In the Spring Soap Swap, I decided to be a participant for the first time. That meant my ten soaps were swapped with the others, and I received a box filled with ten unique bars. It was so much fun, I had to do it again for the Fall 2016 Swap. If you’d like more information regarding the Soap Swap, check out this blog post to read the details. Want to participate in a future swap? Sign up for our newsletter; the date of the next swap will be announced in advance for newsletter subscribers.

I’m sure you can imagine, I see a lot of soap on a day-to-day basis. But, most of it is online. One of my favorite things about the Soap Swap is the ability to see, touch and smell a variety of handmade soaps. It’s fun to admire the packaging, and eventually use it in the shower. Like my previous Soap Swap box, I was blown away with the soaps in this box! I didn’t choose which bars made it into my box. My team randomly entered my soap into one “round” of swapping. Check out each soap in my box below, and learn a little bit more about the soaper who made it. Then, check out my unboxing video on Facebook!

SOAP #1: The first bar is Loofah Edge Soap made by Shannon of Elderberry Edge. Shannon started soaping about a year and a half ago, and is also a farmer. On her farm she grows a variety of crops including elderberries, blackberries, watermelon and garlic. She also grows her own loofah gourds for her soap! You can read about her loofah production here. Shannon’s beautiful soap is scented with Gardenia Cybilla Fragrance Oil, and also contains goat milk. I can’t wait to try it!

Find Shannon
Website
Facebook

SOAP #2: This gorgeous bar was created by Merrie. To create the beautiful flowers on each bar, Merrie first piped the shape of the flower. Then, she used a wet cake decorating brush to pull the edging down to make it look like embroidery. Merrie also sprinkled iridescent glitter on top. I just love the wonderfully feminine look of these bars! They bars are scented with Energy Fragrance Oil. Merrie also attached a wood tag to the bars, which really elevates the packaging.

SOAP #3: This showstopper was made by Aileen of Soap Fixations. Aileen used to be a competitive pastry chef, and is a graduate from the Culinary Institute of America. Her skills in the kitchen can obviously be seen in her gorgeous soap. These bars feature Apple Moss Green Mica, Light Gold Mica, Super Pearly White Mica and Raspberry Mica. They are scented with Apricot Freesia Fragrance Oil for a floral scent. I’m blown away by the gorgeous swirl and intricate flower details on top. I also really appreciate the packaging of these bars; the sturdy box did a great job protecting the soap and looks very professional.

Find Aileen
Website
Facebook
Instagram

SOAP #4: The next soap is this adorable bar made by Haruna. Haruna started making soap when she was 14 years old in Japan. She now resides in Oregon, but was inspired by her time in Japan to create this cherry blossom soap, scented with Cherry Blossom Fragrance Oil. The soft pink color is achieved with rose clay. I just love the unique and adorable shape of these bars, and the soft swirl. The green and pink cigar band complement it perfectly.

SOAP #5: This bar of soap was created by Lindsey of Kirkland’s Creations. Scented with Grapefruit Bellini Fragrance Oil, this soap is actually a rebatched bar after the first batch didn’t quite turn out. I love how Lindsey made lemonade with lemons! They look absolutely beautiful with a gold mica line and sparkle on top. The bars feature a plethora of amazing ingredients including aloe vera liquid and goat milk.

Find Lindsey
Etsy
Facebook
Instagram

SOAP #6: Created by Kim, these beautiful bars are scented with White Ginger and Amber Cybilla Fragrance Oil. I love how the warm color palette complements the scent. The bars include Tussah silk, kaolin clay and aloe juice. I love the idea of framing the swirl with two mica lines. It really makes it pop! The packaging on these bars is really fun as well.

Find Kim
Instagram

SOAP #7: This bar created by Tabitha is the perfect example that simple can make a big impact! Scented with Spearmint Eucalyptus Fragrance Oil, Tabitha kept the bars simple with Super Pearly White Mica and Titanium Dioxide for a crisp appearance. Tabitha is currently in the process of starting her own soaping business. I love that Tabitha included a wood soap dish with the bar. It’s great for a marketing standpoint, and soap dishes are essential for handmade soap! That makes it so easy and appealing for the customer.

SOAP #8: How adorable is this French Vanilla Creme Soap created by Anika of Lillia Nikita? I just love the layers, soap frosting and pink embed on top. This bar is scented with Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil. I like how Anika made the fragrance discoloration work for her design. The center layer of these bars contain oats, and the bottom has a cute honeycomb pattern. Anika’s bars contain beeswax and vanilla bean.

Find Anika
Website
Pinterest

SOAP #9: Speaking of foody bars, this Pumpkin Patch Soap made by Barbara of J.L. May SoapMakers looks (and smells!) good enough to eat. It’s scented with Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil, and includes real pumpkin puree in the recipe. I really like how Barbara created a rustic yet totally polished look with this bar. The various colors and layers are complemented by a cute pumpkin stamp. The mica on top gives a great finishing touch with the textured top.

Find Barbara
Website
Facebook

SOAP #10: Last but certainly not least is this beautiful soap made by Desiree of Mexico Beach Soap. Scented with Blackberry Sage Fragrance Oil and Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil, these bars smell both sweet and fruity. The scent is complemented perfectly with the swirls of purple and green. The swirl appears to be a combination of a drop swirl and hanger swirl. It really makes an impact!

Find Desiree
Website

A big thanks to all the soapers who participated in this Soap Swap. And thanks to everybody who was in my box, I can’t wait to use your soap! If you missed out on this swap, we will have another in the Spring. Sign up for our newsletter; we will announce the dates of the swap ahead of time to newsletters subscribers. 

The post Inside Anne-Marie’s Fall 2016 Soap Swap Box! appeared first on Soap Queen.

Last week, the team worked overtime to swap and send over 100 boxes of cold process soap. If you participated in the swap, be on the lookout for your box of goodies soon. If you’d like to learn more about the swap, click here. If you missed out on this swap, be sure to sign up for the Bramble Berry newsletter. That’s where we will announce when the next swap will take place!

Boxes of soap waiting to be shipped to their new homes.

In the last swap, I was a participant and sent in 10 bars of soap. Opening that box was the highlight of my month for sure so I’m a participant in this swap as well. I swapped soap that will be featured on Soap Queen TV soon.  In fact, the batch I sent is the batch I made on camera during the actual filming! =) The soap is made in the 18 Bar Birchwood Mold with the Butterflies and Feathers Silicone Impression Mat to give the bars a design on top. The blue color is created with Mermaid Mica and the soap is scented with White Magnolia Fragrance Oil. Be on the lookout for that tutorial soon on Soap Queen TV. =) If you want to see the soap I received in my box, tune into the Bramble Berry Facebook page this Friday, September 30th at 2 p.m. PST.

My contribution to the soap swap, made with White Magnolia Fragrance Oil.

There were so many amazing soaps in this swap. I’m always inspired by the talent in soap making community! Below are just a few of the soaps that caught my eye. I wish I could highlight all of them. The countless layers in the Moroccan Mint Soap (below) by Baabbly Soap are stunning. That techniques requires some serious skill! The colors are the perfect complement to the fresh fragrance.

Moroccan Mint Soap made by Baabbly Soap. I love those layers!

The beautiful color palette of these Cranberry Grapefruit Soaps by Boston Creations suits the combination of Cranberry Fig Fragrance Oil and Pink Grapefruit Fragrance Oil perfectly. The addition of deep gold mica on top is a beautiful finishing touch. Mica on top of a textured soap looks so luxurious, don’t you think? =)

Cranberry Grapefruit soap made by Boston Creations. Pink and gold sparkle are made for each other! 

I recently shared a photo of this beautiful Bocha Bar Soap made by Bamboo Forest Soap Company on Instagram, and you all agreed how stunning it is. I love the packaging and how the bright colors of the soap peeks through the lettering. The stamp on each bar creates lovely and cohesive branding. The bars are scented with Fresh Mango Fragrance Oil.

Bocha Soap created by Bamboo Forest Soap Company. These bars are a great example of how packaging can bring a product to the next level!

How adorable are these S’mores Shower Shot Caffeine Soaps by Swirling Sky Handmade? The bold layers and tall shape bring to mind a decadent cup of coffee. The green straw and coffee bean on top look fantastic. They are fragranced with a delicious combination of Hazelnut Toffee Fragrance Oil and Espresso Fragrance Oil.

S’mores Shower Shot Caffeine Soap by Swirling Sky Handmade. The green straw and coffee bean on top look so cute.

These Beach Escapades Bars by Natural Pure Honest feature perfectly beachy layers. The bottom textured layer recreates the look of sand, followed by an ocean blue layer with white textured soap on top. They are fragranced with Salty Mariner Fragrance Oil, which is the perfect ozone fragrance for these bars.

Beach Escapades Bars by Natural Pure Honest. The layers are wonderfully beachy!

Thank you to everybody who participated in the swap! I have to give my team a big thanks as well, specifically Kayla and Lily, for keeping this swap organized and running smoothly! Be sure to sign up for the Bramble Berry newsletter to be notified about the next swap. And, watch me live at 2 p.m. PST this Friday on the Bramble Berry Facebook Page as I unbox my own swap box. I can’t wait to see who I swapped with =)

The post Inside the Fall 2016 Soap Swap appeared first on Soap Queen.

It’s time for another cold process soap swap! Unfamiliar with Bramble Berry’s soap swaps? The basic idea of the swap is you create ten 4 ounce bars of cold process soap made with a Bramble Berry fragrance oil. Then, send us your soap. We swap all the bars and send ten new bars back to you, each made by a different soaper. The swap itself is free; the only thing you pay for is shipping to get your box of unique soaps back to your doorstep.

The swap is a fun way to get your hands on soap from other crafters. It allows you to smell new fragrance oils and see new techniques and packaging ideas. Nobody appreciates handmade soap quite like a soaper, so it’s fun to see what your fellow soapers are making. In the spring swap, I joined the fun and sent out ten bars and received a swap package. Want to see what was in my box? Check out my unboxing video here! This year I will be participating again, and will unbox my soaps live on Facebook. =)

Want to participate? The registration for the swap is NOW OPEN! The Fall 2016 Soap Swap is limited to 100 soapers. Of course we wish we could include everybody, but swapping and organizing all those boxes takes a lot of time.

UPDATE: The Fall 2016 Soap Swap is NOW FULL, and registration is closed. Thanks to everybody who signed up, we can’t wait to see your soap! For those we were not able to join this swap, we will have another next year. Sign up for the Bramble Berry newsletter; we give our newsletter subscribers an advance notice on when the swap will take place!

1. To sign up, first pay for the return shipping of your soap by purchasing the ‘Magical Soap Swap Express’ on the Bramble Berry website. Once all the spots are full, the shipping will no longer be available for purchase. You must first pay for the swap to officially reserve your spot. You will receive an email that confirms your payment.

2. Then, fill out this Google form completely, including the fragrance oil you would like to use. You must use a fragrance oil that Bramble Berry currently sells. Find the fragrance oils here. Because somebody may have already chosen your top fragrance choice, please include another fragrance oil selection as a backup. Click here to fill out your entry form!

3. Once you have bought your return shipping and have filled out this form completely, you’re officially part of the swap! You will then receive an email within 24 hours with more information.

1. Unfortunately, this swap is not open to international residents. If you live in Hawaii or Alaska, you can enter the Soap Swap with an additional shipping fee.

2. Your soap must arrive to us by Monday, September 19th. Please plan in advance to make sure your soaps arrive to our warehouse by that date. If they do not, we cannot guarantee a place in the swap. You can send boxes to:

Bramble Berry Inc.
C/O Soap Swap
2138 Humboldt Street
Bellingham, WA 98225

3. You need to produce ten 4 oz. cold process or hot process bars. It’s no fun sending full-sized bars and getting tiny ones in return. Every bar needs to be made of the same fragrance oil of your choice. There is no melt and pour soap option for this swap.

4. You must select a fragrance oil that Bramble Berry currently sells. Find the fragrance oils here. Essential oils are not an option in this swap.

5. Your soap needs to be labeled with all ingredients and fragrance used. Include contact info along with your soap on the packaging. This will help soapers who receive your soap to order from you in the future, or ask questions. Social media info is wonderful as well! Anne-Marie will be showcasing ten lucky soapers, so don’t miss out on the great marketing opportunity.

6. Each person is only allowed to “buy” one swap box. We want as many people as possible to be able to participate. =)

7. We will ship out boxes on Monday, September 26th. 

If you don’t make it into this swap, we will have another swap next year! We hope to also offer a melt and pour swap in the future. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter; we give our newsletter subscribers an advance notice on when the swap will take place!

We can’t wait to see your soaps. Feel free to share your creations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the tag #BBSoapSwap. =)

The list of claimed fragrances is below. This list will continue to be updated.

Ann Marie R. – Pure Honey Fragrance Oil

Diann G. – Cranberry Fig Fragrance Oil

Hilary Q. – Fresh Snow Fragrance Oil

Lizette L. – Cherry Almond Fragrance Oil

Vanessa R. – Clover & Aloe Fragrance Oil

Erin Y. – Neroli & Shea Blossom Fragrance Oil

Tina M. – Pearberry Fragrance Oil + Champagne Fragrance Oil

Toni M. – Tobacco & Bay Leaf Fragrance Oil

Traci H. – Salty Mariner Fragrance Oil

Victoria M. – Almond Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Christy L. – Vanilla Non- Discoloring Fragrance Oil

Jennifer S. – Apple Sage Fragrance Oil

Cathryn N. – Butter Mints Fragrance Oil

Shelley. H. – Heavenly Honeysuckle Fragrance Oil

Jessica C. – Peach Fragrance Oil

Deborah D. – Woodland Elves Fragrance Oil

Leela K. – Hazelnut Toffee Fragrance Oil + Espresso Fragrance Oil

Margaret G. – Blueberry Jam Fragrance Oil

Angela P. – Lettuce Fragrance Oil

Anne R. – Autumn Fig Harvest Fragrance Oil

Susan D. – Sunflower Fragrance Oil

Gretchen O. – Blackberry Sage Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Andrea D. – Yuzu Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Elena M. – Champagne Fragrance Oil

Bethany E. – Island Escape Fragrance Oil

Carrie C. – Wildflower Honey Fragrance Oil

Joel L. – Kentish Rain Fragrance Oil

Barbara B. – Violet Fragrance Oil

Leah R. – Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil

Paula Y. – Ocean Rain Fragrance Oil

Heather J. – Sea Moss Fragrance Oil

Lisa B. – Kumquat Fragrance Oil

Bettina H. – Almond Biscotti Fragrance Oil + Vanilla Select Fragrance Oil + Cream Cheese Frosting Fragrance Oil

Elisa L. – Moonlight Pomegranate Fragrance Oil

Haruna S. – Cherry Blossom Fragrance Oil

Mary H. – Bonsai Fragrance Oil

Dr. Kem K. – Heavenly Honeysuckle Fragrance Oil + Watermelon Fragrance Oil

Elizabeth P. – Espresso Fragrance Oil

Milena M. – Dark Rich Chocolate Fragrance Oil + Moroccan Mint Fragrance Oil

Ashley S. – Black Tea Fragrance Oil

Christine R. – Kentish Rain Fragrance Oil + Bonsai Fragrance Oil

Melissa L. – Berrywine Fragrance Oil

Andrea A. – Lavender & Herb Fragrance Oil

Dawn O. – Cucumber Oak Fragrance Oil

Phaedra B. – Island Coconut Fragrance Oil

Tara S. – Bramble Berry’s Juicy Couture Fragrance Oil

Dana T. – Lemon Verbena Fragrance Oil

Amy W. – Wasabi Fragrance Oil

Nora M. – Cranberry Chutney Fragrance Oil

Kninea S. – Apple Jack Peel Fragrance Oil

Joanna W. – Cedar and Saffron Fragrance Oil

Essie L – Lavender Fragrance Oil

Lindsay K. – Grapefruit Bellini Fragrance Oil

Ishica L. – Gardenia Fragrance Oil

L. B. – Cranberry Fig Fragrance Oil + Pink Grapefruit Fragrance Oil

Kelly P. – Crisp Anjou Pear Fragrance Oil

Dawn D. – Cinnamon Sugar Fragrance Oil + Espresso Fragrance Oil

Melanie M. – Ginger Ale Fragrance Oil

Connie A. – Fresh Mango Fragrance Oil

Christine M. – Oatmeal Milk & Honey Fragrance Oil

Maria P. – Zucchini Flower Fragrance Oil

Melissa C. – Grapefruit Lily Fragrance Oil

Nick C. – Pomegranate and Black Currant Fragrance Oil

Toni K. – Tomato Leaf Fragrance Oil

Elizabeth J. – Green Fig Fragrance Oil

Tina M. – Southern Peach Fragrance Oil

Barbara Jean H. – Pumpkin Spice Fragrance Oil

Cheryl M. – Oatmeal Stout Fragrance Oil

Brenda C. – Lavender & Cedar Fragrance Oil

Annie L. – Smoldering Embers Fragrance Oil

Julie L. – Ginger Patchouli Fragrance Oil

Heather B. – Rustic Woods & Rum Fragrance Oil

Hannah M. – Crisp Cotton Fragrance Oil

Donna K. – Black Amber and Lavender Fragrance Oil 

Elizabeth S. – Sandalwood Vanilla Fragrance Oil

Michael G. – Spellbound Woods Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Cydney C. – Cucumber Melon Fragrance Oil

Shannon L. – Gardenia Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Alysson W. – Santa’s Spruce Fragrance Oil

Autumn N. – Creamsicle Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Kim B. – White Ginger & Amber Cybilla Fragrance Oil

Annette S. – Pineapple Cilantro Fragrance Oil

The post Cold Process Fall 2016 Soap Swap: Sign Up Now! appeared first on Soap Queen.