Jami

I always forget to mention the ziploc bags lol I just figure everyone else does it this way too. It is the only way I can fill malibu tubes. When buying the ziploc bags, make sure it is the double zip top. I had some pretty soft cabinets and counter tops before I bought the double zip bags

I have never seen the transparent sealing discs any different than what I showed. If you find them, please share where.

The heat and seal tubes have a two fold issue to consider. If you buy them unsealed, it is easier to get the product in BUT sealing them even with an impulse sealer is a PITA. I bought some unsealed and still trying to play with it to learn to seal them. If you buy them sealed from Soapers Choice, you will still have the issue of a small opening to fill them in. You can buy different caps for them that have a .250 orifice in the lid to make it easier to get the thicker lotion out. I like the soft touch malibu tottles. The opening is about the side of the opening of a bottle for easier filling and you can use the lids mentioned above.

I personally can't see where he has even close to 1K worth of products he is asking for. He is pretty vague on what he has. It is over a year old. I would personally spend that 1k on all new fresh supplies, you can then buy what you want and need; not to mention, you will know the date you buy it. It definitely doesn't hurt to at least go check out his other supplies, just make sure you take someone with you;)

Wholesale Plus has the 70mm clear discs that just sit in the top of the jar. They don't seal like the press and seals. They are more for keeping the product from getting all over the inside of the lid. When I use the clear discs, I shrink wrap my jars. http://tinyurl.com/37c7eq

The body frosting is the same thing JS sells as the mousse. To me it is a light fluffy type of "lotion". I package mine in bottles but have seen some say they package it in jars. You have to whip it after adding FO to fluff it/thicken it back up if you want to package it in jars. I personally don't think it has the texture of a butter or cream.

I rec'd the body/room spray from Candle Source today. The ingredients are identical to WSP Luxury Mix and Jody's (www.soapandthings.com) Body Spray - Moisturizing Mist Base. I haven't looked at any other suppliers to see if they have the same base as well. I just know all 3 of these suppliers base ingredients are identical.

Yep Jodi's ingredients are identical to the WSP luxury mist.

Make a pillar and mess it up........now THAT I can do I love the look and going to have to give it a try!! Thanks for sharing.

http://server.com/WebApps/db-view.cgi?id=71493

I LOVE my wick setter. I never have to wonder again if my wicks are centered in the bottom of the jar. I use wick centering tools with small binder clips or clothespins to hold the wick tight. I don't have a good eye to feel comfortable my wicks are centered with popsicle sticks and other tricks I have read about.

I bought a batch of ECO wicks from CS that weren't coated very well and were flimsy. I switched to Greenleaf because of that and LOVE them. Every set I have ordered are well coated and easy to center because of the coating. They have the sample packs available. http://www.greenleafcandlesupply.com/wicks.htm

The UGLIEST tarts I ever made were with the GB 416 tart wax. Frosting would have been an improvement over the white powdery look these had after just a couple days. I just wish I could find a use for the 35 lbs of 416 that I have lol I tried other soy for tarts and said screw it. I can't deal with how ugly soy is in tarts, not to mention a PITA getting the wax out of the burner. The only way I could get it out was to pour it when it was melted. I was not about to tell a client to do this and risk them getting burned. I switched to the KY Parasoy tart/votive wax and won't ever use another wax for my tarts.

When I used the 415, I let it cool until it had a tomato juice consistency and poured. I had perfect tops every time. If I poured too hot, it wasn't a pretty sight lol I have a box of "testers" that I found a few days ago that were made in the spring. Talk about candles that pack a punch, these smell incredible. It is too bad they didn't smell this good after a few days or they wouldn't have been tossed in a box lol I have switched to a 50/50 blend. I use the 415 as my 50% soy.

I have read that this is the same base that Candle Source sells for $13.50 a gallon. Candle Source doesn't divulge their ingredients online to do a quick check. As soon as my order gets here, I will compare the ingredients to determine if it is or not and let you know. I mainly bought it from them because their shipping is just so darned fast. WSP has taken 3 days to ship an order before and another 2 or 3 days to get here. Patience isn't one of my better virtues :embarasse I actually have seen these same ingredients with other suppliers bases. I just wanted a less expensive premixed base that I can make up quick sprays with for gift packs and such. I personally prefer the cyclo body spray but that definitely gets pricey.

I always use the sealing discs. I have been absolutely amazed as I have been out and about at the products that have NO type of sealing whatsoever. They aren't shrink wrapped. They don't have a sealer disc. NOTHING, open the jar and the body butter is at your disposal for the taking. I am just floored at how unsanitary that it makes the product. Until I started making BB products, I never even noticed little things like this.

during Walmart's early bird special for $139.

Sharon, thanks for the heads up about SW's pink sugar. I am off to check it out now. :tiptoe:

Yep I believe Donita is doing the Continental method but it could be combined knitting. Hard to tell without "seeing it". I am self taught via online videos. I had no idea I doing combined knitting until I was trying to help someone who "throws" and she was as lost as last year's easter egg at my explanation lmao I went back and started watching videos and didn't like the english method so I went to the continental method. It took me a while to break my habits but I love the continental method now since I was a crocheter. Much more comfortable to me. I can't knit much any more. I had to have surgery for 3 ruptured discs in my neck. I now have 2 more that causes my hand to go numb. I want to sling my needles across the room when I get on a roll and there goes my hand not cooperating lol I sure miss it too. www.knittinghelp.com has some wonderful videos to learn from.

A word of warning.......xylitol is a "sugar alcohol". Sugar alcohols can be a mild laxitive and cause gas. I tried it for baking when I was low carbing. I am one that is sensitive to sugar alcohols and couldn't use or ingest them which is why I switched to Stevia. I bought my xylitol online at netrition.com if someone is interested in it and where to buy it.

Ingredients: Natural flavors, grapefruit seed extract. I am sure they won't divulge their "natural flavor" ingredients any more than LouAnn candy flavoring oil will. LouAnn can be used in lip balms for flavor. I think this will be useable in lip balms as well because 1 drop of stevia is all it takes to sweeten mine. I have used stevia for over 3 years (since my low carbing days) as my personal sweetener and loved that it is basically all natural vs. other sweeteners that use the "fillers". Stevia has been a controversy with the FDA since the 80's. They labeled it an unsafe food additive then turned around and approved it as a dietary supplement. Go figure huh? lol I am sure other artificial sweetener companies have a big say in whether it gets approved as a sweetener or not. I am going to look for the stevia flavoring at Kroger since that is where I buy my liquid stevia. I figure if stevia works in my lip balms then this will work as well since it says just a drop per 2 liquid ounces for flavor. One drop (or even two) shouldn't create a problem blending with lip balm. It is worth a try to me p.s. Ah-soy, Southern Soapers and other suppliers carry the stevia to sweeten lip balms. I can't imagine they would sell it as such if it can't be used. Stranger things have happened though lol Maybe the trick is to just list in in the ingredients but don't refer to it as a sweetener *shrug*

Thanks for bringing up the preservative point. I had a one track mind with the FO that I forgot to mention that. I put extra in as well.

I am an odd duck. I don't scent it per bottle. I tried ONE bottle like that and the FO separated after a few days. I said heck with that. Just think mixing water and oil, the oil will come to the top. I now mix up shower gel and scent it so the FO binds with the shower gel. I will just add the shower gel to my foamer and fill with water. I have never had the FO separate that way either.

I have been making lip balm for several months and didn't encounter any "graininess" (it is a word now if it wasn't before lol) UNTIL....... I found a bag of some lip balms I made last month in my "stash". I went to put some on and had that little bit of grainy feeling that I KNOW wasn't there before. The balm is also a little harder that it was before. It does instantly melt when it hits the lips BUT I am wondering if the cooler weather has done something to it causing this. I am making a new batch tomorrow to see what happens since our temps have dropped about 30 degrees.

For a preservative, you can use: Germaben II Germall Plus Phenonip Liquapar Optima Optiphen There is a preservative info sticky at the top of the Bath, Body, Cosmetics forum. This has helped me at times trying to decide on my preservative when I first started making BB products.