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kidsngarden

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Posts posted by kidsngarden

    Lush Soap?

    in General Soap Making

    Posted

    I'm not into the "all natural" thing so that doesn't concern me. But the products and the scents are pretty novel compared to most stuff that's available, and the scents are AMAZING (IMHO) and impactful. Yup, they are pricey - but they are a special treat for me. Don't knock them till you've tried them - really you might be surprised. I'd share from my stash, but I am too selfish and greedy.

    To each his own. And you're right, I shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. I'll give it a sniff in a couple of weeks. I'm going to a shop that wants to carry my products that is on the floor above a Lush in a mall. I'll stop by and check out the competition in real life - still don't think I'll buy though. I have a hard time buying stuff when I'm pretty pleased with my own.

    Bethany

    Lush Soap?

    in General Soap Making

    Posted

    Doesn't look all that great to me. I'm sure I have barely skimmed the site, but the products look pretty far from natural. Even the packaging doesn't give a natural feel - so I hope that's not what they are going for.

    k-mart with a huge price tag is what it looks like to me...

    My two cents.

    Bethany

    RBO vs. Olive oil

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    I have formulated a new lotion recipe and it uses OO. since oo is so expensive these days, do you think RBO would give the same result? Does RBO and Olive oil have about the same shelf life? What about smell? I don't have any RBO, but would like input before I buy some.

    Thanks,

    Bethany

    Silly salt bar question

    in General Soap Making

    Posted

    Hmmm, I have tried my salt bars and others salt bars and no - the lather just is barely there. those of you who get lather are you adding the same amount of salt as oils? - I guess the classic recipe is 25% shea and 75% coconut oil with the same weight of salt as oils- that's what I do and nope, no lather. I've heard most peoples experience is that there isn't much of a lather. I just use them on my face as I really like a rich, creamy lather on my body.

    Bethany

    Vendor for soap box packaging?

    in General Soap Making

    Posted

    What if you made a paper label on nice paper or cardstock (I use parchment or linen paper). Cut it wide enought to cover your soap leaving the ends open so customers could still smell it. It's cheaper and people will likey just touch the label, not the soap.

    Works for me and MUCH cheaper than the boxes.

    Also you could go into shrink wrapping with the ends open just enough to smell the soap through. Again cheaper as well - less labor intensive than the paper labels - you can just slap a sticker type label on the front! When I get into higher volume I think I will switch to this.

    Bethany

    Drawer organizer mold help

    in General Soap Making

    Posted

    In the past I used what has been termed the "Martha Mold" It a three compartment Martha stewart silverware tray found at K-Mart. It has square corners and sides. It is huge. Grease it with mineral oil. If you make a batch using 7 lb of oils and divide it into three you can fill each cavity to the top. (so each cavity uses a 2 1/3 lb of oil batch). It takes a couple of days to get the soap out of the mold though - unless you oven cure it a bit. If you cut the bars into 2 1/2 inch widths you get 7 bars that weigh 6 to 6.5 oz.

    Mine warped with a really hot batch of OMH though so I don't use it anymore. That batch REALLY Gelled hotter than any thing I have seen before. I had never done an OMH in that mold before so I think it's the honey that gets it so hot. No other batches warped it even with oven curing.

    Bethany

    Bethany

    Oils for skin protection

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    People are snatching up my Body butter, but I have to say I find it a little lacking. I formulated it to be non greasy and is it ever! It seems to just suck right up unto the skin. I'm wondering if there isn't something I can add that would aid against moisture loss. Like leave a protective film that's not too greasy? Right now with the e wax and other regular stuff I am using Mango and shea butter, hemp, jojoba, ako, aloe vera juice, goats milk, water. Is there a liquid oil I should sub in or something? Olive maybe?

    I was considering mineral oil - just a bit, but I've read the MO thread so I don't know!

    My husband says "leave it - it sells" but I have a hard time selling something I don't totally love.

    Thanks,

    Bethany

    Samples

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    Container and supply

    Elements bath and body

    SKS

    Specialty bottle

    Those are the companies I have used so far. I really like container and supply because you can really mix and match lids to bottles, etc. And since I'm in WA and most of thier things ship from ID I get them really fast.

    The majority of my packaging though has come from Elements bath and body. They have limited selection, but they are the only place I have found .5 oz twist tubes for my body balm. Great customer service too.

    Bethany

    Opinions on Mineral Oil in body care stuff?

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    I am seriously considering adding a bit of it to my lotions and body butters. People buy them, they rave about them. But I'm not sure I love them. something is missing - I made them to be non-greasy and boy are they! I feel like there is no "protection" there.

    The reason I have so many questions is so I can back up "it's ok" and like the above poster said - it's pretty hard to avoid them. I think a lot of the "purists" would be surprised to find out what is really in FO's. I have no idea really - but it would be interesting to find out.

    And I do have little issues with non-renewable resources. There's a part of me that wishes we could package in paper! The little hippy inside I suppose!

    Bethany

    Opinions on Mineral Oil in body care stuff?

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    I have been reading this thread with interest and started reading just a little bit about mineral oils.

    I have some questions that I haven't found in my research exactly thus far.

    Isn't mineral oil derived from petroleum which is a non renewable resource? (As it is right now I find using plastic packaging a neccessary evil - but at least you can recycle those.)

    What about glycerin?

    What about Fragrance oils? They are all synthetic right? I wonder if they contain mineral oils (or the like) anyway so wouldn't people who use them already have it (though in a very small quantities) in thier products? I do use Mostly fragrance oils. I have just begun to use EO's - And I wonder if they have mineral oil in them as well as a carrier?

    Thanks,

    Bethany

    Solid Perfume

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    I gave out samples of my lotion bar in a lip balm tube and everyone kept accidentally putting it on thier lips! that was ok I guess - they liked it!

    But I am going to the .5 oz tubes that Elements bath and body carries to avoid the confusion!

    Bethany

    Samples

    in Bath, Body & Cosmetics

    Posted

    I do like the idea of a "sampler pack" Something you could sell for between 5-10 bucks. That's a good idea.

    I do give out TONS of samples. At the bank, at the store, at church. And I do get at least 2/3 of the folks buying from me. But that's all just in my day to day. I don't have to make a special effort mailing, etc.

    Someone told me that the other two soap vendors at the farmer's market I'll be at this summer NEVER hand out samples - what a mistake!

    Bethany

    BCN lip balm lovers, rejoice!

    in B & B Recipes

    Posted

    I made this and found it a little drying. I didn't use shea, subbed it for more Cocoa butter, used all SAO for the liquid oils. I think I will try it next time taking out the coconut oil and subbing shea or mango, OR doing all cocoa butter for the hard oils.

    Bethany

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