#1
(This post was last modified: 08-07-2018, 03:23 PM by Shavemd.)
Ok so the question is if you were going to come out with your own line of shaving soaps what would be some essential things that you'd like to have in your line? Oh and you can only start with 4 soaps to launch out with but knowing you'l be coming out with more later on. So what will make your line of soaps stand out amongst all the rest out there?

So here are the questions:

1. Tallow, vegan or both.
2. Size of soap diameter and oz
3. Size of puck. 4" 5" or 6"
4. Type of puck. Plastic, Tin or glass
5. Essential ingredients. Ingredients that matter to you.
6. Unique ingredients. Ingredients that makes your soap special. Like Donkey milk, Duck fat or beer hops etc. How about a highlighted ingredient that you haven't ever seen used yet in any soap out there.
7. Scents that you feel are essential in a soap line and would those be in the first 4 soaps you came out with or would you want to come out with unique scents in your first 4 soaps and come out with some of the essential ones lather on?
8. Scents that you'd like to see in your line that you have never seen in a soap line yet and you keep wishing someone would come out with a soap with the scent in it.
9. Hard triple milled or a croap and why one over the other?
10. Scent profile description clearly displayed on the label or just in the printed description when you click on the soap on a online store or website for example. Maybe both.
11. A Straight forward to the point clear explanation of what the scent is going to be in the tub or just a inspirational phrase as to what the soap scent may be like or make you feel like or think of. For example the soap is like a walk in the Pine forests of Oregon. Or would you like both inspirational phrase and a clear description of the scent.
12. Soap organizing on a website. Sometimes I find you have to scroll through 20 different soaps to find the scent profile you are looking for. So how would you like to see them set up to make your shopping easier?

So bottom line what would make your soap different?
What do you feel is missing in what’s out there now?

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#2
Good topic to bring the artisan in each one out.

Most of us will agree that a good vegan soap can perform as good as a tallow soap, if not better.

* So my pick would be a vegan soap.

*In a easy to lather (6 inches) glass tub.

*Labeling & presentation is important for me & would take extra care on that aspect.

*Scents are very subjective & would not be possible to describe on the label but a general pointer on the genre may be suitable enough.

* Of 4 soaps, I would like Fougere, Cologne/citrus, leather based, a lavender based scent.

* I would go in for a soft soap as they seem to perform better on the lathering and post shave department.

* I would stock an adequate quantity across all the 4 scents. Pricing is going to a notch above the regular soaps available in the market though and won't mind shipping internationally.

Looks like some plan!




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#3
It doesn't matter even if NASA scientists designed the perfect soap as there would still be people pissing & moaning, e.g., "Don't like the smell", "Rough to me", etc., ad nauseam. I have come to the conclusion that many posters are simply chasing an illusion and simply like to whine. Wink

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Secretary Ramsey put his foot into it yesterday . . . in the course of his remarks he said that California “needs water and better society.”  “So does h-ll,” yelled someone in the crowd.  
#4
I would kidnap Will from B&M and make him make my soap.
So all questions answered with this: What BM does.



Disclaimer: Just kidding, would not kidnap anyone.

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#5

Member
Indiana
(08-07-2018, 03:23 PM)Shavemd Wrote: 1. Tallow, vegan or both.

Tallow gives me zits, so vegan.

(08-07-2018, 03:23 PM)Shavemd Wrote: 8. Scents that you'd like to see in your line that you have never seen in a soap line yet and you keep wishing someone would come out with a soap with the scent in it.

Spice Bazaar. Blend of many spices (obviously), bitter freshly-roasted coffee beans, probably other things I'm not remembering after 40+ years. It would require a field trip to Istanbul.

(08-07-2018, 03:23 PM)Shavemd Wrote: 10. Scent profile description clearly displayed on the label or just in the printed description when you click on the soap on a online store or website for example. Maybe both.
11. A Straight forward to the point clear explanation of what the scent is going to be in the tub or just a inspirational phrase as to what the soap scent may be like or make you feel like or think of. For example the soap is like a walk in the Pine forests of Oregon. Or would you like both inspirational phrase and a clear description of the scent.

Scent is important and hard to convey, so the more information the better.

Also, samples!
#6
(08-07-2018, 03:23 PM)Shavemd Wrote: Ok so the question is if you were going to come out with your own line of shaving soaps what would be some essential things that you'd like to have in your line? Oh and you can only start with 4 soaps to launch out with but knowing you'l be coming out with more later on. So what will make your line of soaps stand out amongst all the rest out there?

So here are the questions:

1. Tallow, vegan or both.

Tallow hands down!

2. Size of soap diameter and oz

Min 4 but preferably 6 I feel for the price we get cheesed on the 6oz tub and 4oz puck

3. Size of puck. 4" 5" or 6"

Minimum 4
4. Type of puck. Plastic, Tin or glass

Plastic is nice to conserve cost and make it affordable. Glass is nice if you do an MDC style but again no need to hike up the cost more interested in quality of the soap.

5. Essential ingredients. Ingredients that matter to you.

Shea butter, cocoa butter, lanolin, glycerine, Tallow, hemp oil, hops extract
6. Unique ingredients. Ingredients that makes your soap
special. Like Donkey milk, Duck fat or beer hops etc. How about a highlighted ingredient that you haven't ever seen used yet in any soap out there.

Answered in question 5

7. Scents that you feel are essential in a soap line and would those be in the first 4 soaps you came out with or would you want to come out with unique scents in your first 4 soaps and come out with some of the essential ones lather on?

Eucalyptus, lemongrass, musky fruit punch(citrus flav), camp fire(smoked cedar, sandalwood, oak moss and then some florals to level out)

8. Scents that you'd like to see in your line that you have never seen in a soap line yet and you keep wishing someone would come out with a soap with the scent in it.

Damn did it again in number 8

9. Hard triple milled or a croap and why one over the other?

Croap all the way, my wife likes to use my soaps for her legs so she mangled my TOBs because she dipped the brush in too deep??‍♂️

10. Scent profile description clearly displayed on the label or just in the printed description when you click on the soap on a online store or website for example. Maybe both.
I would do labeling around the sides like T+S and Gothique Fougere instead listing the scent profile. Leave the top for gut wrenching marketing. Make that shit noticeable like dr. Jon’s 13, Fougere gothique, or holy blacks LEs
11. A Straight forward to the point clear of what the scent is going to be in the tub or just a inspirational phrase as to what the soap scent may be like or make you feel like or think of. For exOregonample the soap is like a walk in the Pine forests of . Or would you like both inspirational phrase and a clear description of the scent.
12. Soap organizing on a website. Sometimes I find you have to scroll through 20 different soaps to find the scent profile you are looking for. So how would you like to see them set up to make your shopping easier?

Simple divide by brand name and when you click on the soap you want ensure the matching products are also available for instance I want to buy WK man of Mayfair. Well don’t go making me look for the aftershave! Have an option to add it in! Guess what I didn’t know they had a deodorant and edt! Add that shit too!

So bottom line what would make your soap different?
What do you feel is missing in what’s out there now?
Hehe make it you’ll see




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#7

Member
gone to Carolina in my mind
My goal would be to have soaps that sell and generate repeat customers.  That means keeping quality up and costs under control.  These are my guesses, and nothing more than guesses, about how to best do that.
  • I would offer samples, and not count them against the four soap limit.  
  • I'm guessing that soaps would be a bit soft.  Why?  Because so many are these days, and there more likely than not are good reasons for this.  
  • I'd do 4 oz pours into (cheap) plastic containers with higher sides.  
  • The containers might be cheap, but I would put money into the labels that go on them, and into the product descriptions.
  • Scents:  The scent descriptions might be dressed up, but they would revolve around staple scents, perhaps barbershop, bay rum, sandalwood, and spice.  However, there is plenty of room for argument here.
  • Top notes (i.e the most volatile scent elements, which are noticed first) would not be subtle:  First impressions matter.  I doubt either the scent or the soap descriptions would be totally straightforward.
  • Vegan, tallow or what?  I think that excellent vegan soaps exist, but I also think some folks prefer tallow and/or lanolin, and or donkey milk, duck fat, etc.  I am among the latter group, although I have vegan soaps in my personal top tier.  My guess is that as a start up, picking either a vegan or non-vegan market is fine and better than trying to do both from the start.
  • Exotic ingredients?  Depends on what they cost, how stable they are, and how much they complicate development and manufacture.

Frankly, I think the easiest way to break in is to offer pretty labels, an excellent fantasy, first rate customer service, and very good soap.  Trying to compete or outdo the legion of existing soap makers with a better soap sounds like a fool's errand, if not for anyone, then certainly for the inexperienced.
Technique Trumps Tools
Skin Care Trumps Skin Repair

Be Cool, be Kind, and be Well
--  Mike --
#8
Thank you for all the input. A friend of mine is thinking of it. He has the nose for all these scents, me, I can barely smell , so I thought I would throw this out as him and I have been talking about it for months, and see what other wet shavers thought.
#9
B&M Seville in a WhollyKaw Donkey Milk base...
#10
(08-08-2018, 09:43 PM)Shavemd Wrote: Thank you for all the input. A friend of mine is thinking of it. He has the nose for all these scents, me, I can barely smell , so I thought I would throw this out as him and I have been talking about it for months, and see what other wet shavers thought.


Honestly, if you guys don’t have pretty hefty coin to put into this I wouldn’t urge you to do so. The worst part about business as a retailer is you can give people the most amazing price the most amazing hardware/software but ultimately it comes down to how familiar they are to you name. It can be catchy as hell but if you don’t pay to get it out there the right ways sales just go silent. You’ll need to send it out everywhere to you tubers do reviews. Man, let me tell you it’s a lot more work than getting a good consistent formula and a pretty face. It’s the same concept having a pretty daughter and locking her in the closet... lol no one will know she’s pretty if they can’t see her lol I’m just joking I’m not a physco?


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