Resources

I try to purchase as many local supplies as possible not just to support my local community but to also reduce my carbon footprint.  

Suppliers in the state of Washington

My favorite place to buy essential oils and fragrances locally is Tenzing Momo, located in Pike Place Market.  I can walk to the store during my lunch break and if there's time, also stop by the market for fresh produce and maybe even lunch.  They have a huge selection of herbs as well as incense and tinctures.  I feel like a kid in a candy store whenever I visit.  Plus, they have a friendly and helpful staff.

When I need fabric to make my drawstring bags for soap, I also love LOVE to visit just around the corner from Tenzing Momo, Undercover Quilts.  It's a cute little store stuffed with fabric and patterns and notions. 

Another great soap (and candle) supply store is Zenith Supplies located about a 20 minute drive from where I live.  They sell supplies in their store as well as online.  Their website has a lot of information, including recipes for soaps, candles, lotions and Ingredients and Material Safety Data Sheets for their lotions, essential and fragrance oils and glycerin oils.   

The main soap supplier of oils and butters that I order from is Bramble Berry, located 2 hours north of Seattle in Bellingham, WA.   They have a fantastic selection of ingredients, including extracts, and their website is informative and fun.  The website also provides resources such as a lye calculator and provides a section of their website to promote the success of other soap makers.  The customer service is fantastic and I look forward to getting a cute little fragrance bottle sampler with my orders.  And I especially respect their Social Responsibility Statement.  

Suppliers outside the state of Washington

Nature's Garden (Ohio): Hundreds of fragrance oils!  If you order more than ten 1 oz samples, (which is easy to do!) you get 50 cents off per sample.  The descriptions of their fragrance/essential oils are both creative and informative.  They also provide a lengthy information section on usage, coloring suggestions, compatibility (how it will trace in soaps, any discoloration).  It's a fun website and I can spend hours browsing the various  categories.

GoPlanetEarth (Michigan): I purchased tube molds from this site. Great resource for packaging. I especially like their small eco-friendly gusseted soap bags "made from renewable plants grown in managed plantations.  Certified biodegradable and compostable. Heat sealable and resistant to greases, oils, and fats." 

Soap Making Supplies (Pennsylvania):  This is a great resource for natural colorants and tutorials. 

Organic Creations (Oregon):  Awesome organic supplies.  The herbs are wildharvested by environmentally friendly methods.  Each ingredient has usage information.