IndulgentCreations

I have kraft soap boxes but hate to put them in the boxes in the store since they have an oval window. Will shrink wrap be ok? I am afraid that the shrink wrap will make them sweat more if it gets humid. Hate to have them exposed with everyone touching them and dust in the air. I also thought I could wrap them in kraft paper and label but then they can't see the soap at all. Any suggestions welcomed. They will be sitting on shelves in a store. Thanks.

If they are regular soaps (not salt bars) you shouldn't get much, if any, sweating.

I use the shrink wrap from Sage, Dan's Bands, when I sell at craft fairs. I put my cigar band on first, then the shrink wrap. Yes, the ends are open but I can tell you from experience if you leave the shrink wrap on for more than a month you will start to see those dreaded orange spots on your soap. I made the mistake of not taking the shrink wrap off after a craft fair and a few months later those soaps had orange spots. I live in Colorado where it is DRY, DRY, DRY. All of my soaps without the shrink wrap are fine and never develop any DOS at all. For soaps sitting in a store, I use the soap box with the cutout. This way they can see the soap and smell it, AND the soap can breath. For craft fairs, if I don't have another one coming up immediately I take off the shrink wrap until the next fair.

It must have something to do with your recipe. I have soaps that have been shrink wrapped for over a year with the tube wrap, ends open (I get mine from Uline, way cheaper) and have never had DOS. I never unwrap mine, just occasionally have to hit them with a heat gun to tighten them up. I live in IL where the humidity gets up in the 80% range in the summer and my stuff sits out at the farmers market in the sun every weekend.

I pay $3.31 lb. For me the biggest savings is no shipping. It's nice to be able to pick it up locally when you need it fast. AAA Chemicals has it for $2.25 lb but that's not figuring in the shipping cost.

*Sodium Hydroxide is for CP & HP

Potassium Hydroxide is for cream & liquid soap

I was going to try some CP soap this week-end and I have been looking for lye all week long, however, NO ONE has it. I cannot find any place that carries it and a lot of people have never even heard of it.

Any suggestions as to where I can get this?

Thanks!!

I also buy mine at Ace Hardware because they cut me a deal for buying a case at a time. I did just look when I was in Menards the other day and they still have it on the shelf there. My Lowes also used to carry it but I haven't looked recently. True Value has it too. At all of the above places it is Rooto lye. Lowes and Menards it's around the cleaning products and drain cleaner area. It does say 100% lye on it. If you don't have any luck, AAA Chemicals (think they're out of TX) I have ordered from before and usually have decent prices.

If you have an Ace or True Value close, ask the manager to look it up for you they should be able to stock it.

I haven't checked locally yet to see if I can get this brand because I still need to do a lot more reading before my first CP attempt. Not to hijack the thread, but I was wondering if this brand comes in pellet form or flakes? I read that the pellet form can get static electricity and stick to things, whereas the flake form doesn't. Just curious.

It's pellets and can get some static to it. It's really not hard to work with though. I have a tray for my scale that I line with wax paper, measure and pour. Then I can pitch the wax paper and not have to worry about any pellets hanging around.

I've never done HP, only CP but anytime I have one that sticks I just pop it in the freezer for an hour or two. They usually come right out after that. A couple times with really tough ones I've had to freeze them then use a hair dryer on the bottom as soon as I take them out of the freezer.

I just kicked off my 3rd year at my farmers market. I set up 4-6 ft tables, 2 across the front and one on each side. I take everything I possibly can and then some. Thankfully I can still pack it all in my vehicle but have been keeping one eye open for a van. If you only stock 5 scents now I see expansion coming very soon. People will start asking for this and that and next you'll know, you'll be back creating new things

I'd be honked off too and that's the kind of customer service that if not corrected would keep me from doing business there again.

I had my 1st week at my farmers market this past Sat and sold double what I started the year with last season. I've been thinking about revamping my labels for a while now by getting a better printer. My current printer is an old Lexmark...very old. So yesterday I went to office max and bought a new laser printer, I was SO excited. Got it home hooked it up. I currently use Avery Pro Design for all of my label designs so needed to transfer this program to my laptop so I can keep my new printer down in my soap workshop away from DH using it for personal use. Downloaded Avery and couldn't get the program to open up So I called their customer service to find out what the issue is and was informed that Avery works with Windows Vista 32 bit but not 64 bit. Guess what I have on my laptop??? 64 bit!!! So here sits my beautiful new laser printer and I can't do anything with it. Anyone using Vista that can chime in on label programs that aren't going to make me want to pull my hair out? Spent all last night reseaching on several forums and found these suggestions...Print Shop 23 Deluxe and/or Label Factory Deluxe 3.0. Anyone use either of these? TIA for any help!

I use ICS Pink Sugar for B&B, it's one of my best sellers. I did try the JS pink sugar and to me it had more of a perfumey smell. The ICS is just pure sugar! HTH

From the ingredients listed....nothing should. I look up all of the ingredients and didn't find anything that would suggest it should lather. Doesn't make sense to me.

But...all of you raving about the Pumpkin Cheesecake.....uhh...I can't smell any bakery scent to this...as in cake or cheesecake. To me this smells like a very strong spiced pumpkin. I am talking straight pumpkin out of the can...not pumpkin pie filling. Actually I was burning it yesterday and said to myself I don't know who put the name on this one but it sure doesn't smell like P Cheesecake to me.

Did I get the wrong fo?

Maybe we got different versions of this...I poured mine this week and smell no pumkpin, only cheesecake. The strongest cheesecake smell I've came across.

I've been having a hard time finding them too! I've had an order that was supposed to ship weeks ago and have heard nothing. Hopefully soon as it's getting down to crunch time for them. I've got a line on some shaggy haired bears...8 inches in total length that have worked well in the past...I'll keep you posted when I find out more.

I wish I could find shaggy haired rabbits, haven't even come across them online.

I just got my order yesterday, ordered 30 different Fo's (can you say FOHO!) I'll be working my way through them and giving reviews as I use them. So far the pumkpin cheesecake is devine! Shipping took a little longer than I like, ordered on the 29th of Sept. but I was one of the bottle holdups. I called the 2 offices and didn't get an answer so I called the available 24 hours phone number and it was Dan's cell number. Talked with him, explained they were waiting on 16oz bottles and that my order had been shipped. Very pleasant to talk to. As of now, I'm sure I will order again.

I usually try to cut them within 24 hours. I use wax paper to line my molds and sometimes it can be difficult to get it off the bars if I wait any longer.

Stupid question, but what is an INCI name?

INCI is the chemical name such as sodium tallowate, sodium hydroxide, etc. I personally use the common name it's just easier for people.

I have been browsing all the sites that I can think of looking for a new mold. I am looking for something like BIllie has but I don't know if they even make something like this.

Anyone know if there is a place to buy a mold like hers?

Trying to remember but isn't her mold like the Kelsi's slab with the dividers?

Just poured my 1st batch in my new mold! Can't wait to unmold it and see how it turned out. In my years of making soap I've always used a slab mold and now my wheels are turning with all of the things I want to try with my new log mold!

In my orange EO soap I use patchouli. Very popular!

Anhoki makes some nice ones, I'd try talking to her.

My soaps are way too big to fit in a soap box so I use a muslin bag. I leave a display bar out for the customers to smell and look at.

Yes, so are mine. I use a slab mold very similar to the one Anhoki's DH makes, my DH made some for me several years ago. I'd been kicking around getting an Upland to make a few specialty soaps and just hoped I could package them (ones made from loaf mold) differently than my normal soap and use the boxes.

I just wanted to post and give kudos to Upland Molds. I've heard a ton of things lately about how slow they have been with getting their molds out, not the case for me. I ordered a log mold from them this morning before 8am and got a shipping notice at 6:30 tonight. I'm not trying to say that these past issue didn't happen, don't know if they were specialty molds or something but wanted to give props where due!

I just tried this for the 1st time last week. Had a men's soap that I used neon red for a swirl, needless to say it ended up a beautiful pink swirl. I made black M&P to zig zag over the top...it didn't want to stick. So next round I spritzed alcohol over the CP and it seems to be sticking so far. Might want to give that a shot and see.

They all look great but the Lavender Cucumber Sage Loofah is really cool looking!