Need help with school fundraising ideas!

[Audrey]

Hi everybody! so recently I got the idea that I could raise funds for my school club by making and selling bath bombs and bath melts! I might even expand my ideas to include bath salts as well! ^^ so right now I have a few things on my mind that I was hoping ya'll could help me with
1. What are some essential oil combinations that high school girls(or maybe boys ) might enjoy?
2. What are so cute, cheap, efficient ways to package bath and body products?
3. For making bath and body products, would I just have to shop at the usual soap suppliers like brambleberry or is there a certain set of bath and body suppliers?
4. I would LOVE if ya'll could tell me some of your favorite recipes for bath and bod
y products!

Lastly I'd like to mention that I'm very serious about all of this and that I have done my research regarding safety and procedures.
Now with that being said, thank you all for taking the time to look at this and for helping me!

 

[cmzaha]

You might be better off with purchasing lip balm base and to make lip balm sticks. Bath bombs have a huge learning curve, in my opinion. Bulk Apothecary carries a very nice lip balm base that can be purchased in bulk. All you have to do is melt flavor and pour. You would need to see what the selling requirements are for your state and county. Selling as a fundraiser, I believe comes under different tax laws, especially if it is non-profit. You will have to wrap and label per fda regulations

 

[KristaY]

You could also consider melt & pour. If the kids are helping make the products, it would be a fun project that that wouldn't require them coming into contact with lye. They could color and scent according to their likes. I've considered doing this as a Christmas gift project with my younger nieces & nephews.

 

[Cindy2428]

1). Carolyn offers you a great suggestion with the lip balm. Easy, cost effective and who doesn't need lip balm. Your kids may be your best customers - 2.00 for lip balm vs 5.003-7.00 for soap.
2). While I TOTALLY agree with understanding local fundraising rules and labeling all products, am I one of the few that remembers bake sales at Church and school? Other than the name of the cookie we didn't know what was in it. If it looked good you ate it - buyer beware.
3). Audrey with the exception of your community selling laws, per the FDA you do not need to label your soap if it is just that - soap. You cannot advertise, discuss beneficial oil, additive properties. You cannot make claims of gentle, natural, etc. Once you say "Oatmeal Soap", you have to list all of the ingredients. - There's a lot more to this, but if you choose to pursue, you will have to do more homework anyway.

Good luck with your endeavor. I miss the good old days. I wonder when government is going to stick their noses into pot luck suppers....

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

As for the recipes, there are a lot here in the forums already. Not only that, but hints and tips to help, too.

 

[Susie]

I doubt the school would allow home made beauty products on the campus. They are so strict these days due to children with severe, life-threatening allergies. You'd better check with the school board and get insurance before even offering lip balms.

 

[Cindy2428]

Audrey - just noticed on another post that you are looking for supplies. Have you made any of these products yet? Please continue to do your homework before you consider selling, even giving away your products. Even a project as simple as lip balms has it's own unique variables.

You need to consider shelf life, good manufacturing practices, a quality scale. Many here advise waiting a year to begin selling - not because it's a "date", but because it gives you the time to create your recipes, test them, and have the ability to produce and troubleshoot your base recipe(s) without difficulty.

I still consider myself a newbie. I have an organizational system worked out, know what and why I put ingredients into my recipe, have everything prepared in my little work area and always have a "plan b" when things don't go according to the way I envisioned.

I have a good number of batches under my belt but still do not have a final product I would consider selling. There are so many variables, especially safety. Then there is the "office" side of your products - accounting, creating a business plan; understanding your State and local regulations. I just learned last week that if I choose to operate my business out of my home, I will lose my Homestead deduction on my property taxes. This will be another cost to factor into my future products.

Just my 2 cents, Cindy

 

[dixiedragon]

Lip balm is so easy to make that I don't think you need to buy a base.

 

[Cactuslily]

I don't know if this is something you'd be interested in, but if you don't want to spend a lot of money on supplies, what about sugar scrubs? You can package them in baby food jars. The kids can have lots of fun decorating them, and they aren't costly or difficult to make. just an idea. Have fun whatever you do!

Just an aside regarding your idea regarding bath salts, I've been told to never place in glass bottles.

Just remembered, scrubs can also be made into little sugar cubes. You can make them different colors ( maybe school colors?) wrapped in cellophane with a ribbon or plastic wrap also will keep costs down. Product itself is very inexpensive.

 

[Audrey]

Thank you all for these very valid concerns and suggestions regarding licensing specifics/ tea regulations and such, I'm working with a group of parents who are experienced with fundraising and just selling products in general so I'm in good hands. Oh and specifically responding to Cindy, I have made bath scrubs, melts, bomb, and lip balms before however, I've never made soap which requires such large quantities of ingredients that its cheaper to buy them online, especially the specialty ones O.O . I've just never had to purchase such large amounts of ingredients before that before that's all