Please Help Us!!!

[Zook Murnig]

Hey guys, Manda and I are starting up a small soapmaking business and are preparing to go to Anime Mid-Atlantic in June. Before we can get very far in that preparation, however, we need to make a mass order of soap fragrances and colorants, as well as for oils and other supplies for the various products we'll be taking for sale. To that end, Manda has devised a survey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LWCQJV9). We urge you to take the survey and, should you be interested in purchasing from us or looking into our business a little more closely, signing up for the newsletter. We will be taking into consideration any and every response we get from the survey.

As a note, I would like it to be known that this is not intended as an advertisement, and that the link provided will not take you to anything directly linked to the business. It goes to an independent survey site. The only thing linking it to us is the newsletter option.

[Visla Eraclaire]

Profiteering bastards.

[Saxon]

Soapmaking. You're a manly man aren't you? =P

In all seriousness, though. If you want a business that'll last sell something that is essential to daily life. That guarantees a lot of repeat business and a steady supply of revenue, provided you maintain a good reputation and are honorable.

The only reason why I say this is because my dad has done flooring for a living for close to 20 years. Beat his body to shit, owns a small business, and has a volatile income because of it. He's getting along more nicely now because of his great reputation for delivering results and stuff, but he had to work at it for a long time to get there and it wasn't a guarantee. In fact, until a couple years ago, his main goal was to get my brother and I through high school before his failing business collapsed.

Things picked up.

Just a piece of advice. And especially in this economy, it probably isn't a good idea to sink deep roots into an exotic or luxury based business.

[Twylith]

Soapmaking. You're a manly man aren't you? =P

The first rule of Fight Club, is you don't talk about Fight Club.



*Edit: In all seriousness, I'm taking the survey.

[Saxon]

The first rule of Fight Club, is you don't talk about Fight Club.

Knew somebody would bring something about Fight Club up. Give me your hand, I've got a bottle of lye over on the counter.

[Zook Murnig]

Saxon, as far as making a living off of this goes, we don't plan to do that. This is us trying to make a little money on the side off of something we already do. So long as the profits pay for the supplies and other stuff to where we break even, we're happy with it. And, believe it or not, there are a lot of people who find bathing to be an essential. :rolleyes:

Also: The second rule of Fight Club, you don't talk about Fight Club. And we've got four large bottles of lye in our closet.

[Saxon]

Saxon, as far as making a living off of this goes, we don't plan to do that. This is us trying to make a little money on the side off of something we already do. So long as the profits pay for the supplies and other stuff to where we break even, we're happy with it. And, believe it or not, there are a lot of people who find bathing to be an essential. :rolleyes:

Also: The second rule of Fight Club, you don't talk about Fight Club.

Been there, done that. Good luck.

[Twylith]

Maybe it's just me, but short on money as I've been, bath stuff is about the only thing I'll splurge on. Why? Because women like to smell good. It's one way in which we can pamper ourselves without feeling guilty. I don't think buying yummy smelling soap is that much of a luxury.

[Taskmienster]

I took the survey.

My gf loves that kind of soap, and would splurge for it. The last place that I saw it was in Colorado, when I went on vacation one year. The soap was amazing, I wish I could remember the name of it.

Anyway, if you made something similar, I'm sure I'd end up getting it. I like soap, it's an essential.

[Requiem of Insanity]

nobody bathes...Come on, we're all internet junkies...

We got a stereo type to fulfill.

O.o

[Chucklecut]

nobody bathes...Come on, we're all internet junkies...

We got a stereo type to fulfill.

O.o

I lol'd. Hard. And choked on my cigarette smoke. You're on my enemy list nao.


And yeah. She'll definitely splurge on soap. And makeup. And stuff that smells good, and... I'll stop now. I'm sure she's about to reply with a scathing comment or two already.

[Twylith]

And yeah. She'll definitely splurge on soap. And makeup. And stuff that smells good, and... I'll stop now. I'm sure she's about to reply with a scathing comment or two already.

I'm afraid I'll smell like you. It's fear that drives me.

[Chucklecut]

And there it was. Srsly, Marriage is a double-edged blade. It's not my fault if I have a manly musk about me. Maybe we should order some of Zoomanda's soap while we're already in the thread.


:(


Edit: Filled out the survey. Hell yes I'd buy soap that discolors the water. Who WOULDN'T want to bathe in neon green water?

[Amaril Torrun]

Did you rob a liposuction clinic for the materials?

[Zook Murnig]

Did you rob a liposuction clinic for the materials?

Most of our stuff is vegans.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Sooo, you liposucked a vegan....

cause that just sounds COOL...

O.o

[Amaril Torrun]

Vegans wouldn't give you the fatty, oily stuff to make the best soap. Sounds like you need to do some more research.

[Zook Murnig]

Amaril, you'd be surprised. Every vegan we know is chubby.

But seriously, most of our stuff is vegan. One of Manda's recipes uses lard, but it can be modified to be vegan as well.

[Amaril Torrun]

I'm just ruffling your feathers a bit. :D

[Chucklecut]

Amaril, you'd be surprised. Every vegan we know is chubby.

But seriously, most of our stuff is vegan. One of Manda's recipes uses lard, but it can be modified to be vegan as well.

That's because those VEGANS have to eat MOAR veggies to equal the satisfaction granted by a big, bloody steak.

[Revenant]

That's because those VEGANS have to eat MOAR veggies to equal the satisfaction granted by a big, bloody steak.

Sorry, but no amount of veggies can equal the satisfaction of a big, bloody steak. Period.

[Chucklecut]

Elementary, my dear wat- ...Revenant.

[Skie and Avery]

Matt and I just want to seriously give a huge thank you for you guys who took the survey for us. We've gotten a ton of huge feedback, and we've already started working on testing a few new recipes. I thought you might want an update and to look at some pretties!

We will not be going to AMA as sellers. The communication we had with them regarding questions I had was bitterly disappointing and before I got enough information to commit us to a dealer's table, they sold out of space. We are tentatively making plans for Otakon in Baltimore instead. Reservations of Artist Alley space there opens up tonight, but we won't know for a week or two if we are approved. I'm sure we will be, but I still don't want to count our chickens before they hatch, so to speak.

ANYWHO! I tried a new recipe for our bath fizzies. Our last recipe made for a good amount of fiz, but no foam and it wasn't very long lasting. We added some ingredients, fixed some of the scent ratio problems and voila! Long lasting, loads of bubbly goodness, skin loving and softening oils and butters. I scented this batch with black cherry. <3 I love baths, so hardcore. I thought I'd show the fizzies off, because they came out so very pretty.

The "frosting" is a melt and pour soap base that we drizzled on to help keep the sprinkles on. Those are bath salts that I dyed using skin-safe soap colorants.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/darthmaulnda/IMG_5149.jpg

SPRINKLES!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/darthmaulnda/IMG_5146.jpg

This is what I use to mold them.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/darthmaulnda/IMG_5138.jpg

And action shots, taken just moments after tossing it under the water.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v516/darthmaulnda/IMG_5153.jpg

The bubbles lasted waaaay longer than I expected, considering I kept playing with them, gathering them up in my hands and blowing foam all over the wall, giving myself a bubble beard, etc. :3

Okay, I'm done. Forgive my chemistry-girly-yummy-pretty nerdgasm.

[Twylith]

You made them in pokeballs?!

And not faaaaaaaair, I want some but unfortunately our apartment comes with only a shower, no bath. No awesome bubble beards for me.

However, soap I can still splurge on... You guys have an etsy account, right?

[Skie and Avery]

The pokeballs were pretty much perfect for shaping them. Hee hee.

We do have an etsy account, but we aren't officially launching it just yet. If you PM me your e-mail address, I can add you to our mailing list, which is the first place we'll be going to when we send out samples of new recipes (including all our shower-friendly items!) that we need testers for. It'll also be where I send out coupons and specials when the etsy store goes live. :) We have local people who gladly want to test for us, but we find it's pretty tedious getting feedback from them, if we get any at all. TT___TT So paying a couple of dollars to mail small samples out is worth it to me if I can get some better responses than, "Oh, yeah. I used it the other night. I liked it." or the more frequent one, "Yeah....haven't really thought about using it. But I will, you know, when I use the soap I've already got." =.=

[Duffy]

They look so good I could eat them, all nom nom nom over the shop :o

[Skie and Avery]

They look so good I could eat them, all nom nom nom over the shop :o

Ha ha ha, then wait until I get the chance to make cupcake soap. :D If I end up selling the homemade marshmallows I make too, we're going to have to get separate bags for what's edible and what's not. :D

[Visla Eraclaire]

Less hair-brained soap schemes, more knitting!

[Duffy]

Ha ha ha, then wait until I get the chance to make cupcake soap.

How much is air freight? :eek::eek:

[Logan]

This thread is just incomplete without pics of the bubble-beard. Sorry, tis just how it is!

P.S. -- I'ma tell ya'll now...the marshallows look AMAZING. *drools*

[Saxon]

Liquify silver or use gold flakes for soap yet? You could corner the market on eccentric rich yuppies in desperate need of lavish luxury. You could stand to make millions in whatever alternative currency rich, crazy old white people use. Last I heard it was chocolate coins, puppies and rainbows, but I'll keep my ear to the ground in case it changes.

Just a thought.

[Chucklecut]

Liquify silver or use gold flakes for soap yet? You could corner the market on eccentric rich yuppies in desperate need of lavish luxury. You could stand to make millions in whatever alternative currency rich, crazy old white people use. Last I heard it was chocolate coins, puppies and rainbows, but I'll keep my ear to the ground in case it changes.

Just a thought.

This post is win. That is all.

[Slayer of the Rot]

There. If the survey goes right to you, you'll know which one came from me.

You faggots.

[Skie and Avery]

There. If the survey goes right to you, you'll know which one came from me.

You faggots.

Actually, looking at your request, I can make those. The molds are already available for sale, if you look in the right places. :)