| How to Sell Homemade Soaps Posted: 28 Aug 2021 05:00 PM PDT Handcrafted soaps are fun to make and getting more popular all the time, but breaking into the business can feel a little overwhelming. If you're not sure where to begin, don't worry! With a little patience and creativity, you'll soon be on your way to selling your own sudsy handmade creations. Here are 13 tips to help you get your homemade soap business off the ground. [Edit]Create a budget to understand your costs. - Budget for things like equipment, packaging, and advertising. Before you start making soap to sell, make a list of everything you'll need. In addition to the obvious stuff, like the raw materials, keep in mind the cost of things like liability insurance or fees for setting up a craft fair stall.[1]
- Your average home business costs at least $30,000 to get started, but you probably won't need nearly that much to start making and selling soap.[2] Many handmade soap bloggers estimate that you can get things off the ground for closer to $1000, especially if you're producing small batches and aren't hiring any other employees.
- For detailed information about the financial aspects of running a soap business, explore the business and finance pages of the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild website: https://www.thecosmeticboxes.co.uk/product/custom-soap-boxes-packaging-uk/.
[Edit]Follow local laws and regulations. - Every country has its own rules about making and selling soap. In the U.S., many homemade soaps are actually classified as cosmetics, which are regulated by the FDA.[3] Before you start making and selling soap, consult the FDA small business guidelines for selling homemade cosmetics. For example:[4]
- If you plan to use any color additives, check to make sure the additive is on the FDA's list of approved products for use in cosmetics.[5]
- Don't try to claim that your soap treats any sort of medical condition without approval from the FDA. To make these claims, you must get your product officially classified as a drug or pharmaceutical.
- Follow the FDA's Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines to avoid contaminating or mislabeling your products.[6]
- It's not mandatory, but the FDA recommends that you register your company or products with the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP).
[Edit]Label your products clearly. - Include basic ingredient information on your labels. Depending on local regulations, you might need to include other information, such as a "use by" date, warnings (such as a "Do Not Eat" label), or a country of origin marker.[7] Additionally, include information like:[8]
- The name and scent of the soap (e.g., "Unicorn Love bomb, scented with patchouli and rose").
- All the ingredients in the soap, listed in order by percentage from highest to lowest.
- The weight of the individual soap bar.
- The name and contact information of yourself or your business.
[Edit]Purchase liability insurance to protect your business. - Even if you do everything right, the unexpected can happen. Before you start selling your soap—or even giving it away to friends and family—invest in a home business insurance policy. This will protect you from claims by consumers in case anything goes wrong (e.g., if someone has an allergic reaction or claims your product label is misleading). It will also cover the cost of damages in case your product is accidentally lost or damaged.[9]
- You can buy liability insurance directly from the insurance company, or join a trade organization that offers insurance coverage as a membership benefit.
- For example, you can get insurance coverage through the Indie Business Network or the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetics Guild.
- Depending on how big your business is, where you make your soap, and whether you have employees other than yourself, you might need to purchase several different types of insurance. These could include general liability, product liability, home-based business, or commercial property insurance.[10]
[Edit]Keep good financial records. - Good accounting is important for any business. Tracking profits and expenses will help you understand how your business is doing and give you a sense of where you need to make improvements—for instance, you might need to spend more on advertising, adjust your prices, or cut packaging costs. It's also crucial to keep good records for tax purposes. Use software like QuickBooks to help you track your finances, and set up a dedicated bank account just for business purposes.[11]
- As your soap making business grows, you might want to hire a professional accountant to help you keep track of everything.
[Edit]Sell your soap for at least twice the cost of making it. - You'll need to charge more than you spend to make a profit. Sit down and create a detailed budget, then decide how much you want to mark up your products. You'll need to take into account things like the cost of materials, labor, packaging, and overhead (other costs associated with your business, like advertising and fees for permits). From there, set a bare minimum price that you'd be able to charge per bar in order to make money back.[12]
- For instance, if it costs you $1.83 to make a single bar of soap, you might decide to charge at least twice that amount ($3.66) per bar for wholesale, and 4 times as much ($7.32) for retail. If possible, pad the price even more to take into account unexpected situations, like the price of an important ingredient going up.
- In addition to calculating your own production costs, look at similar products to find out what they usually sell for. For instance, if most soaps with the same ingredients tend to sell for an average of $12, aim for somewhere in that price range.[13]
[Edit]Target your products to a specific market. - Do some research to find out what people are looking for. Different soaps meet different needs. You'll have a better time selling your product if you know exactly who you're pitching it to, and what they want. For example, you might market your ultra-gentle, moisturizing soaps to people with sensitive skin, or develop a line of glittery soaps for teens who love mermaids and unicorns.[14]
- Don't try to make too many different things, especially when you're starting out. Target a really specific audience and develop a few excellent products that they'll want to tell their friends about!
- To get a sense of what's out there and what people want, look at other shops selling handmade soaps. Check out which ones sell best and what people are saying about them. For instance, you might find that a lot of people are looking for a particular scent, or that there's a big market for vegan ingredients.
[Edit]Develop a clear brand for your line of soaps. - Your brand is all about how you present yourself and your product. Once you know what market you're targeting, create a brand that will appeal to them. Choose a name for your store or product line that reflects your values and those of your customers. Work with an artist or graphic designer to develop an attractive logo and graphics for your storefront and labels if you don't feel confident about making your own. Choose ingredients and packaging that also reflect what you want your business to be about.[15]
- For instance, maybe it's important to your customers to buy an environmentally friendly product. In that case, use minimal, eco-friendly packaging, such as wrappers made of recycled paper. Advertise that your soap is made with sustainable ingredients.
- Create descriptions for your products that reflect your brand. For instance, "Celestial Soaps are made with planet-friendly ingredients and nature-inspired scents to soothe your body and soul."
[Edit]Advertise your store through social media. - You'll need to get the word out to sell your product. This is important whether you're using a marketplace like Etsy or selling directly from your own website. Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to show off your latest soapy creations! Start by reaching out to your friends and family, and ask them to spread the word.[16]
- Some social media platforms allow you to create advertisements or featured/promoted posts for a fee.
- Don't just stick to advertising your products—create interesting content that you think your customers will enjoy! For instance, you might do a weekly post on soap-making techniques or feature interviews with other people in the local cosmetic crafting scene.
- Use social media posts as an opportunity to interact with your customers. Be ready to answer questions, address people's concerns, or just have a chat.
[Edit]Use a service like Etsy or Artfire to sell your soaps online. - Pre-existing online marketplaces make it easy to sell your products. In most cases, it's simple to sign up for an account, create product information pages, add pictures, and set prices for your products.[17] Just be aware that most of these websites will take a small cut of your sales, and price accordingly.[[Image:Sell [Homemade Soaps] Step 10 Version 2.jpg|center]]
- If you decide to sell through one of these marketplaces, read the rules carefully to make sure you are labelling your products according to their requirements.
- Check out the shops and listings of other sellers with similar products to get an idea of what works and what doesn't.
- Good images are an important part of selling your items online, so take some high-quality, well-lit photos of each bar of soap to add to the listings.[18]
[Edit]Make your own website for more control of your business. - This is a good option if you don't want to give up a cut of the profits. You'll also have more flexibility to design the look and features of your online store. If you decide to go this route, you'll need to grab a good domain name and choose a host and content management system (such as WordPress, Drupal, or Squarespace) that meets your needs. You'll also need to choose a good platform for financial transactions, like Shopify, PayPal, or Business Squarespace.[19]
- You'll need to create appealing product pages with good pictures and clear descriptions, just like you would on a website like Etsy or Artfire.
- You can also have your own website in addition a store on a marketplace website, if you like.
[Edit]Get a booth at a farmer's markets or craft fair. - Local marketplaces are a great place to make connections. Check Craigslist or jump on a local craft forum to find out about markets and events in your area. Setting up a booth at a local market will help you make direct connections with customers and meet other makers and sellers with similar interests. When you sell at one of these events, you can:[20]
- Ask customers if they'd like to sign up for your mailing list. This is a great way to get return customers and grow your customer base!
- Include marketing materials along with the product, like sale flyers, coupons, business cards, and free samples.
- Offer special services like gift wrapping for an extra charge to make a bit of extra money.
- Make stronger connections with your customers by having personal conversations and offering tips on how to use your products.
[Edit]Sell your soap in local health and beauty stores. - Local stores can sell your soaps on consignment or wholesale. Visit or call around to health and beauty stores in your area to find out if they're buying from local soap makers. This can be a great way to make money on your products quickly and free up more time for yourself—since the store will do most of the marketing and selling for you![21]
- Get familiar with some of the different ways that third party businesses can buy and sell your products. For example, if they buy the product directly from you at a discounted price, that's wholesale. If they take the product from you and pay you a percentage of the profits once they make a sale, that would be consignment.[22]
- Another option is to formulate and create soaps specifically for a store or boutique, which is called "contract manufacturing."
- In the U.S., plain soap (that is, a product made of fats or oils and lye, with no synthetic detergents, perfumes, or other additives) is regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, rather than the FDA.[23]
[Edit]References |
| How to Improve Drinking Water Quality Posted: 28 Aug 2021 09:00 AM PDT Are you worried about your drinking water quality? Don't worry. There are plenty of easy ways to improve and keep tabs on your water quality, so you and your household can stay happy and healthy. We've outlined a few tips and tricks to help you get started! [Edit]Install a water filter. - Water filters help lower the contaminants in your drinking water. These filters come in all shapes and sizes—you might get a filter for your water pitcher, or get a built-in filter for your refrigerator. Faucet-mounted and built-in sink filters are also popular options. Pick and install a filter that best suits your household's needs.[1]
[Edit]Replace or maintain water filters regularly. - Some filters needed to be replaced, while others can be cleaned out. Read over the manufacturer's instructions to see how often you need to clean or replace your filters. Unfortunately, old filters won't clean your water very effectively.[2]
[Edit]Flush tap water before using it. - Run your faucet for 2 minutes to get rid of contaminants. If you haven't used your faucet in a few hours, the water just stays in your plumbing, which can lower the water quality. Before cooking with or drinking the tap water, run your faucet on a cold setting for 2 minutes first.[3]
[Edit]Clean out your faucet aerators. - Faucet aerators may pick up bacteria and unwanted metals over time.[4] Your aerator is the small, round piece along the bottom of your faucet. Twist it off, and soak it in a glass of white vinegar for 5 minutes, and scrub down your aerator. Then, rinse it off and reattach it to your sink.[5]
- Some aerators need to be disassembled into pieces and cleaned individually.
- Faucet aerators in old homes may also filter lead into your tap water.
[Edit]Drain your water heater once a year. - Your water heater can collect grime, metals, and bacteria over time. Once a year, drain your water heater completely to get rid of these contaminants.[6]
- If you don't feel comfortable doing this on your own, call a plumber for help.
[Edit]Replace outdated plumbing. - Old pipes can leak lead into your drinking water. Remove any galvanized copper plumbing from your home and replace them with non-lead pipes and fixtures. Once the new plumbing is set up, flush the pipes with cold water for the first 3 days.[7]
[Edit]Avoid using hot tap water. - Hot tap water may have bad substances in it. Over time, the metal sections of your boiler or hot water tank break down and leak into the water. The high temperature also dissolves these metals and substances into the water more quickly.[8]
[Edit]Maintain your septic tank properly. - Schedule an inspection at least once every 3 years. To be extra safe, don't pour any strong chemicals or products down your sink or toilet, like old medicine, paint, grease, or used chemicals. Additionally, throw all your waste, like sanitary napkins, diapers, floss, and gum, in the trash, instead of down your sink or toilet.[9]
[Edit]Clean out your water containers. - Wash your pitchers and bottles with soap and water. A dirty container can really lower your water quality, even if the water came from a clean source. To be safe, clean out any water containers with warm water and dish soap.[10]
- To go the extra mile, disinfect your containers with a diluted bleach mixture.
[Edit]Check your water softener. - Inspect your softening system every month. Open the tank and see how full or empty it is. If it's less than 50% full, add more salt in.[11]
- If you aren't comfortable doing this, feel free to call a water professional to inspect your system.
[Edit]References |
| How to Make a Seafood Boil Posted: 28 Aug 2021 01:00 AM PDT If you have access to great seafood, a seafood boil is a must! Use whatever fresh seafood you have like clams, mussels, shrimp, lobsters, or crabs, and cook them all together in the same pot or roasting dish. The great flavor comes not only from the seafood, but from butter, garlic, and lots of spices. Make a seafood boil and you'll be rewarded with a succulent meal that serves a crowd. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Stovetop Seafood Boil - 2 lemons, halved
- 1 medium sweet onion, quartered
- 2 serrano chiles, halved lengthwise with seeds removed
- 1 bunch of fresh thyme
- 1 head of garlic, peeled and halved
- 2/3 cup (76 g) of seafood seasoning
- 1 tablespoon (17 g) of kosher salt, or more to taste
- 3 bay leaves
- of red potatoes, halved
- 2 to 3 13-ounce (396 g) packages of smoked kielbasa sausage, cut into pieces
- 3 ears of corn, shucked and halved
- 15 littleneck clams, scrubbed
- of jumbo shrimp, deveined
- of Alaskan king crab legs
Makes 7 to 8 servings [Edit]Oven-Roasted Seafood Boil - of littleneck clams
- ¾ cup (169 g) of unsalted butter
- 2 heads of garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) of Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon (7 g) of lemon and herb seafood seasoning
- ½ tablespoon (3 g) of cayenne pepper
- of uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- of snow crab legs
- 2 lobster tails, split in half lengthwise
- 4 andouille sausage links
- 3 ears of corn
Makes 4 servings [Edit]Stovetop Seafood Boil - Put a large stockpot on the stove and pour in of water. Use a stockpot that's large enough to hold all of the water along with all of the seafood that you'll be adding. Set it on the stove and add of cold water or enough water fill the pot two-thirds full.[1]
- If your stockpot has a basket insert, use it! This makes it a lot easier to lift the cooked seafood out of the pot once it's done. If you don't have one, don't worry—you can use a slotted spoon to scoop out the food.
- Add lemons, onion, chilies, thyme, garlic, and seasonings to the water. Cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the water. Then, toss the halves in along with 1 quartered sweet onion. Add 2 halved serrano chiles, 1 bunch of fresh thyme, 1 halved head of garlic, 2/3 cup (76 g) of seafood seasoning, 1 tablespoon (17 g) of kosher salt, and 3 bay leaves.[2]
- To give your boil a hoppy taste, you can pour in a can of your favorite beer.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook it for 10 minutes. Turn the burner to medium-high so the water comes to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium so the liquid bubbles. Keep it at a low-boil for 10 minutes so the seasonings flavor the water.[3]
- Heating the liquid also dissolves the salt to make a brine for your seafood.
- Add potato halves to the pot and simmer them for 10 minutes. Scrub of red potatoes and cut them in half. Then, lower them into the bubbling liquid and put the lid on the pot. Set a timer for 10 minutes so you know when to add more ingredients.[4]
- Don't cook the potatoes until they're soft or they'll disintegrate once you keep adding other ingredients.
- If your red potatoes are small, you don't have to cut them in half—just toss them into the pot whole.
- Put sausage and corn into the pot and cook everything for 7 minutes. Cut 2 or 3 13-ounce (396 g) packages of smoked kielbasa sausage into pieces and put them into the pot along with 3 halved ears of corn. Put the lid back on and boil them for 7 minutes.[5]
- The corn, potatoes, and sausages should be covered with liquid. If there's not enough, pour in more water until they're submerged.
- Lower clams into the pot and boil them for 8 minutes. Take 15 cleaned and scrubbed littleneck clams and toss them into your stockpot. Put the lid back on and set your timer for 8 minutes. The clams should open once they're done cooking.[6]
- If you're cooking large clams, you may need to add 1 or 2 minutes to the cooking time.
- Add jumbo shrimp, turn off the burner, and steep them for 10 minutes. It's really easy to overcook shrimp, so toss of deveined jumbo shrimp into the liquid and turn off the burner. Then, put the lid on the pot and set a timer for 10 minutes.[7]
- Keep in mind that the shrimp won't be completely cooked after 10 minutes. The timer just lets you know when to add the crabs.
- Add crab legs to the pot and set the timer for 5 minutes. Unlike whole crabs, crab legs are usually sold pre-cooked and frozen, you just need to reheat them. Push of Alaskan king crab legs into the liquid so they're submerged. Put the lid back on the pot and let the crabs stay in the pot until they're hot.[8]
- Using whole crabs instead of legs? You'll probably have to add 4 to 5 minutes to the cooking time.
- Take all of the food out of the pot and spread it on a newspaper-lined table. If your stockpot has a steamer basket, slowly lift it up and out of the pot. If not, use a big slotted spoon and scoop the food out. Spread newspapers on your table and put the seafood directly onto it, or arrange the seafood on serving platters.[9]
- Put any leftover seafood into an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
[Edit]Oven-Roasted Seafood Boil - Soak clams in cold water for up to 1 hour. Pick through of littleneck clams and throw out any clams that are open or broken. Put the good clams into a bowl and cover them with cold water. Let the clams sit for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour so they spit out sand. Then, take out the clams and scrub them with a cloth or brush.[10]
- Don't be tempted to drain the clams in a colander or the sand will wash back onto the clams.
- Preheat the oven to and spread the seafood in a roasting pan. Although you can use a large rimmed baking sheet in a pinch, a deep roasting pan is perfect for holding lots of delicious seafood and sausage. Put your cleaned clams in the pan along with of shrimp, of snow crab legs, and 2 lobster tails.[11]
- Keep in mind that these are just suggestions for seafood you can use! The great thing about a seafood boil is that you can totally customize what seafood you cook. Don't have crab legs? Use extra shrimp instead or just use all lobster—whatever you like is fine.
- Place 4 andouille sausages in the pan with 3 ears of corn. Cut 4 andouille sausage links into quarters and scatter them over the seafood in your pan. Then, cut 3 shucked ears of corn in halves or thirds and put them in the pan, too.[12]
- Want to add potatoes to the boil? Parboil 2 or 4 quartered potatoes until they're just softening. Then, transfer them to the roasting pan so they can finish cooking along with the seafood.
- Put butter and garlic into a saucepan with the seasonings. Set a medium-sized saucepan on the stove and put ¾ cup (169 g) of unsalted butter into it along with 2 chopped heads of garlic. Then, add 1 tablespoon (10 g) of Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon (7 g) of lemon and herb seafood seasoning, and ½ tablespoon (3 g) of cayenne pepper.[13]
- Add extra Cajun seasoning or cayenne pepper if you want your seafood boil to be even spicier.
- Cook the seasoned butter over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the burner to low and stir the seasonings into the butter as it melts. Once the butter is completely melted, cook it for a few minutes so the butter becomes fragrant.[14]
- The spices will intensify when you heat them with the butter. They'll also be easier to mix with the seafood in your pan.
- Pour the seasoned butter into the pan and stir to coat the food. Turn off the burner and slowly pour the flavorful butter over the food in your roasting pan. Then, use a large spoon to toss the food so everything's coated in the spicy butter.[15]
- Some people like to season the seafood in a large bowl before spreading it in the pan, but mixing it in the roasting pan saves you a little cleanup!
- Cover the pan and bake the seafood boil for 25 to 30 minutes. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil and tightly cover the roasting pan. Bake the seafood boil in the preheated oven until the shrimp turns opaque and the clams open. This should take about 25 to 30 minutes.[16]
- If you want the sausages to brown, remove the foil and cook the seafood boil for another 5 minutes.
- Serve the seafood boil with crusty bread for soaking up the butter. Some people like to spread newspapers onto the table and dump the seafood directly on them. While you can do this, you'll lose lots of the flavorful butter and juices that are in the pan. Try setting the pan directly at the table and letting guests help themselves instead.
- Got leftover seafood? Put it into an airtight container in the fridge and store it for up to 3 days.
- Don't want to measure out spices? Buy a bottle of seafood boil that you pour into your pot or buy seafood boil bags. Simply toss 1 or 2 of the spice bags into your pot and get cooking!
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Stovetop Seafood Boil - Large stockpot
- Knife and cutting board
- Slotted spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Newspapers or serving platter
[Edit]Oven-Roasted Seafood Boil - Bowl
- Knife and cutting board
- Roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet
- Saucepan
- Spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Oven mitts
[Edit]References |
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