US Conference 2023

Candle Making for Soapmakers

Maker Track

Presented by: Diane Seimetz

Get fired up! Did you know seasoned soapers are a natural for candle making? Many of the skills used in developing and selling bath and body care can be easily adapted into making beautiful, quality home scenting products that complement your line, thrill customers and grow your business. While it's a big topic, we'll get hands-on with types of candles/melts; cover wax, wick, vessel and fragrance basics; and do a brief overview of suppliers and start up essentials.

Emulsified Body Butter

Maker Track

Presented by: Beth Byrne

Are you tired of finding your body butters melted at shows or in shipping? The answer is emulsified body butter!

This emulsion is a luscious blend of everyday and more sophisticated ingredients, yet it is easy to make. It offers better sales margins, as well. And best of all, you can customize it to suit your brand.

From Fizz Disaster to Bath Bomb Maker!

Maker Track

Presented by: Ariane Arsenault

After the success of the “Getting Fizzy with Ariane & Lee” bath bomb seminar in Dallas, we saw how it filled up so quick and we have decide to propose a topic so that more people can attend and benefit from the valuable information it contains. Lee Choy is teaming up with Ariane C Arsenault to help makers create their own beautiful bath bombs, troubleshoot and be efficient. Join us in this fizzy presentation where all questions you may have will be answered!

Hemp CBD in Personal Care Products

Maker Track

Presented by: Kayla Fioravanti

Kayla Fioravanti, the co-founder of Ology Essentials, is an expert in the field of hemp CBD, cosmetic formulation, and aromatherapy. Kayla will share her insight as a long-time industry insider in the personal care industry and in the constantly evolving hemp CBD industry She will discuss such topics as regulations, legalities, emerging cannabinoids, and best practices while formulating personal care products using hemp cannabinoids. Kayla’s experience promises to lead to a great Q&A session.

Making Real Soap with Baking Soda, Water, and Oils

Maker Track

Presented by: Kathy Gray

No lye, no soap - right? The great Baking Soda Soap debate can be settled once and for all as I give a live demonstration of how this really does work. While I cook this magic batch, I'll tell the story of my journey down the road of making the impossible possible. The first 100 participants will receive a one-ounce sample bar of fully cured, unscented soap made with only baking soda, water, and common soapmaking oils. "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." (Walt Disney)

Master the Kaleidoscope Technique

Maker Track

Presented by: Belinda Williams

Imagine pouring beautifully patterned soap every time, with each slice being unique! In this demonstration, Belinda will take you step-by-step through making kaleidosoaps using this fun and fast technique. She will also share her secrets for success, including suitable recipes, choosing the right scent, mixing to the best trace and maintaining it, as well as different ways to pour with pull-through tools.

Scrub 3 Ways

Maker Track

Presented by: Shawnte Coleman

Learn to make body scrubs in 3 different ways!  Shawnte will not only demonstrate how she makes her scrubs but will explain how to upscale your batch size. She will include an easy soap base that is light and airy and some tips on modifications for your own recipe! 

Soap Star: 5 Essential Designs For Stellar Soaping

Maker Track

Presented by: Robyn French Smith

There are 5 basic techniques that almost every soap design is built on. During this demonstration I will highlight, and discuss each technique as we use them to create a landscape soap. Each of these acts as a foundation for many new, trendy designs. Veteran soapers will learn new ways to apply established skills, while newer soapers will get an introduction and be able to focus their growth toward mastering these foundational skills. Are you ready to become a Soap Star?

What the Puck?

Maker Track

Presented by: Jackie Thompson

Join Jackie as she shares her shaving puck journey! From the worst shaving puck recipe ever created to a recipe and demonstration of a cold process shaving puck that has all the necessary requirements: A lather that is quick, creamy and long-lasting! A puck that is hard enough to withstand shipping and handling, yet soluble enough to lather easily!

Craft an E-Commerce Website Strategy for Success

Business Track

Presented by: Rebecca Inkrote

Thinking about your own website? Learn what it really takes to build a website, how to turn casual visitors on your website into customers so you can maximize your investment, and to craft a strategic plan for your website- whether you're starting from scratch or ready to level up and redesign an existing site.

• 3 assets required for a functional website
• What to have in place before jumping in
• How much to budget
• Which features to improve conversions & AOV
• Step-by-step roadmap zero to Launch

Decoding Canva & Cricut: DIY Labels & Packaging

Business Track

Presented by: Janae Tyars

Learn, in person, how to design labels and tags in Canva. Print and cut them yourself like a pro using simple home crafting tools including the Cricut Explore Air. See with your own eyes, how you can create professional packaging for your products affordably and stress-free. No lectures, we're going to jump in and get straight to making beautiful designs.

Find Your Inner Unicorn: Branding Basics

Business Track

Presented by: Brian Morris

Imagine a customer that is already excited to finally meet you despite never yet encountering your products! And now imagine that happening again and again. This can be your reality with a strong, compelling, and integrated brand that showcases your personality and passion. This class will not only lead participants through a thought provoking series of questions designed to pull out what makes them special and marketably unique but also give ideas of how to implement without spending a fortune.

How to Start a Subscription Box

Business Track

Presented by: Naomi Murray

Have you been thinking about starting a subscription box but didn’t know where to start? This presentation will teach the basics such as open vs. closed model subscriptions, how to handle variants, launch strategies, technology, packaging shipping, and logistics. We'll cover the specific challenges that soap makers face such as curing time, and how to build your box to scale and keep it profitable. Turn your subscription box dream into a source of predictable recurring revenue!

I've Been Hacked! Now What?

Business Track

Presented by: Eric Bockelman

It seemed like a normal day until you received a message from one of your best customers asking why you sent a strange link to them via Facebook Messenger. Confused, you try log into Facebook and it doesn’t work. As more messages come in, the grim realization hits: You’ve been hacked.

More than half of all people answering a recent Harris poll indicated that they have been a victim of cybercrime. In this session, we’ll go over what to do when the worst happens. Inspired by conversations with fellow HSCG members and real events, we’ll explore several scenarios including social media account takeovers, malware infections, and a variety of scams. Besides covering what to do in the moment, we’ll also explore steps you can take to prevent these situations from happening in the first place.

Labels and Labeling: What is Required, Allowed and Prohibited

Business Track

Presented by: Marie Gale

Have you wondered what you MUST say, what you CAN say and what you CANNOT say on your labels and in your labeling? This class will give you those guides so your product labels and labeling are legal and compliant (and keep you out of trouble!)

Navigating Insurance - Back to Basics

Business Track

Presented by: Chris Van Leeuwen

What does your commercial insurance actually cover? Or not covered? We will discuss claims examples and exposures that can cause harm to your business that you have not considered. What are additional insureds, and how they impact your coverage? How to use insurance and contract to transfer your exposure to someone else. We will help identify possible issues and provide solutions to protect your business.

What You NEED to Know About Cosmetic Regulations

Business Track

Presented by: Debra Carnahan, Leigh O'Donnell

Are you ready to comply with new cosmetic regulations in the United States? How much do YOU know about the recently passed legislation that could affect your business? Join Debra and Leigh as they go over all the changes you need to know and understand so that you can be in full compliance - plus, this session will include a Q&A so you can get your questions answered!

When the Bank Says No! 3 Ways to Fund Your Busines

Business Track

Presented by: La Shonda Tyree

Whether you are just getting your business started or an existing business ready to expand, funding a small business can be challenging to navigate. The good news is there are less traditional funding options available to you. In this 90 minute session learn about grants opportunities available to you. Learn what crowdfunding is and how do you go about it as well as other ways to find the working capital your business needs. Some of these funding options are debt free or interest free.

3 Non-Soap Facial Cleansers

Advanced Track

Presented by: Marie Rayma

Curious about surfactants, but not sure where to start? This presentation is part lecture, part demonstration, and will cover the basics of formulating with surfactants before sharing five easily customizable formulations for different non-soap facial cleansers. We’ll make everything from micellar water to a foaming cleansing powder, discussing ways to explore and refine the formulas to meet the needs of your customers.

A Little Bit of Ghana in Your Soaps!

Advanced Track

Presented by: Ariane Arsenault

Join the creative Ariane Arsenault as she hosts a presentation on sustainable oils and butters for soapmaking with a social impact. You'll discover a range of options available and how they can make a difference to hard-working women in Ghana, thanks to Baraka Impact. Learn from Ariane's experience as she demonstrates how to include traditional authentic black African soap crumbs and other additives in your soapmaking formulations to create beautiful soaps with a powerful message.

Hair Conditioner Bars

Advanced Track

Presented by: Kerri Mixon

Have you taken the HSCG pledge to reduce plastic waste? Go a step further by adding plastic-free hair conditioners to your product line. Attend Kerri Mixon’s “Hair Conditioner Bars” class to learn how to make the best version of these profitable bars, how to label them, and how to package them without using plastic. 

Heat Transfer Soap Making

Advanced Track

Presented by: Sara Golding

Who doesn't need more time in their day? Between balancing the needs of a growing business with those of our family and social lives, time is a precious commodity. Let’s explore the Heat Transfer Method and see how much time we can save. Heat transfer eliminates the need to pre heat your fats and cool down your oils. It’s a fast take on traditional methods of soap making.

How to Research Your Ingredients

Advanced Track

Presented by: Marie Rayma

The ability to research your ingredients is not just a must-have skill for all formulators: it’s also a low-key superpower. Once you know how to research your ingredients you’ll be able to work with any ingredient, even if you can’t find a YouTube video or a blog post on it. In this presentation I’ll teach you what information they need to know, where to find it, and how to put it to use—and you’ll leave with a brand new superpower!

Intro to the Wonderful World of 3D Printing!

Advanced Track

Presented by: Debi Olsen

Learn the basics of 3D design to create tools, molds, and other helpful items for soap making, bath bombs and so much more!

For The Love of Fizz

Intensive Seminar Track

Presented by: Robyn French Smith

It’s time you stopped being afraid of, or angry with bath bombs and instead learned to love them! Most of the time when people say that they dislike making bath bombs it’s because they haven’t found a recipe, prep method, or type of mold that makes the process fun and enjoyable for them. With this class those days are in the past! Robyn French Smith firmly believes that knowledge is power and she has been leading the bath bomb revolution for several years now turning skeptics into believers. 

Scaling on Up!

Intensive Seminar Track

Presented by: Tracy Heppes, Jackie Thompson

Scaling up means working smarter not harder! If you want to exponentially increase your profits without adding significant costs, this intensive seminar is for you! Join Jackie as she shows you the science, technology and equipment needed to scale up your business! Topics covered will include strategizing, streamlining production, adapting the product line, finance, marketing and social media. The afternoon session will include attendee participation in making 60 bar batches of soap!

The Whole Deal on Wholesale

Intensive Seminar Track

Presented by: Sara Golding

Wholesale isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes a critical look into your entire business to understand if you are even ready. Successful wholesale needs streamlined COGs and formulas, studio space considerations, and the ability to scale.

Together, we will walk through wholesale basics of terminology, cost analysis, goal setting, and how to locate and approach potential accounts. We will also prepare your studio for increased production and storage considerations, in addition to GMP.

Getting from Solopreneur to Having a Team

General Track

Presented by: Anne-Marie Faiola

Getting from Solopreneur to Having a Team – Being an entrepreneur can be lonely; your family might not understand your long hours and you might not be seeing as much progress as you want. Come listen to Anne-Marie Faiola, the founder of BrambleBerry.com speak about creating a life and a business that you love. From the basics on defining strategy and goals to in the trenches advice on hiring your first employee, Anne-Marie has been there and written the book on it.