Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more
Sleeping Angels is a very traditional, floral scent. It’s light, airy and very romantic. But, if you’re not a fan of florals, I’ve designed a few blends to delight and intrigue. I hope you like them – and if you come up with any of your own, please let me know!
1 part Sleeping Angels
1 part Mayan Gold
2 parts Sleeping Angels
3 parts Baby Rose
4 parts Sleeping Angels
1 part Pepperberry (my favorite!)
3 parts Sleeping Angels
2 parts Orange Spice, Cybilla
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Good but not my faves!
1 part Sleeping Angels
1 part Sea Moss
3 parts Sleeping Angels
1 part Sensuous Sandalwood
2 parts Sleeping Angels
1 part Cinnamon Leaf EO
Yesterday was a productive soapy day at Otion. I had the privilege of teaching a Cold Process class, witnessing an inspired first timer at the soap bar and starting on my Fourth of July submission for the TeachSoap forum.
The Cold Process class went well. The students liked the bright colors that oxides achieve. Several of them will have soap that lathers colors. Their children will undoubtedly be happier than Mom about the colored lather.
I also tested a lovely Green Apple fragrance and did a two color swirl with Fuscia Labcolor and a green test color. Notice the lovely green? Yeah, neither do I. The green disappeared within three minutes. That’s one green color we won’t be adding.
I also started my Fourth of July CP soap project. I’m not entirely sure where I’m going with the project but I’m picturing some sort of checkerboard or brick pattern? It’s a work-in-progress.
Two friends came into Otion on Saturday to make soap. Spending their soap set up time wisely, they made a morning of it and headed to Bellingham Famer’s Market. Upon returning, they were thrilled with their soaps. They were soap naturals. Check out their multi-layered Daisy soap. It’s an excellent first soap.
Here’s to hoping today will be half as productive as yesterday.
These are all of our soap tests from just this week at Bramble Berry. We’ve been working diligently to find unique Holiday scents for 2008 and finalize the line up by mid-July.
Thus far, we’ve fallen in love with an Orange Chocolate concoction and not much else. With a comprehensive line (already!) of Winter fragrances, finding new, unique and difference blends is challenging.
But, we’re up for the challenge … after all, it means that we get to make more soap, smell exotic enticing fragrances and delight in the practice of our craft every day until we finalize the line-up.
For the Wine lover that has everything – I bet they don’t have Baccchus Soap! I’m not sure whether to be amused or horrified by the graphic nature of the soap. Despite Johanna‘s (BB Customer Service Extradinaire) inherent soapy artistry, she was unable to make this soap appear to be anything other than what it is: a naked man, holding grapes, with a small fig leaf over his nether regions.
History? Or, hilarious? It’s your call. Get your own mold here.
As if we didn’t already LOVE Sephora for being trend setters in our industry, now we love them even more after launching their Breakfast in Bed product line. Shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath are available in three mouth watering breakfast fragrances: Café Au Lait, Fresh Cream and Belgian Waffles. Don’t they sound delicious? What a way to wake up in the morning!
Sephora is always on the cutting edge of the industry’s latest and greatest trends…and food fragrances are continuing their hot streak. We’ve noticed our Bramble Berry food fragrances have been selling like hotcakes (no pun intended).
Jump on board and add a little “breakfast” to your own body products! Try some of our best selling food fragrances like Cybilla Chocolate Espresso, Oatmeal Milk & Honey, Latte Flavor Oil or our Fresh Baked Bread with a splash of our Caramel Flavor Oil…Mmmm!
Bramble Berry received a sample of Black African Soap from an importer. They were hoping we would love the soap so much that we would carry it.
Unfortunately, the soap arrived with mold growing on its (cool but apparently not suitable) Palm Leaf wrapper.
This is a good reminder that testing and review is always the final step after developing great products, concise labeling and cool packaging. Take some time this weekend to find five minutes and reflect on your packaging and the importance of first impressions. Are your products packed well enough to arrive to the vendor safely? Are your formulations fabulous enough to ensure no germs or bacteria grow in them? What does your product say before the recipient even opens your brochure or literature?
It’s that last final step that may make the difference between a dud and a sale.
You know what that means? It’s time for ice cream, hot dogs and cold lemonade.
Here in Bellingham, Washington, we haven’t had a true summer’s day yet. It has been raining and thundering and hailing and raining some more.
The sun is shining today (finally) and we are loving every precious minute of it. I found these soaps on Etsy. They are so realistic that they remind me of summers as a little girl; the memories of ice cream dripping down my entire arm because I couldn’t eat it fast enough or of my burned veggie hot dogs over the campfire because I lacked patience to “slow roast” it. And of course, there is nothing like lemonade to quench your thirst after an exhausting game of boccee ball.
Find the Hot dog and Lemonade soaps by Mollycoddlesoap on Etsy here and the Ice cream soap by Plumberrylane on Etsy here.
Pooka hits it big with this interview on CBS News. I love what they say about helping others and paying a good deed forward. Prepare to be inspired!
To Make Strawberry Shortcakes
1. Make the Strawberries. Erik used Fushcia and Red Labcolors to get the perfect red.
2. Make the Shortcake. Erik used Goat Milk Melt and Pour which has a natural ivory tint in the Milky Way Rectangle Mold.
3. Whip and fragrance the Foaming Bath Butter. Might we suggest Strawberry or Vanilla or Coconut?
4. Build your Shortcake. It’s that easy.
To Make Drizzled Chocolate Strawberries
1. Make the Strawberries.
2. Drizzle melted Cappuccino-colored clear melt and pour over the strawberries
3. Drizzle melted Pearly White-colored clear melt and pour over the strawberries for a nifty accent effect
Use your creativity to make your own version of these Fruity Creations. This could be done with Peaches, Pears Raspberries and even little faux-candy molds.
Click here to see the entire list of Commonly Asked Craft Show questions.
Click here to see the answer to “Why does your soap cost so much?”
Click here to see the answer to “Cool! How is this made?”
Click here to see the answer to “Cool! Can you teach me to make this?”
Cool! Where do you buy your supplies!?
Answer You Might Want to Give: “Sorry, no. I’m not telling you where I buy my stuff so you can go copy all of my best ideas. Learn how to do it like I did it – from scratch with hard work and effort put into it. Good luck.”
Or “Can you keep a secret?” (they nod) “Well, so can I.”
Being diplomatic at all times is a good business skill to learn and there’s no better time than right now. Here are some different answers for this pesky question based on your comfort level with freely sharing your knowledge. At Otion, one of our Core Values is that we freely share information. I generally divulge everything I can without jeopardizing our core business. Where you fall on this scale (stony silence to verbal fountains) determines how friendly and encouraging you’ll want to be with this answer.
Nice Freely Sharing Knowledge Answer: “I am so flattered that you like my XYZ (scent, color, mold). I get it at Bramble Berry Soapmaking Supplies. Their web site is www.brambleberry.com and their phone number is 1-87-SOAP-STUFF. Soapmaking is so fun and easy! I hope you like it as much as I do!”
Less Sharing but Still Nice Answer: “I am so flattered that you like my XYZ (scent, color, mold). I’d prefer not to share my sources for my supplies but I’m happy to give you some good starting places for you to search around so you can find a (scent, color, mold) that’s unique to you and really appeals to your sense of style.”
“When I started out, I actually bought all of my molds and stuff at Michael’s craft store. You could get a basic starter kit there or you can always go online and Google “Soapmaking Supplies” and some of the top vendors in this industry will pop up. (transition question) So, you’re crafty? What other crafts do you do?”
This is our new soft beige mica. We love it for mineral makeup bronzers, foundations, eyeshadows and lipsticks! It is a nice neutral color that acts as a base for many of the foundation recipes in our Mineral Makeup Guide.Of course, the colorant works in melt and pour soap as well.
Thank you SoapyElephant for this cute Cupcake bag and Candle! It is totally handmade and colorful. You can buy your own here for the ultra affordable price of $12. Get ’em fast before Michelle gets carpal tunnel syndrome.
Thank you for the kind and generous gift.
I was thrilled to get this yummy Margarita Shea Butter Soap from SeaGarden Design last week. I especially liked the nice touch of the flamingo stir stick and faux martini olive.
Despite being sent all the way from Florida, it still arrived totally safe and sound. Thanks for thinking of me. =)