measure your water and freeze it, then use the cubes to make your lye solution. you will get less fumes and your lye solution will be cooler and ready to blend with your oils QUICKER. 🙃
You can also premake your lye and oils and then soap at room temperature. That's what I do. I premake the amount for how many loaves I want to make that week all in one day. Then I can soap throughout the week with my room temp ingredients.
I currently own a soap business and I met 3 other people, strangers, - this weekend that were also soapmakers, and one person who knew a soaper. I'm not going to stop making soap, but the market is super saturated.
I think it just depends.. I asked my husband for a lot of advice, I started with making a beard oil and as it turns out.. a lot of the men that I know don’t like it! I would suggest talking to the men you know and seeing what their needs are and making products around that.
It’s becoming to expensive for me to continue making homemade soap products. I’m loosing a lot of customers just because of the prices. I had to cancel my business number to save on money. I’ve been making and selling soaps for about 7-8 years and prices are to high for me to sell like I used to. I’m going to have to start selling my soap making and start ending my soap business. Plus I’m 67 years old and it’s really time to retire. Business is just a few customers a year. It’s time. Not meant want to purchase soap at $7.00 - $11.00 a bar of soap. I know I wouldn’t. So more people are buying soap now in the stores now. I’m still going to continue to make soap for family and friends. It’s a shame that prices are so high for the ingredients.
I’m getting more business now than I have in months offering a 35% discount on all my soap stuff. I’m even getting pr-orders now, but its to late. It just time. I offer a smaller discount on pre-orders if they buy 4 bars or more. It’s sad I love making soap but not at the high costs. I’ll just make it for family and friends. Trying to use up all of my ingredients. Actually I’ve done really well for someone who doesn’t have a website. People would come word of mouth. Plus I don’t owe any bank loans its all out of pocket. I’m good with the decision I’ve made to close up shop. Now is the time for a new adventure in my life now that I can still walk and get around. You wait to long you get to old to do anything. Right? What kind of life is that? So live it up enjoy what you do have fun making soap but when you get bored and are not having anymore fun, then move on to something else. Keep learning new things.
