# Possible Co-op - any interest?



## jimandpj

I have been wanting to expand my essential oil line of soaps. Right now, my only pure eo soaps are straight peppermint and straight tea tree. I've been wanting to offer a line of ~6 eo blends.

I live very close to Essential Oil University which has very highly respected essential oils - I have never personally used them. They are willing to pre-blend essential oils for me according to recipes I give them. So for example, if I wanted a rosemary/peppermint blend, instead of having to buy rosemary individually and peppermint individually, they would blend it and I could buy it pre-mixed. The benefit of this is that you get better pricing b/c you can buy 1 item in bulk rather than smaller quantities of individual components (which is really good when your blend has lots of different eo's).

We'll also be saving money because we don't have to pay them to ship it to me. I can just go pick it up.

Is there any interest in doing a co-op on eo blends?

PJ


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## jimandpj

Wanted to add a few details.

I would not be doing this to make money, nor will I be taking a free eo for every 10 that I sell. I'm doing this to get good quality eo blends (that sell) at a better price. I would add on cost of containers, actual shipping, and packing materials.

I am not flighty. This is my business which supports my family. I will clearly communicate and not constantly change things that are within my control.

One of the problems I always had with co-ops, was that as a business, if I needed the fo or eo, I needed it. I couldn't wait til the next co-op, and I couldn't constantly switch scents. These co-oped blends will be from Essential Oil University (http://essentialoils.org/), exact recipes will be posted, and you can always reorder them again if you need them.

Thanks,
PJ


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## Kalne

I don't anticipate needing any eos for awhile as I ordered recently (from EOU). But then I don't have any complicated blends, just Rosemary Mint and Spearmint Eucalyptus.


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## Faye Farms

I'd be interested. I just ordered a bunch of EO's as well but if a blend sounds good and the price is good I would probably get some.


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## Becky-DixieDoesAlpines

I will be needing to order EO's soon, so will definitely consider it.


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## a4patch

I am interested. 

Thanks,


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## Sondra

Would consider depending on what blends are offered


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## NubianSoaps.com

Yes PJ, I would be interested in doing something with rosemary and I would be interested in doing something with eucalyptus. Perhaps we could come up with something by using meadow....shoot I can never remember their url...with more notes in the essential oil than just two the scent sticks better, doesn't turn all to mint over time and has more deapth of fragrance. Too expensive to add patch to the scents anymore for the deep woody notes, but I am sure the site has everything we need for a scent. I use eucalyptus, mint, lemon grass, tea tree and patch for my eucalyptus blend, it came off of meadowcreek?? EO mixture site...I know it is up in the favorites. Also a good lavender that isn't just straight medicinal lavender. Vicki


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## jimandpj

Vicki - That's kind of what I was hoping for - a collaborative effort of figuring out some good blends and saving us all lots of money.

I did a search on soap dish last night and came up with this thread:

http://www.thedishforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=99130&hl=blend&st=0

It asks what Rainbow Meadows blends people like.

Me - I'm an eo blend nubie. The only ones I've ever mixed are orange eo and tea tree in my laundry stain stick.

Vicki - do you like your eucalyptus blend as is? Or would you change it somehow?

PJ


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## hsmomof4

The co-op would be something that would interest me, too.


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## NubianSoaps.com

I love my mixture  Here it is from the rainbow meadow site that I used originally to mix it...I tweak it with the use of pathoulli for a bottom note, with all the 'minty' top notes it just needed it...but we could add this on our own...or not if you aren't a patch fan.

2 parts 1.8 ounces Eucalyptus (******** 80/85)
1 part 0.9 ounces Lemon Grass
1 part 0.9 ounces Peppermint (triple distilled)
1 part 0.9 Tea Tree
1/2 part 0.45 Patchoulli

I added the patch... Vicki


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## SherrieC

I might be interested : ) Most of my eo blends are pretty simple though.


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## jimandpj

Ok, I summarized the soap dish thread I mentioned earlier. Here are the Rainbow Meadow blends people liked and a couple of their comments:

Capricorn 
15 Anise
25 Lavender 40/42
5 Peppermint 
15 Tea Tree 
Go lighter on the tea tree and a bit heavier on the lavender 
I think next time I try the Capricorn blend, I will add a touch more lav, peppermint and tea tree & drop the anise just a bit. It is overpowering in it right now, tho it might mellow out after a while. 

Waikiki Blend
3 Bergamot
4 Lavender 40/42
3 Ylang Ylang III

Gingersnap Blend 
4 Cinnamon Leaf 
1 Clove Bud 
12 Ginger
6 Orange, Sweet
(I use 5X Orange instead) 

Hombre Blend
1 Cinnamon Leaf
4 Lime
2 Patchouli
I added a little black pepper to it for some extra kick.
I use it for a shaving soap blend.

Inner Healing Blend 
3 Lemon
3 Lime
3 Orange, Sweet
1 Patchouli
1 Rose Otto, Bulgarian

Juliet Blend (elegant)
3 Lavender 40/42
2 Orange, Sweet
1 Peppermint

Renaissance Blend 
1 Lavender, Bulgarian
4 Orange, Sweet
1 Patchouli
I think this is a very fresh blend. I don't think the name goes with the smell. 

Love Spell 
7 Ylang Ylang
5 Patchouli 
3 Clove Bud
2 Lavender 40/42

Spiced Woods
2 Ginger
1 Lime
2 Sweet Orange
2 Patchouli
1 Peppermint
Although this doesn't smell like the name, it's a very fresh, clean scent. It's kind of like a softened peppermint (for lack of a better description lol). I'd like to try it again, only upping the ginger and patchouli a bit.

Adiago
1 jasmine
3 patch
6 tangerine

Ballade Blend 
2 Anise
2 Cinnamon Leaf
2 Clove Bud
1 Eucalyptus, ********
2 Lemon
1 Rosemary
I didn't have any lemon, so used litsea instead.

Golden Lights
4 Clove Bud
6 Ginger
3 Petitgrain
2 Rosemary
It's a bit too heavy on the Petitgrain for me, so I will lower it next time. But very nice!

Air Castles Blend
2 Lavender, Bulgarian
1 Patchouli
2 Vanilla

Delectable Blend (masculine, romantic)
4 Cedarwood, Virginia
1 Clove Bud
1 Lime
2 Patchouli

Ease Me Blend
4 Lavender 40/42
9 Rosemary
2 Tea Tree
Fresh smelling

Rock Me To Sleep Blend
5 Lavender 40/42
4 Patchouli
4 Rosemary

Sexy Lady Blend (feminine, sensual)
1 Cinnamon Leaf
2 Clove Bud
4 Grapefruit, Pink
2 Lavender 40/42
2 Oakmoss
4 Orange, Sweet
4 Patchouli
4 Rosewood
2 Vanilla
4 Ylang Ylang III

Sexy Lady II Blend (feminine, sensual)
1 Cinnamon Leaf
2 Clove Bud
4 Grapefruit, Pink
2 Lavender, Bulgarian
2 Oakmoss
4 Orange, Sweet
4 Patchouli
4 Rosewood
2 Vanilla
4 Ylang Ylang Complete

Spicy Woods Blend (spicy!)
1 Balsam, Peru
8 Cinnamon Leaf
2 Lavender 40/42
4 Patchouli
8 Vanilla

Easy Street Blend
5 Cedarwood, Virginia
2 Ginger
5 Patchouli
3 Vetiver


Thoughts?? Some of these look ridiculously expensive (but maybe that's just me)

PJ


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## jimandpj

Vicki - I'm fine with the patch - if it sells well for you and you like it - that's enough of a "YES!" for me. 

Sherrie - I was hoping you'd chime in as I know you do a lot with eo's. Are yours simple because you prefer them that way? Or you've just never explored more complex stuff? Or your customers like it simple?

PJ


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## Faye Farms

I sell the Delectable (cedarwood, clove bud, patchouli, lime) blend as my Patchouli Sunrise. That sells well for me. I have a batch of the Capricorn curing right now. It doesn't get me excited but I haven't tried selling it either. The Juliet blend is what I scented my colorful swap soap with. It's nice. The Gingersnap blend is nice but I think I made a batch of that for another swap. I haven't tried selling that. Most of the blends I have sold have been really simple like Spearmint/Rosemary, Spearmint/Anise, Tangerine/Patchouli, Lemongrass/Clary Sage, Lime/Eucalyptus, and Cedarwood/Tea Tree. All sold well but the only one I had people request a lot when I ran out was the Lemongrass/Clary Sage. Lime/Euc has a small following for me. There's some blends here that really interest me that I haven't tried.


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## NubianSoaps.com

Just know that when you start adding peppermint and tea tree you will get mint mint and more mint, it's very overpowering after the cure. And so many folks on the dish are talkers not doers. We have several EO gals on here, I would rather listen to them. Vicki


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## Sondra

I would be interested in Vicki' blend with the patch mainly because I can't afford patch and I really like it for holding the scents together. Would also be interested in lavender.


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## mill-valley

I would be interested too. I really liked Heather's swap soap (Juliet blend). Perfect amount of peppermint IMO.


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## MiaBella Farm

I would be interested in something with Rosemary and Thyme...and whatever else goes with those!


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## jimandpj

Good! Sounds like there is definite interest. We now just need to settle on what blend recipes to choose from. If we want (and assuming they'll let me do this in a small quantity first), I can order just four ounces of each blend, soap them, and send off test samples to ya'll. Of course, that would slow things down. Or, we could do a mini blend soap swap if necessary. Or we could just go for it. 

So - we'll definitely do Vicki's blend (with the patch).

Sounds like we've got a couple of votes for the Juliet blend, as well.

You eo experts out there, please chime in!

PJ


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## Aja-Sammati

My Summer Morning is a variation from something I got off of Rainbow Meadow, don't remeber what it was originally called, something stupid sounding...it sells like hotcakes, hard to keep it in stock. I have hated a lot of the mixes I have tried from there, and so have my customers! A lot of my customers are EO purists- lavender, mint, rosemary, no blends. A lot of people think they like cinnamon or cloves, but they don't like EO of cinnamon or clove, they like an FO version better.

One that sells VERY well, that is hard for me to find is Lemon Eucalyptus, not a blend, but actual Eucalyptus citriadora. Hugely popular, sells out, and even I like it


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## nightskyfarm

I have purchased some from WSP, the bottle says Lemon Eucalyptus Certified 100% Pure Essential Oil. It was not sold as a blend, but the latin name is not on the bottle. You may try Snowdrift Farms, they have a nice selection of EO's with the latin names included on the labels. Jennifer


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## SherrieC

My E'O blends have typically 2-3 different e'o's. I do have a rare few with More, my bug off lotion recipe has a truck load of eo's. 
I play around with the e'os and add a little of this and that in a measuring glass till I like the scent, but when I start adding too much it all smells like mud to me. You do have to watch the mints they overpower everything. I think in my lavender mint I put 2 1/4 ounce lavender to 7/8 mint, and 1/8 rosemary. I have way too many with just the straight eo's for instance, Patchouli (plain) then patchouli lemongrass, patchouli 5 X orange with oats, and the 70's garden blend.
Lavender (plain) Lavender mint, lavender vanilla, lavender orange, lavender lilac, 
Herbal: lavender tea tree, lavender chamomile, calendula
I always have requests for don't you have any just plain: "fill in the eo here" 
I like having the eo's straight that way if something does look interesting I see some where I can whip it up, and also my blends are my blends my interpretation of what Lavender Mint should smell like, which is a penned down in my coveted bryrpatch recipes book(lol,) and I do have a talent in that area for what smells good together. I could whip up at least ten of these that you listed, but Less is more IMO


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## Huminbird

I would be interested in a blend that is tried and true for others on here. I also tend to have only one or two EO blends and have been to chicken to go from there because EOs are so spendy.


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## peregrine

Hi,
I would probably be interested in going in on some of this oils, I love eo's for aromatherapy at home use, and am getting ready to try my hand at soaping for home and sale eventually, so if the price is right and the scents you decide on are of interest to me, I would probably like to get on in this. BTW I love mint, patchouli, rosemary, ylang-ylang, lavendar, grapefruit, and orange...
Thanks!


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## a4patch

I would be willing to contribute $ to the test batches if needed.

Thanks for even considering this.

Blessings,


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## jimandpj

OK - working with SherrieC to get some formulas together and get prices on them. Will let ya'll know when I've got something concrete. 

PJ


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## a4patch

Bumping this to the top. I would love to find a DEPENDABLE source of Eo's and Blends at a good price. 

PJ, Is this still something you are interested in doing? 

Do the 55 gallon barrels come in plastic or metal?
Do they have a spout at the bottom or do you pump from the top?


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## tmfinley

Ack! I just read this whole thread thinking it was current.


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## nappint

Me too! I was so excited and then I looked at the dates :sniffle


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## hsmomof4

One reason not to resurrect 2 year old threads. Just ask a new question.


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## Trysta

Right now I am still researching what I like and therefore I have only bought small amounts, but a good herb blend (that rosemary, thyme, and I like sage in there, too) will be something I would be interested in, with or without some eucalyptus (I could add that myself, too). 

Anyway, yes, I will expand this soap thing very quickly now and would love to work together so we can all have good scents/blends for a good price.


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## Trysta

Oh :sniffle is this current?


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## a4patch

Ok, That's my fault...sorry for the confusion. 

I will start a new thread.


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## jimandpj

I'm sorry guys, I won't be doing this - we looked into it and there's just no way that it is worth our time. We're not even having them make us any blends, but still just doing single eo scents.

PJ


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## Dorit

Can't chime in as an expert, but would be interested in buying what you all think is good. Dorit


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## old dominion

I have been trying to do research to start cooping for the group. I am slowly piece mealing the information. It appears it isn't as simple as buying FO and reselling it to recoup costs. From what I understand I will need to contact manufactures about fragrances, then have them soaped if I can get samples, for me as a HP person, I will need help with the testing in CP. I want to do this, I already have a federal tax id due to another small business venture. If I am missing something please let me know either on the list or by PM. I have been able to find one supplier that is used successfully on the list that will allow me to purchase and repack using my name but I am still obtaining information on the minimum price clause.

Jolene


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## NubianSoaps.com

Just do it! Get a buyer from one of the manufacturers and either do a prebuy so you have our money up front (after you get a sample and soap it) or do a coop if you have the cash. Price your bottles and put anything into plastic you can since it's cheaper (I do not want to pay for glass if I don't have to, I can put it into my glass here).

I get my scent in F bottles, think the square large gallon jugs motor oil comes in, I do not want their canisters. Each F bottle holds 10 pounds. Only one place uses bleach bottle style large thick jugs.

Once you have bottled and boxed then charge us shipping via paypal.com Vicki


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