Product Testing: Five Tips to do it Better

You may not want to take the time that it requires to get the perfect product because of how time consuming and wasteful it seems, but it is important to do so you can have a product that you are proud to stand behind. You Google until your fingers fall off to gain information, and don’t be afraid to click on the links that aren’t the most popular. You can also seek out advice from another fellow candle maker to help you streamline what you want to do, and don’t be afraid to use your product to make test samples, it’s the only way to get it right.

Key Takeaways:

  • The best thing that you can do to improve in any area is to do research and look to experts of the field to gain knowledge.
  • Keeping notes is a very valuable skill as it can come in handy whenever you forget something and can also be a great before and after type thing.
  • If you want to test scenes, make a large batch and divide it into smaller parts. This helps test the intensity of the scent.

“Yes, testing is necessary, but get smart about the testing to reduce the time and resources necessary to create that ideal product.”

Read more: https://makingsoapmagazine.com/2020/02/07/product-testing-five-tips-to-do-it-better/

Oodles of Oils

Knowing which oil to choose if you are in the business of making soaps is important because you will want to know which oils are the best for your target market. If you are in the business of selling you will also want to know which type of oil is best for you to use based on their shelf life and what people are willing to pay for those oils. There are three types, and those are fat, butter and oil.

Key Takeaways:

  • When creating a cosmetic product, the sheer number of oils to choose from can be confusing.
  • Typically, oils are liquid, butters are plant-based solids, and fats are animal-based solids.
  • Fatty acid composition, shelf life, availability and price are what differentiate the various lipids.

“Consider a few key points and you will be on track to making good choices”

Read more: https://makingsoapmagazine.com/2020/01/06/oodles-of-oils/

My Best Advice for Successful Holiday Craft Shows

Holiday craft shows can be stressful and a burden on the average crafter, or they can be a chance to showcase your wares and learn new, exciting skills. This is a great chance to network, which means connecting with other crafters and building a network of friends and colleagues. This network can help you develop new skills, find new clients and customers, and find resources as you need them. Another piece of advice is to have confidence.

Key Takeaways:

  • You should be able to take money besides cash. More specifically have the ability to accept at least two types of credit cards.
  • Practice your checkout process and keep it smooth. It is important to be efficient during this process but also calm, friendly and accurate.
  • Spend a little time setting up your booth to make it as effective and efficient as possible.

“Having a booth at a craft show can be stressful. It’s hard to be super successful right off the bat and it’s tempting to quit. However, it’s better to use the opportunity to learn.”

Read more: http://mbt.resultflow.com/page/leverage/public-content?id=workspace://SpacesStore/f5a76987-23b9-45f0-a16c-3f649168299d

The Two Major Reasons Why Soap & Skin Care Businesses Fail

Soap businesses fail because their business model isn’t strategically planned enough. They think that the products will practically sell themselves because of how desirable the product is. Everybody uses soap so if there is a soap product that works well then the customers will keep coming back, is a common thought people have. It can really get expensive to keep customers coming back to use their products because there are so many out there that serve the same or a similar purpose.

Key Takeaways:

  • The first reason for failure is the small market for this type of product.
  • Getting customers in this market is not as easy as it seems. Remember your competing against the big boys in the industry.
  • Ditch your present business plan and revamp a precise business plan and mission. Show that your product is better than the rest.

“Not enough startups take the time to be silent and listen to their true calling. This isn’t some spiritual, airy-fairy stuff…this is what the most successful people in the world do. They put their phones down and shut their laptops and they create with only their minds, pen and paper.”

Read more: https://www.lovinsoap.com/2019/11/the-two-major-reasons-why-soap-skin-care-businesses-fail/

Argan Rose Pressed Shampoo Bars

These shampoo bars are very different from other bars that have been made from thicker or more waxy ingredients. It made with similar ingredients to a bath bomb, which allows it to melt down just enough to create a rich lather but also able to harden back up and be used again. If there was such as thing as too much lather then this is probably the shampoo bar that would be classified as having too much lather.

Key Takeaways:

  • Argon Rose pressed shampoo bars are popular and the inspiration of an also popular LUSH product
  • The bars create a thick, bubbly and silky lather, described as decadent.
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulphite comprises the bulk of these unique, shampoo beauty bars.

“It’s structured very differently from other shampoo bars I’ve shared, with no melted fatty hardeners like cocoa butter or stearic acid.”

Read more: https://www.humblebeeandme.com/argan-rose-pressed-shampoo-bars/

What is the Best Camera for Product Photos?

If you are going to be taking photos of your products for a website you are going to want some high quality photos. You don’t necessarily need a large camera with a ton of features to make this happen, but it helps. The set back with one of the larger highly, functioning cameras is that they are difficult to get the hang of, they have a massive amount of settings that can be confusing for new users. Point and shoot cameras work fine, and take better quality photos than they used to, they just don’t have as many settings, same as smart phones.

Key Takeaways:

  • Luckily, a great, mouth-watering product shot need not require an expensive 1000 dollar camera.
  • A regular point and shoot camera is affordable and can deliver the goods.
  • Even a smart phone camera, the most convenient for many, is useable and delivers decent images.

“For many people, at least starting out, product shots means a DYI photo.”

Read more: https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/best-camera-for-product-photos/

The Best Soap Molds to Use for Every Level of Soapmaking

If you’re just starting out making soap you will probably start to notice that a lot of different things can be used as a soap mold. You will find that reusing old food containers is a good way to start because this particular soap mold isn’t expensive to get a hold of. You will want to make sure that the area inside the container is fully cleaned and you may even need to line it with something, like plastic.

Key Takeaways:

  • Plastic molds are very good for melt and pour soap and they are usually cut to fit different shapes and designs.
  • Wood molds are very affordable and cheap to make and the wood must be lined with freezer paper so the soap doesn’t stick.
  • Silicone molds are the most common because they allow you to have a very clean corner, however they are heat resistant.

“PVC pipe soap molds are commonly used for puck soaps and have a lot of similar features to HDPE molds. They are heat sensitive and may or may not need to be lined. However, PVC pipes are typically very affordable at local home improvement stores.”

Read more: https://www.modernsoapmaking.com/best-soap-molds-to-use/

Why Make Milk Soap? Because It’s Amazing!

Making milk soap can be fun it’s also great to use for your skin. It has a very smooth texture and creates a smoothing effect on your skin. It also smells and feels nice when you use it. There are several different oils that go into it, and if you’re really passionate about making the soap unique to other soaps out there, you can experiment with different designs and colors. Just start with the recipe that’s provided and start making them.

Key Takeaways:

  • Milk soap is just a soap that is make with fragrances like milk, oatmeal and honey.
  • In order to make this soap, you will need soybean, coconut, sunflower and avocado oils as well as milk and Kaolin clay.
  • You can use different color choices and also even keep it simple with standard white by using titanium dioxide.

“A design idea has been knocking around in my head for a while for a soap in our Round Ripple Mold. The concept is two separate colors poured at the same time to create a pattern similar to the yin-yang symbol.”

Read more: https://blog.thesage.com/2020/01/09/why-make-milk-soap-because-its-amazing/