Classes

Have you wondered if you can successfully make lotions & creams from scratch? Making your own lotions & creams is easier than you think – especially when you start with clear instructions & tested recipes.

Learn from a pro how to DIY it the right way & control the ingredients that go onto your skin. Once you try Lori’s tried & true recipes for a skin-softening Light Body Lotion (perfect for summer, all over the body) & a rich Shea Butter Cream (great for winter, dry skin, elbows, hands & feet), you’ll never buy anything else.

This eClass includes 4 videos to watch as often as you like, and printable PDF Class Handouts with clearly written instructions, recipe details & more.

Just Added! Bonus Recipe & Demo Video #4: Nourishing Murumuru Lotion

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Perfume making is my second favorite product to make (second only to Cold Process Soapmaking). The knowledge I’ve gained through making perfumes these past 2 decades has improved the complexity & longevity of the scent blends in my soap & other natural bath & body products like scrubs, body butters, & more.

This eClass includes a 2.5 hour video (instant & unlimited access) as well as a printable, detailed Class Handout that has all my instructions, recipes/blends & more helpful info. I am thrilled to be sharing my knowledge & passion for this super fun topic with you!

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How awesome would it feel to get paid to share your passion with others? Do you make handmade products for your friends & family? If so, teaching classes can be a really fun way to finance your hobby & make extra money. For crafters, artists, & makers who already own a business, teaching classes can be a rewarding way to increase profits, generate interest in your brand, & help establish you as an expert in your field. Read more at the link below.

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Curious about what can be safely added to your Cold Process (CP) Soap to create lovely exfoliating bar soaps?

Not sure what your options are, exactly which type of ingredient to buy, or precisely how much to use?

Want to know which additives contribute to gentle exfoliation, moderate exfoliation, or heavy-duty exfoliation?

Hope to confidently create different exfoliating soap bars that your friends or customers will love?

Many natural ingredients can be added to handmade soap to create an exfoliating bar. Seeds, nuts, shells, grains, dried foods & herbs can be added to soap to help slough off dead skin cells. They can be used whole, chopped, or powdered.

After teaching soapmaking for 20 years & I’m happy to finally have a thorough, research-based class on exfoliants to share with you!

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Have you ever wondered what was involved with making all-natural soap, from scratch in your own kitchen? Do you, a close friend, or a family member have skin issues that are easily irritated by store-bought soaps & detergents? Many commercial soaps contain cheap petroleum-based ingredients & synthetic detergents that can be harsh on sensitive skin. By learning how to make soap in your own kitchen, you can tailor it to suit any skin type as well as insure that only the most beneficial ingredients go into your finished bars.

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In my 18+ years of making & teaching Bath Fizzies, I've learned a lot. This eClass comes with 7 Demo Videos & Printable Class Handouts (my 55-page Fizzy eBook)... is the most extensive in my collection! It's super organized & easy to follow, with a hyperlinked Table of Contents to find topics quickly.

My goal in offering this Fizzies eClass is to share as much info & insight as I can about making Fizzies, to help you become an expert & make more successful batches. I don't believe in a “perfect recipe” for making Bath Fizzies. No one recipe will work for everyone, every time, in every season & every location. (This is very unlike making CP Soap or handmade Lotions & Creams.)

That said... once you to understand all the potential ingredients & influencing factors… all that YOU can control, I know you’ll be formulating your own recipes & creating unique tub-time treats in no time.

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In this eClass you’ll get my tested recipes, detailed instructions, & full demos for 3 types of body butters. You have permission use my recipes “as is” to make the exact same products I do (for personal use OR to sell). Of course, you’ll also learn how to customize them to suit your needs or just to be creative.

~ Perhaps you’ve tried making Body Butters using online recipes & they haven’t quite come out right?
~ Don’t waste valuable time trying dozens of recipes just to find one that works, without fail.
~ Don’t waste your hard earned money buying a bunch of ingredients you probably don’t need.
~ I’m sharing all that I’ve learned about making Body Butters so you can be successful in making them too!

I’ve been making (and teaching) body butters for nearly 2 decades! If you value specific detailed information from a trusted source, I’m your girl. I’ll show you the methods & equipment I use and provide tested recipes that will shorten the time from your first batch to your favorite batch.

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Start learning today in this virtual pre-recorded class! Want to get started selling bath and body products or looking for new products to add to an existing line? These are some of the most high-margin, low labor, popular and loved products by our customers! Learn how to infuse herbs and wildcrafted plants to incorporate into skincare products. You'll receive a valuable class handout, recipes that are made in class: body butter, balms, lip balms and salves. This 2.5 hour, online class is taught by 21-year indie beauty cosmetic formulator, Marla Bosworth. Students will learn to customize their own herbal skincare products: body butters, balms/lip balms and salves. We will be using natural ingredients including botanicals, organic butters, plant oils and essential oils. 

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Start learning today in this virtual pre-recorded class! Did you know that body washes and pump soaps outsell bar soaps? These gentle, moisturizing body wash/shower gels and liquid pump soaps are wonderful to make for yourself or to sell. 

This two and a half hour, online class is taught by green beauty formulator, Marla Bosworth. Come join her and learn to make your own refreshing, organic and all-natural face and body washes from scratch. 

https://www.backporchsoap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1039

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Start learning today in this virtual pre-recorded class!

Ready to introduce a line of natural haircare products to your green beauty business? Save yourself time and money by learning tried & true formulas in this online class! This is the same workshop that Marla Bosworth has been teaching with rave reviews in NYC, California and Colorado for 22 years. Now, experience an online class made for beginner through advanced indie beauty brands. This course easily pays for itself with wholesale, private label and retail sales.

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Start learning today in this virtual pre-recorded class!

Join natural cosmetic formulator Marla Bosworth for this learn-at-your-own pace, 3 hour online class. You will learn to make two best-selling creams: Coconut Body Cream and Pomegranate Face Cream. During this online class you'll learn how to make creams for different skin types. You'll also have all the information you need to start making your own products to sell or make for friends and family.

For more info please visit our website: https://www.backporchsoap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1095

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Start learning today in this virtual pre-recorded class!

Learn to make your very own highly effective, plant-based, facial beauty products from scratch in this online class. In this class we are going to tackle fine lines and wrinkles, dryness, dullness, oiliness, uneven skin tone, pigmentation, loss of firmness, elasticity and more. Learn to make distinctively different formulations:

Hydrating Face Mist (retail value $38+)Regenerating Hyaluronic Cream (retail value $80+)Revitalizing Face Polish (retail value $38+)Firming & Brightening Rejuvenation Serum (retail value $58+)

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Start learning today in this virtual pre-recorded class!

Learn how to formulate and make your own beauty products in this popular, prerecorded online learning series with Marla Bosworth, owner of Back Porch Soap Company. Learn at your own pace in this package that includes eight online classes (more than 24 hours of learning).

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In this two-hour online class you will learn how to design your very own unique blends of essential oils for candles, soaps, perfumes and other indie beauty products. Learn about essential oils you may never have considered using in your blends, how to tweak based on various skincare/soaps/candles/perfumes you make, and other blending techniques from essential oil alchemist and owner of Back Porch Soap Company, Marla Bosworth. Marla will share 23 years of experience in this workshop to guide you in blending essential oils to create your own signature blends.

Learn more: https://www.backporchsoap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1168

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This is a one-to-one mentorship program in natural skincare formulating and business coaching conducted via live Zoom sessions. 

More info in link.

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This online 5-hour course simplifies the confusing hemp CBD skincare market. Learn at your own pace in this one-of-a-kind class, offering students in-depth training including formulas, formulating guidelines and dosing, labeling requirements, marketing suggestions, connections to resources and recommended suppliers, legalities, market opportunities, pricing and much more. 

CBD topicals offer incredible growth opportunities for your current or soon-to-be launched skincare brand. The CBD market has a CAGR forecast of 22.2% from 2019 to 2025, which is one of the fastest growing segments of the beauty industry. Learn more: https://www.backporchsoap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1497

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This is a beginning soapmaking class designed to teach students to make soap by hand at home. After learning soapmaking safety, students learn to formulate soap recipes and calculate lye quantities without using a "lye calculator." The objective of this class is to have students understand saponification values and be comfortable creating their own soap recipes at home. Online students receive a bar of cold process soap made during the class session. Attend in person or online. 

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Learn to make oil-free, concentrated facial serums containing vitamins and active ingredients. Understand the different vitamins and active ingredients used to improve skin texture, minimize wrinkle lines, improve elasticity, treat acne, and even skin tone. Determine the general safety of new ingredients. During the class, learn to make aloe vera gel, hand sanitizer, gel eye shadow, gel eyeliner, and mascara with the same beneficial base ingredients. Attend in person or online.

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Learn how to make bath bombs, bath fizzy tablets, bath fizzy powder, and bath salts. This class includes the chemistry behind the effervescent fizzing reaction, a superior formulation for bath bombs, and the advanced technique used to create bath fizzies without oils, so they will not leave a dangerously greasy bathtub. Online students are mailed a workbook and 3 different types of bath treatments made during the live class. Attend in person or online.

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Students learn to formulate a truly great bar of soap through their choice of soapmaking base oils. In this information-packed class, learn which oils have similar fatty acid profiles and can be substituted for one another, what types of lather come from which soapmaking oils, how to correctly use antioxidants (such as ROE or vitamin E), how handmade soap differs from commercial soap, and some advanced soapmaking chemistry in the popular Soapmaking 210 class. Attend in person or online.

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Learn to create beautiful, new bars of soap by rebatching old scraps and failed batches. Safely learn to neutralize lye-heavy soap or introduce additional lye to oily soap. View a soap rebatching demonstration and learn to improve soap through rebatching and the addition of fresh organic juices, vitamins, and antioxidants. Each online student receives a bar of hot process soap rebatched during the Soapmaking 125 class. Attend in person or online.

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Soapmaking 105 is an intermediate-level soapmaking class to teach students to make bars of soap using the hot process soapmaking method. Hot process soapmaking is beneficial in achieving truer scents and using less scent material. Hot process is also necessary for cream, liquid, and transparent soapmaking. Particular emphasis is placed on the safety of hot process soapmaking. Online students are mailed a workbook and a bar of hot process soap made during the class. Attend in person or online.

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Learn how to formulate effective spa-quality scrubs. Understand the difference between salt scrubs and sugar scrubs and when one is preferred over the other for easily achieving safe and natural skin exfoliation. Learn how to add beneficial vitamins and learn why preservatives should be used in oil based products. For those opposed to oil based products, learn to create oil-free scrubs. Online students are mailed three types of scrubs made in class. Attend in person or online.

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In this beginning-through-advanced Lotion Making Science class, take a scientific, hands-on approach to learning different methods and techniques for making lotion. Students learn to make small, test batches of lotion and how to increase the recipe to make larger batches. Gain confidence by learning how a batch of lotion that has separated or gone wrong can always be salvaged. Understand the importance of emulsifiers and emulsification systems: what they are and how they work. Perform scientific test experiments to prove whether or not common lotion ingredients (such as lecithin, polysorbate, and stearic acid) act as emulsifiers. In this Lotion Making Science class, students compare four (4) different emulsifiers in performance challenges to determine which emulsifiers cause soaping (white streaks during application), which emulsifiers are better for the face (non-comedogenic), which emulsifiers are water miscible (and better for use in hair conditioner), and which emulsifiers are considered natural ingredients (and widely accepted by modern consumers). This class also briefly covers labeling requirements, preservatives, and professional lab testing. Online students receive a workbook and 4 different lotions in the mail. Attend in person or online.

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This class covers the various difficulties faced by home soapmakers who strive for a truly clear liquid soap. Specific class topics include safety, formulating soap recipes with potassium hydroxide, and the different choices of soapmaking oils, fragrance materials, and colorants. This class also covers shampoo, bubble bath, and making sodium-free liquid soap safe for greywater systems. Each online student is mailed a sample bottle of liquid soap made in class. Attend in person or online.

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Old-Fashioned Soap Made without Lye! Soap from Ashes is a complete lecture with detailed instructions and photographs for making soap from plant ashes. This presentation includes information on how to extract the naturally-caustic solution from any type of plant ashes (combusted hardwood, softwood, grasses, or leaves) and how to concentrate the solution for maximum effectiveness. Learn how to collect and filter rain water, how to render and prepare animal fats for soapmaking, how to test the soap for harshness, how to adjust the soap for gentleness, and how to cook the soap over a wood fire—all without using electricity, for a true pioneer experience. Attend in person or online.

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Soapmaking 100 is a beginning-level melt and pour soapmaking class to teach students to make bars of soap embellished with personal photos. Detergent-free melt and pour soap base allows crafters to make a truly natural soap with endless sales possibilities, when topped with a personal photograph. Learn to create stunning, personalized gift soaps with images of wedding parties, newborn babies, or company logos by embeding photos in soap. Students must email a photograph in JPG or GIF format that is at least 4 inches square or 300 pixels square to info@soapmakingstudio.com at least 24 hours before the start of the class. A student who fails to submit a personal photograph by the deadline may receive a generic printed image to embed in soap during the class. Each online student receives a bar of soap made during the class with the student's personal, submitted photo. Attend in person or online.

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Soapmaking 216 is an intermediate-level soapmaking class to teach students to make gel soap using the hot process soapmaking method. Gel soap is thicker than liquid soap and requires different ingredients to prevent a film or skin from forming on top of gel soap. Unlike liquid soap, which must be dispensed from a foam pump, gel soap is easily dispensed from any pump bottle. Gel soap may be used as shower gel, body wash, face soap, hand soap, or bubble bath. This class includes information on a simple FDA-approved ingredient for making antibacterial gel soap. Each online student receives a bottle of gel soap. Attend in person or online.

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Learn how to make Cold Processed soap with our fabulous Soapmaking 101 beginner e-class/e-handout. Learn from an expert, and ensure that you are making soap properly and safely.

• Basic Soapmaking Instruction
• Equipment Supply Lists
• Safety procedures working with caustic chemicals (LYE)
• Find out what equipment you need and the costs involved
• Learn how essential oils/fragrances/colors affect your soap batch and how to incorporate them
• Oil Properties Sheet
• Terms and Definitions
• Recipes
• Our trusted supplier information
• Online Tutorial through Video-Based Learning

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Learn how to make liquid soap, the easy way! This is a no-cook method for making handmade liquid soap from scratch. You will have unlimited access to the Videos, Documents, Charts, Graphs, Lists, and Recipes. 

• Liquid Soapmaking Step by Step Instruction
• Equipment Supply Lists
• Safety procedures for working with Potassium Hydroxide
• Soap Paste Dilutions
• Terms and Definitions
• Liquid Testing Sheet
• Trusted Easy Make Recipe
• Our trusted supplier information
• ONLINE VIDEO TUTORIAL
• Downloadable PDF booklet

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Learn how to make Whipped Emulsified Scrubs. Watch the videos as many times as you need to learn and you will be on your way to creating your own whipped scrubs in no time! You will have unlimited access to the Videos, Documents, Charts, Graphs, Lists, and Recipes. 

• Learn about the different oil properties in scrubs
• Essential oils in scrubs
• Salt scrubs
• Sugar scrubs
• Fruit/seeds scrubs
• Body Polishes
• Spa quality scrubs
• Preservatives in scrubs
• ACCESS TO THE ONLINE VIDEOS
• PDF downloadable Booklet

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Making milk & fruit soaps are easy using our simple method. Learn how to work with milk products to create a moisture-rich bar of soap. This simple method will have you making creamy milk soaps in no time!

• Safety procedures working with caustic chemicals (LYE)
• Find out what equipment you need and the costs involved
• Learn how essential oils/fragrances/colors affect your soap batch and how to incorporate them
• Safety VIDEO
• LYE mixing VIDEO Tutorial
• EASY Milk Soapmaking VIDEO Tutorial
• FULL FROZEN MILK method VIDEO Tutorial
• FRUIT SOAP METHOD VIDEO Tutorial

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Learn to make oil-free, concentrated facial serums containing vitamins and active ingredients. Understand the different vitamins and active ingredients used to improve skin texture, minimize wrinkle lines, improve elasticity, treat acne, and even skin tone. Determine the general safety of new ingredients. During the class, learn to make aloe vera gel, hand sanitizer, gel eye shadow, gel eyeliner, and mascara with the same beneficial base ingredients. Attend in person or online.

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Do you know that body washes and pump soaps outsell bar soaps? These gentle, moisturizing body wash/shower gels and liquid pump soaps are wonderful to make for yourself or to sell.  (This is not traditional liquid soap method, it is a speedy method and perfect for those who want a low labor product!)

Join Marla Bosworth for an immersive, 2.5 hour, informative class where you will learn all about natural surfactants, considerations when purchasing them, how to use and formulate your own recipes. 

Each student will receive a link to the recorded class that never expires! You will receive formulas and also learn how to customize what we make in class using a wide range of natural ingredients.

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Want to get started selling bath and body products or looking for new products to add to an existing line? These are some of the most high-margin, low labor, popular and loved products by our customers! Learn how to infuse herbs and wildcrafted plants to incorporate into skincare products. You'll receive a valuable class handout, recipes that are made in class: body butter, balms, lip balms and salves. This 2.5 hour, online class is taught by 20-year indie beauty cosmetic formulator, Marla Bosworth. 

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Sometimes I rewrite my class instructions and have a few hard copies of the previous version left over. I often make them available to folks who can't make my classes or other experienced soapers who may be thinking about teaching classes themselves and need a springboard to get started. Click on the link provided to get a set of the class notes and recipes. 

Physical Class Description: In this basic level soap making class sponsored by Rustic Escentuals, Carol Isler will show you how to make soap from a traditional oil blend and a lye solution using the cold process method. Participants will learn how to work safely with soap making ingredients to create naturally luxurious handcrafted soap for your family and friends. You will make a 2-pound batch of soap to take home. After class, members share soaping experiences and stay in contact with the instructor in a private Facebook group.

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Oktoberfest Edition: We will make soap cupcakes with canned pumpkin, beer, and milk! Learn the dangers and secret techniques of substituting other fluids for the water portion of cold and hot process soapmaking. Students learn how to safely replace water with beer, yogurt, fresh milk, fresh juices, puréed fruits or vegetables, herbal infusions, and hydrosols. Students receive beer soap and soap cupcakes made with goat milk and puréed pumpkin. Attend in person or online.

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This quickly changing retail landscape is affecting all of us in the soaps, candles, personal care products and aromatherapy market. Many indie brands are struggling to stay in business due to COVID, but other reasons are lack of brand relevancy, closed farmer's markets and craft fairs, entrepreneurial burnout, feeling a sense of misalignment with one's own brand.

This is a actually a profound and exciting time to be in business. If you are feeling otherwise or if you are getting ready to launch your brand, this workshop will help you hone in on your business strategies. Come learn how to become more authentic and relevant during these changing times.

In this masterclass you will learn new areas of opportunity and strategic steps to take to grow your handmade skincare business. Marla will share what key pieces to put in place from online strategies, marketing and public relations, and how to expand and increase sales in this new economy.

You will gain clarity on how to align your brand and create a deeper connection to your customers through positioning, branding, marketing, social media, products and services.

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This is a virtual class taught by Marla Bosworth. In this live 2-hour Zoom class students will learn to formulate dry and liquid natural laundry products. You'll receive an emailed information-packed handout with detailed instructions, formulas, formulating guidelines and a valuable supplier list.

Online via Zoom. Classes will be recorded and students will receive access to recordings.

Marla Bosworth is the CEO of Back Porch Soap Company. She has been creating clean beauty products for 23 years. 

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I love to help Makers get farther in their businesses. Whether it's troubleshooting, product formulating, or help with generating more revenue by teaching classes, I can help!

You'll be surprised at what we can accomplish in just a few hours. Just let me know what you need & I'll let you know if I'm a good fit for the job (if I'm not... I'll happily refer you to someone I know who can help you).

To get started, send an email to: email@thenovastudio.com or call me at 1-510-234-5700 (Eastern Time Zone, US).

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What would you like to accomplish in the next 8 weeks? What if you had an insightful coach working alongside you to keep you on track? What do you dream of creating between now and the start of 2022? If this is you, we need to to connect!

In this 8-week mentorship program we will work together to set clear, definable goals. Areas include adding services to your business, how to gain internet visibility and traction, increasing orders and cross-selling, avoiding or quickly overcoming business bottlenecks, considering creative business funding possibilities, personal and business accountability, formulation guidance, connection to my vast network in the beauty industry, business opportunities, growth strategies, potential collaborations with other brands, internet marketing and visibility, lead generation, building your audience, and straight-forward guidance in staying true as you build your indie beauty brand.

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Ready to strategize your goals and profitability for 2022? In this one-hour, Zoom coaching and mentorship consultation, Marla Bosworth will share her experience with 24 years in the beauty business to help you with your business strategies for 2022.

Marla will key in on opportunities that you may be overlooking, and areas to save you time, money and frustration. She has a wealth of knowledge in time management, scaling product manufacturing, product positioning, business strategies, marketing, private label, wholesale, retail stores, retail shows, trade shows, product formulation, teaching workshops, corporate events and more.

In this personalized session Marla will discuss your business, products and services. What are areas that perhaps you need to let go? What are opportunities you may not have even considered that feel more in alignment with you and your brand? Marla will simplify and prioritize the direction and steps to take and an overview of action. 

Learn more here: https://www.backporchsoap.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1242

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Celebrate National Soapmaking Day by learning to make cold process soap! Soapmaking 101 is a beginning soapmaking class to teach students to make soap by hand at home. After learning soapmaking safety, students learn to formulate soap recipes and calculate lye quantities without using a "lye calculator." The objective of this class is to have students understand saponification values and be comfortable creating their own soap recipes at home. Online students are mailed a bar of cold process soap made during the class. Attend in person or online.

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