Milk Soaps or Vegan

[darby]

I am gearing up to do my first Farmers Market and I'm super super nervous about it. I have a Vegan soap tried and true recipe that I love and a dependable Milk soap recipe that I equally enjoy. I love the vegan soap because my colors and scents come through a little truer but I love my milk soap for the pure decadent and creamy lather it produces in the tub.

I would like to stick with one or other in an effort to simplify and streamline my business.

To those experienced with selling at markets or fairs, do you think the vegan soap or the milk soap would go over better with a farmers market crowd? If it matters, the farmers market is located in the midwest, about 40min from Chicago.


Thanks
Stacey

 

[Lindy]

Hey Stacey I have to say that milk soaps are very popular. It has been my experience that there are less and less vegans around than there were a few years ago and I find goat milk soaps are wildly popular.

 

[Maythorn]

I wouldn't eliminate one or the other if it was me. You like both and so will other people. I don't think vegan is in that very much demand, although for some people it's what they will prefer to buy. You're right about the colors. The only thing I don't love about milk soap is I can't get it white unless I use titan dioxide and I don't really want to buy it since it doesn't add anything benenficial to the soap, just whitens it.

 

[danahuff]

I'm going to go with Maythorn on this one, too. She makes a good point about choice. Vegan may not be the hugest selling point, but some folks do care about that, and it is easier, as you say, with colors. Milk soaps do seem to be very popular, too, and I admit I like them a lot.

 

[Lindy]

I do agree completely with Marthorn if you don't have to choose between them then don't, but if you are then I would go with milk soaps.

 

[Genny]

I'm with everyone else here, I wouldn't choose between the two unless I absolutely have to. I live in WI, so at markets, milk soaps do pretty well. But at the same time I do have people that are looking for vegan soaps as well. So it's nice to have both, even if it's just one or 2 different batches of vegan soap.
Also, if you use local milk or other local ingredients, that's a big selling point at farmers markets so make sure you have a sign somewhere stating that it's local.

 

[lizflowers42]

40 minutes from Chicago, eh? You in NE Indiana?? There is a dairy farmer in Michigan City that sells at our South Bend Market that has the best fresh milk! I want to make some soap with his jersey cow milk! He has a fb page-Scherf Farms.

 

[darby]

Thanks for the replies guys. Im in the far south suburbs of IL Liz but thank you for suggesting the dairy farmer in Michigan City. Farm fresh milk sounds lovely in soap and I will definitely look into it.

I think I will do all milk soaps except for 2 loaves which I will leave vegan.

 

[Lindy]

Darby I think you'll be happy having both available.

 

[lizflowers42]

No problem! I suppose you probably have more options being close to Chicago. Best wishes!