Soap Makers Help!

[Morgaine]

Aussieheeler,

once you get your DBA from the county clerk, the other license I had to get was a sales tax permit. In Tx it was super easy, I could even get it online. Ask the people at the courthouse and they should be able to help you. So much stuff varies by state you know.

Once you have that I would start looking into farmer's markets and shows in the fall. Get some good pictures of your soaps and maybe make mock booth and take pictures of that too to send in with your applications.

Selling online is not what I am really good at, but you can set up a free shop at www.etsy.com or www.artfire.com I haven't had much luck with them though. But I suck at webdesign and stuff.

If you are going to do wholesale, make up you terms and conditions and stick with them! I have minimum bar amounts they have to order get the wholesale price. And the more they order the better price they get.

If you plan to accept credit cards, I would look into Propay. I have been really happy with them and it really helps my sales at shows.

That's all I can think of at 6 in the morning, lol.

Roosterdog, that is an older post and I haven't seen NP here in a while. But if she sees this Hi! I believe that she posted the cucumber recipe in a later post in this thread. Just keep reading through.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

My daughter took some soap samples to the hospital where she works. Let all of her nurse friends sniff them and ended up with 5 orders. FYI...moisturizer bar is popular with nurses. I also have another order for 2 more gift baskets

No advertising, just word of mouth. I made chocolate mint swirl soap yesterday. I can't wait to cut it today. I need to make more coffee scrub bars. That's a popular one as well.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Here's the chocolate mint swirl I made yesterday. It looks and smells awesome. I'm very pleased with it.

I was running low on coffee scrub bars (very popular) so I made a small batch today. Ginger coffee scrub bar. This time I added goats milk to the coffee.

Now I had better switch gears and make some cheese. Running out of space in the fridge and jars to put milk in.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

Those look GREAT, RockyToggRanch! Congratulations on the orders. That's so exciting!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Thanks! It's nice to have a hobby that can eventually pay for itself.

 

[flgardengirl]

Everyone's soaps look so beautiful. Is the chocolate mint soap made using chocolate mint (the herb)?
I'm really learning alot from reading this thread. I haven't made any soap yet but am planning to. Maybe this fall, after I absorb more information lol.
For those of you who are making the goats milk soaps: what kind of goats do you have?...which kind make the best milk for soap? We are considering getting a milk goat for cheese, and milk for soap would be a plus...Thanks

 

[aussieheelr]

I get my milk from a co-worker. She has an alpine cross that she gets about 1 gallon from a day. Her family only drinks goats milk and I buy the extra. I pay her $6 per 1/2 gallon, which is pretty steep but I help her out and only need about that much every other week or so for both drinking and soap.

 

[RockyToggRanch]

I used cocoa powder and regular mint, but what a great idea to use chocolate mint!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Does anyone remember someone talking about an herb or wild plant they use in soap for poison ivy? It has little orange flowers on it.
I can't the post. It was awhile ago, perhaps on another thread.

ETA..Jewelweed is what I was trying to remember. Any good recipes out there?

 

[savingdogs]

The water from cooking nettles is supposed to be a skin and hair tonic, anyone use this for making soap?