questionnaire:-)

[lionprincess00]

I thought this would be fun. :-D You don't have to answer all of the questions, and this is just a get to know your fellow soaper and some things about them (soaping wise).


How often do you soap?

How often do you purchase supplies?

Selling? Full time or part time/second job?
Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business?
Selling? How long soaped before starting your business?

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)?

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it.

Thx! This should be interesting:-D

 

[Earthen_Step]

Q: How often do you soap?
A: 0-12 batches in a week

Q: How often do you purchase supplies?
A: This also varies drastically. I'm always in desire of new things but purchase 0-50 things in a month. I try to wait till I'm low on many ingredients to order, for lower shipping costs.

Q: Selling? Full time or part time/second job?
A: Varies, some weeks it's more than full time and sometimes it's very little. Unless you count research and trying to sell, then I'm at part time + always. Right now only selling bar soap.

Q: A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
A: I only use EO's and I have ordered from multiple sources. I only get steam distilled and wish to someday have mostly certified organic.

Q: A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).
A: For EO, I disliked bergamot, I stopped using it. It smells fine, but it's one of the worst for making the skin weak against the sun.

Q: Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out? If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it.
A: I wouldn't call anything strange that I've added. I'm always looking at new oils, essential oils and natural colorants. I guess the 2 newest are interesting (very interesting to me at least). I have been harvesting "Spotted Jewelweed" and "Heal All" and making a tea for soap. I wish I started with heal all earlier, I'm not finding very much. I should at least get enough heal all for one batch. I have enough jewelweed for 5+ batches so far.

Good idea for a thread, I hope it's an active one!

 

[Dorymae]

Okay I'll give it a go...

How often do you soap?
Right now maybe once a week, because I am moving. However when things are normal 4 days a week minimum.How often do you soap ?
Once a month, a large order. However I usually place 2-3 smaller orders for other stuff - molds, colors, pipettes, whatever I really need or if there is a good sale I come across.

Selling? Full time or part time/second job?
Soap and body products are my job, along with being a mom of course.

Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business?
This is a tough one, it varies a lot. On average I would say if I added up everything I did that had to do with soaping, knowledge building, selling, traveling, making, packaging, packing, shipping. . . everything, then about 60-80 hours a week. Strictly in the soaping room or selling and shipping - probably closer to 50 hours.

Selling? How long soaped before starting your business?
Again a tough one. As a hobby, on and off maybe 4 years, then a few more, more focused years where the goal was to start selling.

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)?
I sell and still spend about 10 hours a week checking forums, soap sites, looking for new things, techniques etc.
A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.

Currently I really like Applejack and peel, but for the life of me I can't remember who I ordered it from.... it is currently in a POD headed for Arizona.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).

Oh boy....There have been fragrances that I haven't liked but they sold so it is hard to say... There are many I like but there is something about them I dislike. I like the holiday spice from BB but it will rice if you are not careful. I try to stay away from vanillas because they discolor so badly. There is one scent, herb garden, that I hated OOB and in soap BUT it is a staple for me because it blends so well with florals.

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where.

Okay, my favorite soaping product wasn't purchased, it was found. We have a give and take shack at the transfer station in town and I found an acrylic square shaped tube open at both ends that I use to make a loaf of soap that makes a 4x4x1 slice of soap. It is very popular for mens soaps, and I love it as well.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it.

Pearl powder. I still use it occasionally. It does add a exfoliating effect and you need to be careful with how much to add but it is mainly for label appeal.

I'm looking forward to reading the posts in this thread!!

 

[lionprincess00]

Thx for posting! I'll go

How often do you soap?
-about 1-2 batches a week....but only on batch #4 lol, so this may be better answered in a few months.

How often do you purchase supplies?
-I have every 2 weeks or so, just stocking up as a newbie, but will trim it to once every month or two

Selling? Full time or part time/second job? NO
Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business? NA
Selling? How long soaped before starting your business? NA

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)?
-A couple hrs a day unless soaping, which takes a good 3 hrs to set up, write out the plan, soap, and clean up. HATE THE CLEAN UP!!!

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
-I loved sweetgrass and it soaps wonderfully from bb, and lavender forest oob smells fantastic, also bb. It's going to be my project #5 lol.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).
-really disliked sandalwood cybilla at bb. Smelled so powdery oob and in soap as well. It's discontinued and was pretty cheap as far as fo's go. Not my fave.

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where.
- Love the small 20 oz loaf and 40 oz slab silicone molds from bb. They're a good price and size for a beginner like me.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
Avocado puree, and don't know yet. Just made them

If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it.
Sugar to two batches. Hoping it boosts the bubbles on a gm soap and a 20% co soap. No results yet, still curing.

 

[bumblewood]

What a great thread idea!

How often do you soap?
Gearing up for holidays now - every night! During the slow months, maybe a few batches every few weeks.

How often do you purchase supplies?
About once a month for the big oil purchases, with a scattering of little things (colorants, EOs) in between.

Selling? Full time or part time/second job?
I consider it full time! We don't make enough on it to live off of right now, but I spend a lot of time on it!

Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business?
The actual soaping (and other products) takes up about 3-4 hours a night. But I spend much more than that designing, researching, website maintenance, phone calls, etc.... Probably 40-50 hours a week.

Selling? How long soaped before starting your business?
I started making soap for our family 2 years prior to starting my business.


A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
I use EOs only, and I am ridiculously in love with Sandalwood right now.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).
I'm kind of over Vanilla EO. It's crazy expensive and it takes so much to get a decent scent in soap. But everyone loves it. :/

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where.
I just purchased the little $5 mini mixer from BB, and as silly as it seems, I love it! It's been great for mixing up clays & colors, and getting the lumps out of my deodorants.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?

If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it.
Probably not unusual for others, but pumpkin puree was really weird for me. Still have a hard time wrapping my head around adding food to soap, but the soap turned out fantastic!

 

[hmlove1218]

Q: How often do you soap?
A: 1-12 batches a week. I can only soap on weekdays because the hubby has banned me from soaping on the weekend.

Q: How often do you purchase supplies?
A: Usually every one to two months.

Q: Selling? Full time or part time/second job?
A: I consider it full time because I don't have anything else to do during the day than make stuff. I'm a stay-at-home mom.

Q: A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
A: Hmm... that's a tough one. I buy most of my FOs from NG. As far as my favorite, there are too many

Q: A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).
A: I very strongly dislike NG's Wild Wild West. It just smells like plastic to me. I also just discovered that the original pumpkin crunch FO from WSP accelerates like crazy. Like didn't even have to use a stick blender to get to trace..

Q: Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out? If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it.
A: Hmm.. I guess it would have to be pumpkin puree or baby food. The baby food I used in a rebatch and it gave the soap a pinkish color.

 

[marilynmac]

How often do you soap?
1 or 2 batches a week. I've only been soaping about 2 months. Waiting for the pile of dirty soapmaking equipment to wash itself really slows things down.

How often do you purchase supplies?
Basic oils about 1x per week. Fun stuff, every 2-3 weeks.

Selling? Full time or part time/second job? Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business? Selling? How long soaped before starting your business?
Not selling. Maybe someday...

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)? I'm still near the bottom of the learning curve, so I spend lots of time researching* on the internet.
*researching = looking at soap ****.

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
WSP Bergamot EO. like earl grey tea.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).
I just got a bottle of WSP bergamot-mandarin FO, and it smells like very strong bubblegum. I think it was mislabeled and shipped to me by mistake. Strong scents give me migraines so almost all EO's and FO's are terrible to use. But I don't like the oily smell of un-scented soap, either.

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where. My stick blender!! It makes things so much easier.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out? If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it. I'm sticking to the basics for now. I made some beautiful dark magenta watercolor from my garden celosia, but it turned brown when the lye hit it so I tossed it.

 

[Ruthie]

How often do you soap? Irregularly. Not for several days or weeks, then many batches over a few days.

How often do you purchase supplies? When I run out. Used to be monthly/bimonthly, but now it is pretty irregular.

Selling? Full time or part time/second job? Selling a bit, just to help pay for my addiction. I may retire after this school year and plan to sell more by that time- or at least soon after.
Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business? My job can be pretty demanding, so I just work soap stuff in as I can.
Selling? How long soaped before starting your business? I've been soaping for 12 or more years. Sold soon after I started making soap, but I do not recommend it. Lots of that early stuff really suffered from DOS. I opened my current business about 2 years ago. Now I am really happy with and proud of my product.

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)?n/a

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it. Rose Petals from Lebermuth. It was the only eo or fo that lasted the almost 10 years I was not soaping. And it smells devine! I hope to eventually do a co-op so others can share my joy.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc). None I really disliked, but I've been disappointed when some had vanilla and I didn't know it, and they turned brown.

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where. I love WSP's oxides. They are from natural sources and give consistent results.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it. Not really strange, but I was very disappointed in alkanet root. It stunk like dirty socks and the color bled and faded.

 

[Seawolfe]

How often do you soap?
About once a week, sometimes 2 batches a week, sometimes not for 3-4 weeks if Im on travel, but I try to average once a week

How often do you purchase supplies?
I think Im down to once every two months - I get my lye, coconut oil and olive oil locally at shops I buy other stuff from, so I don't count that.

Selling? Full time or part time/second job? Nope
Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business? Nope
Selling? How long soaped before starting your business? Nope

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)? Daily if Im near an internet connection

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
I usually use EO's and my favorite right now is probably cedar, but overall is probably lavender.
The only FO that I've used that I liked so far is Brambleberrys Cucumber Melon

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc). An FO called "Kelp" by Dish - the description was SO good, yet to me it just smells like yucky perfume, nothing of the sea. Yet my friends pick it, so maybe its just me.

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where.
The 2 lb wooden mold and cutter from Soap Making Resource

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it. I guess it would be the seaweed I collected at work - I blended and strained it, it went from green to golden during saponification, but overall I think it worked out well.

 

[seven]

How often do you soap?
at least once a week

How often do you purchase supplies?
2-3 times a year

Selling? Full time or part time/second job?
Yes. Selling soap is my part time job.

Selling? How much time do you spend a week on your soap business?
at least 3 hours a day, so 20 something hours a week

Selling? How long soaped before starting your business?
7 months

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it.
rice water and shea by SOS

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc).
frankincense and myrrh. it smells gross!

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where.
too many favorites, can't list just one

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
red dragon fruit. was expecting a bright color which turned to nothing as soon as the lye was in.

 

[LunaSkye]

How often do you soap? At least once a month.

How often do you purchase supplies? When I run low or find something interesting.

Not selling? How often do you do soapy things other than soap (forum, or research etc)? Almost everyday.

A favorite fo, and the company where you get it: So far, I like Save On Scents for FOs & Bulk Apothecary for EOs. A donkey only has so many ears to talk off, but I love floral, herbaceous, spicy, oriental, and earthy scents the most.

A fo you disliked, and why (smelled off, accelerated etc): Bergamot & Tobacco from SOS. It stank in a way that can only be described in a not-very-pleasant manner.

One favorite soaping product you purchased and where: My loaf mold from WSP. It gives me the perfect shape without expanding at the sides (my last mold made an akward shape out of 30oz of soap.

Name the strangest thing you've tried in soap, and how did it work out?
If never tried anything unusual, you can name one additive you've tried, and list the results of it: I used baby food in a few of my soaps. I have yet to use any because they are not cured to my liking, but they did smell good for a few months.