Where to get bulk/cheap oils in Europe?

[KaGe]

I live in Europe, and I find it hard to find websites that sell oils for soapmaking. I can easily get palm oil at a very low price (Metro sells it as a deep fry oil), olive oil is not a problem, eighter. I can also get coconut oil for about 4,30 EUR/liter (I could use a lower price alternative). I have a really hard time with Castor oil, though. I can only get it from pharmacies, and they usually don't sell more than 30 g at a time (ridiculous amount!).

I've been browsing a lot of websites, but shipment from US is just too pricey, and some of the sites don't sell to Europe at all (why?)

Is there anybody from Europe with a reliable and cheap oil source? Anybody interested in buying bulk together?

 

[djk17]

KaGe, where are you in Europe? have you tried chemical supply houses? I bought castor oil from a pharmacy and thought I would faint at the price. Cocoa butter too. Fantastically expensive.

 

[djk17]

KaGe, where are you in Europe? have you tried chemical supply houses? I bought castor oil from a pharmacy and thought I would faint at the price. Cocoa butter too. Fantastically expensive. Fortunately I found a local chemical supply house and that has become my favourite place

 

[KaGe]

I live in Hungary. I buy my lye from a chemical supply co, but they don't sell oils

BTW I've found castor oil in a website, they sell it for motorcycle racing. Has anybody tried it?

 

[djk17]

Are you near the border to Wien?

http://www.chemie.at/

http://www.neubers-enkel.at/ is where I buy castor oil by the litre

however, if you are also looking for drums of oil I doubt this would be your place.

If your Deutsch is better than mine (and that wouldn't be difficult) then you could give these places a call and perhaps they could point you in the right direction at least.

http://www.kosmetikmacherei.at/html/news.htm
(this is a shop which sells all sorts of items for soap and cosmetic making)

and if you want other ideas for getting supplies on a small scale, in Wels
http://www.art-of-beauty.at/

and www.naturseife.com forums might also be useful to you!
HTH!

 

[loveit_latherit]

I have had the same trouble in Portugal... Thought I found a place that I could walk in to because the online prices were so high - that it was a 'retail' store - but it was a fulfilment warehouse! I was in SHOCK the prices were so high and it was only an online store! I was going to bring supplies from US on my last trip but then just made TONS of soap the few weeks I was back there and now Im back in Portugal and when I go back to US those will be pretty cured. It's a shame the supplies are scarce and expensive. Ther must be a way b/c I have seen CP soap selling here made here for 3 Euros made from Olive oil, Palm and Coconut oil....I just don't know where to go for 'resonable' prices - especially since US doller buys more and the prices are loswer in US - I had a heart attack here

 

[Sayuri]

I'm from the UK and there is plenty of British soap supply websites that offer butters/oils at good prices.

The only thing I would mention is buying things from the US is not covered for sale. Such as butters/oils would need to be safety and cosmetically tested at your cost to then be able to use in your soaps and sell them. However, buying from a British website will be fine as it's covered by European regulations and has the relevant MSDS info etc.

Hope this helps a little

 

[KaGe]

@sayouri: could you list a few websites? I've seen some, but their prices are way higher than the online stores in the US. BTW I agree that a EU source is preferred (no customs, etc.)

@djk17: Thank you! I live close to Vienna, I'm going to visit the sites you recommended.

 

[Zhuliya]

Yeah,I'm in Italyand I'm hving a really hard timefinding cocoa butter, plus I'd also like to buy other precious oils (like avocado or castor) at better prices.

I have seen the UK websites, but they generally have CRAZY shipping prices for EU! So the basic price of the oil/butter is maybe cheaper than here, but then add the shipping cost you get a crazy price.The last one I browsed wanted to charge me 25£ for a kg of coconut oil and 500g for cocoa butter!

Same problem with fancy moulds,I have seen some at Brambre Berry orother websites(even UK ones) which I simply LOVE, but to get them shipped here is crazy expensive. Sigh!

 

[Sayuri]

If I'm honest, the UK is hard enough to find decent prices for supplies in regards to soap making...

The US is far, far superior in supplies/moulds/colours/fragrances etc. The only thing I buy from the US though is moulds as everything else HAS to be certified as safe in any EU country. I'm afraid buying in the EU is not 'preferred' but completely essential if you want to sell your products. If you are not planning on selling them, then it's fine! But bear in mind, any products you make with ingredients from the US and you don't have them certified by a chemist/toxocolagist and sell them and a customer has a reaction and decides to sue you - not even your liability insurance will cover you as you've used products that are not 'safe' to use/sell within the EU. Please, please bear this in mind.

The suppliers I know of in the UK are:

www.justasoap.co.uk

www.thesoapkitchen.co.uk

www.soaposh.co.uk

www.sensoryperfection.co.uk

www.gracefruit.co.uk

Take a look at them all, some are more expensive than others and some prices are much cheaper than others but remember you get what you pay for...

 

[madpiano]

also
http://www.fresholi.com

and Gracefruit has a reseller in Germany