Teach Soap

Hello everyone! I am so happy to be a new member of your group! I had wanted to make soap since I was a little girl and decided, after much research, that there was no time like the present last fall. I love making soap (crock-pot hot process and cold process as well as some melt and pour) and take great pride in my creations. My immediate family and dearest friends have been using my soap and love it so much they are asking for more soap for themselves and their friends and family. I simply can't afford to keep making soap and giving it away; however, when I read about what it takes to sell soap without fear of financial ruin my head starts to spin! I don't want to spend a fortune getting licenses, trademarks, insurance, etcetera if I can't break even; however when I have so many asking for soap I wonder if I should let the opportunity pass me by. I feel that if I am going to sell soap I must "do it right" with a "doing business as" name and such, but I really don't know where to start. I am asking for advice/opinions on how to proceed. Can someone give me a list of what I MUST have to be able to sell to friends without having to worry about being sued and having my home taken from me? Also, can someone give me an idea of approximately how much monthly profit would be required to break even? I want to be absolutely certain that I follow the correct path so as not to put my family's finances in jeopardy.

Thank you so much in advance for sharing your knowledge and experience!

Welcome!
I would read this post to give you an idea what's needed. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3800
As far as monthly profit, it depends what your raw materials cost, along with your time. It's different for everyone.

I don't know how long you have been making soap, but here are some thoughts: do you know how well your soap does after 6 months, after one year? Has the fragrance or color faded? Any problems with DOS (oxidation & rancidity)?

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

Thank you soapbuddy! I have some soap that is over 6 months old, but none a year old because I had been using it all until I realized it would be beneficial to see how it behaved over time after a shop owner asked for soap to sell in her shop (which I have not given her because I realize I need to cover my bases first). It probably seems silly that I didn't save any before, but I had only intended to make it and use it up myself or give a bar at a time to my family. My soap with fragrance oil does not smell as potent after time, but it does still smell of the origional fragrance. My essential oil soaps smell much lighter after several months. I have never had a bar with spots or a "bad" smell. I always pH test every bar before I use it or give it away also. Do you believe pH testing with test strips is accurate? I usually wet the bar of soap, rub the water around and stick the paper directly to the wet soap. Some of the soap that I had colored with annato seed infused into the oil has faded. I don't normally use very much colorant, though I have tried a carmine mica, yellow oxide and some of the lab colors and so far they have not faded but the ones I have saved are only about 3 months old. I have used coco powder for a brown color before but it was used up by my husband and brother-in-law very quickly.

pH testing with test strips will only give you a general idea. That are not that accurate. For more accuracy, you could purchase a pH meter, but they are not cheap. I would get all your ducks in a row first. Get a business license, liability insurance and resale license if your area requires it. Calculate how much your soap costs along with the time involved. That way it would give you a better idea of what you can sell your soap at wholesale and then at retail.

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

Thank you again soapbuddy for the helpful advice.