Mad Oils Stopping Selling Small Sizes

[newbie]

They are smart to shift and offer the 4 ounce sizes. Still they leave a gap to be filled for people who want to buy only 1-2 ounces to test or don't want to have to wait for a few months to be able to order.

 

[Omneya]

I was so sad when I heard this! I soap as a hobby. I buy in 2 oz and 4 oz bottles. I do have 3 FO's from them that are 8 oz that i bought during a sale. But would never need 1 lb of any FO from any where. I really think this is going to back fire on them, sorry to say it but I do.

 

[dibbles]

Dibbles, you can send an ounce to:

Nurture Soap Inc.
Attn: Carrie Thornsbury
260 Manchester Ave
Wabash IN. 46992

We'll get on it ASAP!

I'll get it in the mail tomorrow or Monday Thanks for doing this for all of us!

 

[snappyllama]

One thing on Home for the Holidays: it has a really low usage rate. Thought I'd mention that.

One FO that MO used to carry but hasn't in a few years was Pumpkin Bread. It is the hands down the best pumpkin I've ever tried (out of around 10 or so from various companies). Not sure if your supplier would still have the formula for that one, but it's one of the few FOs I could see myself using a pound of in a timely manner.

That is awesome to know that you already have a couple of my favorites! I'll definitely be including those in my next order.

BTW, you rock!

 

[penelopejane]

I would never had said anything on their page about a competitor in other circumstances. I feel like I can more legitimately when they announce a decision to not sell except in bulk and so many people are saying they can't do that and will look elsewhere. I can take razzing!

Where did the 25 lb idea come from though? They were going to sell 16 oz and now 4oz. The whole idea of selling FO 3 times a year seems crazy especially as there will be a long lead time etc. Not customer friendly at all.

 

[bbrown]

I think I might go out in the front yard and yell from happiness! I cannot take it. This makes my day! Vanilla Milk is my ABSOLUTE favorite and now that I know you carry it, well, that just makes me want to somersault forever.

My little business can't take 25 lbs.
I've ordered Nuture micas before and I was VERY pleased. The red is perhaps the best out there. I will become a FO customer now since they will carry what MO is not going to carry in reasonable sizes.

yessss!!!!!

 

[jules92207]

Dibbles, you can send an ounce to:



Nurture Soap Inc.

Attn: Carrie Thornsbury

260 Manchester Ave

Wabash IN. 46992



We'll get on it ASAP!

I have a 1oz of cucumber lavender, it's yours if you'd like to try to duplicate it. It smells great oob, very fresh. I haven't soaped it yet though, anyone else try it?

 

[Soapmaker145]

It is so kind of you to agree to help poor soapers out. This is a huge list and I think we need to help you narrow it down a bit. I haven't tried Mad Oils but the pepper FO is on my list. I think it would be helpful if other members list what they use on a regular basis to help prioritize the duplications. I'm afraid the reason they don't want to carry their FOs year around is because they don't sell enough.

Please consider reducing the FO sample size to 5 to 7 ml perhaps using these types of tubes: http://www.usascientific.com/vials.aspx. They are very easy to work with and to store in racks. They don't take much space at all. I think 5 ml is about the perfect FO sample size that would give ample volume for testing without too much unwanted material left over at the end. Having a lot of leftover Fos is a major deterrent against experimenting.

If you are willing to add few more FOs, there are some from Soapalooza that would be worth duping, in particular Bonsai, Big Sur, Gentelman's Bay and Scuppernong Wine.

Thank you!

 

[Cosmo]

It is so kind of you to agree to help poor soapers out. This is a huge list and I think we need to help you narrow it down a bit. I haven't tried Mad Oils but the pepper FO is on my list. I think it would be helpful if other members list what they use on a regular basis to help prioritize the duplications. I'm afraid the reason they don't want to carry their FOs year around is because they don't sell enough.

Please consider reducing the FO sample size to 5 to 7 ml perhaps using these types of tubes: http://www.usascientific.com/vials.aspx. They are very easy to work with and to store in racks. They don't take much space at all. I think 5 ml is about the perfect FO sample size that would give ample volume for testing without too much unwanted material left over at the end. Having a lot of leftover Fos is a major deterrent against experimenting.

If you are willing to add few more FOs, there are some from Soapalooza that would be worth duping, in particular Bonsai, Big Sur, Gentelman's Bay and Scuppernong Wine.

Thank you!

Thank you! I would love help with prioritizing the duplications! I do think the 5 ml is too small of a sample. It would be very hard to test this small of an amount in soap. Do you agree? Our sample sizes are almost an ounce which are big enough to test in about 1 pound of soap.

 

[lenarenee]

I've always thought that Nurture and Mad Oils, two very wonderful companies, were too much alike in regards to quality offerings. Mad Oils is more expensive, but had some micas that Nurture didn't and I'm more of a mica ho than an fo ho. I've always had more "loyalty" for Carrie because she was the first company I ordered any colorants from - back when she was working out of a closet in her house and when I wrongly thought that micas were a product of child labor.

I've been incredibly impressed with her dedication - no soaper is too small, too inconsequentional to get her personal attention. So you know she stays on top of everything. Her business has grown at the speed of light and I want her to be successful (and have time to take a much needed vacation!)

I also have a great deal of respect for the creativity and energy Mad Oils brings to their business! So I'm actually glad to see they seem to be taking a different focus. They have a rock star marketer on their staff so I'm sure they see a soaping need that isn't being fulfilled - Possibly the medium sized cottage soaping businesses - the ones who need larger sizes, but not massive? I think it benefits Nurture and themselves. I don't know. But I sure do wish them success with their new venture.

 

[Stacyspy]

I got a sample of the Winter Wonderland with my mica order, and it is FABULOUS!!! I kept all the soap for myself

 

[lenarenee]

I'm only a hobbyist Carrie, but I prefer 1oz sample so I get 1lb samples of soap. I've tried using the tiny sample sizes in small amounts of leftover batter, but feel I get poor results. I can't get a feel for true soap performance/acceleration that way because the leftover batter has been sitting in a bowl - it cools faster than an intentionally made 1lb test batch, and it's several minutes older than a fresh one. Makes it harder to properly judge the working time you'd like in a "real" batch of soap.

I got a sample of the Winter Wonderland with my mica order, and it is FABULOUS!!! I kept all the soap for myself

Good to know! I order WW because of the reviews here and on Nurture's site, but never got to soap it! I don't know if I should save it for next Christmas or indulge now.

 

[Soapmaker145]

I think 5 ml is perfect. Even half an oz is overkill IMO. I've tested a lot of FOs this past year. I started out testing using ~5g of FOs in 4 to 5 oz batter in oikos greek yogurt cups (example attached). Now I use 1 oz batter with 1 ml of FO. This is plenty to let me know if I like an FO or not. If I do, then I'll buy a larger volume to test. I can tell you personally I don't want to make a lb of soap of an FO that I may not like or it may not survive in my mix. I also don't want to have 20+ ml to dispose of. I'm more willing to try FOs if I don't have to worry about the excess volume. I hope other members will chime in with their preferences.

Just an FYI, BB and CG have Mayan Gold. They are very similar and both do reasonably well in cp. FB has a good Orange Blossom and a Hyacinth which IIRC was also nice. I seem to remember some posts about Smoke&Mirrors being similar to other FOs. I think we need to help you identify the more unique Mad Oil FOs before asking you to invest in duplicating them.

 

[doriettefarm]

I also think a 5ml sample of FO is way too small for testing CP. I might use it in a lotion, sugar scrub or liquid soap but I actually LOVE that Carrie includes a full oz because it's perfect for testing in a 1 lb batch. Please don't stop including the 1oz sample FOs . . . for me it's led to many larger purchases of those FOs down the road.

 

[mx5inpenn]

I agree the current size is perfect! I love being able to test a pound. It means I can keep a bar long term to test how the scent holds up, but can still use a few, especially the ones I really like!

 

[dibbles]

I also think 1 oz for testing is good. I think Soapmaker145's testing process is different than a lot of us, in that a lot of FO samples are ordered and tested, several to a small batch of soap. I will tend to order 1 or 2 ounces of a few FOs that sound interesting when I am ordering other supplies. Then I make a 1 lb or a regular sized batch to try it out. If I like it, I'll order a larger amount and if not, I can find someone to give it to.

I haven't tried too many of the MO fragrances, but FWIW I'll share my thoughts. I'm not huge into florals, but I really like Elderflower. It's a green, fresh floral - not too perfumy - and it behaved very well for me. It reminds me of Linden. Snow Witch and Vanilla Milk are two of my very favorites, and happily it seems you already have that covered. Arabian Nights and Velvet Peppercorn are both very nice, but I use both of them as blenders rather than stand alone FOs. I blended the Peppercorn with Anise EO and got a weird pink discoloration in my TD parts. The other blend I used it in was a light brown - I think from a moderately discoloring FO and I used a pretty small amount of Peppercorn in that blend. So I don't know if I had a fluke with the pink discoloration or if it would happen again. Two I've tried and wouldn't reorder are Spanish Fly and Golden Embargo. I think the Spanish Fly was just too powdery/musky for me and I am, I think, one of the rare people who just don't like heavy amber. A little amber in a blend is nice, but that one was just way to much for me. I also tried Lavender Chamomile - again nice, but not so different from others. I've been curious to try Deviant, Hedonic Tonic and Cucumber Lavender, but what I don't know I won't miss.

ETA: Soapmaker, I do appreciate your testing process, and have taken your advice on more than one occasion.

 

[Catastrophe]

I have ordered a pound of Thai Sticky Rice. I'll have to order a bottle from Amazon or some place to send a sample in.

 

[newbie]

The ones I seem to hear the most about, of MO FO's, are Hedonic Tonic, Snow Witch, Spanish Fly, South Beach, Vanilla Milk. I hear good things about Elderflower but it doesn't get mentioned as frequently as the others. Smoke and Mirrors is another. Deviant is a dupe of Red Velvet and may be available elsewhere pretty easily. Thai Sticky Rice gets mixed reviews. I've heard some people searching high and low for Loo Loo SHampoo but I don't even know what it smells like.

The Lemon Unhinged Discolors and people seem to complain about that- not sure if they are new and don't understand what vanilla content will do. I like their Velvet Peppercorn as a mixer. Some of the others don't seem to be talked about as much or are probably easily found elsewhere, like Downy Scent, Tea scents, Pear, Cotton Candy, Chocolate, Pink Sugar, Sugar Cookies, Lav and Chamomile. I can't say I would bother with those much.

 

[Soapmaker145]

I also think 1 oz for testing is good. I think Soapmaker145's testing process is different than a lot of us, in that a lot of FO samples are ordered and tested, several to a small batch of soap. I will tend to order 1 or 2 ounces of a few FOs that sound interesting when I am ordering other supplies. Then I make a 1 lb or a regular sized batch to try it out. If I like it, I'll order a larger amount and if not, I can find someone to give it to.

I haven't tried too many of the MO fragrances, but FWIW I'll share my thoughts. I'm not huge into florals, but I really like Elderflower. It's a green, fresh floral - not too perfumy - and it behaved very well for me. It reminds me of Linden. Snow Witch and Vanilla Milk are two of my very favorites, and happily it seems you already have that covered. Arabian Nights and Velvet Peppercorn are both very nice, but I use both of them as blenders rather than stand alone FOs. I blended the Peppercorn with Anise EO and got a weird pink discoloration in my TD parts. The other blend I used it in was a light brown - I think from a moderately discoloring FO and I used a pretty small amount of Peppercorn in that blend. So I don't know if I had a fluke with the pink discoloration or if it would happen again. Two I've tried and wouldn't reorder are Spanish Fly and Golden Embargo. I think the Spanish Fly was just too powdery/musky for me and I am, I think, one of the rare people who just don't like heavy amber. A little amber in a blend is nice, but that one was just way to much for me. I also tried Lavender Chamomile - again nice, but not so different from others. I've been curious to try Deviant, Hedonic Tonic and Cucumber Lavender, but what I don't know I won't miss.

ETA: Soapmaker, I do appreciate your testing process, and have taken your advice on more than one occasion.

I'm glad everybody is sharing their opinion about the sample size and the FOs. To me, 1 oz is a regular size and not a sample and a sniffy is too small. I know that having larger sample sizes will keep me from buying too many FOs in the future which isn't so bad. It looks like we have a list of the best of the MO FOs to dupe.

Dibbles, thank you for mentioning the Elderflower. I've been looking for Linden for a while and so far nothing I tried has come even close. It was my favorite L'Occitane soap and would love to have something similar. I'm happy you found my FO reviews useful. I think of them as a starting point to give people a better idea if the FO profile falls within their interest. I often order blind.

I test scents 20 to 50 at a time. About 10% make it through the testing no matter how many people smell the soaps. They may not be the same 10 but it is hard to get people to like or agree on the majority of scents. I've been amazed at how complex our sense of smell is. There are people who don't recognize mint, citrus, spice (like cinnamon), vanilla and many florals.

 

[dibbles]

Dibbles, thank you for mentioning the Elderflower. I've been looking for Linden for a while and so far nothing I tried has come even close. It was my favorite L'Occitane soap and would love to have something similar.

I'm not sure if I have any Elderflower left, but I do have a little of Sweet Cakes Linden. I can send you sniffies - PM me with your address if you would like them. If I don't have any Elderflower, I do have a soap I made which is Elderflower/Patchouli EO, and right now I'm not getting much patchouli from it so it might give you an idea if it's close to what you are looking for.