The 2012 HSMG Conference is almost upon us. Those of you attending are probably already thinking about what you need to pack to bring with you. Be sure one of those items is a bar of soap! The Guild has partnered with a wonderful charitable organization, Rose Haven. This worthy organization is dedicated to helping homeless women and their children, assisting these women with housing, providing them with professional help such as lawyers, educating them, and with other needs until they are on their feet and can support themselves. We want to join with Rose Haven by providing them beautiful,…
Soap
-
Most Topular Stories
-
Bring a Bar!
Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild25 Apr 2012 | 9:05 pm -
Miss Polly
The Soap Bar14 May 2012 | 8:40 amRuby Grapefruit + Sugarcane by Miss Polly Natural Skincare I had the pleasure of using this delicious soap, made with care by Polly McNamara of Miss Polly's soap company in the UK. I was very interested in this scent because I love ruby red grapefruit already, but then adding sugarcane....? Oh please, help me...had to have it. They were adorable and compact. Almost half the size of a standard bar but beautiful all the same (as you can see in the picture). The color and design were cheerful and sweetly femine and the added dried roses on the tops… -
Post Guild Report and Catch Up
Soap Queen15 May 2012 | 7:51 pmIt’s definitely a change being back home after a jam packed week of soap guild fun.Yesterday was a hectic (but awesome) day at the BB office after being away for practically an entire week. Despite the fact that we’re all playing catch up, the trip was totally worth it. Amber, Courtney, Kat and I had the best time together. We bonded and laughed in the van to and from Portland and were super giddy to meet some of our customers at the Bramble Berry booth (thank you to those who stopped by- it was fun to meet you!). The only downfall was being apart from Jamisen and my hubby Chris,… -
Back from the Conference
About.com Candle & Soap Making14 May 2012 | 12:08 pmWell, I'm back from the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild conference safe and sound! It was a fabulous conference full of fun, information, fellowship and soap talk. The range of soapmakers from beginner to advanced, from young to not-so-young, from west to east coast was truly amazing. It is so wonderful to have an organization like the HSMG supporting our craft and our industry. It's so hard to focus on "real life" when you come back from one of these events - I just want to spend all day in the kitchen making soap and trying the new things I learned!...Read Full Post -
Salt Bar Update: The Shower Test
Great Cakes Soapworks15 May 2012 | 9:55 pmFor me, a great handmade soap needs just two things: 1. It has to have LOTS of lather – and not just any lather: STABLE lather. 2. It has to leave my skin feeling moisturized. I hold salt bars to the same high standards, so when I tested the three salt bars that I made recently in the shower, I had some mixed results. My 3 Salt Bars I’ve tried all three of these salt bars in the shower now at least once. I measure the stability of the lather based on whether or not I can load up my nylon scrubby with soap just once and still have some left over after I’ve washed my entire…
-
Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild
-
Bring a Bar!
25 Apr 2012 | 9:05 pmThe 2012 HSMG Conference is almost upon us. Those of you attending are probably already thinking about what you need to pack to bring with you. Be sure one of those items is a bar of soap! The Guild has partnered with a wonderful charitable organization, Rose Haven. This worthy organization is dedicated to helping homeless women and their children, assisting these women with housing, providing them with professional help such as lawyers, educating them, and with other needs until they are on their feet and can support themselves. We want to join with Rose Haven by providing them beautiful,… -
Get to Know Our Vendors – Willow Way/SoapEquipment.com
23 Apr 2012 | 11:12 pmYou may be surprised to learn that Ron and Debi began the same way as many of us—in their kitchen. They happened upon Sandy Maine’s, The Soap Book, and, interested in a natural, healthy lifestyle, they decided that making their own soap was another way of practicing not only better living for themselves, but something better for the environment. They began selling their soap and soon found themselves outgrowing their kitchen and moving to the barn. Ron and Debi knew that they needed to find easier, more efficient ways to manufacture their soap, so they developed quicker and more… -
Spring Shows And Markets Are Around The Corner!
8 Feb 2012 | 5:08 pmI do not know how it has been weather wise in your location but here in Clyde we have not experienced our usual amount of snow and winter weather. But then again March might yet go out “like a lion”. Speaking of March and all things Spring you might be beginning to plot your strategies for your upcoming Spring market season. Where to go this year? One of our recently unveiled member benefits might be just what you are looking for. You can find information on our webpage about Craftmaster News and Art & Craft show yellow pages at:… -
Indiana HSMG Members in the News!
31 Jan 2012 | 10:28 pmIndiana Award-Winning Member in the News! All Good Things Soaps and Such of Madison, Indiana was recently awarded, “Main Street’s Business of the Year!” It’s part of a downtown revitalization project sponsored by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs of the state of Indiana. Sonia and Larry Folkner have owned their handcrafted soap and body products business for ten years, two years in their present location, and feature natural and botanical goods, even bio-degradable packaging. Their business attracts locals and tourists, alike. If you’ve been featured by your local… -
HSMG Members At Orlando ACRE Wholesale Show!
21 Jan 2012 | 4:08 pmHSMG Members Susan Moore, Lynn Elko and Teresa Gregory have been busy preparing to represent the HSMG and their respective businesses at the Orlando ACRE Wholesalecrafts show. Judging from their photo their efforts paid off in displays that look both beautiful and inviting. It is a challenge to setup three businesses in one booth! l to r: Susan Moore, Teresa Gregory and Lynn Elko We hope that they write lots of orders and that the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild will be more widely known. A big thank you goes out to Wholesalecrafts.com for their gifting our members with this booth.
-
The Soap Bar
-
Miss Polly
14 May 2012 | 8:40 amRuby Grapefruit + Sugarcane by Miss Polly Natural Skincare I had the pleasure of using this delicious soap, made with care by Polly McNamara of Miss Polly's soap company in the UK. I was very interested in this scent because I love ruby red grapefruit already, but then adding sugarcane....? Oh please, help me...had to have it. They were adorable and compact. Almost half the size of a standard bar but beautiful all the same (as you can see in the picture). The color and design were cheerful and sweetly femine and the added dried roses on the tops… -
Soap In The Raw
28 Apr 2012 | 8:57 amSoap porn in the raw. Yes! It's true, I have a love relationship with raw soap. It is so beautiful in it's own dessert-pudding-like way. The final product is even more exciting, but when one finally takes their raw soap creation and puts in in a mold to become soap, it leads to me to a happy place of raw. ________________________ Christmas Warmth "batter" by Kinder Soaps sandalwood vanilla by Bella Fresca Carrot Buttermilk Soap By Soap Foundry (only found his blog) Calendula + Chamomile by Dragonfly Dew Triple Milk Vanilla Buttercream Luxury Shea butter Soap by My… -
Chuffed and Muffed?
27 Apr 2012 | 8:22 amOver the past year, I have formulated very specific soaps after hours upon hours of research and testing. My soaps have come a long way since I started and I am very proud of how far I have come. It is always a shot in the arm (a GOOD thing) when our products that I create get raved about. It's also amazing how hard I take a disparaging review or email from someone who hates my products. Why do I take it so personally? Because I work so hard to make them great and I am proud of my work, I guess. A few months ago one of our soaps: Thai Sticky Rice Cocoa+ Shea… -
MIA and Happy Soaps
20 Apr 2012 | 4:57 pmI just want to apologize for being M.I.A. on this blog. With reinventing my business, and trying to make enough soap to never run out of stock raising a new puppy, doing taxes/financial stuff and struggling with my body over the last week, I am pooped to say the least. I've been basically asleep for 2 whole days. I have been having wickedly detailed and horrific nightmares, also. My body has full body aches, head and neck pain and severe exhaustion, like someone took a needle and extracted my energy for 48 hours. Julia, of Cocobong, sent me a list of questions about my business so… -
Today Is All About Blue
13 Apr 2012 | 8:00 amSince I made blue soap yesterday, I thought I'd look at other blue soaps, too. Here's a crappy phone photo I took of my Palm Beach Illustrated Soap: ~~--------------------------------------~~-------------------------------------~~ The Shire Soap: Future Primitive Soaps I am loving the blue/white swirl on top. Closed lavender buds waiting to hatch, Geranium leaves tossed in Gardenia absolute and a fistful of star-shaped Ylang Ylang flowers. Coconut Cream Blue Flower Tarts: The Roche Shop Sea Salt Soap: Empire Soaps (lemon verbena and lemongrass) Blossom Goat's Milk…
-
Soap Queen
-
Post Guild Report and Catch Up
15 May 2012 | 7:51 pmIt’s definitely a change being back home after a jam packed week of soap guild fun.Yesterday was a hectic (but awesome) day at the BB office after being away for practically an entire week. Despite the fact that we’re all playing catch up, the trip was totally worth it. Amber, Courtney, Kat and I had the best time together. We bonded and laughed in the van to and from Portland and were super giddy to meet some of our customers at the Bramble Berry booth (thank you to those who stopped by- it was fun to meet you!). The only downfall was being apart from Jamisen and my hubby Chris,… -
Oodles of New Products!
14 May 2012 | 4:20 pmIt has been a little while since we’ve done a “What’s New” post and there are many new products to report on, including a new book on making milk soap from scratch. It has been months in the making so we’re super excited to share it with you. It covers making all types of milk soap – from cow milk to hemp milk to goat milk – the book has techniques you can use with a wide variety of milks. Making Milk Soap from Scratch Book Row 1: Goat Milk Mold, Moroccan Tile Mold, Vegan Lip Balm Base Row 2: 10″ Silicone Loaf Mold, Milk & Honey… -
Happy Mother’s Day
13 May 2012 | 11:50 pmHappy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there! We had a wonderful weekend (thanks to awesome planning by Chris). Betweeen two hikes in the sunny Pacific Northwest, a lovely visit to a local sculpture park, visits to the park, bouquets of flowers and a new Nook (hello, Mother’s Day gift from sweet husband!), it was an energetic, busy and joyful weekend. I am so thankful for my OWN Mother, who taught me about being kind, giving back to the community and being an intentional Mother. We’re lucky to have TWO doting Grandmas in our family (and one great-grandma). All of that loving… -
Goat Milk Soap Mold Debut!
11 May 2012 | 9:49 pmRaise your hand if you were at the Handcrafted Soapmaker’s Guild Conference in Portland, Oregon. Whoop de whoop! We hope you had a chance to see these soaps in person (and gave them a sniff). We used the Goat Milk Melt and Pour Soap base with Fresh Snow Fragrance Oil and Activated Charcoal for colorant. Oh, and how could I forget, we used our brand new Goat Milk Soap Mold that we designed just for you milk lovers. Got goat milk? Ingredients Goat Milk Mold Bulk Goats Milk Soap Base Fresh Snow Fragrance Oil Activated Charcoal ONE: Melt 12 ounces of Goat Milk melt… -
Soap Guild Fun + Inspiring Soap Mosaic
10 May 2012 | 11:15 amThe Bramble Berry Team and I are enjoying the first full day of the Handcrafted Soap Guild Conference in Portland, Oregon. We’ve been on the go since Tuesday morning at 5 am and we haven’t stopped since (and we’re loving every second of it). I’ve really enjoyed the inspirational speakers and classes but my favorite part so far has been meeting our customers and Facebook friends that we interact with on a daily basis. It’s like we already know each other when we’ve actually never met in person. Call me corny, but it’s such a fun experience. There has…
-
About.com Candle & Soap Making
-
Back from the Conference
14 May 2012 | 12:08 pmWell, I'm back from the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild conference safe and sound! It was a fabulous conference full of fun, information, fellowship and soap talk. The range of soapmakers from beginner to advanced, from young to not-so-young, from west to east coast was truly amazing. It is so wonderful to have an organization like the HSMG supporting our craft and our industry. It's so hard to focus on "real life" when you come back from one of these events - I just want to spend all day in the kitchen making soap and trying the new things I learned!...Read Full Post -
Getting Ready for the HSMG Conference
7 May 2012 | 3:48 pmI'm getting ready to head to the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild conference in Portland, Oregon! I'm a speaker this year - and am going to be talking about the qualities of soapmaking oils and how to formulate your own soap recipes. I'm really looking forward to it!...Read Full Post -
Mosquitoes are Here - Time to Make Some Candles
30 Apr 2012 | 10:26 amAs I was watering my fledgling tomato plants last night...I got at least 5 mosquito bites! And while I'm probably not going to put a bunch of citronella candle torches around my garden, it certainly was notice that it's mosquito season...and time to make up a batch of mosquito votive candles. You'd be surprised at some of the many different essential oil blends that repel mosquitoes...many of which smell great too! -
Springtime Soy Container Candles
29 Apr 2012 | 7:05 pmWhat do you get when you mix some whimsical springtime-themed ceramic containers with the desire to create some fun container candles for my kitchen? You get these soy container candles with coordinating colors and fragrances. They're pretty much just a variation of a basic container candle - but here the container is the focus more than the wax....Read Full Post -
Single Use Sugar Scrub Cubes
25 Apr 2012 | 6:29 pmI love the feeling that a sugar or salt scrub gives to your skin. Part moisturizing and part exfoliation. But they're so messy - and sugar scrubs require a preservative to keep from getting moldy....Read Full Post
-
Great Cakes Soapworks
-
Salt Bar Update: The Shower Test
15 May 2012 | 9:55 pmFor me, a great handmade soap needs just two things: 1. It has to have LOTS of lather – and not just any lather: STABLE lather. 2. It has to leave my skin feeling moisturized. I hold salt bars to the same high standards, so when I tested the three salt bars that I made recently in the shower, I had some mixed results. My 3 Salt Bars I’ve tried all three of these salt bars in the shower now at least once. I measure the stability of the lather based on whether or not I can load up my nylon scrubby with soap just once and still have some left over after I’ve washed my entire… -
Soap Challenge Week 9
13 May 2012 | 10:47 amQuick Soap Swap Update: It would appear that using google documents may not have been the best choice for creating the sign-up. I have heard from 3 people who had signed up for the swap, but I never received their information. So – obviously I’m one short here if anyone else wants to speak up and join the swap. Please -
Soap Challenge – Week 8 Link-Up
12 May 2012 | 6:00 amBefore I talk about salt bars, I want to be sure that everyone who signed up for the soap swap received their swap partner info last week. There were over 50 people involved, so the chances of me making a mistake are well within the realm of possibility. LOL! If you DIDN’T get an email from me with your partner’s info, please let me know ASAP. Now – this week’s Soap Challenge was to formulate a salt bar. I first heard about salt bars in 2005, and I think they have been in and out of popularity ever since! I have dabbled with making salt bars before, but never really… -
Mokalata and China Rain Soaps Now Available
9 May 2012 | 2:54 pmThese are both pretty small batches, but I wanted to let you know that the Mokalata and China Rain soaps are now available! Mokalata is a very unique soap made with pure kahlua (coffee liqueur) and a sweet chocolatey-coffee type aroma. I’ve added real coffee grounds to the contrasting white soap for added visual appeal as well as some exfoliation. These are some pretty rugged looking bars – and only 7 available! Mokalata Soap by Great Cakes Soapworks China Rain is nearly opposite the Mokalata soap, both in appearance and fragrance. It is a very delicate looking soap, although it… -
Soap Challenge Week 8
6 May 2012 | 5:15 pmDid you check out all the beautiful gradient soaps from last week? I am so happy to hear that this was a favorite technique for several participants! So many beautiful soaps! This week’s challenge is to formulate a salt bar recipe. (This will require that you have a working knowledge of a soap calculator, such as SoapCalc.) Salt bars are their own little category of handmade soap! They are reputed to create a super-hard, long-lasting bar of soap with a very creamy and moisturizing lather. Some will end up feeling like a polished stone after just a few uses. Now, here’s the…
-
The Soap Blog.
-
Using liquid lye solutions
13 May 2012 | 10:49 amI am looking for a basic recipe, olive oil and coconut oil , I will be using a liquid lye solution 30% lye concentration. How much oils do I need and do -
Potassium Hydroxide soap turning reddish
13 May 2012 | 10:26 amI made a batch of liquid soap paste with cocoa butter, castor oil and coconut oil - I diluted it a few times with great results, nice clear golden toned -
Substituting Oils
12 May 2012 | 11:57 amIf I do not have Shea Butter can I substitute with another oil? Answer: You certainly can use other oils in a soap making recipe. Visit my page on -
Cocoa in soap making
12 May 2012 | 11:51 amCan we use cocoa powder/ovaltine in soap making? Answer: You certainly can use cocoa powder in soap making. Not sure about ovaltine as I am unaware of -
Goats milk
12 May 2012 | 11:47 amWhy my goats milk turn brown? Answer: Goat's milk and lye react with one another so a soap made with goat's milk will turn brown and sometimes even orange.
-
Susan's Natural Soap Blog
-
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-05-13
13 May 2012 | 8:39 pmSusan's Soap Blog – B-Day Free Shipping Sale http://t.co/1UfOkBIm # Powered by Twitter Tools -
B-Day Free Shipping Sale
12 May 2012 | 5:17 pmTomorrow, May 13th is my birthday. Yeah I know, it’s on Mother’s Day. I kind of lose out that way a little as I think my guys (husband and son) get away with a bit of double dipping. But nevertheless it’s my special day times two and so I thought I’d share the luv with all of you, my loyal customers and readers by offering a quick little Free Shipping sale on orders of $25 or more. Note to Chester Johnson – that is waaay down from $75.00. There are a couple of caveats – the sale is only good through Monday May 14th and it only covers our… -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-29
29 Apr 2012 | 8:39 pmSusan's Soap Blog – Wedge Soaps on sale for almost 50% off! http://t.co/LMU6yCYx # Having lunch with my sweetie. (@ Zaguan Cafe & Bakery) [pic]: http://t.co/wh0r0Vgj # Last day for $4.00 wedge soap sale. Try a new scent or an old favorite. http://t.co/HGTTOvHT # Powered by Twitter Tools -
Wedge Soaps on sale for almost 50% off!
23 Apr 2012 | 10:18 amWedge Soap - Ergonomic & All Natural We are offering our Wedge Soaps on sale this week for only $4.00/wedge. That is almost a 50% savings from the regular price of $7.50/wedge. These ergonomic bars fit easily into your hand and our customers are telling us that they last longer as well. We have most of our scents now available in wedges but quantities are limited. This is an excellent to try out the wedge shape or even just stock up on some of your favorite scents. The sale price goes away on Friday so don’t delay and lose out! You can buy them here: Wedges on… -
Indigo now carrying large scrubs, small soaps & more
19 Apr 2012 | 1:10 pmWillie behind the counter at Indigo 1745 Indigo 1745 has been a loyal Susan’s Soaps & More customer for years. Denise & Keith Manoy that own the store which is located at 370 West 7th Street in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas are a wonderful couple that I consider not only business associates but friends. They do a fabulous job of displaying, marketing and selling our soaps, shampoo bars, scrubs and lip balms. Susan's Soaps products on display at Indigo 1745 Denise and Keith have carried our salt glows and sugar scrubs since they first began carrying our line back in…
-
Wholesale Supplies Plus
-
Lotion Massage Candles & Lotion Bar
15 May 2012 | 8:00 amDebbie May was in Portland, Oregon last week for the 2012"The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Conference". It was a great conference attended by over 310 people this year! During the conference Debbie gave a demo on "How to Make Lotion Massage Candles" and "Lavender Lotion Bars". Both recipes received accolades from those trying the formulas and for the simplicity of the recipes!!If you were not able to attend the conference, below is a link to the recipes and kits. You will find both kits are currently on sale!Recipes:Lotion Massage Candles -… -
Sweet Citrus Splash Recipes
14 May 2012 | 2:45 pmSummer is almost here...celebrate with these wonderful scents, tips and recipes!!Products & Kits:Stained Glass Citrus Orange Soap Color BarFreshly Zested Lemon Fragrance OilOrange Burst Pamper Me Pedicure KitRecipes:Orange Cream Celebration Cake Soap RecipeSweet Orange Lip BalmSilky Souffle LotionMargarita Lime CandleKits:Margarita Lime Candle KitSweet Orange Lip Balm KitSilky Souffle Lotion KitCelebration Loaf Soap KitWorking Hard for Your Success!Debbie Maywww.WholesaleSuppliesPlus.com1-800-359-0944 -
Celebrate Mothers Day with NEW Recipes!!
12 May 2012 | 8:21 amWe hope this Mother's Day brings you happiness and inspiration!!Treat Yourself and Customers to these NEW Recipes:Cooling Cucumber MaskMango Cuticle CreamPampering Foot ScrubWorking Hard for Your Success!Debbie Maywww.WholesaleSuppliesPlus.com1-800-359-0944 -
NEW MP Soap Price Breaks!
19 Apr 2012 | 7:40 amWholesale Supplies Plus is pleased to now offer a 2 case price break on all cases of MP Soap Base!You can mix and match cases of different soap bases and receive the 2 case price break by calling our offices!Click here to view the pricing on your favorite base!!Working Hard for Your Success!Debbie Maywww.WholesaleSuppliesPlus.com1-800-359-0944 -
New MP Soap Base
19 Apr 2012 | 7:16 amCrafter's Choice is coming out with a new soap base and Wholesale Supplies Plus is pleased to carry it!Basic Base - Clear 24 lb BlockBasic Base - Clear 24 lb White This base has a lower price because it is made with less expensive ingredients. The result is a creamy lather with lots of tiny bubbles! This base has low odor, great color and is easy to unmold. The low water content reduces bar shrinkage.Check out the pricing! You will find the price to be $10-12/case lower than our Extra Clear soap base.We are hoping to have this soap in stock and ready to ship in the…
-
Debbie May
-
Improving Return on Investment (ROI)
16 May 2012 | 8:00 amROI is a measure of financial performance used to gauge the profitability of an investment. It’s often referred to as the rate of return. ROI is usually expressed as a ratio (or percentage) of the money gained or lost on an investment divided by the cost of that investment. For most businesses, the gain is normally called net income or profit. The investment cost is usually called capital, principal, cost basis, or asset value.The beauty of ROI is that you can adapt its calculation to your specific business. The danger is that the calculation can be manipulated to produce a distorted… -
Work from Home, Save Money
9 May 2012 | 8:00 amWorking from home represents a different lifestyle than a corporate job. Not only do you have more flexibility in your work schedule, you’ll have more time to devote to productive work, and waste less on commuting, and office politics. But, thanks to your home office set up, there are other easy ways to save money, and maximize the value of your time as a stay at home working mom. Here are four money-saving changes you can start today. Be strategic. Weigh the value of everything you do, and how it compares to what you’re paying others to handle. For example, you may pay… -
Using Pinterest to Promote Your Bath & Body Products
2 May 2012 | 8:00 amThis article is the first in a three-part series. This piece will cover the basics, while the next two articles will offer more technical internet marketing tips and navigational tools for using Pinterest. In case you haven’t heard, there are more and more bath and body entrepreneurs jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon (http://www.pinterest.com). In addition to being a fun social media site to visit for inspiring photos of anything from decorating ideas to soaps, many Pinterest users are reporting increased website traffic and sales. In fact, some Etsy sellers have reported that after they… -
Benefits of an Outside Consultant
25 Apr 2012 | 11:04 amFor some small business owners, hiring a consultant may seem like big, unnecessary expense. You’re trying to cut operating costs, not find ways to increase them.These are valid concerns, but shouldn’t preempt the idea of hiring someone with specific expertise to help you. This is especially true when you first start your business. If you get off on the wrong foot, it may cost you a lot more in the long run if an expert could have helped you avoid problems to begin with.It’s like a golfer who doesn’t takes lessons and never learns to swing the club properly. Bad habits turn into a bad… -
Cosmetic Legislation - Federal Legislative Update
9 Apr 2012 | 7:39 pmHearing SummaryOn March 27, 2012 there was an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing, “Examining the Current State of Cosmetics”. It was my pleasure to testify to the subcommittee on behalf of the Handmade Soap and Cosmetic Industry. The hearing lasted just over two hours and overall, it went very well. Questions were fair and the witnesses appeared passionately honest. Most everyone was in agreement that cosmetics are of the safest products regulated by the FDA. Recent concerns with the “Brazilian Blowout” were due misbranded and mislabeled products. Small business…
