Welcome to Raleigh, it’s #soapconf13 time!

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 15 May 2013, 6:00 am

The Welcome banner has been hung with care, conference crew is here and we can’t wait to see you at the 2013 Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild Conference, starting Friday (officially, that is, with pre-conference half-day sessions and a welcome reception Thursday).

Conference crew members have been landing over the past several days and are deep into preparations for the 16^th annual HSCG conference. Volunteers were working behind the scenes Monday receiving and unloading scores of material. Tuesday, another wave of volunteers arrived to assemble attendee badges, organize speaker material, put together information packets, wrap goodies (oh, there WILL be gifts), wrap more goodies, and corral raffle prizes.

Throughout the conference, you will find volunteers ready to help. Staff members will be wearing black and brown HSCG polos, conference committee members will be wearing teal HSCG polos, board of director members will be wearing purple HSCG polos, and you may even catch some of the hardworking conference committee ground crew wearing HSCG aprons. Conference committee members are here to help with any questions that you run into during the conference – just flag us down (and pardon our distraction as calls come through our headsets – for once, we really do have other voices in our heads).

For those of you on site early, join us Thursday at 7:00 pm for a pre-conference Welcome Reception in Grand Ballrooms 3 and 4 and get ready for the #soapconf13 tags to fly (read up on the details here).

In the meantime, if you see a bunch of soapmakers running around, that’s your ground crew preparing the hotel for the conference!

Come say hi and see you soon!

Cosmetic Creators to Take Over Raleigh

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 8 May 2013, 6:00 am

With just over a week before soapmakers, cosmetic crafters, suppliers, and supporters flood into Raleigh, our thoughts turn to entertainment options in our host city (naturally). You may be too busy to step foot outside the hotel during the conference, but Raleigh is well worth exploring if you are staying in town a few extra days.

We have a few ideas to add on to the tons of great itinerary ideas from the Visitors Bureau:

There are lots of different ways to get around downtown, including segways, horse-drawn carriages, and even a free electric-powered bus, but Executive Director Leigh O’Donnell recommends taking the rickshaws. While you’re there, eat at highly acclaimed The Pit. Leigh warns, “Bring your appetite, though!!” Top off your evening with a concert at Lincoln Theater.

If shopping is more your style, you’ll find Jerry’s Artarama less than half a mile from the hotel. For a great outdoor stroll (and live music Thursday nights!), head to nearby North Hills mall.

Museums abound, and many are less than 5 miles from the hotel. While at the N.C. Museum of Art, check out the outdoor exhibits, which connect with the city’s greenway trail.

Peruse the N.C. Museum of History, then head down the street to check out the fossilized dinosaur heart at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Costumed docents will lead you on a tour of the birthplace of Raleigh at the Joel Lane House Museum. From there, it’s a quick trip to Locopops for some wildly flavored popsicles (Mojito on a stick, anybody?). Even better, buy Howling Cow, whose locally produced ice cream comes from NC State’s Ag and Life Sciences College.

If you have time for a longer trek, member Robin Hasty recommends a stroll through the gorgeous Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Duke University Chapel and Bell Tower, both in Durham, about a half hour from downtown Raleigh. While there, grab a bite to eat at Watts Grocery.

We can’t wait to see you in Raleigh…just 9 more days!

Tips for HSCG Conference Attendees

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 1 May 2013, 6:00 am

If this year’s conference is your first, have no fear. Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your first experience is a good one:

Rest up prior to the conference. Trust us – you’ll thank us for this Sunday morning. We will keep your brain and body busy from sunup to sundown. You’ll want extra energy to enjoy the nighttime entertainment and to take full advantage of having hundreds of fellow enthusiasts and experts all in one building and excited to talk about soap and cosmetics.

Get technical. You’re definitely going to want to thoroughly document your experience (and go for the gold in our social media contest, of course). A laptop, tablet, phablet (whatever floats your boat in the tech department) will help you catch every last word, store loads of pictures, and keep you from attempting to transcribe your notes three months later (yup, been there).

Travel smart. Whether you checked bags or carried them on, bring an extra bag to help you get your goodies home. Heck, you may find it cheaper to ship your suitcases to and from the hotel. If you find you’ve won more than you can carry home, UPS will be on-site with all the necessary supplies to help you get it all home. If you shipped stuff TO the conference, you can re-use your box (eco-friendly and efficient, score!).

Be comfy and dress for frigid indoor weather. There’s no dress code, so whether you rock stilettos or sneakers, you’ll fit right in. If you want to make wardrobe changes from day to evening, go for it. Even in hot, hot, hot Miami at the 2011 conference, several hours in a classroom was enough to freeze, freeze, freeze attendees. You’ll be thankful you remembered to bring some extra layers to chase away the inevitable chill.

Bring samples and business cards. You never know when you are going to want to share something with a fellow attendee (or maybe even get some help troubleshooting a batch gone awry). Conference is an *excellent* time to ask questions of vendors, speakers, and fellow attendees. You can even go the super eco-friendly route and use an app like bump to exchange contact information (also an awesome way to transfer smartphone pics to your laptop in a flash).

Collect autographs. Soap-lebrities (that’s an official term) will be in the house. Don’t be shy – if you have any of the speakers’ books, bring them for autographs.

Save up for the raffle. The raffle is ah-MAZING. Last year’s raffle included a lye tank, full ride to the conference, custom box printings, custom consulting, and loads of books, ingredients, and packaging prizes. Raffle proceeds go right back into the keeping your non-profit trade association running, so feel good about supporting the HSCG while you angle for top prizes donated by our very generous suppliers.

Bring your shopping list. Vendors will be running some incredible specials, both AT the conference and afterwards. Make sure you thoroughly examine your goodie bags and all the material you receive throughout the conference so that you know exactly what all the deals and steals are and be ready to take advantage!

Do you have a genius tip for conference attendees?

Spotlight: A+ Soapmaking Studio

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 24 April 2013, 6:00 am

A+ Soapmaking Studio, currently teaching soapmaking, business classes and more to students in the local southern California area and beyond, had an unexpected start. Owner Kerri Mixon had just joined the HSCG as the owner of Pallas Athene Soap and attended her very first conference that same year in Tucson, Arizona. Inspired by the incredible meeting of the minds that happened at the 2003 conference, Kerri started free Soapmakers Luncheons shortly thereafter. “I…decided a gathering of like-minded kindred soapmakers was too precious to have just once a year”.

Her quarterly SoCal Soapmakers’ Luncheons grew and Kerri began bringing in guest speakers ranging from lavender growers to marketing specialists and beyond. It didn’t take long for luncheon attendees to recognize Kerri’s expertise and to start requesting formal classes.

Between Pallas Athene’s growing business and her desire to protect intellectual property, Kerri resisted, but soapmakers persisted until, as Kerri says, “I realized I had an obligation to provide my fellow soapmakers with accurate modern soapmaking technology”. In 2009, bureaucracy conquered and curriculum developed, the A+ Soapmaking Studio opened its doors and joined the Guild as a vendor member.

The Studio quickly took off, bringing students from as far away as Taiwan and Belize, and garnering local media attention. Today, the Beginning Cold Process Soapmaking class (Soapmaking 101, of course!) consistently sells out. “The most surprising aspect of teaching soapmaking classes,” shares Kerri, “is how eager people are to learn. I’m always amazed by what people will endure to learn and I’m grateful for their tenacity.”

Peruse the A+ Soapmaking Studio’s current class list here. You can also catch Kerri in action at the 2013 HSCG conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she will be presenting a two-part session on the chemistry and properties of fatty acids and oils.

Thank you, A+ Soapmaking Studio, for sharing a sneak peek into your past. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

Soap Angel Investors

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 10 April 2013, 6:00 am

Angel investors are a well-known concept in Silicon Valley, where their deep pockets help start up cash-strapped businesses. Have you ever heard, however, of the soap angel concept?

Photo by Flickr member Paul Esson. Used under a Creative Commons License.

Soapmakers are a generous bunch, as the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild has witnessed many times over. This past week, that generosity of spirit surfaced again, when HSCG member, Scentability owner and soap angel Tricia Samundsen mobilized the soapmaking community to raise a record-breaking $1300 in 11 hours for fellow soapmaker Sonya Black.

Sonya is the owner of Luxuriously Natural Soaps, a soap, candle, and handcrafted personal care product company based out of North Carolina. She met Tricia through online networking forums for soapmakers, where she is a frequent presence. Sonya had been saving for many months to be able to attend the 2013 HSMG conference in Raleigh when a breast cancer diagnosis turned her world upside down and canceled her conference plans.

With the HSCG conference quickly selling out, Tricia was inspired to make sure that Sonya was one of this year’s participants. She kicked off her secret mission Easter Sunday, using Facebook to invite all of her soapmaking friends to a group called “Soap Sisters and Brothers Unite!” Within an hour of the first invites, Tricia had raised over half of the conference fee. Bolstered by her early success, she decided to raise not only the conference fee, but also enough money to cover Sonya’s hotel stay and an extra meal ticket, should Sonya decide to travel with company. Hundreds of soapmakers pitched in their verbal and monetary support to help send Sonya to the conference.

Ultimately, the group raised almost $2000, enough to meet all their initial goals, provide Sonya with extra spending money for the conference (gotta enter those raffles!), and purchase her an HSCG membership with insurance. Reflecting on the experience, Tricia shares “the love and sense of family and a true tight knit community was so present that night, I cried tears of joy a couple of times!!”

Says Tricia, “Sonya is such a sweet, loving and special woman. Just having her around on the FB Groups has been a treasure! Now being able to meet her in person and to be able to say I was one of many people to help her get to this year’s conference is great! I have been overwhelmed and humbled by the response I received from my idea! SOAPERS ROCK!” Truly, a story of a soap angel if we’ve ever heard one.

Thank you, Tricia and Sonya, for allowing us to share this story. We can’t wait to see you BOTH at this year’s conference!!

Come on down to the Soapers Showcase!

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 3 April 2013, 6:00 am

When you hear “soapers showcase”, you may think, “sounds a bit like a category that didn’t make the cut for The Price Is Right”, but don’t be fooled. This is one opportunity you don’t want to miss. The Soapers Showcase is your annual chance to have a friendly competition with soapmakers worldwide.

At this year’s Annual Conference in Raleigh, enter up to three of your favorite soaps to compete in these categories in the Soapers Showcase:

- Best Scent (Melt & Pour)

- Best Appearance (Melt & Pour)

- Best Scent (Cold and Hot Process)

- Best Appearance (Cold and Hot Process)

- Best Packaging (all)

- Something Different (all)

Even better, entry is free! Winners of each category will compete for a Best in Show prize. Winners, determined by popular vote, will be announced Sunday, May 19 at the Annual Awards Dinner.

All conference attendees receive a Soapers Showcase ballot in conference registration packets, so even if you are not entering a soap into the competition, the showcase is a lot of fun. Make sure to stop by early to start sniffing your way to a vote (trust us, noses get tired and you will want plenty of time to ponder your options).

This year, Soapers Showcase entries will be donated to the Women’s Center of Wake County, a center bridging the gap between despair and hope for women and families by offering a wide variety of services to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Visit the Women’s Center at http://wcwc.org/ to learn more about their mission.

What to do next:

- Check out HSCG Conference Info on this year’s showcase to find out more

- If you’re raring to go, access the Soapers Showcase entry form

- For inspiration, check out last year’s Soapers Showcase winners

What are you waiting for? Start plotting your entries now…you even have (just enough) time to make a fresh batch of soap for the competition.

We’ll see you in Raleigh…44 days until the official 2013 Conference begins and Soapers Showcase entry opens

Join the Certified Crowd

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 27 March 2013, 6:00 am

Join the crowd and be certifiably awesome. At the 2012 HSCG conference in Portland, we awarded certifications to 35 soapmakers – some of whom achieved certification in more than one testing track and more than one level!

The 2013 HSCG annual conference in Raleigh is fast approaching and once again, we will be offering certification exams. Currently, we have two opportunities within the conference schedule for you to take a certification exam: Thursday evening during the last hour of registration and Saturday morning just before the first session of the day.

If you’re testing this year during the conference, we have a few tips for you:

- Pre-register for your certification exam

- Login to access study materials

- Prepare soap samples, if required

- Prepare testing paperwork, if required

- Pack a calculator and pencil

- At the conference, check in at the certification table after registration

- Submit soap sample by noon May 17^th

- Choose your testing session: Thursday, May 16 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm or Saturday, May 18 from 7:00 am to 8:00 am

- On the day of the test, arrive a few minutes early to sign in. No late entries will be allowed

If you’re attending the 2013 conference, this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of soapmaking skills and take up to two certification exams.

Once you’ve achieved certification, we want to show you some love. Certified soapmakers are highlighted to consumers within the ‘Find a Soapmaker’ section of the website and receive a logo indicating certification for use in marketing.

What certification level are you working towards?

Why Handcrafted Soap?

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 20 March 2013, 6:00 am

You’ve unpacked your soap, set up a killer display and the first person who walks into your booth picks up a bar and asks, “Why handcrafted soap?” Luckily, there’s a brochure for that. Of course your soap is awesome, but we don’t ever want to leave you tongue-tied for a response in the heat of the moment.

One great benefit available to members of the HSCG is the “Why Handcrafted Soap?” brochure. This brochure helps explain the difference between handcrafted soaps and commercially prepared soaps; it also touts the advantages of handcrafted soap and shows full-color pictures of a variety of handcrafted soaps. You can purchase the full color brochures for a very reasonable price or print them out yourself. One great feature about the brochure is the space on the back panel where you can add your contact information which helps the customer get back in touch with you when they are ready to order (or re-order)!

Log in and go to Marketing Tools > Handcrafted Soap Brochure or go directly to the link here to get to all of the details. From this page, you can download a copy of the brochure or order a pallet-load to be printed and delivered right to your doorstep. They’ll also be available at this year’s annual conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, if you’re lucky enough to be joining us.

What’s your favorite response for “why handcrafted?!”

Spotlight: Certified Lye

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 13 March 2013, 6:00 am

Southern California-based Certified Lye, supplier of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and the necessary personal protective equipment, has been an HSCG supporter from its inception. It is a company that was years in the making, driven by market need and a soapmaker’s ingenuity.

It all started in California’s central valley, where owners Kerri Mixon and David Perez made their home in the early part of this decade. Soapmakers at the time were fortunate; olive production and processing throughout the central valley drove demand for sodium hydroxide production. “At the time,” relates Kerri, “the sodium hydroxide manufacturers also shipped lye to New Jersey, where it was resold as “Red Devil” brand lye, which is what I used to purchase for making soap because other sources of lye were nonexistent.”

Olive processing, however, would not last long in the area. Lye used in the production of olives was disposed of incorrectly, affecting growth of nearby orange groves, whose owners took legal action to have the olive processing facilities closed. Sodium hydroxide production decreased in response. “Meanwhile,” explains Kerri, “in New Jersey, Red Devil suffered loss of its lye supplier at the same time the company was fighting its own battles regarding the retail of a hazardous material often used to produce illegal methamphetamines.”

Kerri realized she needed a replacement for Red Devil and started to research what it would take to establish a lye supply company. Handling hazardous materials came with onerous restrictions, but a fellow soapmaker’s horror story surrounding the desperate purchase of fifty pounds of subpar lye gave Kerri the impetus she needed to create Certified Lye.

Learning from the legal battles of the defunct olive processing facilities, Kerri and David made sustainability a key tenet of Certified Lye’s operations. “We have seen the ramifications of environmentally irresponsible business;” says Kerri, “we do our best to have as minimal of an impact on our environment as possible.” In fact, Certified Lye continues to raise the bar, having recently completed additional solar panel installations and “sponsoring the gutters, rain chain, and 60-gallon water cistern for collecting rain water to irrigate the aromatic plant gardens at the A+ Soapmaking Studio.”

Thank you, Certified Lye, for sharing a glimpse of your history and for your support of the HSCG!

Spotlight: Shepherd’s Soap Sushi

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 6 March 2013, 6:00 am

“‘I get so tired of looking at soap all day long,’ said no soapmaker ever” as the meme goes. Here at the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild, we tend to agree. We recently spotted these sushi soaps out on the HSMG Facebook page and had to know how they came about.

“These were for a young teen’s birthday party,” explains Deb Petersen of Shelton, Washington-based Shepherd’s Soap Company. Deb, who specializes in cold process soapmaking, had a special request for something a little off-the-beaten path for birthday party favors – soap that looked like sushi. She quickly turned to a melt and pour soap base and a little ingenuity to execute the concept.

Using local sushi menus as a guide and utilizing PVC pipe and truffle molds, the sushi soaps quickly came to fruition. The biggest challenge, says Deb, was finding the sushi grass used in packaging the soaps. Google finally came to the rescue – in fact, if you’re interested in executing your very own sushi project, Deb has grass to spare.

“We had a blast. I am, and always have been, a cold process soapmaker, but I definitely see how melt and pour soapers have WAY too much fun.” We couldn’t agree more, Deb. Thanks for sharing your soap creations with us!

What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever created with soap?

Last Call, Early Birds: Party Like It’s 2013

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 27 February 2013, 6:00 am

How many professional development seminars do you go to where participants are turning cartwheels in the aisles while networking in a fun, energy-filled evening? How many conferences have you attended with festivities capping off each day of classes?

We are incredibly fortunate to run just such a conference and will have sponsored evening festivities every night of this year’s HSMG conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, May 17-19 at the Hilton North Raleigh.

On Friday night, attend, play and win over $5000 in prizes from returning special event sponsor Wholesale Supplies Plus in “Quest for the Best” game night. To kick off the evening, enjoy appetizers and dessert. After some relaxed networking, let the games begin! The audience will be split into teams and guided through an hour of action, strategy, and teamwork. Past participants (and winners) can attest to what great events Wholesale Supplies Plus produces. We cannot wait to see what spectacular fun awaits us this year!

On Saturday night, get ready for a special event hosted by first-time special event sponsor Essential Depot. What awaits us Saturday night? Essential Depot has sworn us to secrecy, so if you want to find out, you’ll have to show up!

On Sunday night, cap off the conference with our Annual Awards Dinner. If you’re a bath and body entrepreneur, this is one conference you do not want to miss. Check out the latest conference schedule (and access all the other conference specifics) here.

The 24-hour countdown to early bird registration discounts has begun. This conference will sell out. Don’t let the clock run out on you – register today!

Early bird registration discounts expire February 28. Get in and come party with us in Raleigh!

Invest in Yourself

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 20 February 2013, 6:00 am

If you’re a soapmaker looking to invest in yourself and your business, you need to attend the 16^th annual HSMG conference in Raleigh,NC, May 17-19.

Why? We think member Janey Davies of Scrubology Soap, sums it up nicely: “This group is the best! The annual conferences are packed full of practical information, enabling us to be the best soapmakers we can be. The support and camaraderie is awesome. I have learned so much and have met new soaping buddies all over the country!”

The HSMG is “the place for soapmakers” says Cindy Christ of Following Seasons Botanicals and the annual conference is THE place to meet up with soapmakers from around the country and the world in an intensive three days filled to the brim with classes, demonstrations, networking events, and celebrations of all things soap.

Let keynote Ann Evanston light a fire under your marketing efforts. In between classes, meet face to face with suppliers and catch up with teacher members. You’ll have an opportunity during the conference to take certification exams (find out all about that here). Find out how wacky and wild soapmakers can get at special night time events sponsored by Wholesale Supplies Plus and Essential Depot. Don’t forget to enter your soaps into the soapers showcase competition and of course, bring a few extra bars to donate locally.

We have a few very special in-depth seminars (capped at 25 participants) available the day before the conference officially starts. Finally, cap the whole experience with the annual awards dinner.

If you’re not completely exhausted post-conference, spend some time exploring Raleigh, an incredible historied city with cultural offerings in spades.

If there’s one thing we can advise, it’s this: don’t miss your opportunity to register for the 2013 conference at a discount. Early bird rates expire in just 8 days. 8 days, people! Step on it!

Your turn: what advice do you have for soapmakers attending this year’s conference?

Introducing 2013 Conference Keynote….

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 13 February 2013, 6:00 am

We can’t think of a better way to kick off three days of total immersion into the art, craft, and business of the handcrafted soap and cosmetic world than with a keynote by a fellow small business owner with a fiery passion for moving your business from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!”.

The HSMG is proud to announce Ann Evanston as our opening day keynote speaker for the 2013 conference. Named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, Ann Evanston is a powerhouse speaker who teaches other business owners how to find their unique strengths and make true business breakthroughs. Ann’s keynote will provide insight into discovering your REAL edge in business. Learn why you are attracting competitors instead of customers, what you are missing that would grow your sales base, how you need to market for today’s consumers, and how creating your best self ultimately improves your bottom line.

Join us May 17-19 in beautiful, historic Raleigh, North Carolina, at the Hilton North Raleigh to hear Ann Evanston fire up the crowd and inspire you to take ACTION. You do not want to miss this opportunity to better your soapmaking and your business AND meet Ann Evanston in person.

Check out all of the conference details here and take advantage of early bird registration discounts for members here. The early bird special expires in just over 2 weeks from today, so don’t delay!!

We’re officially in a double-digit countdown…93 days until this year’s conference in Raleigh!

2013 Conference Speakers: Round 3!

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 6 February 2013, 6:00 am

February is a very special month round these parts, marking when we finally recover from the multitude of holidays, start our double-digit countdown to the Annual Conference, and hustle to take advantage of the last month of member discounts on conference registration. (Psst…if you’ve been thinking about joining, the member rates more than cover the cost of basic membership.)

We are beyond thrilled to be bringing over two dozen speakers with expertise spanning a wide range of subjects to this year’s conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. Today, we bring you another installment in our ongoing series of speaker introductions:

Learn to make exotic milk soaps without all the fussiness and hassle of traditional techniques from Product Body founder and co-owner Joanna Schmidt in Hassle-Free Milk Soapmaking.

In true soap whisperer fashion, chemist and professor Kevin Dunn will continue his scientific soapmaking saga with an investigation into the true differences between ‘superfatting’ and ‘lye discounting’ in Superfat or Discount? Identical or different?.

Stephenson Group CEO Jamie Bentley will share some of the insights his company has learned from the many challenges faced over its 150+ year tenure and what the future holds for your business and the business of soapmaking in The Soap Opera: 150 Years of Making Soap.

From understanding legal regulations on natural colorants to how to get that perfect pencil line, Kathryn Hackney of Bramble Berry and Otion will teach you how to be fearless with color in soap in Cold Process Colorant Master Class.

And finally, due to popular demand, Debbie May of Wholesale Supplies Plus will be leading a session on UPC codes.

Stay tuned to the 2013 conference home page to see the latest schedule details, plan your travel and hotel stay, find out how to enter the soapers showcase, and more.

Don’t forget, member early bird pricing expires at the end of this month.

We’re 100 days away from the 2013 Annual Conference in Raleigh and we could not be more excited to be bringing you this year’s classes, competitions, and networking events parties!

Grow America: Compete for Cash

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 30 January 2013, 6:00 am

If you’re a US-based maker over the age of 18 (sorry to our international and teen members!) with a fantastic idea, check out Grow America’s latest competition, which opened this week. With a few simple clicks, you could be in the running for their top prize of $20,000, to be awarded by the end of February.

Grow America is a one year old business with an intriguing mission – create jobs in the US by helping thousands of entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. Member Tami Thornton, owner of Beehive Soap and Body Care, had the opportunity to participate in a pilot competition last spring in Utah.

Despite the disadvantage of being in a very mature, crowded market segment, Tami made it into the final round of 100 competitors chosen after three rounds of competition. “Participating was a great opportunity,” says Tami, “forcing me to re-work my business plan, create a short video, and pitch my business live in two minutes to a group of judges and investors.”

This time around, the competition is even more streamlined, requiring product pictures, samples, and a video. Read about the details here and prepare to rally your supporters to vote for your entry.

Even if you don’t enter the competition, check out the free business resources available on the Grow America site: http://learn.growam.com/

If you enter, let us know so we can support you. Go, soapmakers, go!

Soaping Superstars: Beauty in Haiti

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 23 January 2013, 6:00 am

It all started with Google. No, really.

Marla Bosworth, CEO and Founder of Back Porch Soap Company, and Amanda Griffin, the brains behind Lovin’ Soap, both HSMG members and speakers at our 2013 conference, recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Haiti.

There, they taught two dozen women from OFEDA (Organisation des Femmes Devouees en Action), a group formed after the 2010 earthquake, the basics of soapmaking and making natural body care products.

Over a period of just six days, Marla and Amanda traveled to the site, spent two days sourcing local ingredients, and held two full days of workshops, including classes on how to make soap, sugar scrubs, and hair and body oils.

What brought them there? Google.

Human rights photographer Paula Allen had been working with the 200-woman strong organization on a greeting card business, when they expressed a desire to make soap. Not having any experience in the area, she turned to Google, where she found Marla, who turned to the soapmaking community for help and found Amanda ready and willing to take on an ambitious project.

Between Marla and Amanda’s thorough planning and their support team (a local driver, Paula, and translators Louis, Rodny and Angie), their first international project went off without a hitch, despite the lack of electricity, running water, and language differences.

The biggest surprise, report both women, is that they fell in love in Haiti and can’t wait until April, when they will return to teach more advanced business topics including production and distribution to help the group launch their new soap business.

Marla shares, “These women are amazingly powerful and underestimated by many. Some of them owned businesses prior to the earthquake of 2010. They have nothing now besides each other. They live in tent camps and have hard lives. Some have been gang raped. Their stories are heart wrenching. We feel strongly that we were brought here to help them improve the quality of their lives – both for them and for their children.

I’m asking our local soapmaking community to support these women by donating at our fundraising site at http://www.indiegogo.com/BeautyInHaiti through January 31, 2013. As little as $10 can make a difference!

In February, you can find more about our project at our new website: http://www.BeautyInHaiti.com”

We couldn’t be more proud of these two amazing soapmakers. Let’s make sure they can continue this project. Here’s what you can do to help:

Find out more and check out videos from the trip

Visit the fundraising site (pssst…you can still get your hands on one of the first OFEDA soaps, but they are moving fast!)

Spread the word (twitter, facebook, even good ole’ word of mouth!)

Spotlight: Lebermuth

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 16 January 2013, 6:00 am

The Lebermuth Company has been part of the HSMG for over a decade and in business for over ten decades. Lebermuth, which stocks a wide array of both fragrant and essential oils, is based in Mishawaka, Indiana, an area in the midwestern US commonly referred to as Michiana. Current President Rob Brown’s great grandfather started the company while trading produce from his family farm, switching his focus from produce to peppermint essential oils after being introduced to it by another trader.

Lebermuth has come a long way from those humble beginnings trading peppermint oil, distilling a total of approximately 200,000 pounds of essential oils last year. While mint essential oils are still, ahem, essential to the company, orange essential oils make up a significant portion of what they distill today.

Recently, we caught up with Lebermuth to get the scoop on scent trends. Lebermuth shared that their most popular essential oils for soaps in 2012 were eucalyptus 80/85, tea tree, and lemongrass. In the fragrance realm, lighthearted gourmand scents stole the show, with mango madness, bubblegum, and vanilla cream taking top honors.

What does the future bring? Industry-wide, we have a lot to look forward to in 2013. Says Marketing Director Tiffany Smith, “The fragrance world will take a cue from the past with a twist.” Look for very modern florals featuring rose, jasmine, and peony mixed with more exotic scents. Citrus and woody notes will be key features in masculine fragrances and “finally, destination and city scents are becoming very trendy”.

If you’re looking for some color inspiration to go with those fragrances, Lebermuth has ideas for you there, too! Expect to see colors ranging from nudes to hot pink for feminine fragrances, while blues, blacks, greens, reds, oranges, and white or translucent colors will grace masculine fragrances. (Are you seeing some killer layering ideas here?) Finally, pair destination scents with “night time themes such as seductive purples and intense reds.”

Get some help distilling those ideas into a singular soapy vision over at Lebermuth’s Facebook page, which, shares Tiffany, “has become exceedingly popular this year. We have loved getting to know our customers and friends through this great social media outlet. Look for more great industry education, product information and fun from the Lebermuth staff on Facebook in 2013!”

Thank you to the Lebermuth team for sharing your insights. We can’t wait to see what innovative combinations soapmakers devise this year!

Your turn: What’s in your forecast for this year? Are you trying out new scents in your 2013 line?

Business Planning in the New Year

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 9 January 2013, 6:00 am

Whether it’s bright and balmy or blisteringly brisk, January is a great time to plan for the year. A mad rush of holidays has ended, affording small business owners a chance to stop, catch their breath, and reset for the coming year.

Photo by Flickr member Sally Mahoney. Used under a Creative Commons License.

How was your 2012? What product lines worked? What sales venues worked?
Are there things you want to do more of in 2013? Are there things you want to start doing? And how about things you’d like to NOT do this year?

AWeber quizzed 3000 business owners to gain some perspective on what’s in store for small businesses in 2013.

Here are some ideas and advice for the coming year from Clovis News Journal, GROW Nebraska, The Examiner, Swipely, and Reno Gazette Journal.

And finally, here are some predictions that may help you tailor your plans for 2013:

Colloquy predicts the rise of small businesses, “establishments with as much engagement power as some of their national rivals, but with the ability (and panache)–of being hands-on local.” Due to deft handling of social media and the ability to take payments online, small businesses are competing with national chains. (Members, this is the year to take advantage of a soap guild store!)

Being mobile-friendly is more important than ever. Email insider stresses the importance of generating mobile-friendly marketing emails. Rohit Arora, at the Fox Small Business Center, emphasizes use of smart phones in small business, while Constant Contact predicts “an aggressive upward trajectory” to the trend of consumers searching for business and product information on their phones.

Ekaterina Walter and Dave Kerpen, in a Social Media Examiner article, foretell the growth of visual marketing, which small businesses can take advantage of through sites like Instagram and Pinterest, as well as their blogs. Speaking of visual marketing, Pinterest will be used in more marketing emails, per Email insider.

Regardless of which sites become more popular, social media will be even more crucial this year (Constant Contact), with advertising becoming more popular and more industries engaging on social media networks (Social Media Examiner). Businesses will not have just a social media department, but will truly become social businesses, according to Brian Solis. Small businesses are well positioned to take advantage of social media and truly listen to the customer.

Here’s to an incredible year!

Share Your Voice: US Labeling

Posted by HSCG Social Media on 2 January 2013, 6:00 am

The HSMG has submitted a petition that needs your voice.

In mid-2012, the HSMG submitted a citizen’s petition to the US FDA requesting a change in the law to make a PO box acceptable on cosmetic product labels in lieu of a street address. The FDA confirmed receipt in August and has been collecting public comments on the petition prior to issuing a response, expected in the first quarter of 2013.

Photo by Flickr member Jeffrey Smith. Used under a Creative Commons License

Current FDA regulations state that the business name and address must be on the product label. The business street address is required unless the business is listed in a printed city directory or telephone directory, in which case only the city, state and zip code are required on the product label.

Why You Care

The issue of being required to put your street address on your product labels has been brought to our attention many times over the past year. The general consensus is that this requirement poses an inconvenience and a safety risk to those with home-based businesses. Due to safety concerns and changes in the ways consumers search for business info, we believe allowing a PO box on cosmetic labels to be good common sense while mitigating some of the security risks that soapmakers undertake today in publishing their street addresses on product labels.

Share Your Voice

Here’s where we need your help. The FDA is still collecting comments on this petition, so your thoughts and real-life examples will help determine the future of our PO box request. Go to the petition here and click “Comment Now!” to submit your comment.

Find out more:

>>For an in-depth explanation, see Anne-Marie’s post on the Soap Queen blog.

>>Read the petition in full here.

Let the FDA know how you feel about the current labeling requirements!

HSCG blog

The Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetics Guild