jfedorciw Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 hello, My name is Jessica and I am looking to start making soap and candles. There are so many different choices out there to choose from!! I am asking for the members that have experiance to please please please help me direct my focus to a rewarding and successful path.Q 1: what is the perferable method for the newbie starting (hopefully) her own soap and candle business? m&p, cp, buy base, make base?Q 2: Is there a reciepe out there to make your own m&p base? i was hoping to make my own base and just remelt it when i need it but if that is not an option then i will make the base as i go.Q 3: Is there any suppliers that i should use or should stay away from conserning fragrance oils? I am strapped for start up funds (single mom and disabled though i am fighting to get my life back in a new direction (former nursing career) to be able to support my family). wasting money is not really an option for me lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbuddy Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 I would start with MP base. BrambleBerry has a MP starter pack. You can also get your fragrances and colors there. www.brambleberry.comI would also get your business license, resale license (depending where you live) and liability insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Q 1: what is the perferable method for the newbie starting (hopefully) her own soap and candle business? m&p, cp, buy base, make base?Before you start any business you need a plan and you need to make a decision as to what kind of candles and soap you want to make.As far as M&P its the easiest to learn to make if you want to turn it around and start selling right away. There is a whole forum with recipes and suggested bases in the M&P section. If you want to do CP soap instead you will have to take the time to learn about soapmaking, the process, ingredients, etc. There are no shortcuts for this I'm afraid. But learning how to make soap from scratch is very rewarding and can also be a lot of fun as long as you take the time to learn it properly.Q 2: Is there a reciepe out there to make your own m&p base? i was hoping to make my own base and just remelt it when i need it but if that is not an option then i will make the base as i go.Frankly its a waste of money and time to make your own M&P base when they are so easily available for purchase at many soap suppliers. This is also discussed in a current thread in the M&P section.Q 3: Is there any suppliers that i should use or should stay away from conserning fragrance oils? I am strapped for start up funds (single mom and disabled though i am fighting to get my life back in a new direction (former nursing career) to be able to support my family). wasting money is not really an option for me lol.There is a suppliers list on this forum with some very good suppliers for fragrance oils. The one that is best for you is the one that works in your product as well as fits your biz budget. You will only know that by testing it in your soap or candle application. Unfortunately this can be time consuming and expensive. However, we also have a fragrance forum which will help you along with questions you have about different fragrance oils and essential oils that may make your search a bit easier. Don't forget to consider shipping costs and locations of suppliers and back up suppliers.Making candles and soap can be expensive plus there is a stage of learning, research, and development of a good product before you should even think about selling. For example, learning to make a good, safe, candle that sells can take anywhere from several months to a couple of years or more. To save on money you will need to read as much as you can. There is a whole boatload of info on soap and candlemaking in this forum. Reading this forum is how I and many others began our journey. Good luck and keep posting your progress and questions as you research and there will always be someone here to help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetsCandles Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Candybee just gave you some excellent advice. If you are strapped for cash, on candle making, look for close suppliers. You will do yourself a world of good if you compare their prices with others that are further away, but carry the same product. You do indeed need to decide what kind of candles you plan to make. Scented? Containers? Pillars? Special shapes? Each one has it's own niche market. Some of those markets may not be available in your area, or may already be full from other suppliers. As for soaps, same sort of thing. Brambleberry does have a sampler pack, but again, shipping is going to cost you a lot. http://www.suppliersbystate.com/state-listings.php?st= This site may help you a ton. They keep a running list of suppliers by state, and work with both candle and soap suppliers. M&P is probably the fastest turnaround from the entire thing. There isn't much you have to do with those soaps, other than learning technique and tweaking recipes to suit your needs. CP soap has a much larger learning curve, and you are sitting on product for a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks before you can even THINK about selling it. That's a long time for making an investment on a short budget. And there is no guarantee that you will get a saleable product on the first batch either. Your best resource is mostly free on all of it. This forum is an excellent source of information and tutorials for making things, not to mention the business of selling your end products. What the forum doesn't cover, it usually gives links to elsewhere. Again, this is free information. Since you've got a family, I'll assume there may be small children around. If this is the case, you should read as much as possible about the process of doing CP soap. Some of the equipment is just not cheap, either, for candles or soaps. Both require a dedicated set of equipment just for the making of the products. Sure, you can use your kitchen stove, but not the same bowls as you use in cooking, or pans, or stirring utensils. You may have to start setting money aside whenever possible to get these things. Starting up a business, even from home can be fairly costly. (I've done it.)I wish you luck and hope you find some good answers here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mzphee Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 you have been given some excellent advice...have fun I am while im still learning everyday.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitn Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Welcome to the addiction and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacktieaffair Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Candy and Janet said it very well.One thing I'd like to stress, even more than they said it is to follow up on their suggestion to READ READ READ READ READ these forums and others out there. While you will find some conflicting info at times ( what works for me in some way , might not work for you with the supplies you use or even your physical location can be a huge determining factor ). I'd suggest, especially since money is always an option, find some products that are easier and cheaper to make ( melts, dipped items, MP, lotions from pre made base, etc ) and start with these. After you get a foot on the ground, it will be financially easier for you to do candles and other things that require massive testing. Use the search feature up there at the top, put in key words and you will have all sorts of things pop up on that topic. Good luck. Everyone on here, was where you are at one time... some of us not very long ago at all. We'll be glad to answer whatever we can.Welcome to the Circus !!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I am strapped for start up funds (single mom and disabled though i am fighting to get my life back in a new direction (former nursing career) to be able to support my family). wasting money is not really an option for me lol.Look elsewhere. Candles/B&B are expensive ventures with long learning periods. Most crafters are years away from a profit when starting out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenancy Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Alot of good advice here. I would just like to add - to start out, I would pick one - candles or soap, and really get a good handle on that. I think if you try starting candles and soap together you might quickly become overwhelmed. Not to be discouraging, but it will most likely take quite a bit of time (and I agree with Eugenia - it could be years) before you start making money.For suppliers, I see you are in NJ. Candlewic is pretty close to you. They are reasonable in price. I get most of my candle supplies there. FO, that's another story.I agree with a previous poster that it would be counter productive to try to make M&P base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jfedorciw Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 THANK YOU ALL for the extremely helpful advice! i appreciate it! you all are so helpfully honest. i am going to narrow my feild for now and concentrate on soap. i have contacted a fo supplier and they have sent me free samples for m & p white and clear base and 4 fo sample. i am going to play around with them to see if the scents really adhere well. i am also going to READ while i am on bedrest! I am taking notes on all the tips and tricks that are mentioned in the soap forums.thank you very much for the links. if all goes well with the m&p then i might try cold press further down the road for my boys and i to try first. ill definetly check out the nj supplier. i can't thank you all enough for the help! excellant advice form sweet people!!!!!!!thank you again,jess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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