Here are some photos of the newly cut Red Lychee Tea soap. I’m very happy with how the batch turned out, especially the dark vibrant blue.
Colors used:
Non-Bleeding Pink Pigment (liquid)
Non-Bleeding Blue Pigment (liquid)
Non-Bleeding Purple Pigment (liquid)
Sparkle Gold Mica
I roughly sketched out the Profit & Loss of this loaf on the back of a napkin. The rough economics behind this loaf of soap look like this:
COG (cost of good sold) – the price you pay for the raw materials
4 pounds soap = $7.40
2 ounces fragrance = $3.00
color = $1.30
total: $11.70 for materials
Mold: suggested retail around $30; if the old is used 30 times, this works out to $1 per use
The soap loaf makes approximately 12 bars of soap. At $5 per bar, that works out to $60-$70 retail value.
Gross profit for the loaf, sold at retail, is approximately $53. Gross profit is the retail price less the COGS (materials). Afte
If fixed costs are taken out of the Gross Profit number, such as the cost of the mold ($1), wrapping ($1), overhead ($3) and labor ($15), the net profit works out to about $33.
That’s a pretty good return for such a wondrous creative outlet of expression.
Red Lychee Tea is in stock now, by the way =)
The Silicone Mold inside the baking pan is a great idea – but if the mold cost $30 to buy, I’d love for it to actually work just on its own without any major finagling. I still have a few more uses to keep testing to see how thrilled I am with it.
Angelika, in terms of the layers, I always pour the same base brand, and pour super quick – so as soon as the first skin layer has set up, I pour right away. Timing is everything when you’re doing layers.
Regarding the mold bowing after using for many times, what if you set the filled silicone mold inside a metal baking pan for support?
How do you keep your layers from separating? When I remove soaps from modes that I’ve done in layers, many times the layers separate.
60-90 uses is actually really great! I think I’ll trust your judgement on the mold thing. 🙂
Please let us know as soon as the Red Lychee scent is on Brambleberry; I’d like to buy some coloring at the same time. Thanks!
I suspect that the mold I used will last at least 60 to 90 uses but it’s better to be conservative for financial modeling. The plastic is so soft that I always wonder about the “bowing” factor.
A baking silicon loaf pan probably will bow a lot more and not keep the sides straight – but I could be wrong! If you try it, let me know. =)
And Rita, thanks for the props. It’s very kind of you to think that the soap really could be art!
That is really lovely! I wish I had smell-o-monitor on my computer so I can take in the scent as well. *grin*
Do you think a baking silicon loaf pan would work as well, and/or last longer than the loaf pan you used?
The break down of cost/profit was very interesting – thanks!
I really love the way it looks! Beautiful soap!!
Beautiful colors! Just like a vibrant sunset over the ocean. I can’t wait to smell it!
If it were on a wall in a gallery it would sell for big bucks. Looks great.
rita
That is beautiful. I’d love to see a cp soap layered loaf. Are you doing a tutorial on that? Full on video? 🙂
Thanks for all your tutorials. It really helps for people who are truly clueless, like me…. 😀
Oh Anne-Marie! This turned out great! I really need one of these molds! Lol