Fresholi | Melting Pot Café

Afternoon everyone.

I am a total novice and probably a bit unhinged but I think I want to make my own range of soaps.  I have been 'messing about' with a few M&P kits you get on ebay for personal use and some visitors have commented on the ususual colours etc and asked if they were from the shop beginning with L that i personally hate. As a result some friends have left with soaps I made an have offered to buy more but obviously I cannot sell as I have no idea where to start with saftey assesments, labelling and the likes. I have also been looking at cold process soap but that seems much more complicated. Other things like balms, bath bombs, butters etc I also need to research.

I am doing a hnd in business studies so I am trying to write a proper business plan and I really really need to look at everything and decide if there is a market in my area for such items or if I need to just bin the whole idea.

All advice is welcome and pointer to reading material on labelling, saftey assesments and actual how to make....... type books would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Hello and welcome. I think you will fit in perfectly. :mwaha: Take a look at resources, there is lots of information in there. If you look at the shop under the individual products there is plenty of info about the various oils, butters etc. Safety Assessments - have a word with Scott (and Rachel - nakedtruthbeauty).

Hi SS and welcome! You have found the right place and the friendliest.   :buttrf:

The more you post new boards will open up for you to read.

Hello SS, welcome to the forum.

Loads of info here, check out the boards which you can see (will probably take you quite a while but there are newbie questions in the later posts so you won't need to go right to the beginning).

That depends to a certain extent where you are - and how many potential customers there are among your friends (and if they spread the word).

Hi and welcome, we're all a bit unhinged here!

Glad to see I am in the right place.  I signed up a while ago so have been reading for what seems like an age.  I need to post more so i can see more boards and hopefully lear more :)

Hello ms.strawberry shortcake!!! You are very welcome - you will be able to learn absolutely everything you need to know on this forum. There are some amazing talented soapers here with astounding knowledge. Enjoy and most of all have lots of fun!! Word of warning once you start CP theres no turning back!!! Its totally and utterly addictive!!  :mwaha:  :-* :buttrf:
Oh, you can find abbreviations and codes that are used here in the 'about' section up above on the Green Tab.

 :mwaha: Brain fart  :mwaha:

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ySuhvK15JOE/TxlQhnCmr-I/AAAAAAAAAtQ/HOdcVanqZkM/s1600/a-brain-fart-brain-fart-demotivational-poster-1208825610.jpg)

 :mwaha:   :hi:

Hello and welcome.  As you can see unhinged is a prerequisite for membership..... :mwaha:

Ahem, speak for yerself, dear! :shakef:

Welcome, SS. :)

Eire

Hello and a warm welcome and yup... you is going to fit right it.   :mwaha:

;)

Hello fellow unhinged person

gotta be unhinged.. its the only way to survive I think.

Thank you for the warm welcome

I have been thinking about dirive and direction, I have an allergy to lanolin and I am so fed up withhaving to buy scent and fragrance free creams and lotions because it is often the only way to buy lanolin free especially body cream/butters/lotions.  Husband wants shaving soap and some more 'man' type soap. He is a builder and a bit of a metrosexual but hates the fluffy packaging plus he gets chapped lips so wants lip balm that is 'masculine' not girly. Me thinks he is getting a bit ahead of himself.

Or a bit ahead of you :mwaha:

Oh definately. I am firmly at the M&P stage ad lookig at bombs and bath salts, he is full blown branded range taking on boot/L___/spa's

my latest puzzlement is moulds. I have a silicone thing that has 4 spaces and makes a 70g bar, I use that but I keep seeing soap logs that are the cut to soap slices but the loaf moulds on ebay don't seem up to the job.

A lot of people like using the Really Useful Boxes, they seem to be great moulds for logs  :)

I used rubs until I got my wooden moulds. they are nice and make a lovely rectangle bar of soap. There are a few places you can buy wooden moulds from , GF , JAS and SK , I think all have them , also q few others , but rubs are good and you can get them from staples etc

add to my ever growing list abbreviations as I have no ideas what GF< JAS or SK eans but i suspect they are suppliers

excuse me dizzybuff but what on earth are "rubs"  ???
 :)

excuse me dizzybuff what on earth are "rubs"  ???
 :)

oops sorry didn't mean to ask twice.
now then, now then !

Really useful Boxes  :)

Hi SS and a BIG welcome, you'll learn loads here and get to chat with some lovely jubbly people........... :buttrf:

thank you Helen oh wise one  :mwaha:

If you click 'About' at the top of the screen and then click 'Acronyms', you will find out what all the abbreviations are for. They are automatically corrected when people type the full name of the supplier. It's so that suppliers don't get free promotion on here, as they are competition.

Hi and welcome! This is my Happy Place. I know you'll love it here, too!

 :mwaha:

I like it  :buttrf:

Hi SS nice to meet you.  Brain fart made me giggle this morning, and I love the pic Dizzy.