To glitter or not to glitter?

[funastrum]

I am far from selling soaps, but I have been pondering glitter lately, since most of the youtube tutorials on swirling include glitter.
Are customers more attracted to glittery soaps? I feel like perhaps by adding glitter your customers become limited to young girls and a good portion of women. Will men avoid your website or table if they see lots of pretty colors and glitter (and perhaps textured tops and cupcake soap )? Does the image of your business become too feminine and unnatural looking, or am I just over-analyzing?

Please share with me your preferences and experiences.

 

[Relle]

I think you are over analysing. As you said you are no where near selling. Make what you feel happy making as your learning, if you want glitter, do glitter, if you don't think the soap needs it, leave it out. Its all about personal preference, if your happy with your soaps, it will reflect on how others see it as well. I wouldn't put glitter on men's soaps. You can't cater for everyone in life.

 

[jenneelk]

Each soap you make will be for a different purpose so each one will be different in many ways.. including look. I think glitter has it's purpose for some but I wouldn't recommend anyone doing so much that looking at a table you only see glitter.
I'm still a beginner but know that each batch I make is very planned out and specific in terms of what I want it to do, so some of your bars you will also plan out and maybe add glitter to the 'girly/kid' ones.

I just did some bars tonight and had leftover so it went into tiny little flower molds that will be sprayed lightly and have glitter applied for my girls sink. They adore flowers and glitter will make them smile.
Anyways, I say grab some glitter and use it here and there, just like you will do with all your colors and scents where it fits in well.

Boy specific soaps? IDK.. my husband wouldn't be turned off with a little in there so long as it didn't smell like roses too. haha!

 

[scrubbadubdub]

Glitter. Always glitter.

-shamelessly addicted to glittering everything.

 

[dagmar88]

When you're selling, you can't focus on everyone.
You'll need to define your niche and design your products accordingly.

Keep in mind a lot of men's care products are actually bought for them by the woman in their life :razz:

 

[squeakycleanuk]

Well I guess it depends on what you are going for? You could do your whole range with glitter but you will only be catering for a certain type of customer if you do. I wouldn't buy a soap with glitter in it, it just doesn't appeal to me, but there will be many people for who it does. So you could choose to be a glitter soap specialist and use it as your USP in which case its unlikely you'll attract men or those looking for more natural looking soaps but it won't matter because those who do want to have glittery soaps will be happy. Or you could just keep it to a minimum and just use for certain bars, have a glitter range and leave it out of soaps which are intended to be for men, more natural, therapeutic or skin sensitive. Image is important in any business and its best to get it right, right from the beginning.

 

[MOGal70]

I am a very practical person, so for me I don't mind pretty colors and nice scents. BUT I would not spend money to buy a soap whos total appeal is visual. If it will not still be appealing after using it a few times then I would pass it over for the bar that will still appeal to me after a few weeks of use, meaning it will still smell good or I will still be able to see the pretty swirls. So just putting glitter on the top wouln't do anything for me.