Soap Making 101

Let's face it, everyone needs soap. We all buy soap in some form. Some from the store, some from boutiques, and some of us can make our own!

Now the only reason I am writing this is because I wish there were several things that I would have known before jumping into the world of soap making. If you are interested in starting your own business in the skincare world, keep on reading!

Soap Making IS NOT SIMPLE

Now, if you are doing a melt and pour soap. Yes, it is pretty simple. Though, that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about making real soap with Lye.

A ton of people do not realize how dangerous soap making can be. I had no idea until I was making soap and got a chemical burn from the lye. I was new. I wasn't wearing the proper safety gear. Therefore, I got a nasty chemical burn on my arm, and I did not even touch the lye directly. It just happened to be on the sink from when I was making soap.

1) Lye is a big part of soap making. The other name for Lye is Sodium Hydroxide. When you are making soap, you make a lye solution. Which is just lye and water. Or lye and goat milk. Whatever you choose to use. If you are using just lye and water, that solution heats up to around 200 degrees. Now, think about that hitting your skin. It will give you a horrible burn and it eats through your skin fast! That being said, ALWAYS WEAR PROTECTIVE GEAR! GOOGLES, GLOVES, LONG SLEEVES, PANTS, ETC.

2) Learn how to use a lye calculator. You can type it in on google and a few will show up. I learned how to use the calculator from Wholesale Supplies Plus. Yes, it can be very confusing, but just sit down and take time to learn how to use a lye calculator. Making soap is a science, you can't just estimate whatever you want to use. It does need to be very precise. Wholesale Supplies Plus even has a fragrance calculator, because some fragrances have a certain percentage you are allowed to use in your product.

3) Learn about the oils you are going to be using. Learn what the oils are for. What properties they are going add to your product.

4) Test, test, and test some more. Do not just make soap/bath bombs/lotion/etc and start selling it. Make sure people are paying for AND getting a great product. You need to trust the product that you are selling. I have all kinds of people that love testing products for us. They get to try it and we get feedback on it. It's a win win! And word of mouth travels quick!

Soap/Bath Bombs/Lotions:

This is one of the most saturated market you can get into

Now, I am not telling anyone not to do this. If you are passionate about it, go for it! That being said, please remember. The skincare market it a very saturated market. There are things available for sale everywhere!

If you type in Goat Milk Soap on Etsy (I am typing it right as I type this), there are 100,002 items listed. That is a lot of listing to compete with. Though I highly recommend using Etsy. It is a great platform to start out on, they so take a small fee out of your sales, and it is .20 to list. It is totally worth it to build a customer base. Just starting our with a website is not something I would recommend, as it is hard to get found with no simple starting point. Depending on where you live. Brick and mortar stores are a great way to get your products out as well. I have a booth in one of our local stores, and it was a great way to get some sales going. We have pulled checks almost every month being there, which is huge for us as we are very new in town with our products!

Be Passionate!

This may sound cliche, but passion is a huge deal! People want to buy something from you that you really, truly believe in! Don't be afraid to back your products. Your products will do the talking when people use them. We have had great feedback on all of our products, and it just makes me so happy to be able to share my amazing products with others.

Advertising is REAL WORK!

This may not seem like work, but getting your products out there is a hard job. You have to advertise, advertise, advertise. Everywhere and anywhere you can! You cannot just sit back and hope people will find you. Getting your products found is your job! YOU have to put the work in to make sure people find you. And it is not that easy. It is honestly one of the hardest parts of running your own business. I know a lot of people think, "Oh you just get on Social Media and make a post. What's so hard about that?" Everything is hard about it. Finding the right pictures, using the right hashtags. Finding the right words to put into your post. Finding the right content so you can get into the algorithm. And Algorithm aren't the same on every platform. Every single platform has its own algorithm. It is mentally exhausting, especially when first starting out. It is so, so discouraging. Never give up though! All it takes is one person to change your life. One thing I do recommend, make sure you pictures are professional and neat looking. White backgrounds help a ton. Even just a plain color background. The focus needs to be directly on what you are advertising. You don't want too much going on, so it is distracting to look at. Simple is best sometimes.

Legality

This may not be something you are thinking of, but make sure you are doing everything correctly legally. If you are worried about backlash, set up a LLC to protect yourself and your business. Make sure you are charging sales tax if you are using your own site. A lot of states still make you charge sales tax, even if you are just selling to someone in that state. A CPA is a valuable thing to have! Make sure you are insured and have yourself covered. People can try to come back on your for the craziest things. I have not had a single issue, but I have heard many horror stories from others.

Have Fun With It

Don't forget to have fun with it. The funnest part of my business is make soap. I love it. I love creating new things. I love making things for people to enjoy. My biggest suggestion is to go on Instagram. Look up Goat Milk Soap. Or even Cold Process Soap. You will not believe the amazing things you can do with soap. It is absolutely insane what you can create with soap.

So, these are just a few things that I think are important. If you think of anything that I missed, let me know! I'll try my best to answer as well as I can!

Thanks for reading and I hope this was helpful!

If you want to see our creations check us out:

pondfarm.net

Instagram: @pondfarmsoapery