Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. has begun to branch out and is currently offering 4 new services!
We have already begun projects in the Private Label area developing soap lines for businesses interested in branching out and offering soap products to compliment their existing product lines. We have also begun selling wholesale and increasing our offerings and efforts in that area. We are opening to companies who wish to have use do their production and manufacturing for them as well as those companies and individuals who wish to have products manufactured for special functions or events!
Simply contact us at: getinfo@stonecottagesoapworks.com and tell us of your needs and we can get back to you and inform you what Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc can do for you!
Onward and upward!
Regards,
David Bruce
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Update time!
We have been quite busy here at Stone Cottage Soapworks! We started out the year by going into production on some of our best selling soaps! The first soap that I made this year was one of our most popular scents, "Orchid"! It is second in line to only one soap and that is our most popular scent, "Lavender Bud" which is a straight Lavender Essential Oil product with finely ground Lavender buds in it. "Fougere" was next for both Men and Women followed by a secret scent for one of our private label customers out of Chicago!
"Lavender & Lemongrass" was quite a popular scent so I made a double batch of that so we don't run out of it! I have one bar left in the store! I am pleased to say that "Castile" soap will still be available and I made a special larger batch of that because Castile soap which is made from Olive Oil is notorious for shrinking as it ages! Who knew!? I did, of course! "Allspice" has returned for the Men's section and I found a new source of finely ground Allspice especially for this batch! "Mikan Mandarin and Chinese Guava" our best selling "citrus" scent is back in full force and is also available in our Bath Salts section! "Soapy Soap" was made this past week as it is such a popular scent with everybody we couldn't be without it!
We have added a brand new scent to the mix with "Fresh and Green" which is made with French Green clay for color as well as helping with the lather!
"English Rain Flowers", a lovely rainy scent as well as one from the Islands called "Coconut Holiday" were made on Tuesday. "Almond Flower" from the Men's section was one the last I made on Thursday and they are already on the drying rack curing after being cut and stacked just yesterday! The Stone Cottage workroom is full of scent with all of these batches curing and more soapmaking is planned in the next few day! Stay tuned!
"Lavender & Lemongrass" was quite a popular scent so I made a double batch of that so we don't run out of it! I have one bar left in the store! I am pleased to say that "Castile" soap will still be available and I made a special larger batch of that because Castile soap which is made from Olive Oil is notorious for shrinking as it ages! Who knew!? I did, of course! "Allspice" has returned for the Men's section and I found a new source of finely ground Allspice especially for this batch! "Mikan Mandarin and Chinese Guava" our best selling "citrus" scent is back in full force and is also available in our Bath Salts section! "Soapy Soap" was made this past week as it is such a popular scent with everybody we couldn't be without it!
We have added a brand new scent to the mix with "Fresh and Green" which is made with French Green clay for color as well as helping with the lather!
"English Rain Flowers", a lovely rainy scent as well as one from the Islands called "Coconut Holiday" were made on Tuesday. "Almond Flower" from the Men's section was one the last I made on Thursday and they are already on the drying rack curing after being cut and stacked just yesterday! The Stone Cottage workroom is full of scent with all of these batches curing and more soapmaking is planned in the next few day! Stay tuned!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
As we approach 2011... a look back and a look ahead!
Where we came from and where we are going…
When I first started making soap, it wasn’t with the idea of starting a business and selling soap but rather I saw it as a personal challenge. I had purchased handcrafted soap in a shop in Camden Market in London and became interested in finding out how it was made and giving it a try myself! The more I began to research and the more I learned, the more intrigued I became with the art of soapmaking and the more I became enamored with the idea of making the perfect soap! As it was the late 1990’s, it wasn’t as easy to acquire information as it is now. The “Internet” was new and working with a 25K modem made it difficult as it took so long for a single page to load and “hi-speed” Internet wasn’t a concept yet! There were a few “message boards” where those with similar interests could go to share information but often the “info” was more opinion than fact based on science and arguments and intrigue were a daily occurrence. I learned that keeping a low profile and lurking worked best in this situation and the message boards provided a place to learn about new trends and to pick up new ideas but it was better for me to go out and do my own research and ask questions of those whose track record and industry credentials made them the best choice for advice and information. The late Maurice Hevey and Kevin Young are two such people with such credentials and experience who volunteered their time on these boards and help those of us who are new to the cosmetic world and try to help us do our best to make a satisfying and safe product.
Once I began making soap, it became clear that this hobby was growing and would inevitably have to go from “hobby” status to a “profession” status. This is when Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. was born. It has been seven years since I began the business and over four years since I first opened the store and about 2 years since the website came online. This has been a period of great learning for me and as a result, changes in my business. To top it off, the economy took a nosedive and left us all with the dilemma of what to do to make this through this tough financial period and not only make it but to have our business grow and prosper. I am happy to say that business has picked up and I think the worst is behind us. That brings us to a point where I need to take another look at the business and if necessary redefine its goals. In the beginning, I had hoped to make a business of just selling soap but with so many bath and body type of stores around that the customers’ expectations upon entering the store were that this would be a bath and body store. For quite a while I had hoped that they would come to appreciate a soap business but I found that they were looking for more. Also, I found myself being drawn to other types of bath products and wanting to learn how these are made as well so this becomes a happy coincidence for my customers, for me and for Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc.
This change requires a great deal of research and development to take place before each product can be sold to the public. Hours are spent at the computer gathering information then consulting with my cosmetic “mentor” before test formulations can be written and samples can be made. Raw materials must be sourced and sometimes samples must be acquired from chemical companies or from resellers on the Internet.
I am lucky to have found some chemical companies that are willing to work with smaller businesses like mine and cost of raw materials must be taken into consideration before continuing. These raw materials must fit into my budget before I consider working with them. Once these considerations are met then it is time to work out everything involved with making test samples. Proper manufacturing procedures are followed and proper preservation requirements are observed in the preparation of these samples as well as the possible packaging options for the finished product before the samples are ready to be made and tested. Once the samples are completed then the testing can begin. Depending upon the product, the testing can go on for months to make sure that the product holds up to my high standards here at Stone Cottage Soapworks. Final packaging has to be researched and selections made based on customer appeal as well as the appropriateness for the product based on the ingredients used. Labeling has to be developed for visual appeal as well as passing all government regulations and requirements before the product can be put out for sale.
Making selections for new products can be difficult as each addition must complement those that are already offered and be consistent with the brand and branding goals of the business. Part of this is actually defining what your business goals are. I have found it beneficial to go out into the market and try products from other companies as well as observing whole product lines and the presentation of product at the retail level. I take a look at packaging, ingredients and presentation. I have even purchased samples of products to see how they perform and analyze their packaging and presentation. I then apply what I have observed and learned to what I am doing so that I will be able to offer the customer the best possible product and present it to them in a way that will be pleasing to them and encourage them to buy and try my products. I know from my background in the fashion industry that these sorts of research and development practices are a major part of product development process and quite a valuable tool.
2011 will bring some changes to Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. Decisions will be made as to which soap products best represent us and we will concentrate on those. Time and effort will be spent on further defining the product line and our brand. I will be introducing new products in the next few weeks including the long-awaited shaving cream, a Moisturizing Bath Fizzie, a reformulated Bath Bomb as well as a Bubbling Bath Tablet. Further time and effort will be spent it perfecting the Shampoo bar and the Conditioner bar and more development and testing will be performed on the Shaving Soap. 2011 will be a year of taking stock both figuratively and literally and all of the changes we institute will make Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. a better and even more successful business!
Check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=138789716147688 and on here as it is my plan to keep you all informed about everything that is happening this coming year of 2011!
Have a Happy and Healthy and most importantly a safe Holiday Season!
All the best to you!
David Bruce
When I first started making soap, it wasn’t with the idea of starting a business and selling soap but rather I saw it as a personal challenge. I had purchased handcrafted soap in a shop in Camden Market in London and became interested in finding out how it was made and giving it a try myself! The more I began to research and the more I learned, the more intrigued I became with the art of soapmaking and the more I became enamored with the idea of making the perfect soap! As it was the late 1990’s, it wasn’t as easy to acquire information as it is now. The “Internet” was new and working with a 25K modem made it difficult as it took so long for a single page to load and “hi-speed” Internet wasn’t a concept yet! There were a few “message boards” where those with similar interests could go to share information but often the “info” was more opinion than fact based on science and arguments and intrigue were a daily occurrence. I learned that keeping a low profile and lurking worked best in this situation and the message boards provided a place to learn about new trends and to pick up new ideas but it was better for me to go out and do my own research and ask questions of those whose track record and industry credentials made them the best choice for advice and information. The late Maurice Hevey and Kevin Young are two such people with such credentials and experience who volunteered their time on these boards and help those of us who are new to the cosmetic world and try to help us do our best to make a satisfying and safe product.
Once I began making soap, it became clear that this hobby was growing and would inevitably have to go from “hobby” status to a “profession” status. This is when Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. was born. It has been seven years since I began the business and over four years since I first opened the store and about 2 years since the website came online. This has been a period of great learning for me and as a result, changes in my business. To top it off, the economy took a nosedive and left us all with the dilemma of what to do to make this through this tough financial period and not only make it but to have our business grow and prosper. I am happy to say that business has picked up and I think the worst is behind us. That brings us to a point where I need to take another look at the business and if necessary redefine its goals. In the beginning, I had hoped to make a business of just selling soap but with so many bath and body type of stores around that the customers’ expectations upon entering the store were that this would be a bath and body store. For quite a while I had hoped that they would come to appreciate a soap business but I found that they were looking for more. Also, I found myself being drawn to other types of bath products and wanting to learn how these are made as well so this becomes a happy coincidence for my customers, for me and for Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc.
This change requires a great deal of research and development to take place before each product can be sold to the public. Hours are spent at the computer gathering information then consulting with my cosmetic “mentor” before test formulations can be written and samples can be made. Raw materials must be sourced and sometimes samples must be acquired from chemical companies or from resellers on the Internet.
I am lucky to have found some chemical companies that are willing to work with smaller businesses like mine and cost of raw materials must be taken into consideration before continuing. These raw materials must fit into my budget before I consider working with them. Once these considerations are met then it is time to work out everything involved with making test samples. Proper manufacturing procedures are followed and proper preservation requirements are observed in the preparation of these samples as well as the possible packaging options for the finished product before the samples are ready to be made and tested. Once the samples are completed then the testing can begin. Depending upon the product, the testing can go on for months to make sure that the product holds up to my high standards here at Stone Cottage Soapworks. Final packaging has to be researched and selections made based on customer appeal as well as the appropriateness for the product based on the ingredients used. Labeling has to be developed for visual appeal as well as passing all government regulations and requirements before the product can be put out for sale.
Making selections for new products can be difficult as each addition must complement those that are already offered and be consistent with the brand and branding goals of the business. Part of this is actually defining what your business goals are. I have found it beneficial to go out into the market and try products from other companies as well as observing whole product lines and the presentation of product at the retail level. I take a look at packaging, ingredients and presentation. I have even purchased samples of products to see how they perform and analyze their packaging and presentation. I then apply what I have observed and learned to what I am doing so that I will be able to offer the customer the best possible product and present it to them in a way that will be pleasing to them and encourage them to buy and try my products. I know from my background in the fashion industry that these sorts of research and development practices are a major part of product development process and quite a valuable tool.
2011 will bring some changes to Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. Decisions will be made as to which soap products best represent us and we will concentrate on those. Time and effort will be spent on further defining the product line and our brand. I will be introducing new products in the next few weeks including the long-awaited shaving cream, a Moisturizing Bath Fizzie, a reformulated Bath Bomb as well as a Bubbling Bath Tablet. Further time and effort will be spent it perfecting the Shampoo bar and the Conditioner bar and more development and testing will be performed on the Shaving Soap. 2011 will be a year of taking stock both figuratively and literally and all of the changes we institute will make Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. a better and even more successful business!
Check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=138789716147688 and on here as it is my plan to keep you all informed about everything that is happening this coming year of 2011!
Have a Happy and Healthy and most importantly a safe Holiday Season!
All the best to you!
David Bruce
Monday, December 6, 2010
Christmas IS a time for giving!
My neighbor in the space next to my store, Dion Hitchings, did a benefit for the Soup Kitchen in Trenton, N.J. He showed the art work of a few of the homeless who use the services there and donated a large percentage of the proceeds from the show to the Soup Kitchen. While I was visiting his space, Outside Gallery, he pointed out the bags of food donations that he was also collecting for them and mentioned that he was also collecting health and beauty aids as well. The light went on!
As you may know if you have been following my website, I have had an inventory reduction sale going on for quite a while. I found that in this economy that carrying a smaller inventory would work better for me so that I could also develop and carry other products and turn Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. into more of a soap and bath store. Business in the last four months has increased quite a bit and the rate at which the sale merchandise has been selling has helped me to reach my goal and also offered customers better value for their dollar in these tough times. I realized that this would be the perfect opportunity for me to help out those who may have only the clothes on their backs and it would also help me to achieve my goal! Perfect!
I ran back to the store and began to pack bags with soap. I managed to pick out 50 bars of soap and I brought them over to the celebration that was going on next door. I told Dion I would have another look around and a while later I found myself starting to fill another bag and then another... When I was done I had pulled a total of 100 bars of soap! I brought the two other bags over to Dion. He came back later and thanked me from the bottom of his heart for donating those 100 bars of soap. I was so glad to do it and I felt so good after. Now I am closer to my goal in the store and I could get to that point by helping someone else out! It was a wonderful feeling!
Take some time over this holiday and see if there isn't something that you can give or share with someone who is less fortunate that you are. You will be amazed at how good you'll feel and how grateful you will be for all of the good things that have come your way!
Have a wonderful holiday!
David Bruce
As you may know if you have been following my website, I have had an inventory reduction sale going on for quite a while. I found that in this economy that carrying a smaller inventory would work better for me so that I could also develop and carry other products and turn Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc. into more of a soap and bath store. Business in the last four months has increased quite a bit and the rate at which the sale merchandise has been selling has helped me to reach my goal and also offered customers better value for their dollar in these tough times. I realized that this would be the perfect opportunity for me to help out those who may have only the clothes on their backs and it would also help me to achieve my goal! Perfect!
I ran back to the store and began to pack bags with soap. I managed to pick out 50 bars of soap and I brought them over to the celebration that was going on next door. I told Dion I would have another look around and a while later I found myself starting to fill another bag and then another... When I was done I had pulled a total of 100 bars of soap! I brought the two other bags over to Dion. He came back later and thanked me from the bottom of his heart for donating those 100 bars of soap. I was so glad to do it and I felt so good after. Now I am closer to my goal in the store and I could get to that point by helping someone else out! It was a wonderful feeling!
Take some time over this holiday and see if there isn't something that you can give or share with someone who is less fortunate that you are. You will be amazed at how good you'll feel and how grateful you will be for all of the good things that have come your way!
Have a wonderful holiday!
David Bruce
Friday, December 3, 2010
Time to catch up!
Folks,
The last four months have been busy here at Stone Cottage Soapworks and business has picked up considerably! People are out and about and shopping more but trying to spend their money wisely! I have continued to reduce prices to help me to attain a healthy inventory level and to provide people with good products at a good price! So this has been a win-win situation for me and for my customers!
I'm working on new products but taking the necessary time to do them well and not rushing to get a product out for sake of getting out but making sure that it is formulated correctly and that it will please the customer. So often, the first question I am asked by a customer is "Is it all natural?". I think it is time for a little missive on "All Natural" and what it means to me and to the customer!
In terms of government regulations there is no legal definition as to what is considered "All Natural" so, like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder! There are many organizations out there who try to define what "All Natural" means and many decide to follow what they suggest but again since there are no laws to define it, the point becomes moot. I have spent lots of time mulling over the "All Natural" question and can share with you my conclusions. If someone were to define "All Natural" as a product that is made from ingredients that come to us pretty much in the form they are found in natural then some of my products would be considered "All Natural". For instance, all of my soaps are made with oils and butters that are found in nature and some of them are scented with essential oils that are also pretty much as they are found in nature so those soaps could be considered by some as "All Natural". But if you want to delve a little deeper into it, soap itself is a reaction of fatty acids and triglycerides found in vegetable oils) with lye (which comes from leaching water through wood ash). Would these things "naturally" come in contact with one another? It's POSSIBLE and did happen which is how it was discovered how soap is made (way back in ancient Greece) but is it PROBABLE that this would occur? The answer to that is "No, not unless I make it happen! So, that would turn my making of the soap into an "unnatural act" (keep it clean, folks! LOL!) and make my soap totally "Unnatural" if you want to look at it that way!
Another issue at hand is that of the term "chemical" and the connotation that it has. Are chemicals bad? To some yes, but often they forget that everything is made up of chemicals including us, humans! Are some chemicals bad? Very definitely YES! But are ALL chemicals bad? NO, they are not! That makes it difficult for the consumer as it does for the formulator and manufacturer! The one thing we can all do is RESEARCH and try our best to find good information on each substance. Information that is backed up by clinical studies. At that point we then can decide for ourselves whether we want to make that chemical a part of our lives!
Another issue is the esthetics of a product. Over the past hundred years we have become very sophisticated and have grown to expect the kind of refinement that modern chemistry can provide. A product has to “feel right”, “look right” and “preform right” for us to accept it and to purchase it and use it and repurchase it. Those of us who have tried to formulate in the direction of “All Natural” have found that a formula that uses as few ingredients as possible and as natural ingredients as can be found will not always produce the kind of sophisticated product we have become accustomed to! The customer wants “All Natural” but they also want it to be very sophisticated!
As an example, I make liquid soap. The nature of liquid soap is that it is LIQUID! Water is liquid and liquid soap is very much liquid in the same way water is liquid. In other words, it is not a “gel” which is what we have been accustomed to! For that reason, some do not buy liquid soap. I can and have made an improvement on that with the use of “natural” thickener cellulose but there are other problems that can come up in this type of product. As an example, Customers tend to like Citrus scents in liquid soap. Although soap is a “natural” emulsifier, Citrus Essential oils do not emulsify well in liquid soap and as a result they tend to float to the top and become frothy. So some of my liquid soaps have that froth on top that can be shaken up temporarily and used but will eventually settle out. What does this mean, you ask? To me it means that I must reformulate my product to include an emulsifier to stop this from happening. This also means that I must include a small amount of a “chemical” to make this work. To some, this would make this product no longer “All Natural” yet to others, they accept it, as they want a product with a more refined esthetic! Luckily for me and for my customers, there are “chemicals” out there that have proven themselves over decade of study and use to be safe and effective and can even improve the “skin feel” and function of the product as well as emulsify the fragrance into the formula which is its’ intended purpose! Interestingly, there are many products out there that make these “all natural” claims and I have one (which will remain nameless) sitting right in front of me that describes itself as “all natural” and has such an emulsifier in it!
What does this mean to me and to product that I might purchase from Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc.? It means that I will do my best to make my products so that they contain mostly raw materials as they are found in nature but when the esthetic of the product requires that I make some adjustments in my formula, I will endeavor to make the best choice of what is available out there for me and most importantly for my customers!
As mentioned before, our shaving cream is almost ready and will be available shortly. Shaving Soap is in the works and I will be testing new formulas for that in the New Year. A solid shampoo bar and conditioner bar are also being tested and perfected. I am reformulating my liquid soap, as mentioned before and working on a Solid Bubble Bath , Bath Fizzie, a Moisturizing Bath Fizzie as well as Bath Oil and a few other bath related items! I am changing the focus of Stone Cottage Soapworks to further encompass “the Bath” and include many items to make your bathing experience a relaxing and pleasant one! In the meantime, stop by http://www.stonecottagesoapworks.com and check out the Season Scent Sale (perfect for stocking stuffers!) and the remaining 50% OFF soap for sale at the end of our yearlong Inventory Reduction Sale!
I’ll return in the New Year, if not sooner, but until them have a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!
David Bruce
The last four months have been busy here at Stone Cottage Soapworks and business has picked up considerably! People are out and about and shopping more but trying to spend their money wisely! I have continued to reduce prices to help me to attain a healthy inventory level and to provide people with good products at a good price! So this has been a win-win situation for me and for my customers!
I'm working on new products but taking the necessary time to do them well and not rushing to get a product out for sake of getting out but making sure that it is formulated correctly and that it will please the customer. So often, the first question I am asked by a customer is "Is it all natural?". I think it is time for a little missive on "All Natural" and what it means to me and to the customer!
In terms of government regulations there is no legal definition as to what is considered "All Natural" so, like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder! There are many organizations out there who try to define what "All Natural" means and many decide to follow what they suggest but again since there are no laws to define it, the point becomes moot. I have spent lots of time mulling over the "All Natural" question and can share with you my conclusions. If someone were to define "All Natural" as a product that is made from ingredients that come to us pretty much in the form they are found in natural then some of my products would be considered "All Natural". For instance, all of my soaps are made with oils and butters that are found in nature and some of them are scented with essential oils that are also pretty much as they are found in nature so those soaps could be considered by some as "All Natural". But if you want to delve a little deeper into it, soap itself is a reaction of fatty acids and triglycerides found in vegetable oils) with lye (which comes from leaching water through wood ash). Would these things "naturally" come in contact with one another? It's POSSIBLE and did happen which is how it was discovered how soap is made (way back in ancient Greece) but is it PROBABLE that this would occur? The answer to that is "No, not unless I make it happen! So, that would turn my making of the soap into an "unnatural act" (keep it clean, folks! LOL!) and make my soap totally "Unnatural" if you want to look at it that way!
Another issue at hand is that of the term "chemical" and the connotation that it has. Are chemicals bad? To some yes, but often they forget that everything is made up of chemicals including us, humans! Are some chemicals bad? Very definitely YES! But are ALL chemicals bad? NO, they are not! That makes it difficult for the consumer as it does for the formulator and manufacturer! The one thing we can all do is RESEARCH and try our best to find good information on each substance. Information that is backed up by clinical studies. At that point we then can decide for ourselves whether we want to make that chemical a part of our lives!
Another issue is the esthetics of a product. Over the past hundred years we have become very sophisticated and have grown to expect the kind of refinement that modern chemistry can provide. A product has to “feel right”, “look right” and “preform right” for us to accept it and to purchase it and use it and repurchase it. Those of us who have tried to formulate in the direction of “All Natural” have found that a formula that uses as few ingredients as possible and as natural ingredients as can be found will not always produce the kind of sophisticated product we have become accustomed to! The customer wants “All Natural” but they also want it to be very sophisticated!
As an example, I make liquid soap. The nature of liquid soap is that it is LIQUID! Water is liquid and liquid soap is very much liquid in the same way water is liquid. In other words, it is not a “gel” which is what we have been accustomed to! For that reason, some do not buy liquid soap. I can and have made an improvement on that with the use of “natural” thickener cellulose but there are other problems that can come up in this type of product. As an example, Customers tend to like Citrus scents in liquid soap. Although soap is a “natural” emulsifier, Citrus Essential oils do not emulsify well in liquid soap and as a result they tend to float to the top and become frothy. So some of my liquid soaps have that froth on top that can be shaken up temporarily and used but will eventually settle out. What does this mean, you ask? To me it means that I must reformulate my product to include an emulsifier to stop this from happening. This also means that I must include a small amount of a “chemical” to make this work. To some, this would make this product no longer “All Natural” yet to others, they accept it, as they want a product with a more refined esthetic! Luckily for me and for my customers, there are “chemicals” out there that have proven themselves over decade of study and use to be safe and effective and can even improve the “skin feel” and function of the product as well as emulsify the fragrance into the formula which is its’ intended purpose! Interestingly, there are many products out there that make these “all natural” claims and I have one (which will remain nameless) sitting right in front of me that describes itself as “all natural” and has such an emulsifier in it!
What does this mean to me and to product that I might purchase from Stone Cottage Soapworks Inc.? It means that I will do my best to make my products so that they contain mostly raw materials as they are found in nature but when the esthetic of the product requires that I make some adjustments in my formula, I will endeavor to make the best choice of what is available out there for me and most importantly for my customers!
As mentioned before, our shaving cream is almost ready and will be available shortly. Shaving Soap is in the works and I will be testing new formulas for that in the New Year. A solid shampoo bar and conditioner bar are also being tested and perfected. I am reformulating my liquid soap, as mentioned before and working on a Solid Bubble Bath , Bath Fizzie, a Moisturizing Bath Fizzie as well as Bath Oil and a few other bath related items! I am changing the focus of Stone Cottage Soapworks to further encompass “the Bath” and include many items to make your bathing experience a relaxing and pleasant one! In the meantime, stop by http://www.stonecottagesoapworks.com and check out the Season Scent Sale (perfect for stocking stuffers!) and the remaining 50% OFF soap for sale at the end of our yearlong Inventory Reduction Sale!
I’ll return in the New Year, if not sooner, but until them have a Happy, Healthy and Safe New Year!
David Bruce
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Shaving Cream and other things...
Folks,
Time for some changes at Stone Cottage Soapworks! A few weeks ago my partner and I spent a long afternoon rearranging the store. We nearly killed each other in the process but we mananged to make the space more workable and functional and it looks much better too! Over the past couple of weeks I have taken a look at the space and edited quite a bit making the store look a bit neater and amazingly it looks bigger too! When I have time I'll take some pics and post them!
The other thing that I have been working toward is turning the soap shop into more of a bath and body type of business. I have been working on four products to start and those are a solid shampoo bar, a solid conditioner bar as well as a shaving soap and the long awaited Traditional Shaving Cream! I've been making samples of variations of the shampoo and conditioner bars and have been trying them out myself to see which version I like the best! In the past couple of days, I made my first "production" run of the Traditional Shaving Cream and it came out pretty well! Here are a few pictures of the process!
The first is of the 20 quart stainless steel pot I use, the second if the ingredients melting, the third of the saponified soap, fourth of the "resting" soap and the last is of the creamy, pearlescent and handsomely scented shaving cream! A few more things left to do and then it will be time to make it available to the public! Hooray!
As always, stop by Stone Cottage Soapworks at http://www.stonecottagesoapworks.com
or stop by the store if you're in town!
Bye (Buy!) for now!
David Bruce
Time for some changes at Stone Cottage Soapworks! A few weeks ago my partner and I spent a long afternoon rearranging the store. We nearly killed each other in the process but we mananged to make the space more workable and functional and it looks much better too! Over the past couple of weeks I have taken a look at the space and edited quite a bit making the store look a bit neater and amazingly it looks bigger too! When I have time I'll take some pics and post them!
The other thing that I have been working toward is turning the soap shop into more of a bath and body type of business. I have been working on four products to start and those are a solid shampoo bar, a solid conditioner bar as well as a shaving soap and the long awaited Traditional Shaving Cream! I've been making samples of variations of the shampoo and conditioner bars and have been trying them out myself to see which version I like the best! In the past couple of days, I made my first "production" run of the Traditional Shaving Cream and it came out pretty well! Here are a few pictures of the process!
The first is of the 20 quart stainless steel pot I use, the second if the ingredients melting, the third of the saponified soap, fourth of the "resting" soap and the last is of the creamy, pearlescent and handsomely scented shaving cream! A few more things left to do and then it will be time to make it available to the public! Hooray!
As always, stop by Stone Cottage Soapworks at http://www.stonecottagesoapworks.com
or stop by the store if you're in town!
Bye (Buy!) for now!
David Bruce
Sunday, June 6, 2010
More Publicity!
I was interviewed several weeks ago by Kenna Caprio of the Hunterdon County Democrat in an article about soap makers in the local area! Pretty cool, eh?
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2010/05/rub-a-dub-dub_the_handmade_soa.html
I hope you enjoy it!
David Bruce
http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2010/05/rub-a-dub-dub_the_handmade_soa.html
I hope you enjoy it!
David Bruce
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