Fire and Ice Posted May 24, 2007 Author Share Posted May 24, 2007 That makes it easier. I've gone back and restudied their product (WSP). I know that the closer I can order to where I live, the more money I'll save in shipping! (at least in some cases)I'll order the samples but wait until after the 4th to play because I have the HUGE 5 day festival at our local park during the long holiday weekend! It's a great festival but I'm there from 7:30am til 11:00pm for five day! And I have yet to begin pouring the 400-500candles I will need for the show! This is the second best show I do every year with my candles. (I remember meeting you there last year Ragdoll) Rag Doll is the only person I have met from these boads but it was wonderful. Fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camoflauge Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 Professional StyleIcing SyringeIcing Syringe7" long overall,4" long barrel,1-1/2" diameter,Barrel may arrive in different colors,Takes regular size decorating tipsUSA$8.99#3961 http://www.fantes.com/pastry_bags.htm#syringesorry the pic is so big-i tried to resize and it wouldn't let me.i use something similar to this-mine is like a grease lube type thing. you can't suck up the lotion etc-well, not the one i use anyways, but what i do is use a rubber spatula to scoop it into. i can easily fill 2 8 oz. bottles with mine. not sure if you could do 2 with this or not. i'm guessing probably only one.i tried the plastic bag and the funnel-my lotion is too thick for a funnel and the plastic bag seemed like a pain in the butt-plus, i like to use my mixer to really mix up the coloring and scents so there aren't any pockets. i did try the cake icing bags, but since i had to wash it out between uses, i had to make sure it was dry and it was a pain getting it completely dry when i wanted to make a doz. in a row...i have also used a plastic syringe-without the needle. i had to spoon it into them and it took forever. now, i just mix my lotion in a bowl, use my rubber spatula to scoop it into there, fill 2 bottles and i'm done, wash it out-comes apart at both ends-just like the frosting one. i won't go back to my old ways-i save so much time now that i can do many more than i used to. fyi-mine is completely metal so if i don't get it washed out and dried good, it does rust. HTH, Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Once you get all your equipment and supplies, don't be afraid to try cp. You might even want to sooner it than you think. MMS is a good place for supplies too. They are in Utah and have decent shipping and prices and fast turn around. Nice selection too. Have fun.To fill up lotion bottles, we use one of those smoothie blenders with a spout. We just fill the blender up with lotion, hold the bottle up to the spout and the lotion comes out with no struggle or having to use force. Before that, I would buy large syringes (used for cattle and such) at the feed store to fill my jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 CP is SO much easier than lotions! No need to worry about germs and such! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camoflauge Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 meredith-do you actually use the smoothie blender to mix up your lotion? and if so, how well does that work?i'm thinking that would be a better way so that you would never have to touch anything, plus, you could wash it in a dishwasher? depending on size etc. and get rid of germs.is there anything special any of you do to get rid of any germs before making lotion? i haven't don't anything special and have not had any problems, but if there is a better way i would change now before i do run into any problems.i'm going to go check prices on a smoothie blender-which one do you use?edited to add i found this one from target that is about $40 on sale and has a glass "pitcher". is this something that would work? i'm heading to bloomington, MN for the BCN convention and would love to pick up something there. this would save a LOT of headache for sure!!!thanks for the idea meredith, i hadn't even thought of that. would love it if you can use the smoothie attachment to mix it. would be better than trying to use a bowl and scrape all the lotion out of it to fill my "tube" thingy... lol. does it get most of the lotion out of it? and do you find you have to warm up your lotion a bit? my base is a little thick unless i warm it up, but after you get the fo and color in there it does get thinner-but it does thicken back up after i've warmed it up-i just warm it up enough to make it easier to "blend in the fo, etc".Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted May 25, 2007 Author Share Posted May 25, 2007 Well even with using a base for lotion, don't I still have to staralize the bottles and caps before pouring? How do I do that? Do the bases for lotion come with perservies already in the base? I would be using bleach water spay for cleaning counter tops and putting dispoable paper down that can be thrown out when production is completed for the day. Fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camoflauge Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 Well even with using a base for lotion, don't I still have to staralize the bottles and caps before pouring? How do I do that? Do the bases for lotion come with perservies already in the base? I would be using bleach water spay for cleaning counter tops and putting dispoable paper down that can be thrown out when production is completed for the day.Fireok, i'm not the expert here-and hopefully one of them will come along and help me out, but i do use bases. from the research i've done you don't want to to anything to the bottles and caps-you introduce more germs doing that then if you use them directly after you get them from the company you ordered them from.lotion bases already come with preservatives-it's when you start adding a lot more of your own oils-not just the fo's-i'm talking extra soybean, extra olive, whatever, then you have to start adding more preservatives. as far as bleaching, i don't see what more you could do to "sanitize" your work area-a suggestion-wear those plastic gloves you can throw away-that way your hands never touch the products.i love meredith's idea of the smoothie maker and if you can mix directly into the smoothie maker, i'm going to target to buy one-the one i posted has a glass base so it would take up to constant dishwasher cleaning-the only way i believe that most dishes, etc. can be "germ free"-or at least better than just handwashing.looking forward to more "expert" advice as this is fairly new to me too.Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camoflauge Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 found this on candlesupply.comhthTips:Making less than a full gallon and need measuring help? Click here for measuring chart!Fragrance oils will not all preform the same, so always do a small test batch! Some fragrances can cloud or discolor the product, some can thicken or thin the base, etc. If heating a base for easier pouring, remember to use a thermometer and make sure the temp never gets hotter than 100 degrees (F)! Overheating the bases can compromise the preservative and lessen it's effectiveness. No more than 1% fragrance, and 1% of any additive should be used in the bases in order to maintain the preservative's effectiveness. Make sure to stearilize your work area and any tools used, such as mixing bowls, spoons, pumps, measuring cups, etc. Clean thoroughly with hot water and dish soap, then wipe down with alcohol to avoid contamination. Always wash hands before working with personal care products. Keep animals and children out of the area. It's also a good idea to wear a hair net or keep long hair pulled back so none falls into product. Read FDA's Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Guidelines for more detailed info.Before filling, make sure bottles or jars are clean and free of dust.Make sure to properly label all personal care products & cosmetics according to FDA Labeling Guidelines. List all ingredients in order of predominance with their INCI names. We provide complete ingredient lists on our website for all of our bath & body products.Do not make medical claims on your products! For example, on a vitamin E product you could state on your website or brochures that vitamin E is "said to have" certain properties. But if you make a direct medical claim like "heals burns & scars", your product is now considered an over the counter drug by the FDA and is subject to much stricter guidelines and FDA approval.Many times a fragrance will seem too light when first added and mixed into the bases, but once allowed to cure for a few days it will strengthen in smell. It is common for many bath & body products to discolor with age, exposure to air and light. Keep this in mind when displaying your products. Never add any ingredients that are not approved as safe for skin contact! Candle dyes can not be used in bath & body products! Pricing: Typically an 8 oz bottle can be sold for around $8.00 to $10.00 retail. Lip Balms usually sell for $2.00 to $3.00 retail. Lotion bars (1 oz push up stick) commonly sell for $5.00 to $6.00 retail. This all depends on your market, your packaging, quality of product & ingredients, etc. Marketing: Different things appeal to different markets. Soy is very popular, especially in the Midwest, so soy based products are selling big! Cater to your market and feature the ingredients that appeal to your customers... such as with our lotion base. It contains Cocoa Butter, so you could call it a cocoa butter lotion. But it also contains Shea Butter, so you could call it shea butter lotion, etc. You can also add soybean oil to it and market it as a soy lotion! Use creative wording to make your products sound appealing and they will sell better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 meredith-do you actually use the smoothie blender to mix up your lotion? and if so, how well does that work?i'm thinking that would be a better way so that you would never have to touch anything, plus, you could wash it in a dishwasher? depending on size etc. and get rid of germs.is there anything special any of you do to get rid of any germs before making lotion? i haven't don't anything special and have not had any problems, but if there is a better way i would change now before i do run into any problems.i'm going to go check prices on a smoothie blender-which one do you use?edited to add i found this one from target that is about $40 on sale and has a glass "pitcher". is this something that would work? i'm heading to bloomington, MN for the BCN convention and would love to pick up something there. this would save a LOT of headache for sure!!!thanks for the idea meredith, i hadn't even thought of that. would love it if you can use the smoothie attachment to mix it. would be better than trying to use a bowl and scrape all the lotion out of it to fill my "tube" thingy... lol. does it get most of the lotion out of it? and do you find you have to warm up your lotion a bit? my base is a little thick unless i warm it up, but after you get the fo and color in there it does get thinner-but it does thicken back up after i've warmed it up-i just warm it up enough to make it easier to "blend in the fo, etc".HeatherI don't know if this one will work. My spout it on the bottom of the container and is a Hamilton Beach You can't get the very last of the lotion out since it goes below the spout, but it is so much easier than a syringe. I just pour the lotion already made in there. This is very similar to what mine looks like. http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/cgi-bin/main/co_disp/displ/carfnbr/26/prrfnbr/1913/Wave-Stationandtrade-Express-Dispensing-BlenderI sterilize with a bleach solution, wear gloves and keep my hair up and covered with a dew rag when working. I always have a bucket of bleach water solution to clean my area and I always use paper towels so I can throw them away after each use and don't worry about more germs growing on it like a sponge would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 I have the Hamilton Beach smoothie maker. I bought it to make dacquiri's for tailgating parties before the Titans games.After reading this, I won't be making any more dacquiri's and have a new lotion "machine" If my kids are up in the air about me losing my mind up til now, they will be convinced when they see me using the smoothie maker for lotion products:laugh2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meridith Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 I have the Hamilton Beach smoothie maker. I bought it to make dacquiri's for tailgating parties before the Titans games.After reading this, I won't be making any more dacquiri's and have a new lotion "machine" If my kids are up in the air about me losing my mind up til now, they will be convinced when they see me using the smoothie maker for lotion products:laugh2:Yeah its funny how our perspective of kitchen appliances changes once we start making soap and B&B. It was actually a guy neighbor friend that came over and saw hubby filling our lotion pump bottles (that is actually his job) and suggested the smoothie maker. I thought it was a great idea and was surprised that a guy who doesn't do this kind of stuff thought it up in a matter of seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hometowncandles Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Ok, I wish you guys would stop coming up with so many great ideas. I would have never thought about using a smoothie maker. I'm off to Wal-mart later to p/u my dd & ds birthday present so I will be trolling the small appliances isle for a smoothie maker. It has to be easier than using a pastry bag, I too tried the ziploc baggies, and boy what a mess. I'm clumsy by nature anyway, add a bag full of squishy, gooey, stuff that I have to hold and squeeze with one hand while trying to steady a bottle with the other hand and well, that just reaks of disaster. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.