My first five soaps

[TrishNZ]

My first five soaps - shrink wrapped and hopefully can sell, just to make a little back. Won't make any money for the time, effort and outlay I put in, but its so much fun.

 

[Susie]

Do you really think that is wise? You don't know if those bars are going to develop DOS, or indeed, if they are really any good.

Generally speaking, it is better to make soap for a while before selling. It gives you time to develop a good, reliable recipe that you know will stand the test of time.

 

[SaltedFig]

You do seem to have an artistic knack for picking up the techniques, and a definate eye for colour and styling.

2 months from your very first lye order, I would suggest that you keep them in the worst possible places you can imagine first (like your kitchen window-sill, in full sun, your bathroom sink, your dark cupboard in the laundry and the bottom drawer of your bedroom side-table as a few examples).

Take them out from now until Christmas. Check what they look and smell like. Make notes.

Wash with them in rotation. Give them to your family and friends if you think yours are fabulous, and ask them to use them and be honest and tell you what they think.

But sell them? Not quite yet.

 

[CTAnton]

Trish they are beautiful! good job!!

 

[Rusti]

You do seem to have an artistic knack for picking up the techniques, and a definate eye for colour and styling.

2 months from your very first lye order, I would suggest that you keep them in the worst possible places you can imagine first (like your kitchen window-sill, in full sun, your bathroom sink, your dark cupboard in the laundry and the bottom drawer of your bedroom side-table as a few examples).

Take them out from now until Christmas. Check what they look and smell like. Make notes.

Wash with them in rotation. Give them to your family and friends if you think yours are fabulous, and ask them to use them and be honest and tell you what they think.

But sell them? Not quite yet.

Quoted for some lovely, wise and gentle advice. Experiment and try bunches of new things, and keep some bars around in various places for several months just to see what they do. In a year, after you've been playing a while, you may discover that you really kind of hate your first recipe and you can't believe how far you've come as a soaper (believe me, I'm coming up on two years and just now flirting with the idea of selling as a side to my FT job).

Don't sell these, enjoy them. Share them with family and friends. See how they hold up to the test of time and keep practicing!

 

[cmzaha]

Please excuse the fact that I am old and not as diplomatic as the others, but seriously think about selling your first soaps. You cannot possibly know the difference between good, great or awesome soaps, it takes time. Unfortunately like any hobby soaping can get expensive and you cannot go into it thinking you are going to pay for your hobby. How long have your soaps cure and do they last at least 30 showers, are they drying, do they develop dos while at markets in the sun, these are just a few questions to know the answer to. Do you know the questions about soap a customer may throw at you and they will. If you enjoy making soap then I would suggest making 1 lb batches and give away the soaps at Christmas.

No matter how attractive the labeling and soap, and yours are beautiful, ultimately what is in the package is what counts. This is just a little scenario that happened to me at my market last week. Two girls walked to my booth, one held back a little not quite coming up while her friend looked. After her friend picked up a soap I heard her friend tell her friend, "do not buy soap out here or any handmade soap, they just melt away in 2 weeks." I asked her where she bought her bad soap and she informed me my booth, so I showed her my soap and asked if it was wrapped and labeled. The answer was no, which I knew, because a couple weeks before the other girl in our market that makes awful soap was in my space. But I could not persuade her to even try a sample since she now had a very bad taste for handmade soap, nor did her friend buy. Not only did the soapmaker herself lose future sales so did soapmakers with quality soap. I am not saying yours is not quality but there is almost always room for improvement in the first couple years of soapmaking. I admit I sold the first year, which was to soon, out of desperation. Our company was failing and we were supporting two families so I desperately needed extra money coming in. I will never forget one customer I have had since day 1 informed me a few yrs after I was selling, that my soap was always good but it was now awesome. Yes, I hit it lucky and made decent soap, but they are not recipes I would make now other than a couple of soaps, also the market was not a saturated as it is today. Maybe in NZ that is not a problem, but here in the states you will have up to 5 booths selling soap in a market.

 

[0115d8cf]

Don't sell these, enjoy them. Share them with family and friends. See how they hold up to the test of time and keep practicing!

100% this. Getting friends and family to be willing guinea pigs for your soapy experiments is a fun part of the hobby, and you don't need to worry about them wanting a refund