What I learned when a basic soap recipe led me to a home business

How i started: I started making soap when I was a child helping my grandmother, who is now 98 years old. When I started making soap as an adult, I didn’t do it with the intention of selling. I just wanted to do something that was relaxing and enjoyable.

CHOOSE A METHOD AND A RECIPE: For my first batch, I chose a basic recipe that called for ingredients that I could buy at my local grocery store. Looking around my kitchen I found the equipment that needed the recipe and thought, “Why invest in expensive supplies that you may never have needed again?” My rule was to keep it simple and cheap. The recipe called for 3 lbs. Of vegetable shortening, 1 lbs. Of coconut oil, 1 1/2 lbs. Of olive oil, 3/4 lbs. Of bleach, 2 lbs. Of water, and 1 oz. Of fragrance oil (optional). I used Red Devil bleach from a local hardware store and scent oil from a craft store. Now I buy my bleach in bulk from the local chemical company.

EQUIPMENT I USED: A stainless steel pot, an 8-cup tempered glass measuring cup, a kitchen scale, a candy thermometer, wooden spoons, a spatula, a pan, and a stand mixer. You can use a wand to mix your soap, but I find a stand mixer much easier.

INGREDIENTS WEIGHING: Most ingredients can be measured or weighed in pounds. This is how I weighed my ingredients, but I still do. I put the empty measuring cup on the scale and noticed that it weighed 3 pounds. In the measuring cup I added the cold water until the scale read 5 pounds, then carefully added the bleach until the scale read 5 3/4 pounds. I stirred the water until the bleach was completely dissolved and set it aside to cool. Then I put the empty pot on the scale and noticed that it weighed 2 pounds. In the pot I added butter until the scale read 5 pounds, then I added coconut oil until the scale read 6 pounds. Lastly, I added olive oil until the scale read 7 1/2 lbs. I then moved the pot to the stove and turned the burner on low to slowly melt the oils.

PREPARING THE SOAP MOLD: For the first mold I used, I inserted the top of a copier paper box into a kitchen garbage bag, smoothing the garbage bag inside the top of the inverted box and down the sides. Taped to keep it clean and smooth.

MIXING THE WATER OF LAW WITH THE OILS: Using the candy thermometer, I carefully monitored the temperatures of the bleach water and oils until they were both 105 degrees. Using a long-handled wooden spoon, I slowly stirred the oil while carefully pouring in the lye water using a slow, steady stream until the cup was empty. I poured the mixture into my bowl and set the speed to stir. Within minutes, the soap looked like a fine pudding. This is when the aromatic oils should be added. When the soap got a little thicker, I poured it into my prepared mold, scraping down the sides of the container with a spatula. I placed cardboard on top of the soap and then added a couple of heavy towels on top to isolate.

REMOVE THE SOAP AND CUT INTO BARS: The soap must remain covered for at least 24 hours to complete the saponification process. In other words, turn the mixture into soap. After 24 hours, I turned the solid slab of soap onto a clean workbench and cut it into bars. There are many methods of cutting bars of soap, but for this basic recipe I used a ruler to mark lines so that the bars of soap were the same size and straight edges when cut with a knife.

CURED SOAP: I put the soap bars on their ends in a box and put them on a shelf to cure for two weeks. Note: If any type of milk is used in the soap, the curing time is not less than 3 weeks.

SOAP PACKAGING AND LABELING: There are many ways to package soap. I think of a simple method. Using colored tissue paper, I wrapped the bars of soap like a gift. Any dollar store has tissue paper. For the labels on my cigar bands, I bought a durable stationery paper from an office supply store. I designed a label that had the name of the soap on the front, the ingredients on the top edge, and a small description of the soap on the back.

THE DECISION TO OPEN A BUSINESS: My friends and my family pushed me to start a business. I contacted the Small Business Association for guidance. The first thing I had to do was request a fictitious name since I was not going to use mine. After the name was approved, I applied for a tax identification number and a business license. I would recommend a business plan with a clear idea of ​​the direction you want your business to go and try to stay on track. I opened a business account at my bank, one that gave me a credit card. I also wanted a logo so I asked my sister to draw it for me. There are also many free logo programs on the Internet.

SPACE: Since we have 3 birds and my husband has allergies, I designated a work area and storage space in my garage. My soap is kept in a spare room. I found that dollar stores and discount stores had better prices on storage containers than sales at my local hardware or grocery store. I also buy in bulk when I can to include organic oils in 5 gallon drums.

PLACES TO SELL SOAP: I started with the flea and farmers markets and then some craft shows. Overhead costs tend to be more expensive at craft fairs, so I was selective. I joined an online craft site where I could display my soap for sale. I found three stores to sell my soap, one was on consignment and the other two I sold wholesale. I developed my website using Yahoo Sitebuilder, which was very easy to use and offered excellent technical support.

A WORD OF CAUTION TO PLACE SOAP ON CONSIGNMENT. I found that people never treat their products as if they were their own. And when they are on consignment, they remain yours until they are sold. I spent a lot of time replacing soap that had become unsightly and dirty due to handling and / or spilling.

WHOLESALE AND SPECIAL ORDERS: Wholesale can provide steady business. An agreement form is very important. Even if both parties seem to fully understand each other, a misunderstanding can occur. I write every detail discussed between my client and I in the agreement. No detail is overlooked when I start to process the order. When placing a special order for soap with a fragrance that a customer has requested, I tell them up front that when the soap has finished curing, it may not smell exactly how they expected. I will do my best, but I cannot guarantee the scent. I give myself a realistic amount of time to process orders. I never give false deadlines in the hope that I can make it happen. Wholesale and special orders must be paid in advance. I can’t afford to get stuck with a large special order that no one wants.

PRICES: Generally, wholesale prices are half of the retail price. Of course if I am wrapping and labeling etc my prices reflect those extras. There are all kinds of articles on the Internet that provide ideas and guidelines for setting the price of soap. I looked around my community to see what specialty and health food stores were selling their soap for. As with most handmade items, I will never be paid for all the work I put into making them. Thats the reality. In an article I read about the price of soap, when all the aspects were added to the mix, a bar of soap was almost $ 10.00. I don’t know about your area, but the economy in my area would not bear that price. I would have plenty of nice smelling soap in my soap room.

This is also why I make a small batch of soap when using a new fragrance. With the new soap fragrances, I give my friends and family samples to use. If I get positive reviews, I can try them at the local flea markets. If the soap sells well at the flea market, then I can include it in my inventory. I also make soap based on the season. Spicy for fall, floral for spring and summer, etc.

Some soap makers have done very well, some have expanded their businesses to include soap and candle making supplies. I’m happy to do what I love and if I make a penny, well that’s just the icing on the cake.