mikethair
Forum Replies Created
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It is an issue of aesthetics. Your aesthetic is probably not the same as mine, so I’m reluctant to make recommendations. I like to redefine a category and set new standards. This elevates your customers to a higher level of existence, as well as price. Packaging is important in this context.
And my approach is to search online for suppliers, and for those that appeal I ask for samples. And once you have a sample in hand you can appreciate the aesthetic and decide if it matches your brand.
In short, there are no shortcuts.
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Yep, I’ve been there, done that during the 20 years I owned skin care manufacturing facilities in Viet Nam and Malaysia. My approach? Set up a series of Excels and meticulously record the results of various ingredient combinations. Over time, the ingredients will reveal themselves. Then once you have some conclusions, field test these on potential or current customers.
And this process can take some months. But the product outcomes will be worth it.
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From nothing, in 2006, I co-founded two skincare manufacturing factories, which ran until 2023. And of course, we were always on the hunt for packaging globally.
Adding some context, my factories were located in Viet Nam and Malaysia, and 90% of our orders were produced for Private Label brands globally.
My advice is don’t limit yourself to U.S suppliers. They may not provide the quality or “look” for your brand. My approach was to continually aim to escape the ordinary.
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My only experience is with your option “C: 0.5% sodium soap of vegetable oil.” For about 20 years I manufactured and exported a cleanser made from saponified plant oils. But it very much depends on what plant oils you are saponifying, and how they are saponified. With our cleaning products, I spent two years perfecting the saponification process with lots of trials of the test batches before we went into full production in our two factories.
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Personally, I’d give this opportunity a miss. I’m all about producing quality, and products that escape the ordinary, and with these time constraints, it would be impossible. And saying “no” as a professional formulator is not an issue for me if it preserves my good reputation.
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Let’s talk Castile liquid soap.
We see a lot of liquid soap for sale these days by various brands. But too often they are not what they claim to be.
Most are modern syndets. A product made by combining different synthetic detergents. These fakes will often include a “natural” ingredient. Just for appearance’s sake.
Traditional Castile liquid is made using extra virgin olive oil. And they must not contain any added synthetic fragrances, colourings, or preservatives.
However, many factories, which are less likely to respect the traditions and the recipes, have flooded the world with their fake alternatives. They make these fakes with animal fat, sodium lauryl sulfate, and other synthetics.
And why are so many brands selling fake Castile liquid soap?
First, Castile is very popular.
Second, these fake Castile liquid soaps are cheap and easy to make. And when sold as a Castile soap, the profits are huge.
If you are a brand owner wanting to make genuine Castile liquid soap, I can show you how. I specialise in working remotely. I have shown businesses in Africa, SE Asia and Europe how to make Castile liquid soap.
Get in touch with me, and we can make a start. Email: mikethair@gmail.com
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Why add coconut milk?
The castile wash, because of its pH of around 9, would be self-preserving. And as long as the addition of coconut milk does not change the pH significantly, then it should be OK. But having said that, any product produced should the tested using standard GMP protocols.
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I’ve successfully produced shampoo bars in the past that were exported globally. But to me, a shampoo bar is simply a formulation saponifying a suitable combination of plant oils. And this worked for us, and the customers liked these bars.
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Why add niacinamide?
And when you say “fragrance” will you use synthetics or essential oils?
With my own manufacturing company I owned for about 20 years, we did a lot of body oils that we exported globally. And the key to sales is an attractive fragrance.
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No surprises here. In my case, I formulated and produced a liquid soap that was certainly very effective in removing grease. We exported this product globally from 2006.
And yes, soap is antibacterial.
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The process would very much depend on your location and the compliance requirements in place. Surely you have someone in your organisation who is on top of this. In my case, in 2006, I co-founded two skincare manufacturing factories, which ran until 2023. And among my staff, I appointed a QC Manager who took care of this.
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Yes, agree 100%. And this was always a stage in the production of the shampoo bars I produced and exported globally since 2006 in the two factories I co-founded which ran until 2023. I had set up a cure room that was temperature and humidity controlled.
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I would suggest using essential oils in place of synthetic fragrances. The oils are far more difficult to blend, but in my opinion, produce a better outcome and consumer satisfaction.
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Yes indeed, very important.
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I may be able to assist. mikethair@gmail.com
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I’m sorry, I don’t see any issue with what I have written.
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With respect, that’s why as a scientist I use the scientific name Eucalyptus citriodora so that there is no mistake.
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Thanks. That’s a great insight.
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Yes, but there is a niche in the marketplace that does not want to use these synthetic surfactant products. It’s that simple. Of course, this niche is of no interest to the large conglomerates that dominate this market.
Again, we never had any issues with soap scum. This is due to the formulation I produced.
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Yes, I agree; effectiveness is difficult to determine. In our case, we simply relied on the feedback from our consumers and return sales. The consensus was that the product worked without any harmful effects.
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Thanks for your kind words and details of your own endeavours.
Soapmaking is an interest of mine and for years in Malaysia and Viet Nam the focus of our business. It provided much-needed employment in the local community. And an opportunity to export globally.
Yes, it is a niche industry and massive profits and turnover were never our aim. But financially, we did well.
For a large company, I would not recommend traditional soap making.
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Indeed, soap making is an art, and in doing so it provides an opportunity to make your mark in the marketplace.
And at the same time, a chance to share your philosophy and identity, and this is what people are buying into. In taking this stance, you are not bossed around by the consumer or market and become more driven by your own convictions. In my case, it was old-fashioned values from simpler times and exotic fragrances that you away to a time and place where life moves more leisurely.
And a very good reason why andy982183 should pursue soap as the basis for his product.
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This reply was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by mikethair.
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This reply was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by
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I’m an individual, so I post what I want, and I don’t need your permission before posting.
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A side story to all of this. As a scientist, I wanted to push things a bit further, and as I was living in Malaysia at the time where I realised there was a lot of used Palm Oil being discarded down drains.
So I teamed up with a group of intellectually and physically disabled to collect this used palm oil, and I spent months teaching them how to saponify this collected Palm Oil to produce a general household cleaner, package and sell to produce themselves some income.
And this project still runs today providing them with a sustainable income.
So I will leave all your negativity with you, and your expertise in digging up references from the web, while I continue with my work as a scientist and to turn my knowledge into something that can benefit those who are disadvantaged.
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Yes indeed, the science is clear. I produced these products for 17 years, after spending one year perfecting the formulation, including extensive consumer evaluations globally. Yep, DHL loved me!!!
Saponification is complex, and the formulation has many variables, including the oils used, saponification values used, and super-fat calculations.
And, scum was not an issue with what I finally produced.
Question? Have you yourself ever produced these products, or are you simply trotting out well-known fallacies perpetuated by the producers of synthetic cleansers?