Help - based in the U.K. Making CP Soaps

[GrecianPrincess]

Hey Everyone,

So I really need help!
I am trying to start making my own homemade soaps, I live in the U.K. and really need some advice on the best suppliers for Oil, Butters and Luxury Oil And Butters. Fragrances and Essential Oils.
There seem to be so many, but the prices vary, I am not a massive business but do want to place a bulk order - in the hope that will bring down the price.
I also considered ordering from the USA and just dealing with the customs charge, as the price for Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils are so expensive in the U.K. I found one company that had almost all of the American fragrances, but adds on VAT, I guess as they are ordering from the USA and want to save on import fees.

Can anyone help me, with raw material suppliers for making cold processed CP Soap and suppliers that are good for Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils, as I keep seeing that some companies sell either fake oils or watered down ones.

Please Help Me - Thank you so so much!!

GrecianPrincess

 

[MorpheusPA]

Hey, GrecianPrincess! Welcome to your new addiction.

Since you are new, for the first batch or two I'd be inclined to skip the bulk ordering and begin at your local grocery store.

You can get the cheapest olive oil (for me, still more economical than ordering from a supplier) as the cheap stuff tends to soap better.

While not economical, for the first few recipes, coconut oil should be available as well.

And as the bulk oil, you can probably get lard or tallow from a butcher, or an animal-based shortening at the grocery store (Valu Time and Great Value are two brands that are available here).

If you'd rather use palm, many vegetable-based shortenings are palm with some partially hydrogenated soybean.

Some grocery stores and most health food stores have essential oils (or fragrance oils). Check to make sure they're body-safe, and the proper amount to use, but they can be used the first time to play with scent.

Natural colorants, like turmeric, are great for a first-time use. They're a bit grainy, but good enough for a test.

Once you're sure you like the hobby and the process, you can move on from there to bulk suppliers and, like the rest of us, devote an entire closet and drawer and a couple shelves to your new hobby...

 

[GrecianPrincess]

Hey MorpheusPA,

Thank you, I have actually already made 5 batches - which is why I am looking to do a bulk order on materials - to save money, as when I made my first 5 batches I bought from the easiest places, if I did that for my actual recipe Ideas - it would cost me a fortune.

It’s just I don’t know who is truly reliable, there are so many reviews about certain suppliers (I won’t name to be nice) but saying that they are misleading customers, watering down colourants, watering down Fragrances and Essential Oil.

So really looking to find out if there is one company who are amazing - where I can buy everything I need - at the best price. Or where maybe I need to use 4-5 different suppliers to get the best quality materials at a better price

With Tallow and Lard, it really isn’t something I like the idea of, I’m not a vegetarian or vegan but I really want to make soaps that everyone will like and will actually want to use.

So if you know one or a group of suppliers for high quality base ingredients, additives, colourants, fragrances, essential oil - at the best price - that would be amazing!

GrecianPrincess

 

[MorpheusPA]

So if you know one or a group of suppliers for high quality base ingredients, additives, colourants, fragrances, essential oil - at the best price - that would be amazing!

Alas, no, but trust me--somebody will be along directly with an answer!

Even with suppliers in-hand, pay attention to the prices at the store. I can always do better on olive oil and tallow, and frequently do better on palm. It saves on shipping.

 

[GrecianPrincess]

Thank you, I hadn’t really thought about a bulk supermarket order.
I will definitely keep an eye out...

Hope someone helps me soon but thank you for your help

GrecianPrincess

 

[gloopygloop]

Hi Grecianprincess, The main suppliers in the UK are very dependable and reliable, here are a few major players, I use them and never have a problem they are all established and reputable. Some people may have had the odd problem, I dont think there is any company who can please all of the people all of the time. Cosy you will need to weigh up yourself. Really good advice about supermarkets and Asian grocery shops, some large supermarkets do have big quantities of oils if you are in a big city or near one, Morrisons and Sainsbury do have large quantities sometimes as they aim towards some restaurants sometimes in big city's.
Summernaturals
New Directions
Aromantic
Gracefruit
Soap Kitchen
Just a soap
Scentymental

Hope that helps a little, wade through and find a good price, sometimes price is good but postage is expensive and visa versa, you will need to sort all of that as you wade through, but all the above are quality and reliable.

 

[shunt2011]

Hey Everyone,

So I really need help!
I am trying to start making my own homemade soaps, I live in the U.K. and really need some advice on the best suppliers for Oil, Butters and Luxury Oil And Butters. Fragrances and Essential Oils.
There seem to be so many, but the prices vary, I am not a massive business but do want to place a bulk order - in the hope that will bring down the price.
I also considered ordering from the USA and just dealing with the customs charge, as the price for Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils are so expensive in the U.K. I found one company that had almost all of the American fragrances, but adds on VAT, I guess as they are ordering from the USA and want to save on import fees.

Can anyone help me, with raw material suppliers for making cold processed CP Soap and suppliers that are good for Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils, as I keep seeing that some companies sell either fake oils or watered down ones.

Please Help Me - Thank you so so much!!

GrecianPrincess

You have posted the same question in two different sections. I have deleted the other post. Please only post once going forward.

Thanks!

 

[GrecianPrincess]

Thank you GloopyGloop, have you ever ordered from the USA?

 

[gloopygloop]

Thank you GloopyGloop, have you ever ordered from the USA?

Yes but long ago which was well before we had the large choice we have here in the UK. also note that if you are working under a Safety Assessment you may have some limitations because of paperwork required, also note discontinuation of some lines which after paying for shipping and perhaps import duty is a real hit when you then find it is not available anymore. I would advise to stick with UK supplies for all the above reasons despite the wonderful array of goodies available from the US. US FOs used to be far superior but I think now we have very similar products in the UK.

 

[JuliaNegusuk]

Hi, I use one of the suppliers mentioned in the list above (not sure if we are allowed to promote on here so I won't say which one). At first I got all my supplies from them. Then I learned to shop around. Now I get my essential oils and sodium hydroxide from a specialist soap supplier, much cheaper than any where else that I've found, but base oils I get from all over the place, coconut and olive oil usually from supermarkets or sometimes Amazon, shea and cocoa butter from various suppliers on Ebay. I don't think one supplier is going to do everything you need at the right price so some shopping around is inevitable I'm afraid. Always use reputable suppliers though. Its not worth risking a whole naff batch of soap because of one cheap oil.

 

[penelopejane]

Yes you can mention suppliers it will help others on the forum.

Hi, I use one of the suppliers mentioned in the list above (not sure if we are allowed to promote on here so I won't say which one). At first I got all my supplies from them. Then I learned to shop around. Now I get my essential oils and sodium hydroxide from a specialist soap supplier, much cheaper than any where else that I've found, but base oils I get from all over the place, coconut and olive oil usually from supermarkets or sometimes Amazon, shea and cocoa butter from various suppliers on Ebay. I don't think one supplier is going to do everything you need at the right price so some shopping around is inevitable I'm afraid. Always use reputable suppliers though. Its not worth risking a whole naff batch of soap because of one cheap oil.

 

[SherylG]

I have been using FOs from Mystic Moments - Amazon, which I believe is in china or HongKong. I like her FOs. They come in well sealed commercial bottles and well packaged. It doesn't seem to cause any reaction in the soap or my skin and the scents are very real and seem to last, so far at least. And it's the cheapest I've seen since the closing of a soap and candle factory nearby when we lived in Ontario. (I used to get FO seconds from them).

I don't use EO's since I know the scent doesn't last and I know too many people who are either sensitive or outright allergic to many of the actual herbal plant oils. I know there are people here who won't use anything but the real EO in their soap but I have found allergies and reactions to the real plant material to be a problem for many people.

They are also more expensive, usually. The only drawback is wait time for the product to reach me. Sometimes I takes 6-8 weeks to get things from that area of the world. I buy a lot of supplies from there for my other crafts as well. I'm considering buying THIS - Ebay liquid soap colour next spring, just as a test.

I'm not one who thinks everything made in China or HongKong is to be avoided. I've gotten great things from over there in the past 10 years or so. It's like here...some good, some bad. Just test it out for yourself.

As previously mentioned, just be prepared to wait for delivery.

 

[gloopygloop]

I have been using FOs from Mystic Moments - Amazon, which I believe is in china or HongKong. I like her FOs. They come in well sealed commercial bottles and well packaged. It doesn't seem to cause any reaction in the soap, my skin and the scents are very real and seem to last, so far at least. And it's the cheapest I've seen since the closing of a soap and candle factory nearby when we lived in Ontario. (I used to get FO seconds from them).

I don't use EO's since I know the scent doesn't last and I know too many people who are either sensitive or outright allergic to many of the actual herbal plant oils. I know there are people here who won't use anything but the real EO in their soap but I have found allergies and reactions to the real plant material to be a problem for many people.


They are also more expensive, usually. The only drawback is wait time for the product to reach me. Sometimes I takes 6-8 weeks to get things from that area of the world. I buy a lot of supplies from there for my other crafts as well. I'm considering buying THIS - Ebay liquid soap colour next spring, just as a test.

I'm not one who thinks everything made in China or HongKong is to be avoided. I've gotten great things from over there in the past 10 years or so. It's like here...some good, some bad. Just test it out for yourself.

As previously mentioned, just be prepared to wait for delivery.

Problem here in the UK is that we have the very stringent rules and regs which does dictate somewhat what we can use, how much we can use and as i mentioned regarding the paper work required for our information packs required by law here in Europe where we buy our supples, there are so many options to buy from but not everyone offers the paper work required which makes those tempting droopingly wonderful great prices FOs a no no sadly.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Those only matter if you are selling. You don't need all the paperwork to just make soap, which means your supplier list is much larger

 

[gloopygloop]

Those only matter if you are selling. You don't need all the paperwork to just make soap, which means your supplier list is much larger

True but as the poster mentioned that they wanted to buy in bulk I took it that it was probably not just making some soap for home use, and still good to get used to following some kind go good manufacture process even for home use I think but you certainly dont need paper work for that.

 

[GrecianPrincess]

Wow... I had not anticipated so many comments, thank you so much everyone. I tried a fragrance oil from Mystic Moments and it seized the batch - so it has left a big red mark in my mind with suppliers to use. I guess I am going to have to go individually product by product to find the best price - thank you for your help in naming suppliers you trust. I feel a little more confident hearing it from people who have actually used them themselves. I completely agree with GloopyGloop - I have seen suppliers that are cheaper but just don’t supplier any documentation and I want to know in writing that what I am making is safe and if I choose to sell, I don’t need to completely do over my purchase plan.
If anyone thinks of anyone else please let me know, tomorrow is shop around day!!
Thanks again everyone - you have been so helpful

GrecianPrincess

 

[JuliaNegusuk]

As I can mention names. my preferred supplier has always been Soap Kitchen for essential oils, reasonably priced and good quality and a good range, but recently I have turned to supermarkets for base oils. For coconut oil, KTC jars from Sainsbury's are economical, and they sometimes do special offers, but you need a site in a reasonably ethnically diverse area otherwise they may not stock it. I guess you could order online but you'd probably need to order some other things too to make the delivery costs worthwhile. I think Tesco does it too but similar problem. KTC also does red palm oil cheaply for a yellow soap, ranging from a pale butter yellow at about 5% to spectacular deep yellow at 20%. For cocoa butter I bought recently from "The Soapery" on Ebay which was the best price I could find at the time and MUCH cheaper than the usual big soap suppliers. Product seems fine too. I am finding some of the base oils are becoming very expensive. Regarding MSDS sheets, I found out the other day that supermarkets can supply these on request if you contact their customer service helpline, they call them COSSH sheets but I think they serve the same purpose. But not to worry if you are not selling.

However, how much soap are you making? Remember it all has a shelf life and if you are only making small amounts it may not pay to buy oils in bulk if it goes off before you use it.