Soap Makers Help!

[chiknwhisperer]

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DH made me the display and my MIL found a bunch of scrap material on sale and bought a bunch up. What we did was just fold it so that it fits snug in the middle of the display and we tuck it in in the front and wrap it in the back so I can just pull it right off when I break down.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

I made a black current and ginseng and tahishan vanillia? That last one I'm not sure. But any way. I made it real strong and it actually doesn't smell bad considering I hate tea. It turned out a great deep purple color. I also kept the tea bags and let them dry out, then I cut them open and let the tea dry out even more. What I was thinking is that if I take and make regular water half the liquid could I put my lye in that first and then when it cools slightly can I add the tea? Will it change the color of the tea? And I was thinking of adding the tea itself to the soap at trace. The tea is a dark purple to. Would it leave specks in the soap? What do you think?

 

[cheeptrick]

I just caught up on my reading...I wanted to tell you all a little hint I learned from my Uncle/Antique's guy and antique BOTTLE expert consultant for Skinner's and the big Auction houses...if you are at a show...and are selling a product....ALWAYS ALWAYS buy a little something from your competitor. AND never NEVER diss their soap/products to others...when I was soaping for a wedding and ran out of coconut oil....I called a competitor up and she had enough to get me finished UP and I could have KISSED her for helping me out. She is a tallow soaper and I'm vegan...so we do have different products technically and SHE has a much more established business and beautiful products.

Craft show, farmers market, chickenstock...I always purchase a 'little' something from every vendor. IF they have the same products...and someone is at my table and does not buy something....I SEND them over to another vendor...chat up their product like it was the BEST thing EVER.

Some shows...I'm the only one who sells anything because my products are easy small and inexpensive...so I make sure to spread the wealth and help out my counterparts by trying to market their products too.

When I 'spy' a new soaper....I'm the first to come to the table...start chatting them up about soaping...AND I pull customers to the table by OOING AND AHHHING...as I smell their soaps. I get all excited and smile and as folks come by quietly looking over my shoulder I TRAP them in by handing them a bar of soap. It works...and they appreciate it...AND you've made a friend for LIFE and now you know someone in the industry to tag team the craft shows with!!

 

[Jenlyn9483]

OK the last soap I made was this

Goat milk, Honey and Oatmeal
6 cups of goat milk
2 lbs of lard
9 oZ of Lye
2 cups of processed Dry Oatmeal
1/2 cup of Honey

It turned out really well. The best ever. But I would like to make this same recipe sort of, Omitting the Oatmeal and honey so I can have a simple soap too. Can any of you experts help me convert it? I can read a recipe but I'm still not good at the calculating thing.

Thanks!

 

[breconbcs]

I've just finished catching up.

chicknwhisper, congrats on the FM. Sounds like you had a great start. From going to various markets here, I see most people have their sign put on the front of their tents, one person had their sign painted right onto their tent. That black current/ginseng/vanilla soap sounds nice.
Wish I had thought about the sign holder on Friday night at the auction, they had art easels go through for $5. Will have to remember that for next time.

I've been busy making soap to try and get through the summer at the FM. I've tried my hand finally at using tea. Wasn't to thrilled with the original colour of my green tea/lemongrass but it has turned out nicer than I thought. I mixed the tea with the lye which turned it brown, but it has unmolded more green than brown, next time I think I will try it at trace or maybe just infuse the oil. Not sure which way is better so I may try it both ways. I did make a lavender goat's milk soap. It's odd, I added violet mica to it which turned it pinkish mauve but when I unmolded it the top is white and sort of wavy. Looks and smells good but not sure I like it. I made one soap for men with Happy Man fo, but I don't like it - it smells like my 18 yr old's cologne..lol. I did buy Bambo & Teak fo and it smells nice for men - planning to do that one today.
I really need to buy a log mold or just get the 18 bar mold from Kelsei's. I love my 9 bar but I want to make more than one batch of soap a day. Right now I'm using storage containers I found that will fit into the log cutter without me trimming it first, these are for testing batches of different scents. And I will just be charging less for them than the bigger bars I have if they turn out. I did a bergamot/mint yesterday and it smells great. And it looks great! I coloured most of the batch green and then poured/swirled in the rest which is white.
Off to make more soap...

 

[Morgaine]

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That sounds like a really exotic soap! How did you get a purple color from tea? In the rosemary mint soap I used tea leaves, they were dry and very small when compared to say lavender buds. I like them. But I haven't used tea yet in soao so I'm not sure if it change yet or not. Cheeptrick might.

 

[Morgaine]

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Thanks for the advice. I do try to buy from every vendor, though I don't do that every Saturday. I think she might be shy because yesteday she was much friendlier and we chatted a tiny bit. It was a horrible market for me yesterday. I sold a whopping 3 bars.

I don't think she did much better either. For some reason people weren't buying, a lot of vendors were giving away stuff stuff they didn't ahve to carry it home. I got a whole walmart bag full of corn ears for $2 and he threw in a japanese cucumber too. I think it'll be a slow summer.

 

[Morgaine]

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I would definately look into getting more molds if you are going to be selling. I have three molds that I get 17 bars from each and trying to get DH to make 3 more. You don't want to have to tell a customer you don't have any soap and it will take 4 weeks to get more.

 

[Morgaine]

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How long does it take for this soap to be hard enough to cut? Your porportions are way off for any recipe I've seen. For 2 pounds of lard you should use 12 oz milk and 4 oz lye. I would try that and just leave out the oatmeal and honey.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Quote:
That sounds like a really exotic soap! How did you get a purple color from tea? In the rosemary mint soap I used tea leaves, they were dry and very small when compared to say lavender buds. I like them. But I haven't used tea yet in soao so I'm not sure if it change yet or not. Cheeptrick might.

I think it was the black currents in the tea that did it. I have another tea that has strawberries in it. I'm curious to see what color that turns out. I am waiting to unmold my sandalwood soap so I can use the mold and try making the tea soap.