Mad Oils vs Bramble Berry Colorant Quality?

[not_ally]

I like TKB colors, as well, and I think it is great that you are generous about talking about other sellers. I am one of those people that kind of wings it on adding micas based on what I see in the batter, so don't necessarily pay attention to concentration levels (ie; I assume that if something is shown on a site it is at a good, dark/deep concentration level and that if I want it to be lighter I can add less), but it seems like a good idea. Like all of us soapy nuts, I love poring over the pictures of products in use, so more are better than fewer! I do usually usually only buy micas if I can see at least one picture of them in use in CP so I have some sense of saturation/richness/color/morphing.

TKB has one blue that morphs to a color I really like, they had notes that it did (so no surprises), I was happy when I emailed them and they told me that it morphed to that color consistently

 

[snappyllama]

This thread is great! This is Carrie from Nurture and I would love to get some feedback if that is alright. A couple of questions... When you say more adult colors, what do you mean? I don't think MO sells anything we don't, or at least very few colors. We get them from the same place. Our site has been a constant work in progress and I was wondering if there is anything any of you would like to see changes up or done differently to help with your shopping experience. I know there's a lot of places to choose from now and would sincerely appreciate any feedback you can give!

Hi Carrie,

You always have such a fantastic outlook on customer service. I think we all appreciate that - you have a lot of devoted fans here! Your site set-up is great. It's easy to find what I'm looking for, and I really appreciate how you've shown your micas in CP. It takes the guess work out of buying and using them.

About the only wishlist thing I would have is add to cart button on the wish list. I'm a shopper that tends to make wishlists over an extended period of time who then pulls the trigger when it gets big enough. That's not a big deal though.

The colors I'm thinking of from MO are ones like flashdance, spicy tomato, tangerine dream, mermaid, or 3 olive martini. They are a little umm retro in hue. Maybe that's what I mean by adult. Midcentury modern?? 50s/60s/70s/80s?? I don't think I'm making any sense lol...

You've got so many fantastic colors that I'm not sure if you've started carrying those. I'm a huge fan of your teal, vibrance purple, klein blue, neons, snowflake sparkle, and the list goes on!

 

[newbie]

I have MO 3 Olive Martini and to my eyes it is pretty indistinguishable from N Khaki Yellow, MO Flashdance is pretty equal to N Red Violet, and MO tangerine Dream is very close to N Desert Sunset. I don't know about the others. Most of what I have from MO I put right up against colors from N and they are pretty much the same but MO could take some micas and blend them to make some of their own colors. Don't know.

I don't pay attention to concentrations either but I can see where having a gradient shown, with set concentrations, would help some soapers. I also like the idea of having a button for the wishlist to transfer those items directly to the shopping cart because it is a royal pain to go back and forth to make sure you got everything from the wishlist into the cart.

We are lucky soapers to have TKB, Nurture, Mad Oils, The Conservatorie and other companies to get colorants from.

One thing I very very very much want are deep rich colors, like a good deep intense burgundy, a deep rich violet, a deep rich blueberry purple. When I try to make them, they look dulled, I think from the black I use to deepen the colors.

 

[Cosmo]

Not_ally, there's some things about other suppliers I really admire, and of course there are things I'm not so fond of. I do look at others' sites though! I like to know what's going on.

Snappyllama, I have a wishlist for my wishlist! Ha! I would like it to be easier to access and will code an add to cart button in someday. It's kind of weird that it's not there by default. I have bought two other add to cart modules for my site for a pretty good fee and didn't like either of them, so until I can code it the way I want it t's going to be a little clunky.

Also, our Red Violet is the same as Flashdance, 3 Olive Martini is Khaki Yellow, and Tangerine Dream is Desert Sunset. I think the pictures may look different but they are the same colors.

Edited to add Newbie beat me to the color comparison. You're right on Newbie!!!

 

[nsmar4211]

I haven't gotten very far into micas, but I do have a comment for Carrie in regards to the website:

Right now the mica's are in A-Z order... I would like to see a sorting option that shows the colors together. Or maybe even just a nice jpg on a page showing them together. By together, I mean all of the blues, all of the greens, etc...maybe laid out in rainbow order. By the time I've scrolled/clicked to the next page I've forgotten what the other color looked like and its harder to make my wishlist .

Anddddd now my wishlist just got longer.... enablers!!

 

[Cosmo]

Hi nsma4211! Do you mean something like this? https://nurturesoap.com/content/6-cp-color-guide

I know there's a few colors yet to add but I grouped the colors together so it makes it easier to see them side-by-side. Do you think it would also be helpful if I linked each picture to the product page for that color? I can do that!

 

[not_ally]

I *definitely* agree about the transferring the wish list to the cart in one fell swoop (that is what you guys are talking about, right?). I almost always keep wish-lists going with several different companies and wait until they get big enough that I can save on shipping. It is kind of a pain to have to individually transfer items when you have 15-20 of them.

I also agree w/nsmar's liking for having colors grouped together (I can't remember if that is an option on your site.) At this point, if I am buying micas I want to look for a particular color, so having to page through all of them sometimes takes time that I do not have.

 

[nsmar4211]

Aha, I couldn't find that! Either I'm blind or I'm blind or oh there it is....maybe link to that at the bottom of the mica pages?

I was thinking, put them in order darkest to lightest . And linking them to their page is a great idea (and gives the website more link juice). On my screen they are huge pictures (great for tablets I bet) so I have to scroll up and down.

BTW, I love that the sample soaps are obviously real because you can see the flaws . Maybe put the size of the sample and how much mica was used? I know , want the world right .


LOL Maybe we should start a "critique this website" thread for you...

 

[dibbles]

Thank you not_ally! I know I'm personally so passionate about the business I'm in, and sometimes my viewpoint will differ from that of a customer or other personalities because I personally LOVE straightforward when it comes to online shopping. I do miss some of the creative flair, though, and I think MO has lots of it! I also love TKB as they are so experienced (Kaila Westerman really knows color) and they show each color in soap at different concentrations just like was mentioned earlier in the thread. Are these kinds of pictures something that you'd like to see? Thank you for the feedback! :smile:

Hi Carrie! First, I have to say that what I have ordered from Nurture I have loved. I really like how you show what your micas look like in soap. I would also love to see performance at different concentration levels. I am still fairly new to color use, and have stuck to ordering sample sizes, but will be ordering larger sizes once I figure out my favorites.

 

[Cosmo]

Yes, not_ally, that is exactly what I mean about the wishlist! Nsmar4211, I love being critiqued, and I think your suggestions are great! Next week I will start implementing some of the ideas given here. I look forward to it!

 

[Cosmo]

I just did some poking around on the wishlist. If you highlight the permalink and open it in a new tab you can add each item to your cart from there. Not ideal but a workaround for now for those who have a lot of items on their list.

 

[makemineirish]

This thread is great! This is Carrie from Nurture and I would love to get some feedback if that is alright. A couple of questions... When you say more adult colors, what do you mean? I don't think MO sells anything we don't, or at least very few colors. We get them from the same place. Our site has been a constant work in progress and I was wondering if there is anything any of you would like to see changes up or done differently to help with your shopping experience. I know there's a lot of places to choose from now and would sincerely appreciate any feedback you can give!

I am the OP and have yet to order from you or MO, while I am intrigued by both. You get high marks for customer service. This is the first time that a company has contacted me before I call

I love that you include photos of the mica in soap, but would appreciate seeing them in different concentrations. I am one of those annoying people that always has a specific shade of any color in mind (coral pink, champagne gold, slate blue, etc). Seeing the different concentrations helps me with two things:
1) It helps determine whether I need two different shades of a color or if a larger quantity of a single pigment can pull double duty.
2) If the amounts used / concentrations are given, I can be a little more accurate about the amount required for my purposes.

While seeing the mica in soap is key, I also appreciate the photo of it straight. I did discover that I could check out many of the micas on your site this way by finding the sample set photos. I like to see what colors are in it that sometime disappear in cold process for other purposes (decorative features of my soap).

I am fine with importing a wish list line by line, but really appreciate it when websites just save my shopping cart in my account. I tend to put things that I am not even sure that I want on my wish list, using it more of a "to be looked at later" list. I add everything I am thinking of purchasing to my shopping cart and then edit down to a more reasonable purchase ($300/ea to four different vendors seems a bit much for Christmas gifts

). It is sometimes nice not to have to do that all in one sitting.

I concur with a previous statement that it is nice to view shades of the same color side by side to pick my favorite version of each. However, I already figured out that I could do this on your site by simply selecting the color group from the drop-down options after selecting "Colorants" from the left-hand menu :clap:

When I think of the "adult" designation used earlier in this thread, I am probably envisioning the colors Tempest, Olive You, Hot Man on a Tin Roof, Magic Beans, Pink Frosted Copper, and Satin Grey Pillowcase. They are all the kinds of colors that I would actually consider using in an eyeshadow palette (not my current plan, but part of my subconscious gravitational pull to them). This is obviously an entirely subjective perspective as demonstrated by the very different colors picked by another poster.

I appreciate that you also offer jars and clearly have great customer service. As I stated in an earlier post, you are more cost-efficient. It's possible that I just did not recognize that some of the micas are the same between vendors. Feel free to let me know what the same products are called on your site. The ones that I was looking at on MO's site are:

Blue Velvet
Preppy Blue
Mermaid
Peacock
Tahitian Teal
*Olive You
3 Olive Martini (Khaki Yellow)
The Maniacal Pea
Tangerine Dream (Desert Sunset)
Grape Nehi
*Tempest
Pink Frosted Copper
Hot Man on a Tin Roof
Summer Bronze
Goldfinger
Bright Yellow Raincoat
Lemon Cupcake
Macy Gray
Satin Grey Pillowcase
Magic Beans
Snow White
Here Comes the Bride

Not a mica, but
Sparkle Plenty Glitterhttp://www.soapmakingforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[newbie]

I don't have all those to know which is equivalent, but I'm pretty certain Magic Beans is the same as TKB's Chameleon. It is incredible as a mica- sooooo very beautiful- but it does not translate that well in soap. It's a brickish brownish red in soap but for a surface color or for makeup....it is stunning.

 

[doriettefarm]

Hey Carrie! I'm another huge fan of your micas/colorants and just wanted to give a big thumbs-up for your products as well as customer service. I love that you show pics of the colorants in both CP & MP. The only way you could improve that would be showing how the colors vary by increasing or decreasing the usage rate (which has already been suggested).

The wishlist to shopping cart feature would also be nice especially prior to a sale. I'll usually load up my wishlist and use that as my checklist for what to purchase so it would be extra-enabling if I could auto-magically transfer the selected items.

Also wanted to let you know I've been so pleased with both of the tall, skinny molds I've purchased from you. I've got the 2.5 & 4.5lb version and love them both. I use the 2.5lb mold for almost all of my test batches. My only frustration with the 4.5lb mold is that I don't have a wire cutter with a long enough lever-arm to cut without smooshing the loaf! Guess I'll have to splurge on a better cutter soon . . .

I do have one question for you. What happened to the mint green mica? I ordered 1oz when it first became available but now I don't see it on the site. Did you find something better or rename it?

 

[not_ally]

When I think of the "adult" designation used earlier in this thread, I am probably envisioning the colors Tempest, Olive You, Hot Man on a Tin Roof, Magic Beans, Pink Frosted Copper, and Satin Grey Pillowcase. They are all the kinds of colors that I would actually consider using in an eyeshadow palette (not my current plan, but part of my subconscious gravitational pull to them). This is obviously an entirely subjective perspective as demonstrated by the very different colors picked by another poster.
........

Not a mica, but
Sparkle Plenty Glitter

--------
Irish, the smoky colors almost never translate well into CP. Not in the delicate/sparkly/nuanced eye shadow way. Not w/MO, Nurture, or anywhere else, at least for me, it is just the way it goes. As Newbie says, they can be great in a mica oil swirl on top of the bar, though.

Also, I love the Sparkle Plenty Glitter *in* the batter, when I use it I use a plentiful amount in dark colors. In solid/one color soaps, in particular, it makes the soap look like black granite, green granite, etc. It really is a pretty effect.

 

[rparrny]

This thread is great! This is Carrie from Nurture and I would love to get some feedback if that is alright. A couple of questions... When you say more adult colors, what do you mean? I don't think MO sells anything we don't, or at least very few colors. We get them from the same place. Our site has been a constant work in progress and I was wondering if there is anything any of you would like to see changes up or done differently to help with your shopping experience. I know there's a lot of places to choose from now and would sincerely appreciate any feedback you can give!

Carrie, I saw your site recently because of this thread. I have soaped for years but very basic stuff and only recently have gotten into swirls and colors...right now I have green, blue, black and TD white. I have visited most of the sites that have micas and for me, yours stands out. Why?
You have a separate category for soap stable colors.
You show CP soaps made with the micas...HUGE deal for me.
You offer an amazing array of sample packs with sizes that should handle a 2 pound loaf.
Your multicolor sample pack allow you to choose what ever color you want and even multiple packs instead of just one of each...the only reason I haven't ordered yet is I can't figure out which ones to try...torture!
You offer colors in plastic bags for cheaper shipping, yet you can get them in jars if you desire...choice, choice, choice...love it!
I see that you have had free shipping specials...another big deal for me.
What do I think you could do better?
I'd like to see more free shipping deals
I'd like to see free shipping for orders over $50
Your webpage and graphics are better than most, but just don't grab me and I feel they are a bit child like. Mad Oils has much more adult theme...wood planking in the background...hot guys half naked on the banner...even the font they use appeals to me more. BB also has more adult theme...I don't think MO has more adult colors...they look the same to me, maybe it's the adult theme that gives one the illusion that the colors are more adult...JMHO.
I love the idea of your piping set, but it is about 20 bucks more than I want to spend...and I have a big budget. I'd rather see a smaller more basic set so I can play around with a smaller price. I have the money to spend if I want to buy it, but I feel its too pricey for me to try something new. That amount of money could go to a new slab mold...but for a piping set? Also the one question I saw said she couldn't access the video she paid for...left me cold...
I would love to see some company any company offer scent samples for free or close to it. Not samples to try in my soap, samples to sniff...like the little square cloths you get to sample perfume. I would try many more scents if I could sniff em first. How about 10 sniffers for a buck?
My favorite sites have an area with recipes and my fave....soap ****...videos on cool techniques. I don't see that on your site.
All that being said, I would rather buy my micas from your site because of the choice and value you offer.

 

[not_ally]

I would love to see some company any company offer scent samples for free or close to it. Not samples to try in my soap, samples to sniff...like the little square cloths you get to sample perfume. I would try many more scents if I could sniff em first. How about 10 sniffers for a buck?

I'm not speaking for Carrie, here, but my sense is that offering these kind of samples - or any kind of very cheap samples on (eg) a cotton puff/cloth pad - is a giant loss leader. Just the labor/postage costs for getting them done and sent out would be a big chunk in a promotional budget.

I know BB does it - you can send them separate SASE's for individual scents for free - but they are the only ones that do, and if I were them I probably wouldn't, from a business perspective.

 

[doriettefarm]

BB is one of the few I've ordered from that include sample FOs. What size is theirs . . . like .25oz? The only other place I've seen that offers a smaller sniffy sample is Elements Bath & Body. Their FO and lip flavor oil samples are in teeny plastic vials . . . I'm talking mls instead of oz.

 

[not_ally]

One of the things that I actually love about BB is the free little FO bottle that you can request w/each order. It is not big enough to make a batch of any size, but it is big enough to make a good enough sized sample that you can tell what will happen with it after cure.

 

[snappyllama]

I love those samples too! I use them for testers or small batches of B&B. They'll change it from the standard monthly offering too if you ask with your order. I've actually gotten orders and liked the sample so much I turned around and placed another order the same week... snagging my money away from another vendor that would have gotten an order.

Lately, MO has also included some dram sized FOs in their gift bag. It really isn't enough to test out in CP, but I love being able to sniff something. If I already have it, I pass it onto other soapers.

One of my dad's favorite sayings was "If they're going to give you something for free, take it" while directing me back to get seconds and thirds of Hickory Farms samples at the mall (who is going to refuse a kid accompanied by an eastern european man gesturing like mad). It worked too... we have to have an obscenely large summer sausage sticking out of someone's stocking every Christmas. I don't even want the sausage, but it's tradition now. /end digression