Teach Soap

Hello, everyone! I'm new to soap-making, but have been making new soaps and doing research like crazy lately. I'm hoping to start the street fair/craft fair market this spring and summer when the season starts... but am wondering what it is customers are usually the most drawn to? What kind of molds, loaves, scents, etc. do you find to be the most successful? I'm definitely going to have fun with it and do some funky stuff, but it would be nice to have some relatively sure bets to try and make back my (hefty) initial investment.

Thank you! For fun, I've attached pictures of a few things I've made recently

If I was you, I would visit local fairs or markets to see the soapmakers there and what type of soap they carry. I have some unscnted soaps for people with sensitive skin, some with goat's milk, some with fragrances and or colors. If it's an upscale area, they might like soap that are not colored and scented with essential oils only. Take a look around your area and see what there is available.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

They are all really cute! I find at the markets that the ones that sell vary from area to area and month to month. As soapbuddy says Goat's milk seems to be a consistent seller (mainly plain with me - no FO no colour) as more and more people these days seem to have sensitive skin.
I also find that bright colours and strong masculine and feminine fragrances sell well too. eg - i do one in Cold Water FO (I've posted a pic of my newest one on Flaunt Your Stuff) and it doesn't matter what way I make it - and I've done slices, individual bars and moulds - it sells like hotcakes. I always do it in a blue, green, white combo (varying the depth of tint and combination as the mood takes me) and I like to make it a bit different every time or I'll get bored!
I also said I'd NEVER do cake/cupcake/food item soaps .... now they are one of my biggest sellers!! I've even been doing them in themed colours for party favours for baby showers and birthdays.
It really is a matter of trial and error. The markets I go to have several other soap stalls - most are simply the CHEAPO ones that are bought online and resold as "Handmade" for ridiculously low prices (4 for $5 at one stall). I can't/won't compete with these stalls and I simply have made signs that state what our soap DOESN'T have (SLS, SLES) and make sure to tell people that YES I DO MAKE THEM ALL MYSELF!!! It's amazing how loyal people get when they have bought a good product from you. I had one lady ring me (I have business cards from Vista Print online) and arrange to meet me in the carpark at the supermarket as the market was rained out and she wanted a dozen bars of goat's milk soap! I laughed with her and said I felt like I was setting up a drug buy!! It just felt illicit scuttling through the rain to her car with the soaps and getting her money!
You need to make the soaps you love and that you feel are eye catching and "sniffable" and then reworking your ideas based on feedback from people and from what sells. I have a basket of soaps from when I started out which I will be donating to the Salvation Army as they didn't sell (but are still good!) I have learnt as I've gone on and I think it's fantastic to join sites like this and also check out facebook for "fan" pages which will give you lots of ideas!
Good Luck!

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Soaper from Melbourne Australia
Founding member of Melt & Pour Soap Crafters ... find us on Facebook - we'd love to see you!