There is no better way to unwind before bed than a relaxing bath. Why not make a bath salt that not only makes the joints feel better but also has the calming, sleepy-bye scent of lavender and chamomile? You can easily make some bedtime bath salt bars at home for you, your friends, or your soap shop customers by following the tutorial here:: Bedtime Bath Salt Bars
Monthly Archives: March 2015
Fight Acne Naturally Using Coconut Oil Soap
Soap makers can make a soap with natural ingredients to treat and fight acne on the skin. Using tea tree oil, lemongrass essential oil, and coconut oil in a soap base, you can make an effective soap that’ll fight off acne without drying out the skin. Get the full recipe for this zit-fighting soap here:: Coconut Oil Facial Soap Recipe for Acne Prone Skin
A Throwback Method for Modern Soap Shop Productivity
Running your soap shop requires preparation, organization, and planning. There are a number of apps for your smart phone or programs on your computer to help with your schedule, however sometimes those programs can complicate things. Why not go old school with a physical day planner?
Using a physical day planner will help remind you to use it and focus since it doesn’t have all the other games/internet features that a phone can distract you with. Also, it’s been proven that physically writing appointments by hand helps the brain maintain them in your memory. For a full article about the positives of day planners for soap sellers, click here:: Improve Your Productivity in 2015 the Old Fashioned Way
Shower and Treat Skin with Rose & Aloe
After you have washed yourself in the shower, it might be worth your time to use a shower lotion to treat your skin. You can make your skin softer, silkier, and smell of roses by making a rose & aloe shower lotion at home. A little bit of aloe vera liquid, emulsifying wax, Vitamin E oil, and crisp apple rose fragrance oil can make all the difference. Make some for yourself or your soap shop customers by using the recipe here:: Rose & Aloe In-Shower Lotion
Tiger Stripe Soap with Soothing Lather
You can make a great soap with a vibrant striped purple color at home using rice bran oil, coconut oil, babasu oil, colorants, and shea butter. Add a little bit of lavender and you have a calming soap that will treat your dry skin. Get the full tutorial here:: Lavender & Cedar Split Tiger Stripe Soap
Start Your Soap Shop with Alternative Funding
Many would-be craft soap entrepreneurs stop short of starting their business because they cannot afford to get it off the ground. It can be difficult to get a business loan or credit line for some folks who have quality soaps to sell. There are some funding alternatives, however.
Microloans are an option to look into if you don’t need more than $25,000. Peer-to-peer loans, such as KIVA Zip, can allow you get loans from peers and other lenders on the backs of traditional lenders. If that’s not your thing, there is always testing the market by crowdfunding through websites like Kickstarter. There are ways to display your talent and market your wares, even if you don’t qualify for a regular loan. For more on alternative funding for soap businesses, click here:: Getting Alternative Funding for Your Soap Company
Take a Bath with a Scent of Tropical Flowers
Take relaxation to a new level by adding some pikake flower bath bombs into the tub. You can easily make them at home using sodium bicarbonate, rose petals, witch hazel, and pikake flower fragrance oil. This makes a great day to ease you after a stressful day or as a gift for soap shop customers to purchase. Get the full recipe here:: Pikake Flower Bath Bombs
Soap that Smells of Champagne and Rainbows
You can make a visually stunning rainbow soap at home that can moisturize your skin and treat your nose with a faint scent of champagne. Using shea butter, coconut oil, babassu oil, colorants, and champagne fragrance oil, you can make a soap that will treat the eyes and the nose of any soap shop customer. Get the full recipe here:: Tutorial: Rainbow Ombre Soap with Bramble Berry’s Labcolors
Craft Fair Suggestions for Soap Sellers
Craft fairs and shows are great ways to show off your new soaps, network, and make a little bit of money as well. When done right, the trip and set-up will all be worth it. However, there are a number of tips for newbies to know that they could learn from veteran craft sellers.
Even though people can pay using credit cards and a card reader on your tablet, it is still important to have some extra cash in case you have buyer that needs to make change. Be sure to bring a wide variety of items from your inventory to fully show what you can offer. You might want to offer a discount of some sort and incorporate your website/social media (“Follow on Facebook, get 10% off”). Using these suggestions can help you have a fun and productive time at the fair. For more craft fair tips, please click here:: 9 Things Etsy Sellers Learned at Their First Big Craft Fair
Make Soap Easter Eggs to Clean Peter Cottontail
You can make a great gift for family members or craft shop customers for this Easter! Using a soap base, dewberry fragrance oil, and ribbon, you can make a bar of soap that look like two little Easter eggs lying in a grassy field. It’s a great way to celebrate the Easter season with a fresh scent. Get the full tutorial here:: Recipe: Easter Eggs in a Basket MP Soap