Just a Soapy

What Happens When You Place an Order?

2011-10-20T11:38:00.001+01:00

We try to make the ordering process as easy and straightforward as possible so you know exactly what is happening when you order your goods. The following information applies to both National and International orders.

Ordering on line is the fastest way to get your goods despatched to you. We offer different ways to pay from most credit cards (except American Express) using Sagepay secure payment processing to Paypal for Paypal account holders.

Once the order has been completed it appears on the screen in the Thetford warehouse. Once it is here it is automatically printed off and assigned to one of the team for picking. Another member of the team will then pack the order thus ensuring that each order is checked by two people. We also keep a copy of each packing sheet so we know who picked it and who packed and checked it, how many items were in the box and how many boxes were despatched. The box is packed and labelled with the DPD tracking number sent to the customer in an email confirmation.

The courier, DPD, then comes to collect at the end of each day.

As well as the email the customer receives from Just a Soap, DPD offer UK customers the extra service of the one hour delivery slot. DPD will also send an email to the customer advising of the one hour slot when the parcel is scheduled for delivery as well as giving this information on the DPD website tracking page. We really like this service as it gives the customer a bit more freedom in planning their day and it reduces the chance of the customer being out when the delivery is made. We've all been in the situation of hanging around waiting for a delivery with no idea of when it is coming - sooo frustrating. Unfortunately at the moment this service is only available to UK customers and not International customers. We would like to roll this out to a text service too so if you think this would be helpful, please let us know.

Would you prefer to order over the 'phone? We are very happy to take telephone orders but they may not be processed as quickly as internet orders. It is always quicker to do the order online, especially at busy times of the year but do give us a call if you would prefer.

So the million dollar question is when will I get my order? On a normal working day (Monday to Friday) UK orders placed before 12 noon will be despatched that day on a Next Working Day delivery service. Some areas of the UK such as Highlands, Islands and Northern Ireland will have a 2 day service but everyone else will have a next day service as standard. There is no extra cost for this. The only extras are for a Saturday delivery or if you live in a surcharged area such as Highlands, Islands, Northern Ireland.

We hope this gives a little bit more back ground information about what happens once you hit the Confirm button!

Colours - pigments or dyes?

2011-10-12T09:41:00.001+01:00

We sell both Water Based Dyes and Liquid Pigments and we are often asked which is the best to use.

Water based dyes are ideal for both melt and pour soap bases and bath bombs. They are water soluble and work well in both clear and opaque bases.

However, they will bleed. By this we mean if two different coloured soap bases are next to each other in stripes or layers for example, the colours will merge and mix over time. If you are looking to make soap in layers then do consider the use of pigments instead.

We recommend that only dyes are used in bath products (salts, bombs) as this will avoid any staining of the bath.

Pigments are also suitable for melt and pour soap bases but are really only suitable for opaque bases. If you use a pigment in a clear base the result will be hazy and give a grainy appearance. Pigments are supplied in liquid form and so you should shake the bottle before use to ensure all the colour has not sunk to the bottom. We do not recommend their use in bath products such as salts or bombs because the tiny bits of colour will stick in any scratches in the bath and possibly stain it.

Both are supplied in a concentrated form and can be further diluted with deionised water if required. You can always add more colour but you cannot take it away!

Using colours in salts can also give varying results in that the colour may not be as expected. Please do test first before launching any large scale manufacturing to ensure you will get the required end result. Test test test and test again is always the best advice.

Using Titanium Dioxide

2011-10-10T10:32:00.002+01:00

Titanium Dioxide is the ingredient that turns a clear soap base into an opaque soap base.

It comes in powder form with the look and texture of flour. It is also known by the Colour Index number of CI 77891or Pigment White 6.

So how do you add it to melt and pour soap? Firstly do not add it directly as a powder - it will clump and lump and not disperse in to the soap base well.

It is best to mix it with either water or vegetable glycerine to make a paste before adding to the melted soap.

Add up to 1% of the melted soap base to make it white. Be careful not to add too much as it will sink to the bottom when the soap is set.

If you are using this in cold process soap making, then you can also disperse it into your base oils.

Fragrance Oils or Essential Oils?

2011-10-04T15:42:00.002+01:00

What's the Difference?

Fragrance Oils are manufactured oils. They can contain essential oils and many fragrance oils such as Orange and Lemon do. However, they will also contain synthetic ingredients to produce delicious fragrances such as Christmas Spice or Seaweed and Juniper or even Chocolate.

Essential oils are pure and natural oils that are usually obtained by distillation from the originating plant. Many are available, all with different prices and all with different properties.

Both our fragrance and essential oils are concentrated and so should not be applied undiluted directly to the skin.

As to which oil to use - it is all a matter of personal preference.

Fragrance Oils will produce a huge range of different scents. Whereas Essential Oils may have other medicinal benefits.

Remember that if you are using Essential Oils to check that they are suitable for your application. Some oils for example have a limit to their usage in cosmetics.

Which Soap Base Should I Buy?

2011-10-01T18:26:00.001+01:00

We stock many different melt and pour soap bases so it can be confusing to start with about which soap base to purchase.

Firstly our soap bases come from two different manufacturers although they are both produced in the UK.

Kays of Ramsbottom, produce the Claranol range. This includes the following bases:

Clear - a standard clear base.
Opaque - the clear base with titanium dioxide added to it to make it opaque.
SLS Free Translucent - a translucent base with no SLS in the ingredient list.
SLS Free Opaque - an opaque base with no SLS in the ingredient list.
Palm Free Clear - a clear base with no palm oil based ingredients.
Palm Free Opaque - an opaque base with no palm oil based ingredients.
Shampoo - a solid shampoo base which is translucent.
SLS Free Shampoo - a shampoo base with no SLS in the ingredient list.

Stephenson Group produce the Crystal range of soap bases. We stock the following:

Crystal Clear - an extremely clear base.
Crystal White - this base is whiter than the Claranol opaque so ideal for using when colour is not required.
Crystal Natural - this base does not contain SLS or SLES. It is a pale yellow/beige colour.
Crystal Organic Oils - a base where 100% of the oils are certified organic. This a yellow - orange coloured base so adding colour can require experimentation.
Luxury Foaming Bath Butter - a soft creamy body wash base.

So out of this long list there are lots to choose from. But what end result are you trying to achieve?

Do you want a soap base you can see through? maybe have something inside it? in which case consider the Claranol Clear or the Crystal Clear. Do not be tempted with the SLS Free Translucent base as it is not clear - it is translucent.

Are you looking for a white soap to make a snowflake bar where no colour will be added? Consider using the Crystal White soap base. The Claranol Opaque is not as brilliant white as the Crystal White.

Are you concerned with SLS as an irritant and you are looking for a mild base? Then consider the SLS Free bases such as Claranol SLS Free or Crystal Natural. It is useful to remember that by taking the SLS out you will reduce the foaming capabilities of the soap base. SLS provides bubbles as well as a cleaning action, so if you take it out then you will reduce the bubbles.

We have found that the Crystal bases need to be wrapped as soon as possible after setting. If left exposed to the air, they will attract moisture from the atmosphere which can give the appearance of a "sweaty soap". While this does not affect the soap bar, it does not look too attractive. The Claranol bases tend not have this problem to such a degree but will need wrapping too.

This best way to find the soap base you prefer is to try them yourself!

What is Rubbing Alcohol?

2011-10-01T16:45:00.004+01:00

One of the most common questions we are asked is "What is Rubbing Alcohol?" The phrase usually seen on websites and in books is to "spritz your melted soap with rubbing alcohol" to get rid of the bubbles.

You know the problem - the soap base has melted and maybe you've over stirred it a bit and there are some bubbles that won't go away. Or you've poured your molten soap into the mould and bubbles sit on the top.

In the UK, rubbing alcohol is known as Isopropyl Alcohol. It is a clear liquid which you can purchase from builders merchants, usually in litre or larger quantities.

In the world of melt and pour soap, it is an invaluable tool for making the bubbles disappear by a quick spritz using a mist spray.

The Isopropyl Alcohol works by changing the surface tension of any bubbles so that they pop. It is colourless and volatile so the slight odour evaporates extremely quickly.

BIG Warning - it is highly flammable so needs to be treated with care.

How Much Soap Base Should I Buy?

2011-10-01T16:44:00.004+01:00

This is one of the most common questions we are asked - how much soap base should I buy for making x number of soaps.

The first question we would ask is - "how big are your moulds?". If your mould holds 50g of soap base, then 1kg of soap base will allow you to make approximately 18-20 soaps allowing for some wastage.

Don't forget 1kg= 1000g

If you are unsure of the capacity of the mould, you can fill it with water and measure it this way. 1ml of water is roughly 1g. 1 litre of water is roughly 1 kg.