(no subject)

[camwyn]

So I had a chat with the folks at Town Hall and explained that I wanted to know if a home-based business selling handmade soap over the Internet was okay where I lived. After some time on hold and discussion, the person who picked up the phone asked, "No one coming or going to the apartment, right?"

"Nope. Just me taking stuff to the post office."

"Yeah, that's fine. Come down to the department offices and $BUREAUCRASPEAK $LEGAL_FOO $OFFICE_HOURS $ETC_ETC_ETC..."

Anyway, point is, I've been debating opening a small Etsy shop for the sale of homemade soaps. Since it appears that I can get the appropriate paperwork to do so in my town, the next step is to determine what would be involved first in setting one up, then in keeping one going, and then in whether or not I really wanted to go through with all of that. Business plans, I think, come after one has decided that yes, it would be something of enough interest to me to be worth my time.

On a tangentially related note, if any of you reading this who know me might be interested in a sample or anything let me know. Especially if you have any particular scent preferences or skin/inhalation allergies.

Comments

[silveraspen]

$BUREAUCRASPEAK is one of the best variable terms I've ever seen.

Would definitely be interested in/willing to review/test samples! Caveat: I'm scent-sensitive to some things as migraine triggers - all the fake flowery stuff/artificial berry whatever one finds at places like Yankee Candle, Bed Bath and Body Works, and Target Home Decoration are quick trips to the antinausea and pain meds for me.

Essential-oil type scents, natural/higher quality stuff - those seem to work much better. Vanilla, lavender, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, citrus are all good examples.

[camwyn]

I've never actually used the artificial fragrance oils, mostly because I get about that far in the store and then can't find anybody who knows whether they're rated as being safe for use on skin or are recommended for candles only. So far all the scents I've used have either been essential oils or a combination of essential oils and spices- the batch of shampoo I made for Fuzz, for example, had cinnamon leaf oil and clove bud oil in it, but I also added some ground clove and some powdered ginger (although ideally the ginger should've been fresh, but I didn't think I'd use the rest of a knob of ginger before it went bad). It's just safer that way.

[ymfaery]

You probably need to talk to someone about the federal taxes side of things. Or at the very least go wandering around the IRS website.

[camwyn]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure of that. I also need to memorize the FDA labeling rules as long as I'm poking at government things, I know that much.

[attractivegeekery]

I would very much be in the interest of giving you monies for more of that solid shampoo, which is amazeballs. (The soap is amazeballs too, but I still have quite a bit of that left.)

[camwyn]

That can be arranged! Do you have a scent preference? I know you like mint in your soap; did you want me to go for that with the shampoo bar, too, or any other scents you might like in there?

[attractivegeekery]

Spicy things, I guess?
Most of the Shampoos I've been buying the last few years have either been jasmine, cinnamon, or coconut in scent.

[ceitfianna]

You've made a solid shampoo bar? I missed that somehow and would happily buy it instead of paying Lush.

Also I'd be happy to sample as I love delicious soaps and trust you to make things.

[camwyn]

Done it twice now. The first time I think I scented it with cedar, basil, and pine, with the end result having an oddly anise-like scent to it. The second time was for Fuzz and it had clove, cinnamon, and ginger. Other ingredients were:

Coconut oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, jojoba, olive oil, water, lye, the essential oils, any spices I might've put into Fuzz's batch, and one egg yolk. Although I forgot the egg yolk with Fuzz's batch and I'm sorry for that, but there's also palm oil in her batch, which helps with conditioning. The bars still work, regardless.

Fuzz's shampoo was an attempt to get something with a smell similar to the cinnamon-clove shampoo bar at Lush, although mine was sort of mottled green and brown in color rather than red and cinnamon. I can do something similar again or I can work up a different set of scents if preferred.

[ceitfianna]

Cinnamon-clove sounds wonderful and honestly, all color disappears in the shower so its not that big of a deal. That seems familiar to one of my favorite Lush shampoos too, they work well for my hair which is thick but not too troublesome.

When I have a little more brain, I might talk to you about presents as giving soaps is always a good gift idea in my family.

[gramarye1971]

I might be interested! I tend to have problems with chamomile, which tends to be in a lot of herbal soap-things. But I do like mint and eucalyptus and citrus, anything that doesn't make me smell like a Christmas store or a flower shop. I can also ask my roommate if she'd be interested -- she tends to buy more bar soap than I do, and I know she's bought handmade soaps before.

[camwyn]

Not a problem; I usually have eucalyptus and mint essential oils around, and I've been meaning to grab something citrus for morning use anyway. I'm sure something can be arranged once I work out the details.

[chanter1944]

I'm another who'd happily stick my nose in, pun totally intended, if your shop came to fruition. Was it the Help Haiti exchange or another related event that resulted in me buying cedar-y handmade soap from you? Whichever it was, the soap was lovely.

I'm game for samples as well, especially if they're lilac, rose or cinnamon/ginger/cassia related. :) No allergies or other sensitivities here, and the fact that you're looking more toward essential oils and the like right from the start is an immediate point in your favor. And my sniffer's favor. :)

[muji]

I am always in the market for soap! I tend to not really be a fan of heavy coconut (mostly the smell), which sucks because it's usually awesome for curly hair.