Jeana

I think I would use a small bottle brush and soap and water for the cylinder part. Then squish the soap and water several times through the injector part. Then I would follow up doing the same with a bleach solution. hth, Jeana

I vote for the brownish one of the girl and the bear having tea. That really looks sentimental to me. It really has a charming feel.

I don't know how it would work but maybe you could try a meat injector from Walmart. It has a long metal needle and the syringe part too.

Maybe the lady was asking because she doesn't want preservatives in her products. I know I am getting away from this as much as possible. Especially with all the parabens showing up as being dangerous now. Why would you need preservatives in shower gels, being a type of soap I would think you shouldn't need anything. I wouldn't put preservatives in any of the products you mentioned. Maybe the body butter, but since it doesn't have water I wouldn't think it would be a big deal. There are a lot of lip balm makers that don't use any. Check your health food stores. I tell people I don't use preservatives for a reason. I also tell them how to handle the products to get a longer shelf life, and inform them that the shelf life is not as long as if I were to use a preservative.

I use an LX 24 in a blend of KY and Ecosoya for my 3" pillars. I'm assuming you got a 3' mold? Ky is really soft so you may want to try an LX 22 to start with.

I think it looks great, but I would take the bottom part (location and website info) and either put that on a different label or make the graphic smaller so it can fit inside the border. Then it will be perfect. Nice work!

I get mine from http://www.candlewic.com/Store/category.asp?catalog_name=Candle+Making+Supplies&category_name=Glassware&Page=1 The glass is thick in my opinion. Even when I was testing my wicks and the flame got too big, they never even got hot. I also like them because they are easy to wick. I started out with a victorian type of jar and it was a nightmare to wick. These I got in trying three different wicks. I get the small ones too. People fall in love with them, they are so cute. Here is another cheaper but I haven't tried them. http://www.candlesoylutions.com/thumbnail.asp?offset=0&deep=2&cid=44

I think it is really nice. It seems to be very organized and not cluttered, that is a big plus for me when I am shopping online. Just out of curiosity, do you make your own lotion base or do you buy a premade base?

There are tons of soap recipes out there, just do a search on the internet. I put in soap from scratch when I first started looking, but now I would say Cold Process soap, or something like that. I know you can use plain olive oil. You can always get that at a store. You can use lard, crisco, and other veg oils too. Coconut oil and one of the palm oil types are generally found in most recipes. It doesn't take long to get them if they are shipped and I think you'll like the results of your soaps better.

Wow, that answers that question for me. I got one recently too. It crossed my mind to get one to make soap in. Did the soap come out besides turning pink? I hope the color doesn't come out into the food you put in there.

This place has some recipes. http://www.tlcsoaps.com/powderclean.htm I haven't put any together yet myself but I have tried using Sweet Orange Essential oil to clean some stuff and it really worked. It really gets rid of sticky residue fast. I've used it to clean the tape off my candle molds.

Pomace Olive oil is the last type of extraction from the olive. Usually a chemical extraction - hexane and heat. Extra Virgin would be the first press, and more what you would use to cook with. Even though it isn't the best thing to eat Pomace Olive oil, You can get it bulk from restaurant supply places, or I have found it at some grocery stores. I can get it for about $9 a gallon from a store by me. Palm oil is from the outer portion of the palm's fruit. The inner portion produces Palm Kernel oil. The best prices I have found for Palm is either at http://www.oilsbynature.com/oils_sub.asp or at http://www.soaperschoice.com/cgi-soaperschoice/Web_store/web_store.cgi?query_price_low_range=0&cart_id=$cart_id

Thanks for the phone number.:smiley2: Ya, I don't need to know the formula of how to make it, I just want to make sure it is a veg product. I also want to make sure it isn't just more beeswax or stearic, stuff I already have, that is getting passed off as a brand new product.

I emailed Barnloft candles to find out what is in the Frostop. I haven't heard back. And they have no phone number on their website, what's up with that? Does anyone have a phone number for them? I would like to get some of this but until I know what is in it I'm going to have to hold off.

I haven't used any of these. I still have some Red Devil left. I'm still pouting about having to start shipping another item. I always felt good about being able to go get Red Devil from a local supplier. I think I may check with some of the plumbing stores around here to see if they carry 100% lye.

That doesn't sound bad. Of course I know nothing about this though. (yet) It is time for me to start researching this info. Have you checked out other ones yet?

Do you like the CD-3 better than the HTP 31 overall?

The top product is 100% sodium hydroxide. http://www.roebic.com/catalog/clog.htm I haven't used this but at least it is a source for you. http://www.boyercorporation.com/ These guys have much larger quantities. And here is the link from this board concerning this. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4247

Maybe you can try these guys. http://polybagsupplies.com/ They seem to have an amazing stock, at reasonable prices.

Maybe you could start gravitating toward more of the things you really want to sell. Gradually getting more of your bath and body line in there. Do you make soaps and candles too? I went to a small town near us a couple of weeks ago. I was so impressed when I walked into this shop. It was my dream shop. This lady made her own candles, soap, and lotion. One part of her shop was her work kitchen, and the front was her retail area. It was so cute and practical at the same time. Maybe you could change your shop to something like this. The good thing about selling wholesale is that when someone steals your ideas, they will need somewhere to buy the stuff, so you will still be a winner.

That's funny you know what I'm talking about. Their's is almost like a mask too. I have a little recipe I am toying with that I'm inventing myself. If it works I will let you know.

That is cool you are doing so well in your lotion sales. Are you making it yourself or are you using a base? Why do you want to close your retail store? Can't you do both internet and the store? I was just looking at retail space today. I would love to have a store. I'm in the beauty industry too, so I think it would be awesome to have a massage person and skin care specialist in my store as well as carrying all my stuff.

I just paid $21 for 20lbs. When I ordered my last case it was about $33. Consider yourself lucky, believe it or not.

Thanks! Yes, they have two paraben free natural preservatives on this website. Buuuut they are sold out, rats!! Oh well at least I know where to get it when it gets back in stock. Thanks again.

I have been researching this as a natural preservative but I am having a heck of a time locating it to buy. Does anyone know where I can get this or does anyone know anything about this ingredient? Another natural preservative I have been researching is Alpine Lichen. And again I am having a difficult time finding it. I have tried all the typical suppliers and I have even emailed some of them, none of them responded. Not cool:mad: