I get comments occasionally – from folks used to paying less than a dollar for store bought detergent “soap” bars – who range from confused to downright angry that I dare sell soap so expensive. A few points I’d like to make:
~ My costs, even buying supplies wholesale, are NOT cheap. I don’t cheap out and buy from whoever sells the cheapest ingredients, I buy from trusted suppliers who I know I selling me unadulterated ingredients.
~ This is my job and my source of income – granted it’s the best job in the world, but it is still work. People generally get paid for working. If I sold my soap for $1/bar, not only would it NOT cover the cost of the supplies to make it (seriously), I would make absolutely no profit to put back into the business or pay myself. There’d be no growth, and no money to test new scents, new products, new ingredients.
~ 1 bar of any of my soaps lasts 1 user about a month. They start at $6.99 each – ask yourself, is $6.99 a month for the best skin cleanser you’ll ever use, really that expensive?
~ Supporting small business: When you buy from me, you are putting money towards a small business, and a family. Not into the pockets of Walmart or whatever big name store you got your $1 a bar soap from.
~ Supporting local/Canadian/North American ~ 100% of my supplies come from the US and Canada suppliers. A few oils they purchase have to come from overseas, but my suppliers don’t buy from China or countries where quality is an real problem.
~ I care about you – yes, you, the person reading this. I care about your skin, your health, and your life. I want to offer you a product that makes those 3 things better – happier. Above all else, that is my drive to create and improve. I could be wrong, but I don’t think big name companies can honestly say the same.
So to end, I hope you come away from this with an understanding. That store bought bar is like fast food – a bag of chips. Cheap and it’ll technically do what you want, but it’s not really good for you. My soap is like a home cooked meal with all the fixings and food groups – costs a bit more, but you’re better off for the little extra spent.
-Amy
PS: I hope to get product photos taken of Bergamot & Tarragon Leaves tomorrow, then it will be put in stock! I’ll also get a good photo of Macintosh Apple, and Enchanted Woods.
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1 comment
Oh that is such a difficult question. I wrote a blog post about that very subject and in short, I had some similar responses. The economic value to supporting the local small business is a great reason to buy handmade soap that many people (not you!) miss. The dollars stay in the community, reinvesting and helping lift up the entire area. Plus, handmade soap just feels better on the skin…