Today is Kenna Cote’s Birthday so we’re celebrating her by giving YOU a gift (a free printable PDF download) from her most popular eClass – Formulating Soap Recipes! If you want to improve your bar soap, you need a method for evaluating the qualities… otherwise known as Bar Soap Testing. The information you’ll get from testing your soap is so valuable; as it gives you a way to talk about & quantify the soap you’re currently making. And, if needed, information for how to improve your soap. Many people just try different recipes randomly until they stumble on one they like. That’s like shoo ..read more

An exfoliant is a mechanical or chemical agent that’s applied to the skin to remove dead skin cells. Mechanical exfoliants, like ground oats, are they type I focused on in my latest eClass on Exfoliants in CP Soap. These exfoliants are all (at least) mildly abrasive in nature (as opposed to a chemical exfoliant, like glycolic acid, which removes dead skin cells in other ways). Many different all-natural ingredients can be added to your handmade soap to create an exfoliating bar of handmade soap. I tested 32 different exfoliants! Seeds, nuts, shells, grains, dried foods & botanicals can all ..read more

There are so many amazing ingredients we can use for skincare. One of our favorites is Virgin Coconut Oil. There are lots of reasons we love virgin coconut oil. It’s a minimally processed product, so it maintains as many of its natural benefits as possible. This only qualifies for VIRGIN coconut oil, not Refined, Bleached, Deodorized (RBD) Coconut. You’ll find Virgin Coconut Oil is a favorite for home cooks & chefs alike. Coconut oil is a fairly fast-melting ingredient, so it can be very quick to work with. It’s low melting point makes it a great 1-ingredient massage oil! Adding coconut o ..read more

Are you interested in teaching classes on how to make something (like soap, sugar scrubs, etc.), but are unsure if your teaching style should be demonstration style or hands-on? In Lori’s New eClass 10 Steps to Launch Your First Class, this is STEP 5: HOW (decide if your class will be demo style, hands on, or a mixture of both). This is just one of the 10 things Lori advises you to consider & decide before you schedule your first (or next) class. In this video below, Lori describes her own teaching style so you can get a sense of what to consider when you decide for yourself. Some things ..read more

Whether you’ve been naughty or nice this year (or a mixture of both)… we have a holiday gift for you! Rather than waiting until Christmas Day like Santa, your gift of $15 “Nova Cash” is redeemable now! What can you learn? Check out our selection of Video eClasses & choose the one that will light you up the most once the holiday dust settles: Learn to make awesome gifts for the holidays & beyond: ~ Everyone LOVES this Whipped Body Butter recipe! ~ The simplest way to start making Fizzies is Lori’s “Mix & Spritz”method. ~ The easiest Natural Perfume to make & wear are Roll-on Pe ..read more

Announcing our first ever Pre-Sale for Soapmaker Software Pro (SM3)! What is Soapmaker Software? ~ During this pre-sale, get the leading software for Maker businesses around the globe. ~ Created for new or existing Maker businesses that sell bath & body products (works for all handmade products, with some extra features for handmade soap). ~ Use it to keep track of all your soap recipes, like in this demo video. ~ Know how much of each ingredient you have on hand (here’s a demo video.) ~ It also helps to make tax time easier. ~ Soapmaker Software comes with free updates! ~ There is a Soap ..read more

Let’s be honest. MOST of us that are into product making have way too many “supplies” (raw materials, ingredients, containers, packaging, colors, fragrances, essential oils, carrier oils, butters, herbs, exfoliants, waxes… you name it)! ~We have more than we could ever use. ~We don’t know what we have, because it’s not well organized. ~We waste money buying things we didn’t know we already had! ~We feel stress at the thought of making, because of the clutter. Simply put, the enormity of craft & maker “supplies” can feel overwhelming. This is common among makers & it’s not entirely you ..read more

Did you see our last post about IKiralot Crafts? Since Shakira is also teaching maker classes, we wanted to know more about her teaching journey. Here’s what she said: (And, don’t you just love these adorable class pics??) IKiralot Crafts mission is to partner with the community to merge wellness and education. We are a community based company that enjoys adding value to the communities we serve. We aim to teach more people in the community a new skill set, impart a positive outlet from stress, and encourage more creativity. I purchased the Make Money Teaching Classes eClass only one month ..read more

We love learning more about the amazing Makers (our beloved customers) on the other side of the screen! Today, we’re excited to introduce you to Shakira Drones of IKiralot Crafts! She’s an incredibly hard working entrepreneur who is out making a difference in her community through her small business; not only selling her handmade skincare products, but also through teaching! We checked in with her via email recently, and asked how it was going: It’s going amazingly! I purchased your teaching eClass last year, as of this year I have taught 10 classes in the community. Check out my Instagram @I ..read more

Many students purchase a National Shrinkwap System from us & we were so excited to hear from Cheryl Read of Main & Webb! She owns & operates a beautiful store in Oswego County, New York. Earlier this year, Cheryl purchased a full-sized 18″ system from us, with our favorite type of eco-friendly wrap Biolefin. When we checked in to see how it was going, she was nice enough to share her tips for shrink wrapping M&P soap for anyone who owns or is considering purchasing a shrink wrap machine. Note: We recommend the “non-perforated” type of wrap to best protect M&P soaps from hum ..read more