Awards 2008

2008 Reader's Choice Awards Graphic

Raves For Faves:”Readers Choice Awards”
Best Suppliers of 2008

by, Beth Byrne

Last year’s Raves for Faves article was such a hit, both among suppliers and soapmakers/chandlers, that we’ve decided to make it an annual event. Even more of you participated this year, taking the time to share your favorite suppliers, scents, best selling or requested products, and what you’re planning to do in the future. We’ve again compiled your responses so you can determine where you stand among others in the field, as well as comparing and contrasting last year’s results with this year’s. Of course, the results of this survey are not meant to push you and your business or hobby one way or another, nor is it meant to steer your business to only a few companies. It is, rather, meant to report what you are thinking and doing most often, and to distinguish leaders in the industry. Even if you’ve been around for awhile, you may learn new things; and, if you’re new, you’ll get a good overview of what companies, products, and ideas are out there.

In all categories, there was a huge diversity in responses, with so many choices that it was a challenge tabulating all of the votes; which is good because it means that we are all doing what works for each of us, and we are innovative. It also means that there are many excellent suppliers out there, seeking to serve us well with great service, prices, and products.

All in all, the voting shows the wide array in interests and philosophies behind the products we make, as much as it indicates our favorite suppliers. We’re trying new things and are looking, not only at what’s at the forefront in our craft, but at coming trends.

As for suppliers, those who placed certainly deserved their designations, as they are obviously high quality companies that have just the right combination of quality, service, selection, and price. They work hard to please their customers and succeed. Even so, other, perhaps smaller companies also supply their customers with high quality products and service, and their importance and place in the industry should not be diminished. It’s a good idea to acknowledge companies for their earned achievements, but other good companies exist and have a very necessary place in the industry, as well.

In the end, looking at favorite companies, products, scents, and trends is worthwhile, but only you can make the individual decisions it takes to make your individual business or hobby successful. We do congratulate the companies who have proved themselves as valuable suppliers for our needs, and hope this article proves helpful for those searching for information on current trends and businesses.

So, without further ado, let’s find out the most popular!

Categories

  1. Which supplier is your favorite? If one company carried
    everything you needed, where would you order from?

    Just as last year, you selected many companies that you had
    satisfactory, even exemplary, experiences ordering from. Who were the favorites?
    The number one favorite is Brambleberry, followed closely by
    Elements Bath &
    Body    . Not far off from them, in third place, came
    Southern Soapers. Since the
    voting was fairly close, I must mention that Wholesale Supplies Plus and Soapers
    Choice, were next in the poll, with the same number of votes. Kudos to these
    suppliers for being so extraordinary that shoppers would buy everything from
    them if they could!

  2. Whom do you like best to order from when ordering
    containers for your products, be they soaps, cosmetics, or candles?

    This category was particularly amazing, because not only was it
    an upset from last year, but three companies tied for first place!
    Wholesale Supplies Plus,
    SKS Bottle, and
    Elements Bath and Body all
    provide their customers a wide variety of containers at a reasonable price, as
    well as excellent service. Bayousome
    came in second, not too far behind the first place winners, and
    Majestic Mountain Sage was a distant
    third.

  3. What are your three favorite networking sites/lists to
    participate in? These can be websites, discussion lists, or forums.

    The results this year illustrate how much has changed in the
    cyberspace world in just one year.

    Last year’s voting indicated lists and forums as being the most
    popular and well-used places for discussion. This year, the Yahoo list, Southern Soapers,
    was again the favorite place for soap and candle chats. The second was a forum,
    the Soapdish, which has been around and
    popularly used for years. But, the new kid on the block that placed third,
    albeit a rather distant third, was Twitter,
    a networking site that wasn’t even mentioned last year! Twitter is defined as a
    “social and microblogging service, using instant messaging, SMS, or a web
    interface.” (www.twitter.com) It’s all
    based on the simple question, “What are you doing?”

    Following a few votes behind Twitter were
    WSP Forum, of Wholesale
    Supplies Plus, and Indie Beauty
    Network    .

  4. Which essential oil supplier is the best? They provide
    the best quality oils and a high level of service.

    Again, Essential Oil
    University     comes out on top. Unlike last year, however,
    Camden-Grey Essential Oils, Inc. followed closely behind,
    and Brambleberry came in a close
    third. Liberty Natural,
    Wholesale
    Supplies Plus    , and New Directions Aromatics proved to be rather popular, as
    well.

  5. Who is your favorite supplier of labels?

    We all use labels, and finding a good supplier for them is
    important to our finished products. When asked for your favorite,
    Online Labels came out on top,
    because of their variety, quality, and service.
    Elements Bath & Body was the
    second favorite supplier, especially for those wanting vinyl labels and great
    service.

  6. What is your favorite new thing you’ve tried this year
    for making your products? This can be an ingredient, container, mold, whatever.

    Your answers to this question this year were so varied and
    widespread, that it is impossible to choose favorites. Instead, I’ll list some
    of them to give you an idea of what your fellow soap, toiletry, and
    candle-makers are up to.

    Several fragrance oils were reported as the best new thing for
    the year, some even using them for the first time. Conversely, others reported
    they were using new essential oils, new blends, and again, many for the first
    time.

    Others of you made new products that you love, including
    various types of candles, such as massage oil candles and soy candles, or even
    your first candle.

    New toiletries include products such as various new twists on
    scrubs, complete with differing, but equally intriguing names, such as body
    polish and body glow. Additionally, lip balm and mineral make up were popular,
    as were various types of sea salts, including Himalayan Pink Salt.

    Others chose ingredients for their products, and used herbal
    colorants, shealoe, coconut milk, preneutralized carbomers, Hydrovance, and
    Caprol Microl Express.

    Finally, many have invested in new molds for their soaps and
    toiletries. If you tried a slab mold, a silicone or silicone lined mold, you’re
    in good company.

  7. What fragrance oils supplier ranks number one? Who
    carries the best quality and scents?

    Although many were voted on, the clear cut winner was Brambleberry. Following not too far
    behind, nevertheless, was Southern
    Soapers    . Oregon Trail was the
    third most popular company mentioned. People loved the quality these companies
    provided, as well as their prompt and superior service. Interestingly, although
    not in the same order, these companies were the top three last year, as well.
    They are obviously continuing to work hard to keep their customers happy. Often
    mentioned, also, were Scentworks,
    Sweetcakes, and
    Wholesale Supplies Plus..

  8. Who is your favorite herb supplier? They carry the best
    variety of the freshest herbs.

    For the second year in a row, Mountain Rose Herbs led the pack
    by a wide margin. It is obvious that they have not let their guard down in the
    past year, and are still providing their customers with the quality they desire.
    San Francisco Herb Co. scored second, with
    local growers, or those growing their own ranking third. San Francisco’s east
    coast division, Atlantic Spice Co. .
    garnered quite a few votes, as did From Nature With Love and Monterey Bay Spice
    Co..

  9. Which company is your top choice for general soap and
    cosmetic ingredients? This includes, oils, butters, waxes, emulsifiers,
    preservatives, and so on.

    It appears that Soapers
    Choice (Columbus Foods)     is still at the top of their game in this
    department, ranking first among voters. Following in second place is
    Wholesale Supplies Plus,
    with Brambleberry and
    Lotioncrafter not far behind.

  10. Which supplier is your top choice for candle-making
    supplies?

    This is a new category this year, added to reflect the special
    needs and interests of chandlers. Whom do you like best?
    Bittercreek won by a landslide. I
    pooled both North and South votes, as many voters didn’t make the distinction
    between the two. Candle Science made
    a second place showing, but following closely at their heels was
    Wholesale Supplies Plus,
    Candlewic, and
    Candles & Supplies, all tied
    for third place.

  11. Whose soap molds do you like the best for quality,
    choice, and service?

    The hands down favorite in this category was Milky Way Molds.
    Brambleberry placed second, and Upland Soap Factory,
    third place. As many voters make their own molds, however, as order from Upland
    Molds.

  12. Where do you best like to order candle molds from?

    Candlewic was the clear
    choice as favorite. Bittercreek was
    second, and Candles & Supplies
    and Candle Science, tying for a
    close third.

  13. What is the best idea you’ve seen this year? Mention a
    finished product, ingredient, container, or whatever has made you sit up and
    take notice.
    It seems that for each respondent, there was a different
    answer! Since there were so many, I’m just going to list some of the newer, or
    more unusual ones.
    Lip scrubs are the one lip product mentioned as a new favorite.

    In the bath line, butterfly shaped bath teas sounded
    intriguing, as did Vita Burst beads, which “explode” upon use. Whipped bath foam
    sounded luxurious.

    Cake, cupcakes, and other pastry type soaps caught the
    attention of a few, as did cream soaps. Also in the soap category were oven
    rebatching, silicone molds, triangular soap, and salt bars.
    Most products require containers, and we seem to always be on the lookout for
    something unusual or something that works better. Airless pumps were mentioned a
    few times, and sounded like a good product to look into. Other containers
    included pump serum bottles, tubes and sealers, and stack jars.

    Massage candles seem to be gaining popularity in the candle
    arena, so look for those to become more common. The same is true for mineral
    make-up.

    The ingredients you voted for include herbs for coloring soaps,
    preneutralized carbomer, Circ de Lanol, and Hydrovance. Although coloring soap
    with herbs is neither new nor unusual, it is a reflection of those wanting to
    use more natural ingredients in their products. Carbomers are thickeners, and a
    preneutralized product allows the maker to skip the neutralizing step of the
    process. Hydrovance is a moisturizer which often replaces glycerin in lotions.

  14. What is the best new product you have made this year?

    There was such a diversity in products attempted this year, it
    was mind-boggling. Still, cold process soaping was the one most often tried,
    proving that there are still many of us trying our hand at soap-making.

    The second, third, and fourth most often attempted products
    this year were, in this order, scrubs, lotions, and body butters.

  15. What are your five top selling products?

    Cold or hot process soaps, including their many variations,
    were again, top sellers, by a long shot. Since most of these business owners
    began as soap makers, this is not a shocking revelation; yet, it demonstrates
    how ingrained bar soaps are to our customers.

    The second highest selling product was lotion, and you reported
    selling lotion in a wide variety of types and for many purposes. A few of these
    include goats milk, hand, facial, and body lotion with MSM.

    Lip balm is the next most popular product sold, and it included
    traditional lip balms, gloss, butters, and salves, all for keeping lips
    moisturized.

    The fourth highest seller is scrubs. They come under a plethora
    of names and with differing formulas, but are rapidly gaining in popularity,
    especially noteworthy because they were hardly on the radar screen last year.
    Some were for the face, others for the body. Some are made with sugar and others
    with salt. Some are emulsified in some way, and some have herbs and milks added,
    but in the end, their purpose is luxurious exfoliation and they have become
    extremely popular.

    Following closely behind is body butter. This includes both
    water emulsions and mixtures of all butters or butters and oil, but all with the
    same purpose, to be rich products for moisturizing. It’s amazing to see all of
    the different ideas that exist for formulating these butters. You’re nothing if
    not innovative!

    I know I’ve listed the top five, but I will also mention that
    candles came in closely behind butters, and it seems that there is more
    cross-over than ever before with soap and toiletry makers learning to make
    candles, and vice versa. You make all sizes, shapes, and types: pillars,
    votives, tarts, tealights, travel, jar, and so on. Paraffin, soy, palm, and gel
    are used, in any conceivable shape and fragrance.

  16. What do you intend to try as soon as you get the chance?

    Again this question is wide open, allowing for a variety of
    responses, which is what we got. Surprisingly cold process soap was the one
    thing that the most crafters wanted to try. Second was cream soap, third was
    liquid soap, and the fourth most intriguing thing to try was candle-making. No
    doubt you all are and will continue to be a busy bunch!

  17. What are your top customer scents?

    You can imagine the countless number of scents that your
    colleagues count as their top ten. In my reporting of the top, no distinction is
    made between essential and fragrance oils, classes of similar scents, or
    individual suppliers. For simplicity’s sake, I often grouped fragrances into
    similar categories, although I admit that there was nothing simple about this
    question at all.

    Would you be surprised if I told you that lavender was the
    runaway favorite scent? I didn’t think so. It was so popular, that it seemed
    almost as if each respondent included it in their fragrance list. If you include
    blends, then that just extends lavender’s role as favorite, indeed. Some of the
    lovely-sounding lavender blends reported were vanilla, spearmint, amber,
    rosemary, patchouli, tea tree, sage, almond, and all of the citruses. Hardly
    amazing, since lavender is compatible with just about any fragrance.

    Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey was the second most popular scent
    again this year. It’s sweet, warm, and cozy, and sells well in soap and many
    other bath and body and candle products.

    Third was Patchouli, an enduring scent, as popular as last
    year. Not bad for an aroma that many compare to dirt!

    Mint is a must-have, as it has a universal, timeless appeal. I
    did not separate peppermint from spearmint, because not all respondents did. It
    blends well with so many other fragrances, as you reported, including rosemary,
    eucalyptus, orange, basil, lemon, lime, chocolate, green tea, cucumber, tea
    tree, and lavender.

    The fifth most popular fragrance is vanilla. Not surprising, as
    you’ll rarely find someone who doesn’t like the scent of vanilla. Many of you
    mentioned other scent blends that included vanilla, and it is, of course, an
    excellent blender, softening and sweetening other scents.

    In sixth place are lemongrass and rose, tying for this spot.
    Lemongrass blends well with a number of herbal scents, and many of you mentioned
    it with Sage, Cedarwood, and Rosemary. Rose has been a favorite scent throughout
    history, so it’s no shock that it placed in our top ten. It can be blended with
    other notes, as well, both to tone down its heavy floral scent, as well as to
    add its heady floral attributes to other oils.

    Lilac is a popular scent again this year, making a showing for
    seventh place. It seems to be a floral favorite that survives the test of time.
    It is sometimes blended with scents such as raspberry, but most often stands on
    its own merits.

    Black Raspberry Vanilla type is in eighth place, again a top
    ten fragrance.

    In ninth place this year is sandalwood. The most popular scent
    to blend with it is vanilla, but musk and amber, among others, were mentioned,
    as well.

    Last, but not least, is the Lovespell type fragrance. Many of
    you report that it is still a popular seller; and, in fact, it ranked very
    closely behind sandalwood.