Hello from a lurker.

[Sarila]

Hello, everyone!

My husband and I own a bookstore, and I was interested in maybe starting to make some scented candles. Then my husband found a book on soapmaking, and suggested I try that. I have only done melt and pour so far, but have really enjoyed it. It is so much fun to play with different scents and layers! But we've spent a lot of money on bases and oils and such, and I feel it is time to start the selling process.

I have made many bars of pretty soap, and soap that smells good, and some that were complete disasters. I bought my first batch of scents off of Amazon, and they don't last very long. I bought a bottle of Peppermint oil from a local botanica, and though it smelled very strong at first, it didn't last very long, either, and since they don't label their oils with any real detail, I don't feel comfortable using them in something I plan on selling.

So far, my best soaps have been uncolored bars made with lavender 40/42 and lavender buds, and I have gone through so many of those bars myself that I feel pretty comfortable selling them as soon as I get my labeling worked out.

Moving forward, I'd like to develop some book-inspired scents, but I love the lavender one so much, I think it will always be my signature!

Thanks for being here. I have learned a lot lurking in the shadows.

 

[toxikon]

Welcome welcome!

I've been thinking it'd be fun to find (or make a blend) of a library/book type scent. I had a quick poke around Google and this one seems quite promising: https://www.chemistrystore.com/Fragrance_Oils_H_-_W-Leather_Bound_Book_Fragrance_Oil.html

One of my favourite oil perfumes is called "Library" by Solstice Scents and they capture the scent of an old library amazingly well (perhaps a bit too well, it's "musty" indeed!).

http://www.solsticescents.com/LIBRA...ting-Cedar-Shelving-and-Aged-Paper_p_435.html

 

[Sarila]

Oooh, those look really interesting! I will have to give them a try. Thank you!

 

[Cellador]

Hello & welcome! I'm slightly jealous you have a bookstore.

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome, Sarila! :wave:


IrishLass

 

[Kamahido]

Greetings and welcome to the addiction. I would stay away from Amazon for fragrances unless you really know what you are doing. Too much adulterated garbage there for my taste.

 

[Sarila]

Thank you all! I have enjoyed lurking here, and look forward to posting a bit.

Cellador, owning a bookstore has been a dream for a very long time for us. We've only been running for a couple of years, but we really love it, and love serving the community, as we are in a book desert. It is a lot of work, but I have never had so much fun!

Kamahido, that is very good advice, and I probably won't be buying any fragrance or dyes off of there again. It was good to get started with, though. It let me get my feet wet without spending a ton of money on it. And I will probably use them some for stuff hubby and I will use at home, though I can't see using any of them in anything I would sell. Since I have discovered these forums, I will likely be sticking with recommendations from the members here before I buy. Right now, I have some fragrance oil and mica powder on the way from Brambleberry, and am looking for a good source to replace my now-gone lavender oil without spending a ton. I liked what I got, but it was a .5 oz bottle from Hobby Lobby, and I have a feeling I will need more. But right now I have about 10 bars ready to go, and until those start to sell, I won't be making more lavender soap.

 

[earlene]

Welcome, Sarila. Some time back I recall reading posts by a member who was also an author and wanted to make soaps to represent the characters in her books. I don't know what became of her or her idea.

There is also a very small series of books written with a character whose family owns and runs a soapmaking business. It was a fun read, but a very limited series. Maybe only 3 or 4 books in the series. The author's name is Tim Meyers.

Toxikon, those scents sound wonderful! The smell of old books and old wooden libraries are a fond memory for me. I spent a lot of time in the library as a youth and we, of course had wall-to-wall bookcases at home as well. But I don't see where either of those could be used in soap, right? Too bad.

 

[toxikon]

But I don't see where either of those could be used in soap, right? Too bad.

The first looks like a fragrance oil and has a review from a CP soaper!

 

[SunRiseArts]

:bunny:

 

[elurah]

:bunny:

Welcome! I absolutely love the idea of book-inspired soaps! I would buy them all. I have seen Harry Potter and Outlander themed scents but what about other classics like "Love in a Time of Cholera" or "Anna Karenina" or "Como agua para chocolate". ughh dreaming already!

Nice to meet you and I would love to hear updates on your budding soapmaking enterprise.

Allie