I went shopping tonight online for oils to soap with and found that the price seems to have increased in the past few months. I understand the price of everything is increasing, really, due to the oil and gasoline prices. Our gas prices here in South Florida are now $4.15 per gallon, and that is on the cheap side. (Can I roll my eyes now?) Everything costs more to ship so every one of my suppliers need to take that into consideration, of course. We all need to make money and I don't blame them for increasing the prices, but, sheesh. My pockets feel a bit emptier, suddenly.I think we can all benefit if we each share what supplier you use to get the most inexpensive base oils in the comments section of this post. The one thing I have found so heart warming about the soaping community, is that there really is a warmth and friendship amongst soap makers. I really feel like it is a community of people eager to help each other out. Maybe we can help each other out in this time of economic HELL and make the best damn bars of soap without going completely broke.
shot glass of macadamia nut oil
12 comments:
Great idea Jo.
I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for my local supplier. Not everyone has a local soap supply dealer, but there are ways to find cheaper oils. I found Palm Oil at my middle eastern food market disguised as vegetable ghee. Places like that may give you a discount for ordering a large amount.
Another good resource is Co-op's. Their prices are going up, but by buying in huge quantities you still save a bundle. I bought a 50# tub of coconut oil before the price went way up and won't need to buy anymore for a long time.
Those are my ideas. I can't wait to see what everyone else has to say!
There's a local place for me (Shay & Co.) that when I get ready to buy in larger batches will be a better place to order from (no shipping). But for now, I've been just ordering from Brambleberry (WA) and Majestic Mountain Sage (UT) and shipping is not horrible, but I'd rather it be less.
Ouch the cost of shipping! Where are the suppliers on the East coast? Chemistry Store is in NC, but also charges a handling fee. WSP is good, but shipping is hefty. I try to get some oils from my local Sam's Club. The one thing I do pay top dollar on is my fragrances. It really took years to find just the right this or that--so I do pay top dollar for some.
Although, I do make alot of soaps, people probably don't realize a bigger part of my company is making Billows (small pillows of comfort, I trademarked) with storybook cards. For this I have the comfort of shopping for some great fabrics, etc...local.
Boy, you aren't kidding about prices going up...
I haven't had to buy soaping supplies in awhile but just started to have to and I was absolutely shocked at the shipping charges on top of the price increase for oils!
Yeesh!
I order coconut oil, shea butter and cocoa butter from Columbus Foods. I find that I get the best bang for my buck buying olive oil from my local grocer in 101 ounce containers. I am still looking into using pumice because I hear that it's not only less expensive, but it yields a better product than standard olive oil. Haven't tried it yet, though.
I get mine from Columbus foods as well. I find that even with shipping it is much less expensive than my local supplier.
I haven't done a price comparison in a lonnnnnnng time on oils. I really should though because I'm feeling the "ouch" too when it comes to buying oils. I've never ordered from columbus foods but was told by other soapers locally that it definitely is the least expensive place to buy them but I can't say for certain since I haven't price compared and haven't purchased from them yet.
Location, location and...location. The best deal depends on where you live, ALONG with the price of the oils.
Columbus Foods is close, but I HATE that they package CO in...plastic bottles, and not buckets. I can NOT be bothered with trying to melt down some CO in a bottle, if I get a 2AM soap jones. No way. Gotta have buckets for my solid oils, or it's no "deal", regardless of how great the price may be.
I use OBN (with WSP as a close second). Both are close, and I get my stuff fast — OBN is the fastest.
I don't think there's ever an across-the-board "deal" for everyone.
if you want to save money on oils maybe you should breakdown the cost of the batches you are making and reformulate them to be a little more cost effective. how much was that batch of meadowfoam seed soap you botched? i am willing to bet it was around an $80batch. there is no secrete source to get rich off making soap. the magic isn't in the materials. buy in bulk from your best priced closest wholesale supplier.
Oil prices have increased at an alarming rate and each time I order ANYTHING online I purchase as much of it as my purse will allow because I know that next time the price will be higher!!
That said - I do get my bulk oils from Columbus. They're less expensive and ship quickly.
If only I could find someplace local on the East Coast.....
I agree that prices have certainly made an impact on my soap costs. As much as I hate to do it, I've increased my prices on my soaps and probably not enough! But, I don't think anyone else is making as much off their product as they were a year ago either. I work too hard and making a fine bar of soap to short change myself.
I get my oils from a variety of sources, mostly I try to stay on the west coast since that is where I live, but I occasionally wander to the east coast and down south to find what I need.
Ahh, the Soapmaker in my novel probably never had this problem, that's for sure!
I was just doing some price comparisons. I usually order from snowdrift and occasionally from other companies and just doing some comparisons between snowdrift farm (olive oil, shea butter, mango butter, and some flavor/fragrance oils) it looks like snowdrift has some excellent prices. Not sure about quality comparison though.
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