Need some display feedback.

[studioalamode]

One of our local flower shops was selling handmade soap by the slice. They had it on a butcher block near the counter. Several different loaves were available, and the customers hand-cut their own bars then the staff weiged them and wrapped them at the check-out. Seemed to be a neat system, and customers liked cutting it themselves.

But all ideas here seem to have merit in one way or another! In any event, good luck! I think selling soaps in the salon is a fab idea!

 

[heartsong]

I soap with a 40% solution so I may have less evap to worry about than someone who soaps at 27% or even 33%.

I forget how to do the math on this. What's your water percentage (of your total oils)?

lye x 1.5 = water (40%)
lye x 2 = water (33%)
lye x 2.5 = water (28%)

 

[Guest]

I wouldn't recommend cutting the soap on the spot for a few reasons, the main one being a log of soap will take a lot longer to cure than cut bars. Water will take a lot longer to evaporate out of the log, shortening the soap's lasting power.

Another reason is that cutting is time consuming, and on a busy day you probably won't want people waiting in line to have their soap cut, while you go back and forth removing and replacing different soap logs, when they could just take the bars they want from the shelves and buy them that way. Not to mention cutting soap makes a mess with the crumbs and the need to wash your cutting tools.

Why not just wrap each bar of soap nicely, tie it with some raffia and display it in a special way? I think your customers will respond better to nicely packaged and displayed soap than they would to having it cut fresh from a loaf.

I agree with Daniel, I've brought loaves from Naturalsoapwholesaler and I cut the log at my daycare to give a worker a peice to take home and it was smushy, It was much better when I cut the peices at home and let them dry out and firm up

 

[Guest]

One of our local flower shops was selling handmade soap by the slice. They had it on a butcher block near the counter. Several different loaves were available, and the customers hand-cut their own bars then the staff weiged them and wrapped them at the check-out. Seemed to be a neat system, and customers liked cutting it themselves.

But all ideas here seem to have merit in one way or another! In any event, good luck! I think selling soaps in the salon is a fab idea!

Now I like the "cut your own" ideal, if it doesn't result in alot of waste

 

[Tabitha]

I cut the log at my daycare to give a worker a peice to take home and it was smushy

Soap from a reputable source, allowed proper cure time, would not be smushy. I hope you made contact with them to see why it was like that.

 

[heartsong]

x

may i suggest maybe some old fashioned footed glass cake stands? the ones with the glass covers.

maybe have some presliced and ready to go, and then display the soap loaves too, if someone would like a "custom cut"?

kind of like at a deli-they have whole hams and ham slices, too.

 

[Tabitha]

Heartsong,

That is how I do mine. I have loaves on display w/ a few slices cut off each laying in front of it's perspective loaf. The customer can grab a pre-cut slice or ask for a larger/smaller piece.

 

[Tabitha]

alamode,

Whole Foods Markets allow customers to cut their own as well. The soap is on the edge of the produce dept so you can cut/bag/weigh your soap as if were fresh produce. People do seem to enjoy the interactive experienece.

 

[heartsong]

x

alamode,

Whole Foods Markets allow customers to cut their own as well. The soap is on the edge of the produce dept so you can cut/bag/weigh your soap as if were fresh produce. People do seem to enjoy the interactive experienece.

my only fear would be someoe cutting themselves and wanting to sue.

trust me from experience i've made several trips to the ER! once trying to open a box with the box cutter reversed, chopping turnips at the sink, and then trying to pry meat out of a coconut shell!

i don't do well with sharp objects and i no longer run with scissors! LOL!

 

[Tabitha]

I would have that fear too!

Customers at Whole Foods use a crinkle cut cheese cutter to slice their soaps, I am sure they have plenty of insurance & lawyers on staff to handle that issue that might arise also.

 

[Guest]

I cut the log at my daycare to give a worker a peice to take home and it was smushy

Soap from a reputable source, allowed proper cure time, would not be smushy. I hope you made contact with them to see why it was like that.

they send instructions when you buy it that you must slice it and let it dry out at least three days. I've washed with it and it's fine, no complaints.

 

[Deda]

I cut the log at my daycare to give a worker a peice to take home and it was smushy

Soap from a reputable source, allowed proper cure time, would not be smushy. I hope you made contact with them to see why it was like that.

they send instructions when you buy it that you must slice it and let it dry out at least three days. I've washed with it and it's fine, no complaints.

Phillysoaps, given your limited soapmaking experience, please grant me the opportunity to give you a little advice.

Soap should never be mushy in the middle once the soap has cured. If you purchased this soap from a reputable source it would have been properly cured for at least a month and shouldn't be mushy, smushy or soft in the middle. If it was it wasn't properly made, discard immediately and seek medical attention. :wink:

 

[Guest]

I cut the log at my daycare to give a worker a peice to take home and it was smushy

Soap from a reputable source, allowed proper cure time, would not be smushy. I hope you made contact with them to see why it was like that.

they send instructions when you buy it that you must slice it and let it dry out at least three days. I've washed with it and it's fine, no complaints.

Phillysoaps, given your limited soapmaking experience, please grant me the opportunity to give you a little advice.

Soap should never be mushy in the middle once the soap has cured. If you purchased this soap from a reputable source it would have been properly cured for at least a month and shouldn't be mushy, smushy or soft in the middle. If it was it wasn't properly made, discard immediately and seek medical attention. :wink:

www.naturalsoapwholesale.com I like his stuff :wink: