Abbiepql

Honestly if the raw ingredients go up, what alternative do the suppliers have but to raise the prices, unless they offset the loss somewhere else. And for me - I would rather have a supplier raise the price than bastardize the formula utilzing inferior ingredients to maintain the price.

I agree with Judy - especially if it's an existing biz. Having a biz partner that does not have as much invested as they were not there at biz creation is crazy hard to manage. I started with a partner and we "parted" ways really quick - It benefited us both in the beginning doing all the research - but then we went our seperate ways.

Motivation I am afraid is not something you can usually hire - you need a biz coach, someone you can report to and/or a mentor that can help guide and give you inspiration. If you just need a worker bee I am with Judy, find a local teenager in need of some spending cash or check with your area's vocational tech schools, they usually have a "part time job board" for kids after school and weekends. Sometimes kids can get credit for working?

First of all - I don't have any wholesale customers that would be doing a festival/show. However they might be attending the event or there might be customers of theirs that attend - so it pays to keep that in mind when preparing and pricing. I don't do show/fairs/festivals, but I have reps that do and they take products unlike those my wholesale clients sell. There are just certain items that don't translate into the wholesale market - and viceversa with the "show" trade. If that is not an option, you can indicate at the show that the prices are marked down for "cash & carry" or some special sale - my reps don't lower prices for shows, but they do offer multiple discounts for quantity purchases which lowers the price. This is not a side venture for me - I have bills to pay, insurance, electricity, phone bill, advertising, marketing, research & development, accounting fees, income taxes, occasion labor, and reps that expect to make money! I define profit as what's left after ALL expenses (including labor & time).

Are you letting the people that buy at the festival know these are special introductory prices?? I wonder if you will have people complaining when they order later and the price is different.

Yes, imagine the surprise of those potential wholesalers when they find out they will not be paying the customary 50% cost of $5 for the candle they intend to order!

If I were to take my candles to a show anywhere NEAR my wholesale customers and reduce my products that low - regardless of them not being there (wholesalers at a show?) I would be hung.

The OP reasons as long as he is not losing alot of money - it's justified to lower prices - how about losing ANY money? If you are not paying yourself for time spent, it's a loss. How many hours were spent to make that "profit".

It has not been my experience that thickness of container plays any part in proper wicking. Maybe the material of the container, glass, pottery, or tin. But saying that I use the same wick in my tins that I do the same diameter glass and they work and perform the same. The depth of the container can cause some issues because there is a lack of adequate air exchange in really deep containers, but no I have never experienced issues with glass thickness. Also it's been my experience that wicking up is usually a substantial difference if staying with the same wick type, so that could be ALOT hotter if you go up.

I believe it is when you pour into your container, and let your wick lay where it will, in other words do not use a wick clip. After the wax sets up enough to hold the wick straight, while the wax is still soft - you pull the end of the wick towards the center, creating a rut or opening which will be filled when you do your repour. I do it with my votives that require a repour. Since most soys do not require a repour this would be a change in procedure for most - and a PITA if it leaves large voids on the sides as the repour will drip down into them - hm...interesting?

First of all congratulations!

Secondly - where in the heck did you get some awesome prices on supplies? Seriously - 2.5 times cost for a 10 oz candle and it only costs $5? That means you only have $2 invested in a candle you make? My math sucks - but seriously wax, FO, wick, labels and glass including shipping to you for around $2?

I imagine those candles did fly off the table -

Riddle me this, do you ever plan to expand your biz? Sell wholesale? Cuz...at the rate you are going - and granted my math is bad you have built in very little profit if any to pay someone to help you - severely limiting your production in the "big" picture. How could you wholesale your candles when you are selling and pricing your products at what a retailer would expect to pay wholesale? And what about taxes - does that $5 include your states sales tax?

Sorry, don't mean to be rude, but economics being what it is - I just fail to compute.

Citric acid will neutralize your lye - leaving you with lye heavy soap. I believe certain ingredients can bring the pH down somewhat, not a noticable amount because that high pH is a result of what makes soap - soap.

Diana at Southern Garden Scents has a nice one - there are three only one is for candles only. I used the spicy pumpkin and it was TDF.

My pouring pots hold 6 lbs. of wax and I can pour it all at the right temp to avoid frosting issues before it sets up and that includes into 8 oz containers, not just larger jars. Check and make sure you are not letting it cool down too much, in my experience it only has to start to get floaters on it before it can be poured - I stopped using thermometers for that many years ago, you will know - by the top of the pouring pot when it's time. Also some FO will accelerate the viscocity of the wax just like it does to soap, and so if you go by temperature alone you will be pouring pancake batter!

My husband started making crates 3 years ago for local wineries...after some strong suggestions from me he started making giftware crates for me and other crafters www.craftincrates.com - I am partial of course but we always receive compliments and if I play my cards write he will build them to my specifications - LOL

I use crates, of course! LOL

Bathroom gift set with small candle, soap & room spray.

Homescent gift set with room spray, candle tin & sachet.

Non-Flame Homescent gift set warmer, 6 melts & Bag of Potpourri in a large flat crate, in the small crate I sub the potpourri for room spray.

I do a special small crate for one of my boutiques with a butter balm, small bottle of lotion and scrubbie bar with a four pack of tealights with two holders (I bag those in an organza bag)

I don't shrink wrap my crates, I put them in large cello bags with a ribbon holding the bag closed at the top - easier than figuring out shrink wrap for me!

I do a couple other configurations for bath/body, but still working on which sells best -

For me the key is non-bleeding colorants and when doing chunks throughout a whole loaf, do it in layers - or those suckers will float to the top! Place your chunks, spritz, overpour to almost the top fo the chunks, let set up, spritz, add chunks, spritz, overpour and repeat until the top. Cut when just set up or sometimes the chunks are hard to cut.

I do between 1/2tbps and 1tbps per pound depending on the other additive. Unlike others on here, I am somewhat of a purist when it comes to adding to MP, I add on the conservative side! LOL

Just my opinion: rancidity has everything to do with the stability of the oils used rather than the SF. If you use oils with a long shelf life, your bars will not get DOS. If you use oils with a short shelf life, your bars may get DOS. You can formulate an awesome bar of soap using oils and butters with long shelf lives. Do I get change from my 2 cents?

If that were true, then in order to avoid DOS those doing CP would be forced to only use oils with long shelf lives? As it can not be determined in CP exactly which oils are going to add to the superfat? Am I correct? If so that takes alot of the challenge out of formulating? LOL

Here is an interesting list of comparison:

http://mashable.com/2008/10/08/shopping-cart-solutions/

I did Citrus Balsam when it was with Flickers and it was a HUGE hit. Throws great and is really holidayish - I have a sample of Aspen? from Bert's Heaven Scents and it's a dupe to my nose, a lot less expensive than Elements now they have Flicker's Fragrances, but I have not tested it.

I use 4 or 5 FO from Symphony Scents in soap and soy - they are all really nice and their flat rate shipping is nice, considering they use only glass bottles. I never tried their rose or tea scents. John is the owner and he is extremely nice and their customer service is awesome. They have a pretty good rep with soapers from what I have seen.

I would spend more time researching really strong - full bodied FO before I would add more FO to my wax or any more additives. Like Judy said there are fragrances out there that will burn your nose hairs at 1oz per lb - which like Richard says makes sense economically - the point is to make a profit correct? I shudder when I hear of crafters/chandlers using 2 oz of oil in a wax because I have never seen an instance where it was worth it throw wise and it really affects your bottom line, and for what? Never heard of adding stearic to soy - Paraffin yes, maybe I missed something, but I would think it could bind scent in too high of levels and will increase the hardness of your soy causing some wicking issues?

From what I understand there were not enough orders to do the pre-buy. The Saffron & Spice was the same - which is a SHAME cuz that one is stand down the strongest throwing (in soap and soy) deep, earthy unisex fragrance EVER. A bar of soap in that scents my bathroom for weeks - same with candles, it's wickedly aromatic and full bodied. I am not a fan of the Merlin's Forest.

I heard awesome stories of Avocado Mint - sounds strange, but from what I hear it's a real sticker, behaves and is uniquely different. I want to try that for sure. If you are looking for good peppermint that works in all applications - theirs is divine. I did their Holiday Wish for a couple years and that was a turn on Mistletoe - customers liked it. I have used their rice flower and shea, it was good - I think I have reached the end of my reporting? LOL

Coffee fragrances are notorious "pallet cleaners" meaning they are so strong they wipe out all other scents. Like Judy said, if you were sniffing away at a candle FO for a while in hot wax you might not smell it again as strongly for a while, especially a coffe FO. Clove does it for me, if a FO has alot of clove in it - I won't be able to smell that element for days! Also in my soy coffee and vanilla scents usually require a cure time of about 4 days - I would cap 'em and try them after an adequate cure time. I have poured at least 10 different coffee scents for testing or selling in ten years and I never had an issue with them not throwing in my wax.

I have my labels done at Maverick - they do an excellent job, they are reasonable price and FAST.

OMG, I have some black amber I put in candles and I was told it was wonderful - but I am not an amber fan so I begged off testing it myself. I however might slap that bad boy in some soap...hm...I did put it in some balm too for an amber ho friend, might have to find that stash!

Yes, I promise you don't have to meet the minimum if you call your order in and tell them you are a member of the guild, I have done it and it's on the guild's wesite if you look under "vendors". LOL That would be mean for me to tempt you so! I don't think I had to give a secret password, but a member number might be advised!

I have not placed an order in a while...do I patiently wait for you to try the Vanilla Walnut or do I cave and order some F&M, Bay Rum and Acai Berry? I dunno - oh and there are a couple of others...

Retro let me check my FO situ and if I order, I will PM you - been wanting a good wedding cake...you promise it is TDF right? LOL

but...but...but...you don't have to reach $150? Hey...what divine FO did I miss - must know so I can keep track! LOL Did you use the Vanilla Walnut?