Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more
Saponifier’s 3rd annual Readers Choice “Supplier Awards” are happening again and it’s time to vote.
The survey closes midnight on August 27th.
When we purchased the Heavy Duty Mold line back in June, we planned on expanding the already cool mold line. There are so many nifty mold ideas floating around my head and I’ve heard some incredible design thoughts from soapers over the years. Having the freedom to design new molds has long been a dream. With the purchase of the Heavy Duty Mold line, that dream is a reality. And like many dreams that turn into reality, the reality is a little um, hazier than it appeared to be at first glance.
I love (love, love, love, love, love, love) seeing SoapQueenTV and SoapQueen-inspired ideas out on the marketplace. It’s even better when the soaper flat out says that our soap’spiration inspired them to make cool works of soap art.
Then ‘SingingWolf‘ from the forum (and frequent commenter at SoapQueen.com) tried the Fortune Cookie Soaps from SoapQueen.TV Independence Day Episode and did a great job. They were for a present for her boss and she says, ‘Folks were crowding around my boss’s desk, sniffing at the birthday presents that were stacked up‘. Sweet! That’s just what we like to read.
This week I make these really cool retro soaps with an 80’s look. These are so fun and simple to make I keep thinking of different color combinations I want to try!
Lemon cake fragrance (NEW!)
Liquid Green non-bleeding Colorant
Liquid Blue non-bleeding colorant
molding clay
PS – Did you recognize the ‘totally rad’ for the ’80s throwback reference it was intended to be?
It’s easier to push the lip balm tubes in more deeply with the entire tray flipped over onto its back, like a helpless turtle.
I also wanted to remind everyone that cutting off the tops is a total personal preference. This is how I have always done it; plus I love the smooth finish. But feel free to pop on the cap (over the lip balm lip) and call it a day. After all, your time is money and that trim time adds to the unit cost per lip balm. But think (and rejoice) of all the time you saved filling 50 lip balm tubes at once (rather than that gosh darn individual dropper method). Now, go forth and make the most luscious, cost-effective lip butters on the planet. You’ll make a lot of lips soft and happy.
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On my trip to NYC last week, I got a tip from SoapyLove that PapaBubble was the place to visit on my partial free day. I took the subway to Little Italy and Canal Street and proceeded to walk my way through the neighborhoods until I found this little gem of a candy store.
The PapaBubble ‘chain’ (is it a ‘chain’ if there’s only four stores?) started in Barcelona. In fact, the owners of the New York store originally were packers for the Barcelona store. They loved the concept so much that they started their own candy outpost in Manhattan. They formulate, make and package all of their candy at a bar in the store. If you’re lucky, you’ll get there when they’re making a batch.
PapaBubble will do custom words for anything your heart desires. The minimum order is $330 and they can put words or shapes (or a combo) into little pillow candies to take your next bridal shower to a whole ‘nother level.
The whole ambiance of the shop is sterile, minimalist and a little goth (there’s a lot of black) and this decor makes the color in the candy stand out all the more. Each candy flavor has a unique design and look. They are attractively packaged in adorable (again, minimalist) black and white jars. Or you can buy refill bags for $2 off the jar price.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meltingnoise/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0Like soap, there’s never any waste. The owners turn candy ends into works of edible sculptures, with them resembling giant vegetables or maybe vestigial body organs.
My favorite flavors were Chili Salt Watermelon & Lime Chili & a fizzy one that I think they called ‘Pop’ (or something that denoted its fizzy nature).
From a small business owners perspective, I took away three lessons:
1. Do one thing and do it very, very, very well. PapaBubbles doesn’t teach classes (which would seem to be a natural). They make candy with five ingredients (albeit very high end candy). And they make it extraordinarily well. They make candy into a rarefied, elevated art form – enough that my bill was $34 and I left with the equivalent of 2 M&M bags full of hard candy.
2. Turn it into an experience. Part of the PapaBubble magic is that they make candy in front of you, allowing you to be a part of the magic. It’s not just a candy store – it’s an imaginarium where dreams, colors and shapes come to life. We try to do this at Otion with our Soap Bar.
3. Be in a niche. PapaBubble is in a clear sweet spot and charge for that niche. They’re not the low cost provider of candy and they’re not trying to be. They’ve figured out the unique mix that makes it possible to charge quadruple to supermarket brands charge. As Donna Maria from Indie Beauty Network says, ‘The riches are in the niches.’
Next time I go to New York, I am headed to PapaBubble right away so that I won’t be without my Watermelon Chili Salt crack longer than I need to be.
I’ve posted a video below (for blog visitors) from CoolHunting.com that gives the full feel of the shop. And of course, the trendy and crafty Martha Stewart has been there as well. If you can’t get enough of PapaBubble NYC, you can click here to be taken to the Martha Stewart clip of her experience making Valentine’s Day Candies with the owners.
I found this photo on Flickr and it shows the PapaBubble artistry much better than any of my photos did. I am in awe of their work and the care the artisans put into each and every candy.
Lauren Miller: I try and have fun with it all since soap is just down right fun. I never have a large block of time so I use every little pocket I can get and journal ideas as they come to me. And then when the time opens up – I soap! Perfection can be a big road block so even if I’m not 100% thrilled I give it a try. I would say new designs are about 30% of my time. I’m trying to think two holidays ahead so I can have designs made in time. Keeping on top of shipping and keeping supplies in stock is a big part of my focus.
Soap Queen: What’s your favorite Bramble Berry product?
Lauren Miller: Hands down your oxides! It’s the only colorant I will use. The texture and price are unbeatable. I also love Bramble Berry’s Non Bleeding Red. I cannot find that juicy, red color anywhere else nor do I care to look for it. I adore it and get nervous when I start running low.
My favorite Bramble Berry fragrance oil is Fresh Zucchini Flower– that scent is so incredibly unique and fresh.
Soap Queen: If you had another job, what would it be?
Lauren Miller: I do have another job. Full time, stay at home mom to the sweetest little boys. I worked in corporate America for 10 years before having children and I literally traded it all in and never looked back. This is the hardest job I have ever had but it continues to teach me so much about myself- how to love, patience, forgiveness, problem solving and not to take myself too seriously. And I never have trouble sleeping.
This September marks the beginning of both our boys being in school full time so I will begin a new phase of motherhood. I’m so grateful to have my little soap business waiting for me in the wings. I have plans galore and will finally have 8 hours without interruptions to see them through. I’m opening up for wholesale this September and a whole new packaging scheme just in time for holiday gift giving.
Soap Queen: You manage a great business and a family. Do you have any tips for those of us struggling with work/life balance?
Lauren Miller: Define your focus first. For me, my family is my first focus. I’m lucky to have a husband who helps me identify when work begins to take over. Boundaries are incredibly necessary. Learn to say no, even if your ego wants to say yes. When I first started soaping, I would literally stay up every night till 2 am working in the kitchen on new designs but this lead to an impatient mom the next day. I now have set hours for soaping and stick to a set bedtime during the week. Exercise and eat well. It really does help.
Soap Queen: What did I miss that you want Soap Queen readers to know?
Lauren Miller: Thank you so much for the opportunity, Anne-Marie. And I’m dreaming of getting a matching orange microwave as seen on Soap Queen TV in my new soap kitchen. I adore your company and products and continue to refer customers to you when asked how to get started.
Soap Queen: Thank YOU so much giving us a little glimpse into you life. You are an amazing artist and it sounds like you’ve mastered the work/life balance- something I think we’re all striving to achieve. Good luck with your new soaping adventures and keep us posted!
Awww, the simplicity of Milk and Cookies- a peanut butter cookie that is! Grab your guilty pleasure soap here (with out the calories).
Gotta love these modern little flowers, too. I bought my own set a few months ago and was delighted to see that the design went almost all the way through the entire bar. See all of Lauren’s garden flower soaps here.
Today I’ll be sharing an interview with Lauren Miller, the owner of Sun Basil Garden SoapCompany. Her handcrafted soaps are designed to bring a smile to your face and leave your skin feeling juicy clean. Lauren takes pride in using top of the line, quality and all natural ingredients.Let’s find out a little bit more about Lauren, shall we?
Soap-Queen: Lauren, your soaps are so creative with a clean and modern look. I’ve already gushed about how much I love them. So tell us…why Soap?
Lauren Miller: I have always adored bath and beauty products. Something about the feeling and the scent just makes me feel like I’m taking care of myself. But after becoming a full time mom, bath time became my only real alone time. Ten minute showers, in those early days with toddlers, was all I could fit in. So about a year ago over breakfast, I declared I was going to start making soap- And that was it! I did a Google search and luckily found Bramble Berry. I got my first delivery and have not stopped since.
Soap-Queen: I couldn’t agree more! I like to call soapmaking a consumable art form. OK, next question: Your soap is cutting edge design; before you came on the scene, I had not seen anyone focus primarily on cut outs as their main design. How did you come up with this focus?
Lauren Miller: I love to challenge myself and began with very few supplies. I’m always thinking about using what I already have which often becomes like a game. I started pouring color boards from soap and using what I had around the house. I favor bold colors, simplicity and clean lines so the cut outs match my personal style. I discovered this inlayed process guaranteed my design to last more than one use and not rub off as more traditional molded soaps. The challenge and the practicality hooked me.
Soap-Queen: As a current customer (of Sun Basil Garden), I can attest that your designs can get truly intricate. How long do you spend on your most difficult soap?
Lauren Miller: I grew up in a creative family and learned early how to work well with my hands. I’m pretty practiced and can work fast once I’m happy with my finished product.
Now, I’m a still a full time Mom, so interruptions are coming at me constantly. But because soap needs to harden it lends it self well to pouring in stages. I often have trays of bacon and eggs drying while I‘m also making our real breakfast. I never have a long stretch of time but 10 minutes here and there lends itself well to my schedule. I once made a pizza soap that I have not repeated in awhile as it almost broke me.
Soap-Queen: You have an Etsy shop. Do you sell anywhere else? If you do, what are the pros/cons of keeping the Etsy shop in conjunction with the other sales outlets?
Lauren Miller: Right now, as a Mom, Etsy works best for me. I can spend weekends living life with my kids and husband and have control over my inventory. If I’m out of a fragrance oil, I can hold off on listing that line until I reorder and have time to recreate the soap. If school demands take off, I can put my shop on vacation. Not to mention I love the community and the worldwide audience Etsy pulls. I recently opened a shop on Art Fire and have done a few craft shows. I’m launching into wholesale this September and getting ready for the Holiday season.
Soap-Queen: Oh boy! I can’t wait to see what you come up with for the Holiday season! On that note, let’s take a little break. Stay tuned for part 2 of the Sun Basil Garden Interview. We’ll be back tomorrow!
Above is Lauren’s famous Full Breakfast Soap Package including coffee, toast with butter, bacon & eggs (and a lemon square for desert). What a great way to wake up in the morning! Grab your breakfast soap here. I purchased the Toast with Butter Soap. It smells like fresh baked bread. You won’t be disappointed. YUM!
Yup. You guessed it! My other favorite soap from Sun Basil Garden: A cupcake, of course!
Can you believe it’s Thursday already? Time for another fun episode of Soap Queen TV!
This week’s episode takes embedding to the next level. I make a fun and bubbly soap using a unique ice cube tray and fun colors like teal, pink and yellow.
Note: The Ice Tubes mold was discontinued. The 4-in-1 Mini Cylinder Silicone Mold would work great for this tutorial!
Soap Queen TV Episode 13: Embedding Layers from Soap Queen on Vimeo.
Here’s what you’ll need for this project:
Clear Melt and Pour
Pomegranate and Black Currant Fragrance Oil
Non-Bleeding Liquid Red
Liquid Blue
Liquid Yellow
Hydrated Chrome Green
Super Pearly White Mica
Plastic Loaf Mold
4-in-1 Mini Cylinder Silicone Mold
Spray bottle with rubbing alcohol
Heat safe container for melting soap
Stir stick or spoon
Yesterday was a jam packed day that had all the best elements New York City has to offer. I spent the day talking to magazine editors about how they could utilize Bramble Berry products and projects in upcoming editions of their magazine. It’s hard to know how those went because they’re a little like job interviews; you bring samples, you put your best foot forward and then you hope they call.
What I know went well was Martha Stewart Living Radio. I was on with host Mario Bosquez from Living Today. He’s been gracious enough to have me on the show three times now and it felt like coming to visit a good friend. We talked about Flexy Fast (I even made some on the air) and upcoming episodes of SoapQueen.TV He was pretty excited about what I have in store for you this week. The best part of the show for me was that 7 soapmakers called in with questions. It was so gratifying to have people call in to talk about soap. We had questions on essential oil usage, safe disposal of lye, non-bleeding colors and Gillian (the winner of the ‘Best in Show’ at the Soap Guild Conference this year) even called in with a question on combining melt and pour and cold process. The 30 minute segment went by in the blink of an eye. I am so thankful for the opportunity to talk to more soapers and hopefully introduce a wider audience to the joys of soap.
I ended the evening with an amazing show – Billy Elliot, the Musical. Elton John wrote the music for this powerful and moving story about a young boy following his dreams. It received 10 Tony Awards. It was a totally packed house and the audience gave the actors a standing ovation several times; the show was that good.
Finally, I neded the evening in traidtional tourist way – in Times Square getting a dorky photo of myself taken. It’s very warm and humid.
Today, I’m headed to New Jersey to meet with some teen magazine editors to talk about our DIY Eye Shadow, Foundation and Lipstick kits. The combination of those plus the DIY Perfume kits would make a great slumber party.
