mountainmadness

It does not need to gel or be insulated to turn into soap. We all have different preferences on this subject. I am a non-gel, non-insulate soapmaker. I prefer it when it does not. If you know your lye/water was incorporated with your oils and you poured at trace then I am sure that it will be soap. Let us know how it turns out. Jennifer

Good for you for not pushing it. You will not regret using room temp lye and waiting until tomorrow....

Good luck to you. I hope it turns out well. Use a well behaved FO... My first successful batch was Oatmeal, Milk & Honey. That FO soaps like a dream. Are you swirling or coloring your first batch? I would mix your lye now.... I have found that room temp. lye behaves much better. Let us know how it goes! :highfive: Jennifer

The two things that I have found that cause soap to crumble... 1) lye heavy 2) generic brand shortening (soybean oil) You might want to post your recipe so we can look at the oils and amount of lye that you used.

Oops. It is amazing how raw soap does such destructive things isn't it?

It sounds like it was your FO. What temp did you soap at?

If you are hooked on the plastic wrap then I would use Dan's Bans. There are quite a few members of the board that use them. It wraps most of the soap but leaves the ends uncovered. I think that they look quite nice and professional. I would not use saran wrap. I have never wrapped in saran wrap but I know that plastic bags made from the same material will absorb the fragrance plus unless you have a gift for wrapping, it seems like it would be challenging to make them look nice. Jennifer

I have done many, many shows. I find the rule change quite silly. 1) No problem. Everything is going up in price. 2) Being set-up at 4pm one day prior to the show is silly. I hope the building is secure and they have insurance in case someone gets ripped off. I know that all shows that I have done have a check-in time but being required to set-up a day prior to the show is stupid. 3) Tell them to get off of their butts and do it the way it should be dealt with. There should be a committee or a board that oversees this. MOST shows (if they are juried or have requirments) will have you submit pictures with your application not jury you when you are ALREADY set-up and done by competitors. 4) I like this one! I wish they were all that way! I hope it brings you in a lot of money for the hassel you have to go through! Jennifer

If you do not mind me asking.... Is there a reason why you want it wrapped in plastic? IMO- CP soap really likes to breath that is why you see it naked, wrapped in Dan's Bans, fabric, cigar labels, etc. Jennifer

Lavender- smells great, very popular, very soothing. Peppermint or Spearmint- uplifting, smells great, very popular amoungst male customers. Rosemary- I use this in my shampoo bar. Very clean smelling, good for the hair. Tea Tree- Dog Shampoo bar. Is supposed to help troubled skin and is a good deterent for bugs. Mind you, I make no claims when I sell products. These are just the decisions that I have made after EO research. Lavender, by far, is the most requested EO soap that I have. HTH. Jennifer

If it were me, I would get mine from a health food store. I am sure that the Hobby Lobby stuff would work in a pinch but it is difficult to judge how old that it is. HTH. Jennifer

Herbs and additivies are something that I love to do in soaps.... What I have learned: 1) Most flowers with the exception of calendula will turn brown in CP soap. The best way to use them is to sprinkle them on the top. If you actually want them in the soap then grind them so they are flecks and not whole flowers, buds or petals. 2) You should dry the flowers, herbs, peels, etc before you use them. If they are not dry then they normally will turn brown and possibly mold. 3) Some herbs will color your soap especially in powdered form. There are some really great natural things to use like: Annatto seeds, pumpkin flakes, cranberry or blueberry fibers, poppy seeds, ground mint leaves, any kind of fruit peels (orange powder & lemon peel powder) tomato juice, carrot juice, cocoa powder, blackberry, cranberry, strawberry seeds, etc. coffee grounds... I am sure there are more. That is what I have used before. HTH. Jennifer

Put it in the freezer overnight then thump the PVC pipe on something hard and it should fall right out. This is the method that I always use. Jennifer

Yes, the heart ones are cut with a large cookie cutter. I did them in a round silicone cake pan. It was the best way to do it with out a lot of wasted soap. My website is still being worked on and is not up and running yet. It should be in a couple of weeks... The website will be www.mountainmadnesssoap.com Thanks everyone for your kind words. Jennifer

I agree that people need to be careful about the marketing. It is better to talk about what makes your products so good and not bash another. I think where the tension is amoungst the M&P and the CP people is HONESTY. I do admit that I am offended when M&P people do state that their soap is handmade from scratch. I think that it is very misleading to customers that have no clue about soap. I started with M&P and I do not believe that it is easy. It takes a very creative person to make beautiful bars. I understand the lye issue with people with animals and children also. Plain and simple, we all have our own feelings on what we like. Respect each other, respect the art in each different method and do not mislead when you are marketing. Jennifer

Very, very nice MaryAnn. I LOVE the suitcase! That is too cute. Jennifer

I do not see why you couldn't but the best thing is to contact the company and inquire. Milky Way makes some great molds for M&P... Brambleberry has a good selection.

Rachel: I know exactly what you are saying.... I have been working a full-time job and doing soap full-time for the past 2.5 years. I had a plan when I took my current job because it ends Oct. 2007. I knew that if I had a actual end date that it would become a reality. I have been doing both because I did not want to change our lifestyle. I also did not want to start with a large bank loan and HAVE to make the bottom line every month to get everything paid.... So, my approach is as follows: 1) Save as much money as you need to fully operate your business for 1 full year (I am talking rent, water, electric, supplies, insurance, everything). 2) Create a business plan and stick to it. 3) Do not get sucked up in wanting to try and make everything. Find what you are good at making, what you enjoy, and what you can sell and market in your area. 4) Do a lot of craft shows, farmer's markets, different venues in your area where you can establish yourself and your products. I am sure that I am missing something here but this is off the top of my head. Good luck in the path that you choose. Jennifer

What scares me as about as much as people that sell and do not use preservatives is people that have no clue about the chemicals or herbs, etc. that they are using to preserve with..... IMO- you cannot just add this in because someone from a board has suggested it. It is VERY dangerous. There are items that people use as preservatives that if the recommended amount is not followed can cause serious, irreversible damage to children and the elderly. Nothing to take lightly to make a couple of bucks.

I leave as is. I like the look that the ash gives them. I do not like the look of soap that looks commercial.

I agree with Robin. The FM shoppers are different then your customers at craft shows, etc. They seem to be very relaxed and very chatty. Take the time to build a good relationship with your customers.... Make sure that you know your product and that you can answer any question about the process because there will be A LOT. I love market. It is my favorite venue to sell. You get to talk with a lot of locals but also get a lot of tourists that really love being there. Find your niche at market. If your market draws a lot of vegans, etc. than cater to that. I am sure that you will have fun! Jennifer

I once saw some really cute clear M&P soaps that had inspirational sayings in them. What they did was purchase plastic sheets that you would use for scrap booking, cut them out and place them in the middle of the soap. You will probably want to use extra clear M&P so it doesn't cloud up... I know that some of the FO that is used for soaps can do it also.... HTH. Jennifer

That is EXACTLY why I do not sell lotion. The customer base that I have really like preservative free... but I will not sell a lotion without preservatives. It is a huge liability IMO- too much or no preservatives when selling to the public is very dangerous and is a law suit waiting to happen!

I think when you enter into a business and are no longer just selling to family and friends that it is very important to start off on the up and up.... If there is another company that is using the name I would find something else. There are many companies that change names and as long as you are good at marketing and advising your customers about your name change they should follow you. Good luck with getting everything set up. Jennifer