Hey happy soapers and followers...
there are a few new things at the store this month including a later closing time...
our winter hours are 10-5 but as of May 1st they will be our summer hours of 10-6.
NEW products.....new handmade soap dishes, pineapple-kiwi cake soap, all our "maintenance series" soaps are back and by popular demand the foot scrub soaps for summer. Fresh and scrubby with volcanic pumice peppermint.
Chocolate Pudding Cake...Soap !
yummmmmm!!!
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Getting ready for the new website!
ok, we all know that there is a certain amount of procrastinating behaviour in everyone and for the most part I am pretty good at getting things done...otherwise I will forget! bill paying is easy because I have maintained STRICT habit of paying as soon as the paper or notice crosses my desk. This also has the benefit of never having bills to pay.....yay! Its not because I organized but rather I feel unorganized so I make my own concessions. It works, I guess.
the alternative of this is and has been....our website. Yes I have used the fair but increasingly thin excuse of being just so busy with the store, the farmers markets and Christmas markets that I have been...well......busy!
This is a lovely, wonderful problem to have in so far as the result is not so much a negative but a lack of the positive. We have customers clamouring for a website so they can order more product once they are home and each time we say "its coming"...is both truthful and misleading. The site is actually built by a great guy named Rob who works for Rocky Coast Creative and design here in Vancouver (New Westminster he's in actually) and the lag is ME....I'M the one who is to put in the content of pictures and professional knowledge hints, twists and information on our fantastic products. So as of today...the start of March we will be seeing just how well that goes in the upcoming weeks and hopefully there will be a great link to each site asap.
www.granvilleislandsoapgallery.com is the site address to date.
Ok enough personal admonishment.......what's new at the Granville Island Soap Gallery???
Well after a stellar year of sales and marketing it has become clear that our focus is changing a wee bit by bringing in a few more lines of wonderful locally made products, trying to create a bigger space with the potential of expanding the store to double its size and creating a "Soap and Cosmetic Co-op" of sorts for both our dedicated clientele and the vast number of visitors to Granville Island.
Being the busiest soap store in the lower mainland has its pros and cons..... PRO...its fantastic to be this busy....CON...its a lot of work to be this busy. " oh boo-hoo huh!"
Without giving away any trade secrets it is increasingly clear that people are wanting locally made, high quality, Canadian designed and sourced where possible products and this is where we have always focussed ourselves in the market. What I have noticed though is that there are several truly great and innovative small companies who have started up in the past five years who are creating products you just cannot GET at the local drugstore. For a variety of reasons the quality of handmade products are just far and away superior to anything one can get at the department store (without paying the exorbitant prices) or at the drugstores (because of inferior quality). Now this is not to say that you cant get good and some great products at the drugstore...you can! Its that....and this is just a secret......so ssshhhhh.... locally made products by soap makers are using the utmost in quality products, using super fine ingredients like pure carrier oils and essential oils that big manufacturers are NOT doing because the bottom line is higher profit margins while small hand crafters are focussed on higher quality.....and often much to the detriment of THEIR profit margins.
Most hand crafters never even think to add in their wages for time in the product so get 'em while you can and before people catch on!!
We make our bulk square soaps in 500lb batches so when I sell one at a farmers market for 4 bucks...yeah Ill make something..... "Suzy Soaper" who does the same in 5-25lb batches?? she's not making a thing and its probably a fantastic, rich, creamy product! oh well...good for the buyer.
So to that end we are bringing in several lines of soaps and other products like deodorants and body butters, shaving products and others to help out those who cannot create a brick and mortar store but want a knowledgeable and caring sales approach attached to their products.
Stay tuned and come by the store to see what's new as it changes almost daily.
the alternative of this is and has been....our website. Yes I have used the fair but increasingly thin excuse of being just so busy with the store, the farmers markets and Christmas markets that I have been...well......busy!
This is a lovely, wonderful problem to have in so far as the result is not so much a negative but a lack of the positive. We have customers clamouring for a website so they can order more product once they are home and each time we say "its coming"...is both truthful and misleading. The site is actually built by a great guy named Rob who works for Rocky Coast Creative and design here in Vancouver (New Westminster he's in actually) and the lag is ME....I'M the one who is to put in the content of pictures and professional knowledge hints, twists and information on our fantastic products. So as of today...the start of March we will be seeing just how well that goes in the upcoming weeks and hopefully there will be a great link to each site asap.
www.granvilleislandsoapgallery.com is the site address to date.
Ok enough personal admonishment.......what's new at the Granville Island Soap Gallery???
Well after a stellar year of sales and marketing it has become clear that our focus is changing a wee bit by bringing in a few more lines of wonderful locally made products, trying to create a bigger space with the potential of expanding the store to double its size and creating a "Soap and Cosmetic Co-op" of sorts for both our dedicated clientele and the vast number of visitors to Granville Island.
Being the busiest soap store in the lower mainland has its pros and cons..... PRO...its fantastic to be this busy....CON...its a lot of work to be this busy. " oh boo-hoo huh!"
Without giving away any trade secrets it is increasingly clear that people are wanting locally made, high quality, Canadian designed and sourced where possible products and this is where we have always focussed ourselves in the market. What I have noticed though is that there are several truly great and innovative small companies who have started up in the past five years who are creating products you just cannot GET at the local drugstore. For a variety of reasons the quality of handmade products are just far and away superior to anything one can get at the department store (without paying the exorbitant prices) or at the drugstores (because of inferior quality). Now this is not to say that you cant get good and some great products at the drugstore...you can! Its that....and this is just a secret......so ssshhhhh.... locally made products by soap makers are using the utmost in quality products, using super fine ingredients like pure carrier oils and essential oils that big manufacturers are NOT doing because the bottom line is higher profit margins while small hand crafters are focussed on higher quality.....and often much to the detriment of THEIR profit margins.
Most hand crafters never even think to add in their wages for time in the product so get 'em while you can and before people catch on!!
We make our bulk square soaps in 500lb batches so when I sell one at a farmers market for 4 bucks...yeah Ill make something..... "Suzy Soaper" who does the same in 5-25lb batches?? she's not making a thing and its probably a fantastic, rich, creamy product! oh well...good for the buyer.
So to that end we are bringing in several lines of soaps and other products like deodorants and body butters, shaving products and others to help out those who cannot create a brick and mortar store but want a knowledgeable and caring sales approach attached to their products.
Stay tuned and come by the store to see what's new as it changes almost daily.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Canadian Soapmakers Conference 2015 Banff Alberta
So here we are nestled into the space between Tunnel mountain and Cascade mountain here in Banff Alberta. It was a spectacular drive in the new car and the roads!!! Kudos to Canadian roadmakers...were the most outstanding example of drive ability on the planet. Clear, clean, wide and free of debris or potholes. Simply gorgeous. Meeting several fantastic people here at the conference has been very rewarding and the response to my lecture has been very positive. I understood that the message was going to be either well received by those needing the facts of "doing business in the Soaping industry" or not well received by the hobbyist who perhaps needn't hear the tsunami of work involved in the future of the process should one decide to follow a more business oriented path. Regardless, people were amused and compliments were many. I don't think anyone actually LIKES speaking in front of a group of any size.
ahhhh Banff is beautiful!
as we head away from out summer activities of a very successful farmers market season we are stepping into the Christmas season already......I know. ..already!
in retail we're always early...
the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival was a major success for us as per usual despite a wee bit of rain. Tens of thousands of people show up from what they tell me. ...I don't actually know as we're at the table selling soap!
upcoming of course Circle Craft Christmas Market ..November 11-15 at the Convention center
then MAKE IT show at the PNE forum building December...first week of december...check out their site for exact dates....3,4,5,6 of December I'm pretty sure.
Then......the store on Granville Island.... the Soap Gallery is bringing out all the goodies plus a few new ones for the season!!
We will be busy with all the stuff being made right in the store..... come on by and check out the action.....till then enjoy the lovely autumn and I'll try to do more info blogs.....it's hard with soapy fingers..haha
ahhhh Banff is beautiful!
as we head away from out summer activities of a very successful farmers market season we are stepping into the Christmas season already......I know. ..already!
in retail we're always early...
the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival was a major success for us as per usual despite a wee bit of rain. Tens of thousands of people show up from what they tell me. ...I don't actually know as we're at the table selling soap!
upcoming of course Circle Craft Christmas Market ..November 11-15 at the Convention center
then MAKE IT show at the PNE forum building December...first week of december...check out their site for exact dates....3,4,5,6 of December I'm pretty sure.
Then......the store on Granville Island.... the Soap Gallery is bringing out all the goodies plus a few new ones for the season!!
We will be busy with all the stuff being made right in the store..... come on by and check out the action.....till then enjoy the lovely autumn and I'll try to do more info blogs.....it's hard with soapy fingers..haha
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Make it shows and the Granville Island Soap Gallery
hey fellow soapies
we are applying to a few show this year for the fun of it the following are applied for but not confirmed:
Make it show
http://makeitproductions.com/vancouver/welcome-to-make-it/
the cranberry festival in Fort Langley...a few links:
http://www.miss604.com/2013/10/fort-langley-cranberry-festival.html
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/fort-langley-cranberry-festival-Langley
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/10/05/berry-good-times-at-fort-langley-cranberry-festival/
we ARE confirmed for the Circle Craft Christmas fair...(aahhhhrgh don't say Christmas yet!!)
http://circlecraft.net/Christmas-Market
ohhh so much to make!!
cheers and bubbles,
Darren
we are applying to a few show this year for the fun of it the following are applied for but not confirmed:
Make it show
http://makeitproductions.com/vancouver/welcome-to-make-it/
the cranberry festival in Fort Langley...a few links:
http://www.miss604.com/2013/10/fort-langley-cranberry-festival.html
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/fort-langley-cranberry-festival-Langley
http://blogs.theprovince.com/2012/10/05/berry-good-times-at-fort-langley-cranberry-festival/
we ARE confirmed for the Circle Craft Christmas fair...(aahhhhrgh don't say Christmas yet!!)
http://circlecraft.net/Christmas-Market
ohhh so much to make!!
cheers and bubbles,
Darren
Happy spring fellow soapers!
ok soooo this week we are focussing on getting ready for the farmers markets and "doin the do" as they say.
im super excited to get back to do the markets cause it gets us out of the store into the fray with fun marketers and all our regulars who seek us out religiously.
some of our new products coming to the markets this year::
our beer and wine soaps
salt soaps
our new "about face" skin care soap line
our body butter.....like buttah!!!
our new "CASTILLE" soap....100% olive oil in rustic blocks......sooo divine!
of course all the regular best sellers we will bring too.
upcoming this month we are doing
Burnaby farmers market on the 17th and 31 st
Ambleside on the 18th
Whiterock on the 25th
and one of my favs...Langley on the 21st and 28th
the links to all of these are below!
www.whiterockfarmersmarket.ca/
www.artisanmarkets.ca/
www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com/
see you there!!
im super excited to get back to do the markets cause it gets us out of the store into the fray with fun marketers and all our regulars who seek us out religiously.
some of our new products coming to the markets this year::
our beer and wine soaps
salt soaps
our new "about face" skin care soap line
our body butter.....like buttah!!!
our new "CASTILLE" soap....100% olive oil in rustic blocks......sooo divine!
of course all the regular best sellers we will bring too.
upcoming this month we are doing
Burnaby farmers market on the 17th and 31 st
Ambleside on the 18th
Whiterock on the 25th
and one of my favs...Langley on the 21st and 28th
the links to all of these are below!
www.whiterockfarmersmarket.ca/
www.artisanmarkets.ca/
www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com/
see you there!!
Monday, March 3, 2014
New products at the Granville Island Soap Gallery
Highdee ho good neighbors!
ok so now that I am back in the store making products for the new season we have a long list of new ones to add:
last season we made our new shaving soaps (with added slip and shear ....sooo great!) our massage bars which continue to be a favourite moisturizer on super dry areas for many of our clients and our "About Face" line of soaps.....top sellers.....and our shampoos....can't keep them in stock!
It sounds like im bragging but alas...noooo.....I'm just TIRED haha!!!
Now we are creating a whole new line of cold process soaps with olive/palm/coconut/shea butter/jojoba/silk protein.............so smooth and gentle.
Our salt bars are coming back for this year.......a total treat for the skin to shed all the winter flakes.
oh! and the new beer and wine soaps are finally making an appearance:
Merlot soap
Champagne soap
Guinness soap
G.I Lager soap
....all super cool and delish!!
ok back to work I guess.
stop by and say hi if you are on Granville Island
ok so now that I am back in the store making products for the new season we have a long list of new ones to add:
last season we made our new shaving soaps (with added slip and shear ....sooo great!) our massage bars which continue to be a favourite moisturizer on super dry areas for many of our clients and our "About Face" line of soaps.....top sellers.....and our shampoos....can't keep them in stock!
It sounds like im bragging but alas...noooo.....I'm just TIRED haha!!!
Now we are creating a whole new line of cold process soaps with olive/palm/coconut/shea butter/jojoba/silk protein.............so smooth and gentle.
Our salt bars are coming back for this year.......a total treat for the skin to shed all the winter flakes.
oh! and the new beer and wine soaps are finally making an appearance:
Merlot soap
Champagne soap
Guinness soap
G.I Lager soap
....all super cool and delish!!
ok back to work I guess.
stop by and say hi if you are on Granville Island
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Social media and the soaping world
ok ok ok.....apparently I can make pretty good soap but am bad at keeping up with my facebook and blog inputs. Mainly because I forget my passwords and then cannot get into the pages........case in point....this blog!
So my tip for the day here at the Granville Island Soap Gallery is....make your password long and dirty......!
yeh its a pain to type in but you will never forget it. hopefully more blog entries to come.
oh yes.
FARMERS MARKETS THIS UPCOMING 2014 SEASON
we will be at the Langley market on Wednesday afternoon
both Ambleside and White Rock on Sundays and
on Saturdays Burnaby and Lonsdale in north Vancouver
see you there!!!
we have lots of new stuff along with our famous and regular stock.
cheers and bubbles,
Darren
So my tip for the day here at the Granville Island Soap Gallery is....make your password long and dirty......!
yeh its a pain to type in but you will never forget it. hopefully more blog entries to come.
oh yes.
FARMERS MARKETS THIS UPCOMING 2014 SEASON
we will be at the Langley market on Wednesday afternoon
both Ambleside and White Rock on Sundays and
on Saturdays Burnaby and Lonsdale in north Vancouver
see you there!!!
we have lots of new stuff along with our famous and regular stock.
cheers and bubbles,
Darren
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Springing into the Farmers markets with Granville Island Soap Gallery.
Highdee ho good neighbors!
Spring has sprung here on Granville Island and we are getting ready....already...for the Farmers Markets upcoming around Vancouver and surrounding areas.
We are super pleased to be attending three markets for the months of May-October.
Coming to a market near you will be all our handmade natural and organic products like our soaps, skin care items, natural wool dryer balls and more!
Check us out at the Lonsdale farmers market as well as the Burnaby Farmers Market...
http://www.artisanmarkets.ca/?_year=2013&_month=5&_cday=1&loc=&date=
Lonsdale especially is really easy to get to from its close proximity to the seabus stop.
We will be leapfrogging our dates with the two staring in May
We will also be at the Langley Farmers market on wednesdays....
http://www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com/
this is a really good market and one of the only ones (that I know of) on Wednesdays.
Come see us at Whiterock Farmers market on Sundays
http://www.whiterockfarmersmarket.ca/
this market is well attended and of course...is in sunny Whiterock so go for a stroll...have some fish'n chips and come see us!
we will put up dates at a later time otherwise call the store here on Granville Island at 604-669-3649
cheers and bubbles!
Darren Monette
Spring has sprung here on Granville Island and we are getting ready....already...for the Farmers Markets upcoming around Vancouver and surrounding areas.
We are super pleased to be attending three markets for the months of May-October.
Coming to a market near you will be all our handmade natural and organic products like our soaps, skin care items, natural wool dryer balls and more!
Check us out at the Lonsdale farmers market as well as the Burnaby Farmers Market...
http://www.artisanmarkets.ca/?_year=2013&_month=5&_cday=1&loc=&date=
Lonsdale especially is really easy to get to from its close proximity to the seabus stop.
We will be leapfrogging our dates with the two staring in May
We will also be at the Langley Farmers market on wednesdays....
http://www.langleycommunityfarmersmarket.com/
this is a really good market and one of the only ones (that I know of) on Wednesdays.
Come see us at Whiterock Farmers market on Sundays
http://www.whiterockfarmersmarket.ca/
this market is well attended and of course...is in sunny Whiterock so go for a stroll...have some fish'n chips and come see us!
we will put up dates at a later time otherwise call the store here on Granville Island at 604-669-3649
cheers and bubbles!
Darren Monette
Friday, January 11, 2013
Granville Island Soap Gallery 2013
Good day happy soapers and soap lovers!
January sees a new year with new and exciting things happening at the Gallery.
We have suspended our soap making classes for the time being as the Soap master Darren Monette is and has been so busy with the frenetic Christmas season including our attendance at the Circle Craft Christmas Market.......which was fantastic for us!
As per usual the holiday season was a matter of making product as fast as we can. The good news (and partially sad) is that we sold Woofles and Meowz to a wonderful couple, Stuart and Tracey who are continuing with the excellence that is that store. This gives us more time to concentrate on the Soap Gallery and making more products.
On that note we were pleasantly surprised to see three of our newest products sell like gangbusters at the craft fair as well as at Christmas. Those were the Lavender (repair) eye gel...the Cucumber/seaweed (help me!) eye gel and our amazing Night moisturizer with Co-enzyme Q10 and natural amber extract.....a stellar firming and hydrating treatment.
We are poised to create our online sales this spring and we will be offering other retail establishments an edited menu of our products.........great news!
Also......and finally!! our own line of natural shampoos, conditioners, leave in hair hydrators, bath bubbles and body wash is coming in February.
We are very excited!
There is also a few questions about our address as it seems that both google and a couple of other online sites have it wrong. I can assume they shared the info.......that happens.
The actual address of The Granville Island Soap Gallery is:
#104-1535 Johnston St
Vancouver BC
v6h 3r9
604-669-3649
more news coming.........see you at the gallery!
January sees a new year with new and exciting things happening at the Gallery.
We have suspended our soap making classes for the time being as the Soap master Darren Monette is and has been so busy with the frenetic Christmas season including our attendance at the Circle Craft Christmas Market.......which was fantastic for us!
As per usual the holiday season was a matter of making product as fast as we can. The good news (and partially sad) is that we sold Woofles and Meowz to a wonderful couple, Stuart and Tracey who are continuing with the excellence that is that store. This gives us more time to concentrate on the Soap Gallery and making more products.
On that note we were pleasantly surprised to see three of our newest products sell like gangbusters at the craft fair as well as at Christmas. Those were the Lavender (repair) eye gel...the Cucumber/seaweed (help me!) eye gel and our amazing Night moisturizer with Co-enzyme Q10 and natural amber extract.....a stellar firming and hydrating treatment.
We are poised to create our online sales this spring and we will be offering other retail establishments an edited menu of our products.........great news!
Also......and finally!! our own line of natural shampoos, conditioners, leave in hair hydrators, bath bubbles and body wash is coming in February.
We are very excited!
There is also a few questions about our address as it seems that both google and a couple of other online sites have it wrong. I can assume they shared the info.......that happens.
The actual address of The Granville Island Soap Gallery is:
#104-1535 Johnston St
Vancouver BC
v6h 3r9
604-669-3649
more news coming.........see you at the gallery!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Summ..sum.SUMMERTIME!!!
Eh mag GAWD!!! busy busy at the Granville Island Soap Gallery this summer to say the least.
Hi everybody...hope you are having a nice summer. I have been pretty bad as usual in doing my blog entries but that is the nature of summer time I guess.
More soaps have been made as well as a few more products.........the lastest:
Peppermint-Talc Foot Gel
a soothing and cooling foot gel to soften and refresh even the tiredest of feet.
sounds yummy doesn't it?!
it is.
mah tired feets can attest to it.
How can ones feet get so crispy and gross by working in a store and manufacturing area??
perhaps if we were running on rocks and sand the dry areas would slough off?
regardless I do love making products that work for me and people come back touting the virtues of such...........maybe it makes me feel slightly empowered heehee.
People have as always, been asking about SOAP MAKING CLASSES..........well they are on hold until January 2013. Then we will be going great guns in that department.
This summer we will be running around being the busiest soap shop in Vancouver and then we are doing the Circle craft Christmas Fair http://www.circlecraft.net/Christmas-Market/
upcoming in November which should be a blast!!
It always makes me feel a wee bit nostalgic and Christmassy by kicking off the season with this show.
ok more later
Cheers and bubbles!
Darren
oh!! PS thanks to Gayle Wallace from Australia (a fellow soaper who watches my youtube videos) for stopping by and simply being delighful and charming! we took a pic to send to our pal Karen in Cumbria England.
Hi everybody...hope you are having a nice summer. I have been pretty bad as usual in doing my blog entries but that is the nature of summer time I guess.
More soaps have been made as well as a few more products.........the lastest:
Peppermint-Talc Foot Gel
a soothing and cooling foot gel to soften and refresh even the tiredest of feet.
sounds yummy doesn't it?!
it is.
mah tired feets can attest to it.
How can ones feet get so crispy and gross by working in a store and manufacturing area??
perhaps if we were running on rocks and sand the dry areas would slough off?
regardless I do love making products that work for me and people come back touting the virtues of such...........maybe it makes me feel slightly empowered heehee.
People have as always, been asking about SOAP MAKING CLASSES..........well they are on hold until January 2013. Then we will be going great guns in that department.
This summer we will be running around being the busiest soap shop in Vancouver and then we are doing the Circle craft Christmas Fair http://www.circlecraft.net/Christmas-Market/
upcoming in November which should be a blast!!
It always makes me feel a wee bit nostalgic and Christmassy by kicking off the season with this show.
ok more later
Cheers and bubbles!
Darren
oh!! PS thanks to Gayle Wallace from Australia (a fellow soaper who watches my youtube videos) for stopping by and simply being delighful and charming! we took a pic to send to our pal Karen in Cumbria England.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Hi everybody!
well it has been an interesting week this past one!
We have been doing some of our new products this week and they are finally out! yay!
along with out famous "Moisture Mousse", Peppermint Foot Balm, Massage Beans, and of course 520 different soaps, salts and bath bombs we now have our Natural lip balms, 6 different Room and linen sprays,6 different Natural body sprays, Mint foot gel, " Get Naked" bath foam, "Get Naked" shampoo/body wash.
.and we are just getting started.
I'll check in next week if I am still standing to let you know about our new website.
cheers and bubbles,
Darren
well it has been an interesting week this past one!
We have been doing some of our new products this week and they are finally out! yay!
along with out famous "Moisture Mousse", Peppermint Foot Balm, Massage Beans, and of course 520 different soaps, salts and bath bombs we now have our Natural lip balms, 6 different Room and linen sprays,6 different Natural body sprays, Mint foot gel, " Get Naked" bath foam, "Get Naked" shampoo/body wash.
.and we are just getting started.
I'll check in next week if I am still standing to let you know about our new website.
cheers and bubbles,
Darren
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Moisture Mousse at Granville Island Soap Gallery
Hi everybody!
I must admit I have been remiss in doing the blog
entries especially since our YouTube videos are taking
off and people are checking the blog.
We will be launching our retail oriented website this summer
as it IS time to do so. Usually we do our orders over the phone
when people call the Soap Gallery but a new site will
make things a wee bit easier.
The only problem may be that we do sell a lot of product by weight so I'll
have to figure out that process.
New soaps are being made every day and I sometimes can't keep up with the
making of it. Nice problem right!?!?
Our store on Granville Island is busy as ever so come on by!
You will see us making our most popular Moisture Mousse... A super
hydrating cream for the entire body that is not greasy rather it is
like putting a light layer of moisture right into the skin along with
our "Summer Garden" natural oil fragrance blend which is orange and pomegranate
mostly as well as our French Lavender....divine!! And of course
the Creamy organic Vanilla. We also do a scent free one called "Naked"
today I will be heading in early just to make more!!! Yay.
See you at the store!!!
All the best.
Darren Monette
I must admit I have been remiss in doing the blog
entries especially since our YouTube videos are taking
off and people are checking the blog.
We will be launching our retail oriented website this summer
as it IS time to do so. Usually we do our orders over the phone
when people call the Soap Gallery but a new site will
make things a wee bit easier.
The only problem may be that we do sell a lot of product by weight so I'll
have to figure out that process.
New soaps are being made every day and I sometimes can't keep up with the
making of it. Nice problem right!?!?
Our store on Granville Island is busy as ever so come on by!
You will see us making our most popular Moisture Mousse... A super
hydrating cream for the entire body that is not greasy rather it is
like putting a light layer of moisture right into the skin along with
our "Summer Garden" natural oil fragrance blend which is orange and pomegranate
mostly as well as our French Lavender....divine!! And of course
the Creamy organic Vanilla. We also do a scent free one called "Naked"
today I will be heading in early just to make more!!! Yay.
See you at the store!!!
All the best.
Darren Monette
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Me and Dianna Agron
So recently we had the nicest young lady with her friend Sebastian in the store shopping here at the Granville Island Soap Gallery.
Now, we get a lot of celebs shopping here at both The Soap Gallery and our other store Woofles and Meowz recently, such as the likes of Russell Crow............likes beeswax candles......Cloris Leachman......cute as anything......Jennifer Beals......woman just does not age.......and lots more!
So being a super fan of the GLEE show it was nice to see Dianna Agron in the store.
She is every bit as nice as you would think she is and having been cast as the "pretty girl" in the show I believe the casting director did their job.......she is GOR-GEE-OUS!!!
I did not want to stand next to her super handsome shopping date, Sebastian as he has that typical actors physique that renders anyone in close proximity to look like an ogre. "Standing next to you we would look like the number ten" I said feeling a bit Rhubenesque (thats chunky for y'all) so he was nice enough to take our pic ............"quick!! I can only hold in my gut for so long haha"
Look for Sebastian on an upcoming episode of "Once Upon a Time" which is filmed here in Steveston which doubles as Storybrooke, Maine.
Now, we get a lot of celebs shopping here at both The Soap Gallery and our other store Woofles and Meowz recently, such as the likes of Russell Crow............likes beeswax candles......Cloris Leachman......cute as anything......Jennifer Beals......woman just does not age.......and lots more!
So being a super fan of the GLEE show it was nice to see Dianna Agron in the store.
She is every bit as nice as you would think she is and having been cast as the "pretty girl" in the show I believe the casting director did their job.......she is GOR-GEE-OUS!!!
I did not want to stand next to her super handsome shopping date, Sebastian as he has that typical actors physique that renders anyone in close proximity to look like an ogre. "Standing next to you we would look like the number ten" I said feeling a bit Rhubenesque (thats chunky for y'all) so he was nice enough to take our pic ............"quick!! I can only hold in my gut for so long haha"
Look for Sebastian on an upcoming episode of "Once Upon a Time" which is filmed here in Steveston which doubles as Storybrooke, Maine.
Truth is Advertising takes Ivory soap to task
So! recently I have noticed that Ivory Soap or more accurately the people at Proctor and Gamble have decided quite shrewdly to advertise on Youtube on the channels that show handmade, natural or organic soap. Natural soapmakers being a particular lot that for the most part, put a lot of effort into making soap and cosmetics with natural ingredients and/or list any bio-synthetics that are present.
The "rub" is that Ivory seems to be touting its product as a "pure" soap.............and it may just be............but Pure WHAT???????????
99 +44/100s pure soap made with beef fat is lovely but misleading to say....a vegan person. Lets have a more concise labeling structure in our products shall we?!?!?
...oh and by the way........our PURE soap is made with Olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, water and sodium hydroxide (lye)..........so that makes it.........what...100% pure?
...........jus' sayin!!!
The "rub" is that Ivory seems to be touting its product as a "pure" soap.............and it may just be............but Pure WHAT???????????
99 +44/100s pure soap made with beef fat is lovely but misleading to say....a vegan person. Lets have a more concise labeling structure in our products shall we?!?!?
...oh and by the way........our PURE soap is made with Olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, water and sodium hydroxide (lye)..........so that makes it.........what...100% pure?
...........jus' sayin!!!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Soaping on Granville Island
Wow!!!
its been sooo long since we put together a blog entry that it is embarrassing!! The only thing I can say is that we have been super busy with Christmas and its aftermath that life gets in the way.
Update on soap classes:
Soap classes are booked solid up until March and that one is possibly booked by a large group....nice problem to have right?!
We HAVE also been working on the new products in our line and added to our already super Moisture Mousse(s) we have our Peppermint Foot Balm which has turned out to be a best seller.......yay! its super emollient and the oils really help with cracking feet.
"ladies and gentlemen!.......save your sheets and socks!!!!! get the Peppermint foot balm.....those of you who KNOW about crispy heels and how it wreaks havoc on nice sheets know what I'm talking about......forget even satin sheets!! SHRED!!!!
Also in our new lineup is the Moroccan Spice Massage Beans.....an amazing little bean about 1.5 inches by 1 inch that when warmed to the skin provides the perfect amount of "slip and drag" which, if you have ever worked as a massage therapist is really important. The cool thing about these beans is that you do NOT have to shower or even sponge bath afterwards as the skin really accepts the oils readily to moisturize beautifully!
We decided to make these in a small size to fit the palm of your hand nicely and you can get several uses out of one bean without a half used massage bar just hanging around looking forlorn and gross. We infused these little beans with a gorgeous spice mix including Vanilla, Frankincense, Sandalwood so it is warm and sensual and not overpowering to the person getting or giving the massage. I use them on my hands when they get dry too.
We have rounded out our natural bath bombs to include, Spicy Orange, Summer Garden (our signature scent) Peachy Peach, Amber-Rose, Fresh Cucumber, Lavender blend, Sandalwood, Buttercream, and Cherry Bombs for the kids (with a toy inside).
Come on by the store here on Granville Island located right under the Sandbar Restaurant at the Creekhouse.
see you then!
its been sooo long since we put together a blog entry that it is embarrassing!! The only thing I can say is that we have been super busy with Christmas and its aftermath that life gets in the way.
Update on soap classes:
Soap classes are booked solid up until March and that one is possibly booked by a large group....nice problem to have right?!
We HAVE also been working on the new products in our line and added to our already super Moisture Mousse(s) we have our Peppermint Foot Balm which has turned out to be a best seller.......yay! its super emollient and the oils really help with cracking feet.
"ladies and gentlemen!.......save your sheets and socks!!!!! get the Peppermint foot balm.....those of you who KNOW about crispy heels and how it wreaks havoc on nice sheets know what I'm talking about......forget even satin sheets!! SHRED!!!!
Also in our new lineup is the Moroccan Spice Massage Beans.....an amazing little bean about 1.5 inches by 1 inch that when warmed to the skin provides the perfect amount of "slip and drag" which, if you have ever worked as a massage therapist is really important. The cool thing about these beans is that you do NOT have to shower or even sponge bath afterwards as the skin really accepts the oils readily to moisturize beautifully!
We decided to make these in a small size to fit the palm of your hand nicely and you can get several uses out of one bean without a half used massage bar just hanging around looking forlorn and gross. We infused these little beans with a gorgeous spice mix including Vanilla, Frankincense, Sandalwood so it is warm and sensual and not overpowering to the person getting or giving the massage. I use them on my hands when they get dry too.
We have rounded out our natural bath bombs to include, Spicy Orange, Summer Garden (our signature scent) Peachy Peach, Amber-Rose, Fresh Cucumber, Lavender blend, Sandalwood, Buttercream, and Cherry Bombs for the kids (with a toy inside).
Come on by the store here on Granville Island located right under the Sandbar Restaurant at the Creekhouse.
see you then!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Soap classes at The Granville Island Soap Gallery!!
Well, its THAT time of the year again! Soap classes return to the gallery in the fall staring October 15th which is a Saturday.
Staring at 10 am:
Beginner class: this class we learn to scent and colour glycerine based soaps essentially reformatting them to wonderful creations of your own doing. We will do hand tinted Koi fish, lemon candies, donuts with sprinkles.
Intermediate class we learn to do more elaborate items like embeds in cakes, decorating cakes and techniques to make dessert type soaps.
Advanced class students are shown two ways of traditional soap making...cold and hot process using essential oils. This is a old school way of soap making using fats and lye. No students under 16. pls bring a clean 2 litre milk carton to take some product home to cut and dry the next day.
.............all classes are fun , interesting and students take home some of their own work.
Simply call the store at 604-669-3649 to register!!
Staring at 10 am:
Beginner class: this class we learn to scent and colour glycerine based soaps essentially reformatting them to wonderful creations of your own doing. We will do hand tinted Koi fish, lemon candies, donuts with sprinkles.
Intermediate class we learn to do more elaborate items like embeds in cakes, decorating cakes and techniques to make dessert type soaps.
Advanced class students are shown two ways of traditional soap making...cold and hot process using essential oils. This is a old school way of soap making using fats and lye. No students under 16. pls bring a clean 2 litre milk carton to take some product home to cut and dry the next day.
.............all classes are fun , interesting and students take home some of their own work.
Simply call the store at 604-669-3649 to register!!
Friday, September 16, 2011
New Products at the Granville Island Soap Gallery!!
Hi Everyone!
This summer has been super busy with all the great visitors coming to Granville Island as well as the 'soapers' that stop by for a wee chat. I LOVE going over recipe ideas with people from their teens to well into their 80s.
It seems that a lot of people have had an interest in soap making at least once in their lifetime and many have tried with mixed results.
Some great stories come out of it either way!
Sooooo the next step in our great plan is the continuation of our hand made products, especially the soaps and the Moisture Mousse, especially the Moisture Mousse which we cannot.....cannot keep n the store or make fast enough.
I know one of the reasons is that my "mother-in-law" June is forever asking people to try one of the four scents we have in the line and once on the hands or arm people are hooked!
We like to call our Pomegranate and Orange mousse..."whipped cocaine"...one try and you are hooked.
This leads us to expand our line coming at the end of September (I know, later than we expected...hey we've been busy eh!) with:
All organic products consisting of:
Peppermint foot gel
Aloe eye gel
Shampoo
Conditioner
Spray-in detangler.
Bath oil
Bubble Bath
Kids bubbles
Lip balm
Liquid hand wash
Massage bar
...........and more!
We will do these in our favourite scents like "Summer garden", Lavender, French Vanilla and Naked.
the best part is that we will have a recycling program with the bottles so we will reduce the plastic footprint. Only ONE bottle will be out there per person rather than multiples.
anyway...thats it for today....back to making soap!
cheerio,
Darren
This summer has been super busy with all the great visitors coming to Granville Island as well as the 'soapers' that stop by for a wee chat. I LOVE going over recipe ideas with people from their teens to well into their 80s.
It seems that a lot of people have had an interest in soap making at least once in their lifetime and many have tried with mixed results.
Some great stories come out of it either way!
Sooooo the next step in our great plan is the continuation of our hand made products, especially the soaps and the Moisture Mousse, especially the Moisture Mousse which we cannot.....cannot keep n the store or make fast enough.
I know one of the reasons is that my "mother-in-law" June is forever asking people to try one of the four scents we have in the line and once on the hands or arm people are hooked!
We like to call our Pomegranate and Orange mousse..."whipped cocaine"...one try and you are hooked.
This leads us to expand our line coming at the end of September (I know, later than we expected...hey we've been busy eh!) with:
All organic products consisting of:
Peppermint foot gel
Aloe eye gel
Shampoo
Conditioner
Spray-in detangler.
Bath oil
Bubble Bath
Kids bubbles
Lip balm
Liquid hand wash
Massage bar
...........and more!
We will do these in our favourite scents like "Summer garden", Lavender, French Vanilla and Naked.
the best part is that we will have a recycling program with the bottles so we will reduce the plastic footprint. Only ONE bottle will be out there per person rather than multiples.
anyway...thats it for today....back to making soap!
cheerio,
Darren
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Sensitive skin!!
Ok so now a year has gone by and there seems to be one common denominator within the questions asked by our customers and that is ..."what can I use for my sensitive skin?"
The truth in the answer comes from 26 years of making cosmetics and having both a skin care clinic and a soap store and that is............"we're ALL sensitive..its just how we deal with it both emotionally and physically"
Sounds pretty abstract but in the simple vein of the answer it is true that we all have issues whether mild or extreme at one part or time of our life.
Some people have legitimate concerns with regard to actual problems like eczema or environmental stressors that are hard on our largest organ.
Some people are simply whiners who like the whole world think they are so special that even the mildest product will create havoc with their skin, life, mental state. Its a wee bit tiring as its those people who can't smell a lovely lemon verbena soap but I find them smoking five minutes later.
.....aaaaaaand there is a whole slew of people somewhere in the middle.
In actuality the less we do for for our skin, the better. It has become increasingly clear to me that, the skin, if given the opportunity to balance itself out, will do so.
This is not to say that anyone with a legitimate skin condition ignore advice of a trained professional but I always ask and listen to people when they say they have an issue and what they are using to try to alleviate that condition.
As Oprah would say..."what I know to be true is"........often people are "bandaiding" a problem rather than getting to the root of what is ailing them.
A great example is a busy hair cutter/stylist comes into the store from last January to just yesterday and complains bitterly that his hands are dry and cracked, raw and bleeding. This guys hands looked terrible and he had tried everything to great distress and financial strain. The first day I saw him I mentioned that using commercial shampoo on his customers hands, especially a super foamy, traditionally made salon formula (which is super stripping as it has to get all the gunk that people have on their heads so color and perms take well) will simply be the problem.
Sooooooo five months later hes back after trying everything and more and he is back from vacation......two weeks of vacation..........where he was not using any shampoo in the salon..........and simply allowing his hands to heal............and he sheepishly asked for our new body mousse cream.
"hows yer hands? I asked.
"Great!...seems Mexico and the rest did wonders" he nods.
"......and no shampooing clients maybe?" through a wincing smile I offered.
The light came on.
"Use gloves at work!!...duh!!" I laughed.
"oh yeh...duh.....!"
"and use your Moisture Mousse sparingly.....its a great formula....is that on your visa?"
Another case is a wee girl (well she was 16 or so....wee to me) says to me that her skin has been bad since she was 12 and the only time it gets better is in the summer.
We figured out that there was no case for a CSI investigation after more chatting but more to it that she is a swimmer in the summertime....outside....at a lake...where she wore no cover up make up (an evil material) and it was the combination of sun, exfoliation, letting herself sweat, and lack of the make up particles that let her skin balance and normalize itself to its own best ability.
The list goes on with dozens of cases but getting back to the "sensitive" factor I know for a fact that most people are less sensitive than they think and more stressing on their bodies so that it cant take the BS we put it through.
The truth in the answer comes from 26 years of making cosmetics and having both a skin care clinic and a soap store and that is............"we're ALL sensitive..its just how we deal with it both emotionally and physically"
Sounds pretty abstract but in the simple vein of the answer it is true that we all have issues whether mild or extreme at one part or time of our life.
Some people have legitimate concerns with regard to actual problems like eczema or environmental stressors that are hard on our largest organ.
Some people are simply whiners who like the whole world think they are so special that even the mildest product will create havoc with their skin, life, mental state. Its a wee bit tiring as its those people who can't smell a lovely lemon verbena soap but I find them smoking five minutes later.
.....aaaaaaand there is a whole slew of people somewhere in the middle.
In actuality the less we do for for our skin, the better. It has become increasingly clear to me that, the skin, if given the opportunity to balance itself out, will do so.
This is not to say that anyone with a legitimate skin condition ignore advice of a trained professional but I always ask and listen to people when they say they have an issue and what they are using to try to alleviate that condition.
As Oprah would say..."what I know to be true is"........often people are "bandaiding" a problem rather than getting to the root of what is ailing them.
A great example is a busy hair cutter/stylist comes into the store from last January to just yesterday and complains bitterly that his hands are dry and cracked, raw and bleeding. This guys hands looked terrible and he had tried everything to great distress and financial strain. The first day I saw him I mentioned that using commercial shampoo on his customers hands, especially a super foamy, traditionally made salon formula (which is super stripping as it has to get all the gunk that people have on their heads so color and perms take well) will simply be the problem.
Sooooooo five months later hes back after trying everything and more and he is back from vacation......two weeks of vacation..........where he was not using any shampoo in the salon..........and simply allowing his hands to heal............and he sheepishly asked for our new body mousse cream.
"hows yer hands? I asked.
"Great!...seems Mexico and the rest did wonders" he nods.
"......and no shampooing clients maybe?" through a wincing smile I offered.
The light came on.
"Use gloves at work!!...duh!!" I laughed.
"oh yeh...duh.....!"
"and use your Moisture Mousse sparingly.....its a great formula....is that on your visa?"
Another case is a wee girl (well she was 16 or so....wee to me) says to me that her skin has been bad since she was 12 and the only time it gets better is in the summer.
We figured out that there was no case for a CSI investigation after more chatting but more to it that she is a swimmer in the summertime....outside....at a lake...where she wore no cover up make up (an evil material) and it was the combination of sun, exfoliation, letting herself sweat, and lack of the make up particles that let her skin balance and normalize itself to its own best ability.
The list goes on with dozens of cases but getting back to the "sensitive" factor I know for a fact that most people are less sensitive than they think and more stressing on their bodies so that it cant take the BS we put it through.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Soap in Vancouver...the Good the bad and the ugly!
Lately we have been making soap fast and furiously as the only shop in Vancouver to do so right in the store. Busy little beavers have we been in the "soap making area".
This leads the store to smell like a cornucopia of lemon and chocolate, almond and patchouli and a lot of other food grade essential oils.
This would be the GOOD....or the great. All day long we hear how it smells just so much better than other certain stores that sell soap..........do we really need to name them? No.....ok yes....LUSH!!
You know which one I am talking about. You can smell the synthetic soap ingredients a block away and they have had more than their fair of disputes with their neighbors who somehow did not like the smell of the products wafting into their cafes and retail stores.......this would be the UGLY.
I am actually pretty pissed at Lush for making millions of people shy away from scent!!!
Sometimes people come to our door and shy away for fear that it is smelly.....then they linger and say "oh! this is way better than other stores I have come across".
"yes......we know...." is the response.
So now for the BAD. I can only tell you that if the product in a so called store looks just like the one in the Drug store......it IS!
Once a company gets so big it has to contract it's product base to other companies who then subcontract to someone else there is no quality control. I don't care who the company is. This is how Kathie Lee Gifford found out her products were being made in less than stellar conditions for a while. Kudos to her and her husband Frank though for catching the problem and helping to implement stricter controls for manufacturing.
We will always know what is in our product lines.......cause you are important to us.....thin skinned or thick..we love it all.
Darren
This leads the store to smell like a cornucopia of lemon and chocolate, almond and patchouli and a lot of other food grade essential oils.
This would be the GOOD....or the great. All day long we hear how it smells just so much better than other certain stores that sell soap..........do we really need to name them? No.....ok yes....LUSH!!
You know which one I am talking about. You can smell the synthetic soap ingredients a block away and they have had more than their fair of disputes with their neighbors who somehow did not like the smell of the products wafting into their cafes and retail stores.......this would be the UGLY.
I am actually pretty pissed at Lush for making millions of people shy away from scent!!!
Sometimes people come to our door and shy away for fear that it is smelly.....then they linger and say "oh! this is way better than other stores I have come across".
"yes......we know...." is the response.
So now for the BAD. I can only tell you that if the product in a so called store looks just like the one in the Drug store......it IS!
Once a company gets so big it has to contract it's product base to other companies who then subcontract to someone else there is no quality control. I don't care who the company is. This is how Kathie Lee Gifford found out her products were being made in less than stellar conditions for a while. Kudos to her and her husband Frank though for catching the problem and helping to implement stricter controls for manufacturing.
We will always know what is in our product lines.......cause you are important to us.....thin skinned or thick..we love it all.
Darren
Friday, April 8, 2011
Bulk products at The Granville Island Soap Gallery!!!
Hey fellow bubble lovers!
We have been slammed damn busy these past few weeks but we are taking the time to launch a very exciting new product line(s) here in the Soap Gallery.
It is our bulk line of products!
We have been asked by so many if our SIGNATURE LINE scents can come in any other products than what we presently carry and after long thought we have created an eco friendly and gorgeous lineup.
The concept had to be carefully cogniscient of the packaging dilemma while still creating a nice package.
The result was a "fill a bottle....bring it back...we will recycle it for you and get a deal on your next fill"
This reduces the plastic footprint...you can decide to have a label IF you want and our recycling program is efficient and clean!
We are very excited to also be bringing several products with a focus on the organic and essential oil compositions such as:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Bubble Bath
Bath and massage oil
Body wash
Peppermint foot cream
Body lotion
Body cream
Aloe eye gel
Body scrub
Lip balms
Foot balms
...and more!!
we plan to do these up in our Signature "Creamy French Vanilla", our "Summer Garden" scent and of course scent free!
Our launch is targeted for May 5th.
Come on by to test what we have!
cheers,
Darren Monette
We have been slammed damn busy these past few weeks but we are taking the time to launch a very exciting new product line(s) here in the Soap Gallery.
It is our bulk line of products!
We have been asked by so many if our SIGNATURE LINE scents can come in any other products than what we presently carry and after long thought we have created an eco friendly and gorgeous lineup.
The concept had to be carefully cogniscient of the packaging dilemma while still creating a nice package.
The result was a "fill a bottle....bring it back...we will recycle it for you and get a deal on your next fill"
This reduces the plastic footprint...you can decide to have a label IF you want and our recycling program is efficient and clean!
We are very excited to also be bringing several products with a focus on the organic and essential oil compositions such as:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Bubble Bath
Bath and massage oil
Body wash
Peppermint foot cream
Body lotion
Body cream
Aloe eye gel
Body scrub
Lip balms
Foot balms
...and more!!
we plan to do these up in our Signature "Creamy French Vanilla", our "Summer Garden" scent and of course scent free!
Our launch is targeted for May 5th.
Come on by to test what we have!
cheers,
Darren Monette
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