paste, forcing it quickly and completely through the saponification process. Instead, we let it do it's thing on it's own. I usually let it sit for about 1-2 weeks. One if I'm impatient, 2-3 if I forget about it . Step Seven: I personally add next to boiling hot distilled water to it for diluting it. I feel it helps dissolve the paste faster, but it still can take several days to a week (told you this wasn't a quick process!). Again, I pour the water in, give it a few good stirs, then stick it in one of my cabinets, and forget about it. Step Eight: I've had a couple batches that had that white cream on the surface and other that haven't. I haven't had much luck 'skimming' it off. Next time I'm going to try a pump, and pull out the soap from the bottom. Although I've even had one batch that had the cream separation. I stuck it away, intending to deal with it later. I completely forgot about it, and a couple months later, when I opened it up, it was clear all the way through. It somehow worked itself back in. Well, that's most of it. There is a yahoo group about this process, but the owner, well, he never seemed to be much help. Wouldn't give out instructions, kept falling back on he's there to guide. But he never really did, imo. So I left. I enjoy this process, I just don't make as much as I should, but I'm planning on changing that. Hope this helps someone though!

Shrink wrap does have a max shrink level. Basically, if you put a small item in a big bag, it won't shrink all the way down to the item. It will only shrink so far. I don't remember the percentage though. I have an impulse sealer, and I just make it as snug as I can so it's not an issue. I would say the biggest problem you might run into with additional shrinking is whatever kind of label you have on there. If you're using sticky labels on it, it may not shrink up right once the label is adhered. I've never worried about shrinking them again. There are some things I get insanely picky and all perfectionist about, but I knew if I got too picky over this, I'd drive myself insane. Having it a little loose isn't awful, it's isn't even bad. It just is. I've regularly seen handmade soaps in shops with slightly loose plastic packaging. I figure it probably makes it a little easier for the customer to remove anyway.

I'm not sure where you're at right now, but you should be just fine. Because I've got little ones underfoot, I usually make my liquid soap with a cold process method, rather than the hot process, or crockpot method. It basically adds on some "cure" times, like CP Bar Soap does. I just made a batch yesterday, with off and on stick-blending (no heat), I had my paste in about an hour. Compared to my 100% Olive Oil Liquid Soap, this was wonderfully fast. I accidently started that one about 8 or 9 at night (after the kids went to bed). I gave up at just shy of trace (I still had some oil separating out), at 1am, and went to bed. I then let my paste sit for 1-2 weeks, let it "cure" (it keeps saponifying), then I dilute it, which still can take several days. It will depend on what oils you used. Some are more soluble than others. I usually add close to boiling water as my dilution water, as I've found it does help speed up the diluting. But mostly what I've learned with Liquid Soap Making is Patience. You need it, a lot of it. More so for me even than with CP Bar Soap. The Bar Soap, once I cut it, I stash it where I can't see it until the curing process is done. Out of Sight Out of Mind kind of thing. But since the Liquid Soap still needs work before it's ready, it seems to "test" my patience a little more. But I enjoy making it. I'm perfecting my recipes, and then I plan on selling it. I've had customers clamoring for ages for it!

I've seen some that offer sampler packs. It includes a half dozen or so of your most popular products. But by knowing exactly what you're selling in this pack, it's easier to make up the sets ahead of time, and have them ready to toss in a box when they're ordered. I kind of go both routes, but this is more for our supply business, rather than our retail business. I have samples available of our lotion, and sell quite a few of them. For me, it's definitely beneficial. But selling samples will be time consuming. So make sure whatever you decide to do, that it works out time wise for you. And one bit of advice, I don't 'advertise' that I include a sample in every order. I almost always do, but if I forget, or if I find myself without any made up, I'm not going to have an upset customer when they get a box without a sampler. Well, maybe with the exception of Shannon, who has admitted she loves seeing what lip balm I've tucked in her box this time! LOL! But selling samples can be very beneficial. But make sure they're priced right for the size you're selling (my lotions are two oz jars), and also that it doesn't end up being overwhelming for you time wise. If you get tons of orders of little samples, and they're all different, that's going to be a lot of labor for you, and not a whole lot of compensation coming in for it.

And that's why I've picked FedEx as my main carrier. I've only received superior service from them. Heck, I have a rep assigned to me, and she checks in with me once a week at least (lately it's been more often), to see how things are going, see if there's anything about their programs that I don't understand, need training on (seriously, they have people who will call and train you how to work the different parts of their programs, such as the international shipping), just general checking in on things. Now THAT'S Customer Service! My FedEx driver remembers my name (since he does daily pick up), asks after my boys if they don't swarm him at the door (normal behavior for them). He even goes out of his way most days to pick up my boxes, because I'm doing after school car pooling when he's in my area. So he stops on his way back to the station. And what I think it's so cool, he gave me his cell number, so if I don't have anything, I just call him and tell him he doesn't have to worry about me that day. So when UPS called me yesterday, trying to woo me over to them, it took everything in me not to laugh. I listened politely, said I'll probably offer UPS as an option when our website and shopping cart get fully integrated (we should be starting with HCM's new shopping cart system next week! ), but I'm still going to steer my customers towards FedEx, just because the keep coming up cheaper, no matter what UPS dangles in front of me.

E-Mail me off line, I can help! lindsay@soapersworkshop.com

If you're making anything intending it to be for travel, make sure you familiarize yourself with the new guidelines for the airports and items like these. I know helping my husband pack for his business trips is always interesting now because of it (we had to purchase several new toiletries for him). I'm not sure about the policies for checked baggage, my husband never checks anything. But everything he takes has to be less than 4 oz, and in a quart sized plastic zip baggie. Yes, it's that specific. If you try to bring on something larger than that, they won't allow it. You either have to toss it or mail it home. So he takes 2 oz bottles of stuff (lotion, head shaving stuff), keeps a smaller thing of deodorant, all in a toiletry bag just for traveling (he's out of town more often than he's home). So if you're planning on marketing any of this towards travelers, make sure you know the policies. They also may not allow anything on that's alcohol or cyclo based because of flash points. I'm not sure, hubby doesn't use this kind of stuff.

I have a wonderful UPS lady, and bless her heart, had to deliver 11 BIG boxes in one day last week. I live in an apartment, so them laying on the horn simply isn't an option, thank goodness, but I can tell you that the driver would hear about it if they did. USPS, well, I found out AFTER we moved in that they don't deliver packages here at all. There are no drop boxes. We luckily live next door to the post office, but it's still a pain to have to go wait in line. Especially since I usually have to take my kids with me. I figure if my kids terrorize the post office enough that maybe they'll change their minds and start delivering to me. My FedEx driver is awesome though. I recently was able to bump up to daily pick up, and decided to go with them, rather than UPS (I always get these weird mystery charges when I do UPS online). When I was setting up our daily pick up time, we discovered he's in our area smack in the middle of my needing to pick up kids from school. So we struck up an awesome deal. If he's not here by 3:00, then he swings by on his way back to the station (goes out of his way to do this). Awesome customer service. Then he went a step above that. We're growing quickly, and have packages most every day, but I knew I'd feel bad if he went out of his way at the end of his route to pick something up, and I wasn't there. So he gave me his cell number, and I just call him if I don't have anything for him. How many people have their Drivers on speed dial!

I ordered their free shipping labels when I set up my account, but I jumped straight into the daily pick ups with them. But I've never used the plastic sleeves, just the regular sticky backed labels stuck straight on the box. Since the driver actually SCANS each box before he loads them, I'm sure he prefers the labels over the sleeves, as the plastic would probably distort the scanner. However, if you're shipping anything internationally, you'll need to use the sleeves, and include the invoice in here as well, because it will be opened when it goes through customs. They have A LOT of different features on their website, and I'm still learning them. I actually have a "phone training" appt at 1:30 today to take me through one of their programs. I really like them, but my biggest complaint is it takes typically 4-5 business days for the cost of the shipping labels to be processed through your account. I use my PayPal debit card, since that's where most of my business's money is sitting anyway, and it's harder to keep track of funds used. I was mostly shipping USPS before, and it pulled immediately out of my account. So right now, I've got to track several days out. Most of the time its not a big deal, but I've got tons of boxes going out this week, and it's getting a little chaotic. So I've gotten myself into the habit of writing down all the FedEx shipments for the day, with a subtotal, on my calender. When they've cleared, I go back and mark them off. But overall, I've been very impressed with working with them. They've been incredibly helpful. Their system is much more indepth than USPS and even UPS, but I know once I learn all of it, I will love it.