Article 13 :Soap is Soap is Soap… Or Is It?

In today's competitive market, it's not just enough to be able to create a good product. It's absolutely essential that you create a product that is special - that is different from all the rest that came before it. There's so many factors to consider that not all of them can be discussed in this email.

Fortunately, all you need to do to be able to plan and create amazing soap product lines have been outlined for you in this book, "The Super Soap Making Book". It’s a personal favorite, which I consider to be a wonderful reference and guide for budding soap makers and soap entrepreneurs. Just take a look at some of the topics that it covers:

• How to make soap
• How to create your own soap recipes
• How to handle soap making chemicals safely and properly
• How to set up a successful soap business
• Creative ways to enhance soap
• How to use essential oils and fragrances
• How to choose soap making oils to achieve desired effect
• Inspiring ideas to package your soap

There's more! Get the full scoop here:

To learn more !

Now back to our topic. So, what does make soap special?

When answering this question, we can look at the physical benefits that the soap delivers, and we can also look at the emotional benefits that we get out of using soap.

The physical benefits that make soap special are very obvious.

Here's a list of what it could be:

• Some soaps clean better
• Some soaps smell better
• Some soaps are shaped creatively, which makes them very appealing and attractive 
• Some soaps have special properties that make them different – for example some soaps have a moisturizing effect on the skin, or some soaps also exfoliate while cleaning the skin, etc.
• Some soaps have soothing and curative properties - example are soaps that are meant to treat acne prone skin or eczema
• Some soaps have relaxing properties that allow the user to de-stress while taking a bath.

But to be able to truly create soap that stands out among the rest, it is important to understand the emotional benefits that we derive from using soap. These benefits are not directly a result of the features of our soap product - although they support it – but rather, this is the product of the overall bathing experience.

Here's a list of what these emotional benefits could be:

• Confidence 
• Desirability and Sensuality
• Calm 
• Energy
• Exclusivity
• Fun and Optimism

When planning your product line, think about the emotional impact that you want your products to have on your consumers. What do you want them to FEEL after they've used your soap? What situations or occasions do you see them using your soap?

Taking these into consideration can help you choose the ingredients that will go to your product. These will help you find ways to make your product stand out against other specialty soap products.

And not only that. If you create a soap that consumers believe to be more special than the other soaps out in the market today, then you'll be able to command a better price for them, too.

Once you've decided what benefits you want consumers to associate with your product, it's time to choose your recipe. For this, you can check out the book, "The Super Soap Making Book". This book contains soap making recipes and instructions to help you create a perfect batch of your desired soap. It also contains a saponification index of various soap making oils to guide you should you prefer to create your own recipe. You can check it out here:

To learn more !

Now, when it comes to planning your product, one important thing you need to consider if you intend to sell your products to the US domestic market is the FDA regulations that you need to follow. You see, the FDA can classify soap as either a soap, a cosmetic or a drug, depending on the properties that you plan to promote.

The FDA will define your product as soap if the only claim that your product will make is that it cleans. If your soap promotes itself as a moisturizing soap, then it's considered a cosmetic. If it claims to manage acne, then it's considered a drug. Depending on where your product is classified under, you will need to comply with various labeling rules.

To know more about the FDA rules on labeling soaps, cosmetics and drugs, check out this link:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm074201.htm

In my next post, we'll talk about how trends can affect your business and how you can spot trends and take advantage of them.

Talk to you soon!

The Super Soap Making Book:
A Beginner’s Guide To Soap Making

To learn more !

NOTE: Picture (s) and content are original and should not be used without permission of the author - Christophe Leroy - aka cleroy61, Copyright 2013, All rights reserved.

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