Articles

Last month we explored seizing, a phenomenon in which an oil/lye mixture solidifies so quickly after mixing that it is too thick to transfer easily from the mixing pot to the molds. The root cause of seizing is the presence of a surfactant (like soap), which hastens the conversion of an unstable emulsion (pre-trace) to a stable colloid (post-trace). Normally, lye reacts slowly with oil, soap forms gradually, and the mixture becomes thicker as the emulsion becomes a colloid. Rancid oil, however, may contain “free” fatty acid (i.e. not bound to glycerol), which reacts almost instantly with lye to form soap, cutting the time short available for crafting and pouring. Last month's article gave directions for detecting free fatty acid in oil.

There is an old marketing adage that says, "Your brand is everything". But what exactly does that mean? To the entrepreneur, unlocking the meaning of this obscure phrase can make you a huge success over the long term.  Contrary to what some might believe, branding is not just a pretty logo. Rather, every business, large and small, must learn how to build their brand and manage it over time for any success. Neglecting your brand will stunt your growth or result in never gaining traction at all. Worse yet, gross brand mismanagement will cause irreversible damage to your business that eventually causes you an early departure from the marketplace. If you want to avoid these pitfalls, then read on.

Visual merchandising is the technical name for staging craft show tables and other retail spaces. For mosthandmade sellers, the end goal is to sell your handmade items. In order to do this, you need to attractcustomers to your table and they need to find what they are looking for quickly. We’ve put together ten tips tostep-up your visual merchandising to help attract customers and increase sales.

Though you need to invest in your business to fuel growth to some degree, you’ll generally uncover the path to profitability quicker by lowering your business costs. Here are four ways to do it.

When inspiration hits, you happily busy yourself developing that new line of sugar scrubs or tea infused soaps--it feels as though nothing can stop you. Ideas seem to come from nowhere to peak your confidence and curiosity.

This video shows three techniques to color bath salts. You can color using powdered dyes mixed with glycerin, using oil based colors mixed with fragrance oil, or using mica powders with rubbing alcohol. Each way leaves you with beautifully colored bath salts that are sure to entice customers to buy them! Watch this video to learn more.

When you’ve got more work than there are hours in the day, sites like Elance, FlexJobs, and oDesk can be inexpensive and efficient resources to help you find the talent you need—even if you’ve got a small budget, sporadic needs, and a lack of office space.

In order of importance, what are your priorities in life? All too often busy people do not include their personal needs and desires on their list of priorities. Here are some simple steps to avoid priority problems.

Aromatherapy concentrates on the healing power of plants through the use of essential oils to enhance physical and mental wellbeing. Essential oils are diluted and massaged into the skin, used in a bath or inhaled using a steam infusion or diffuser.

This fast and fun video is under 2 minutes and shows you how easy it is to make a bath time fun!  Simply run the wand back and forth in the bathwater and watch the bubbles grow. Remove and let dry and you'll be ready to use again for your next luxurious bath! 

With the return of spring, many artisans and crafters are inspired by an array of new trends associated with the season. Major retailers begin marketing their botanical prints, garden-fresh floral fragrances, Easter basket goodies and products with a bright rejuvenating color palette. Spring bouquets and Easter baskets are the perfect muse for your handmade product line this season.

The silicone we call cyclomethicone can be one of three cyclic or “closed loop” versions, the name of which is based on the number of repeating silicone-oxygen units in the molecule. Cyclotetrasiloxane or D4 has four repeating units; cyclopentasiloxane or D5 has five repeating; and cyclohexasiloxane or D6 has six repeating. The cyclomethicone we buy is generally 95% + D5, up to 0.1% D4, and up to 4% D6.