Ideas for my new soap biz venture

[Candybee]

Next year I am totally revamping my soap biz to take a new direction and focus. The new soap biz will feature products from the sea/ocean and that's what I am asking for some creative ideas to make it more fun and edgy. The products I will be offering are soap and bath of course. Bath as in more actual bath products but I will still carry body products like lotions and balms and plenty of soap!

 

Some things I am already doing:

• salt bars and solseife (salt brine soap)
• sea clay & kelp bars
• fizzy bath sea salts, fizzy coconut milk bath, and coconut oil bath pearls
• sea sponges for bath 
• mermaid logo
• biz colors of pool blue, aqua teal, and white as an accent color
• ocean themed fonts for labeling and promotional materials

 

So my question is what would you think about adding or doing for a sea themed soap biz? Looking for creative ideas for either products, packaging, table decor, promotional materials, anything biz related.

 

[Shari]

Maybe some sea salt scrubs?   I've not made nor tried salt scrubs.  I've always been a little concerned about burning in minor scratches/cuts so I've stuck to sugar scrubs.  I'm in the process of re-branding myself and have thought about possibly adding some to my line.  Not positive though. Plus my sugar scrubs sell so well don't know that I want to add competition.  

[Kerven]

M&P sea glass. "Sea foam" bubble bath or foaming hand soap. Starfish and sand dollar CP and/or lotion bars. Using activated charcoal to turn liquidy products black - "squid ink". Sea salt hair spritz. Micellar cleansing water with a nautical theme. Mermaid soap to go with the logo.

 

Driftwood (or look alike) displays. Sea glass, shells, seaweed, sand dollars, starfish - typical beach finds. Blue/green/teal glass bottles with messages in them.

 

 

[Candybee]

3 hours ago, Shari said:

Maybe some sea salt scrubs?   I've not made nor tried salt scrubs.  I've always been a little concerned about burning in minor scratches/cuts so I've stuck to sugar scrubs.  I'm in the process of re-branding myself and have thought about possibly adding some to my line.  Not positive though. Plus my sugar scrubs sell so well don't know that I want to add competition.  

 

We think alike! I did think of sea salt scrubs but then realizing that they would make skin burn if you have cuts or scrapes made me nix the salt scrubs. Then I was going to do sugar scrubs instead but I have way too many products now and have to cut back. So I opted for the fizzy sea salt and sea pearl milk bath will do for the sea salt arena. Also, they are actually bath products which I want to focus more so on rather than body.

 

Good luck with your rebranding! It can be really exciting but at the same time give you anxiety over worrying if you are doing the right thing. But if you want to move forward then it is probably the best. Me for example, I have been wanting a "theme" type company to have focus on my products for years but could never nail it down. But once I picked my theme everything seemed to fall in place and now I can't wait to start. But this time around I am planning it all down to the colors and type of tablecloths on my tables to the logo and tagline of my company. Every detail I can think of to coordinate it. That is the exciting part is coming up with more ideas to go with my sea theme.

 

Also, my opinion is stick with your sugar scrubs. If they are good sellers for you they are worth keeping. Think more about the salt scrubs. In all my years selling body products I have only had 1 customer ask about salt scrubs. Everyone wants a good sugar scrub. Maybe instead reformulate your sugar scrubs with a new recipe or ingredient. Like a tropical butters recipe or a brown sugar & caffein scrub, or an oatmeal & brown sugar scrub, or maple sugar scrub, or a matcha green tea & french green clay sugar scrub. Just throwing ideas out there. You can match a new ingredient like oatmeal and pair it with a complimentary scent to come up with a whole new revamped sugar scrub. Plus you can use the new ingredient as the new selling point.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Candybee

[Candybee]

7 minutes ago, Kerven said:

M&P sea glass. "Sea foam" bubble bath or foaming hand soap. Starfish and sand dollar CP and/or lotion bars. Using activated charcoal to turn liquidy products black - "squid ink". Sea salt hair spritz. Micellar cleansing water with a nautical theme. Mermaid soap to go with the logo.

 

Driftwood (or look alike) displays. Sea glass, shells, seaweed, sand dollars, starfish - typical beach finds. Blue/green/teal glass bottles with messages in them.

 

 

 

Kerven you are a gold mine of clever ideas!! I love the driftwood, seaglass, and glass (with note inside) bottles for decor and will look out for these to snatch up. I do plan to get some sand dollars and starfish. I am planning to spray paint my display boxes white and glue on the starfish and shells and sand dollars onto the boxes. I am also going to paint lettering on the boxes either my company name or some sea chanty or meme.

 

I do have a charcoal and sea clay soap I do not have a name for yet. Maybe I will call it squid ink & sea clay. Will have to think on that one though as some of my customers will think its actually squid ink. LOL

 

I like the sea foam idea for the foaming hand soap but I won't be offering hand soap but it might work on the milk bath? "Sea Foam & Pearl Milk Bath"?? How about something like that? I am liking that already!!!

 

I will not be offering hair spritz but I am doing a scented body spray/mist I need a name for. Maybe Ocean Spray Body Mist? Maybe you can come up with a better name. I will have it available in several sea themed scents but I always like to have an actual product name first then the scent it comes in listed on the label.

 

Not offering miceller cleanse or mermaid shape soap? However, I am using about 4-5 logo silhouettes on each soap label. I have a mermaid, sea horse, octopus, and thinking a fourth like a crab, starfish, or jellyfish. Haven't decided yet. On my goat milk soap I have Capricorn the sea goat logo and my beer soap a pirate logo. 

[Kerven]

The micellar water and lotion bar were off the top of my head. Was browsing through Handmade Magazine volumes the other day and saw those. I wasn't sure if you used molds for your soaps so I listed the sea glass and others just in case.

 

There are guides out there for DIY'ing driftwood. I think a lot of them make use of Arm & Hammer washing soda and elbow grease.

 

What about Sea Spray Body Mist? For me, "ocean spray" brings to mind cranberries. Squid ink... Maybe "Davy Jones'" or "Briny Deep" (good one for the salt brine soap)?

 

Ship wheels, lanterns, barrels, netting, anchors, compass... and so much more. I did a google image search for "diy nautical decor" and... overwhelmed now.

 

Tears of the Sea/Mermaid Tears Bath Pearls and Sea Foam Fizzy Bath Milk? I don't know much about either product. Are the pearls the type with oil inside and have to be squeezed or are they solid and dissolve in the water?

[Candybee]

Another batch of great ideas Kerven! I'm taking notes!

 

The ocean spray rename makes sense. I was having a hard time not thinking cranberries cause its such a strong branding name for Ocean Spray. So I will change it to Sea Spray Body Mist. I like that!

 

The brine soap I am sticking to its true name Solseife "Sea Brine" Soap. As well as the salt bars are simply going to be called Sea Salt Bars.

 

I have two different "pearl" products; 1 bath oil beads are going to be Coconut Oil Bath Sea Pearls. And yes they are smallish soft gel beads filled with coconut oil that melt into your bath.

 

Second; anything pearlized like my bubble bath I plan to add pearlizer. So I am calling it Sea Pearls Bubble Bath. My milk bath I am calling Sea Foam Milk Bath after your suggestion. Thank you!!! I love it!

 

I am working at farmer's markets and craft shows so my booth is the standard 10x10 foot area. I use 2-3 six foot tables so am limited on what I can put on them. The soap and bath/body product will cover 2 tables. The 3rd table is a seasonal table for candle season. I have not fully decided yet what to do with the candles as that will be for next years seasons candles. So there is room there for candle ideas with a sea theme that will be fun to work on!

 

Re table decor, I am purchasing pool blue fitted tablecloths with an aqua teal overlay tablecloths. I am spray painting my baskets white and gluing various sea shells, starfish, sand dollars, etc. to them.

 

I am still mulling over random decor like fish nets, driftwood, etc and haven't made up my mind but you gave me some ideas on those. I will have precious few room to spare for decor nicnacs so they have to somehow fit in in a way that they can still be seen to add ambiance and not make my tables look like busy clutter. kwim? 

 

BTW, my new tent sign will be arriving this week and I am in the process of getting a new biz license. I'm currently waiting to hear back from the town's zoning & planning board for my application approval. Once approved, I can go ahead and get my biz license, tax id, bank accounts, etc. set up. Next will be fleshing out a new website and social media pages.

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by Candybee

[Candybee]

I am rethinking the bubble bath name. Its going to be for the kiddies and adults but I am thinking it will probably sell mostly to kids. So should I have a name that reflects both child and adult or focus on the kiddies? I think it must be both so it should be a fun name yet something adults can appreciate too. Maybe the mermaid pearls bubble bath? It will be pearlized bubble bath. Is there a sea name for bubbles? It should also be recognizable as what its for, bubble bath.

[Candybee]

So far my bath/body products with new sea theme names are:

 

FOR BATH:

• Pearlized Bubble Bath: Mermaid Pearls Bubble Bath
• Fizzy Salts: Fizzy Bath Sea Salts
• Pearlized Milk Bath: Sea Foam Milk Bath
• Bath Oil Beads: Coconut Oil Bath Sea Pearls

FOR BODY:

• Scented body mist: Sea Spray Body Mist

 

I still have these products that I could rename if anyone can come up with something more clever that's sea themed but not too cutesy/gimmicky:

Goat Milk & Honey Lotion

Body Silk Bath Powder

Luxury Body Oil

Tropical Butters Lip Balm

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by Candybee

[Kerven]

Mother of pearl fits the pearl theme. I'm thinking a soap with a surface layer of pearlescent mica. Might add that to my to-try list for when (it's going to happen eventually) I take the plunge into soap making.

 

Everything sounds good! I'm drawing a blank for the lotion, powder, oil, and balm. Mermaid Kisses Lip Balm, Pirate's Booty Body Oil (bonus points if it's a golden color)...?

Edited September 15, 2020 by Kerven

[Candybee]

5 hours ago, Kerven said:

Mother of pearl fits the pearl theme. I'm thinking a soap with a surface layer of pearlescent mica. Might add that to my to-try list for when (it's going to happen eventually) I take the plunge into soap making.

 

Everything sounds good! I'm drawing a blank for the lotion, powder, oil, and balm. Mermaid Kisses Lip Balm, Pirate's Booty Body Oil (bonus points if it's a golden color)...?

 

I like the pearlescent mica idea. That would be great for my salt bars or solseife or even my pumice scrubs. I had been putting sprinkling white irridescent glitter on some which gives the tops nice sparkle. Unfortunately I did have some complain as some don't like glitter. But perarlescent mica might work. I buy the majority of my mica from TKB and Nurture. Will check it out next time I order.

 

Same here with the lotion, powder, oil, and balm. Not coming up with any sea theme names for them. But I have several months to ponder and come up with ideas. However, I really don't want everything to have a sea name. The labeling and packaging will take care of that so its not a critical factor. Besides, I do like the product names I gave them already. Was just throwing them out there in case something popped into your head since you have really good ideas.