Whose your favorite materials supplier and why?

[gigisiguenza]

So I placed a couple of orders last night to get some more supplies. Some natural colorants that I'm unable to get locally, some FOs , and some lye. I'm exciting to get my goodies next week!

My excitement has me wondering who you all use primarily and why you chose them

 

[SplendorSoaps]

I have a few go-to suppliers, but I'd have to say that my favorite is WSP. I'm generally very happy with the quality of the EOs and FOs that I get there (not to mention oils and butters), and the free shipping compensates for any price disparity with the competition. What really seals it for me though, is that I've had some really positive experiences with their customer service with the few times that there have been shipping problems (coconut oil leaked during shipping) or product issues (one time a FO was mislabeled). I also like Bulk Apothecary, Nature's Garden, and Bramble Berry, but WSP has really won me over with their selection, quality, and customer service.

 

[commoncenz]

I'm about to crank up my soaping as the summer winds down and I have a little more time. I've ordered some bulk base oils from Soaperschoice and found their prices to be reasonable and shipping seems quick. Same thing with lye from The Lye Guy and micas/colorants from Nurture and MapleStreet. I chose most of these places based upon the reputation that they had earned on this site.

As far as FOs, I've ordered a lot lately (understatement) from various suppliers ... I haven't yet determined who I like best.

 

[SoapSap]

I have two suppliers that I order from most of the time. I use them because of pricing and or good selection of products that I like to use - Brambleberry and Bulk Apothacary. (Bulk Apothacary warehouse is located close enough to me to pick up. So I do use them as much as possible as it saves shipping. Also, they will match prices.) I also try to purchase supplies locally at grocery stores, etc. I can always get a good buy on Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, and some other oils in local specialty stores.

 

[amd]

WSP
I got my first order of NaOH from the Chemistry Store. Have been buying from Essentials Depot since.
I picked up my last 7lbs of OO from Columbus Foods (WSP was out) and I've been very happy with that oil (the price and shipping were reasonable).
I want to order from NDA but their $100 minimum order is holding me back. I may need to give myself a zero soap budget month so that I can justify spending $100 min to order from them the next month.

 

[KristaMarie]

Soapers Choice has the best prices for organic oils! Well, really just great prices on oils in general.

EOs I get from Liberty Natural or Brambleberry and if Brambleberry then I'll get some natural colorants/additives as well!

 

[Dorymae]

Depends on the supply item. I took a look and I order from over 20 different suppliers. Some for bottles, some for jars, some for EO & FO, base oils from another. My choices are based on best price for what I want.

Soapers choice for oils, FO & EO are from all over, same with colors.

It really depends on what you are looking for because no supplier has everything in the same place at great prices.

 

[TVivian]

I like WSP best and order most of my supplies from them. On top of the free shipping, I like their rebate program and usually earn a nice little discount with each order. I find their FO's to be pricier than others, but the quality of them is good and I've rarely had a loser scent from them.

For FO's I like natures garden. When you buy 5- 16oz bottles you qualify to get $1 off each 16oz bottle thereafter. This usually brings the price to $14 or $15 per pound which I find to be really low as far as FO's .. They are very hit and miss and it takes a lot of sampling to weed out the bad and average scents from the great ones.

For my packaging and bottling I'm lucky enough to live near http://www.papermart.com/HOME and http://www.bottlesetc.com both of which I can pick up my items and avoid shipping costs!

 

[zolveria]

My Go to SUP

1) Soaper Choice
2) Save On scent - There scent by far are the Strongest
3) TKB trading - MICAS
4) Local Farmer for Dry Items or hebs

 

[snappyllama]

I use a bunch regularly:

Amazon: CO
Brambleberry: FOs and non-powdery additives (I don't like their packaging)
Costco: OO & Avocado Oil
Mad Oils: FOs and micas
Mile high Soaps: Butters and specialty oils since I can pick it up locally
Nurture: micas
The Lye Guy: lye
WSP: FOs, additives, everything else (they have a big inventory). I seem to spend the most here...

 

[lionprincess00]

Bramble Berry for a splurge on fo's
Oregon trail soapers supplies for cheapy but goody fo's
Lye guy for lye
Camden grey for eo's
Bramble Berry for molds and clays
American soap supplies for the ts mold
Nurture for micas
Soapers choice for oils and fats
These are my faves so far

 

[Seawolfe]

I'm a big fan of Soap Making Resource, I like their prices and quality on essential oils, and I like their natural colorant selection. I've also bought oils and butters from them, and was pleased with the quality and the packing. When I've needed help or messed an order up they always come through.

 

[jules92207]

I'm a big fan of both Brambleberry and WSP. I plan to try other suppliers but I know a lot depends on where you live.

I have ordered eo's from Bulk Apothecary, NDA, and Liberty Natural and I think I am most fond of NDA but the $100 minimum keeps me from ordering more often/and sometimes at all. I've done the price points and some times they are cheaper at Brambleberry and WSP so it makes it difficult to justify the order sometimes.

 

[gigisiguenza]

Such great information! I'm still new to many of these suppliers and the feedback from all of you is so helpful. Thank you!

 

[shunt2011]

Soaper's Choice for most oils (except Olive & Avocado -Costco), Nature's Garden (FO's, jars, bottles, SL), WSP (jars, shrink bands, FO,), Nurture Soap Supplies (colorants), Elements Bath & Body (lip balm tubes & roll-on bottles). Brambleberry (silicone liners)

 

[navigator9]

The Lye Guy is the only place I buy lye.

Columbus Foods for 50lb pails of coconut and palm, although they're in the midwest, and I'm on the east coast, and the shipping costs are disastrous, they're still the cheapest I've found, and they ship fast, too

Costco for olive oil

WSP and BB for fragrance oils, their quality is pretty consistent

Nurture Soaps for micas and molds

 

[gigisiguenza]

Thanks so much for the info folks - I'm taking notes so I can check the highly recommended and or frequently mentioned :=

 

[dbloomingdale]

I order a large portion of my supplies from WSP. Back in the day, I used to order my glycerin soap bases from Soapers Choice, but now it is a wash as far as price of product/shipping vs WSP.
I have ordered from the Chemistry Store for oils and EO's. Camden Grey has by far the best price on Lavender EO.

 

[skayc1]

It depends on the item, I like bramble berry's shea butter & cocoa butter. for my lye I like the micro beads..so natures garden, & for fragrances Aztec. BB's shea butter smells so nice & is smooth, and their cocoa butter is small pebbles & melts evenly with my other hard butters/oils. Does any other supplier sell their lye in micro-beads? I like that it has much less dust. & while I used to love the half ounce sample, I love how Aztec lets you choose a free 1 oz FO when buying an 8 oz fragrance..1 per each, plus their 5 1oz samples for $1.00 is great as well. I've only tried 2 of their FO so far & love how they performed, smelled, & stuck. Oh & tKB Trading for colorants, Aztec has nice colorants as well. Is another site I've gotten colorants from (bescented) only they have a $30 minimum & overcharge the shipping.

 

[gigisiguenza]

I've not experimented with butters yet, but I'm sure I'll get there. Thanks for the replies