An online store of handmade soaps

<h3>Hello ! Welcome to this crowdfunding which consists of&nbsp;opening an online store of handmade cold process soaps.</h3> <p>The soaps of the futur shop&nbsp;are&nbsp;made from&nbsp;<strong>vegetable oil</strong>, absent of animal fats, palm oil&nbsp;or mineral oils, colored with natural products <em>(clays, dried botanicals, activated charcoal&nbsp;etc...)</em> and scented, or not, with essential oils or fragrances without allergens.</p> <p><img alt="" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/729926/8e796f65-cfe3-4b67-a4e1-6692f54eebde.gif" width="100%" /></p> <p>Through this new brand, I also want to highlight the <strong>Made in France</strong>, through not only the sale of my soaps, but also with accessories <em>(soap dishes, travel pouches)</em> made by French craftsmen, and yes! who says soaps made in France also says accessories made in France ;).</p> <p>In case you didn&#39;t know, handmade soaps has two &quot;hydration&quot; advantages that industrial soaps do not have: the high glycerin content and superfatting.</p> <p>In addition, using solid&nbsp;soaps will help contribute&nbsp;to <strong>zero waste</strong> <em>(no more plastic bottles for shower gels!)</em>.</p> <hr /> <h3><strong>Creator and the Origins of the Project</strong></h3> <p>But who is the&nbsp;soap maker behind this project?</p> <p>My name is <strong>Naomi</strong>, I am 28 years old, I have a master&#39;s degree in tourism and I recently left my previous&nbsp;job following an economic layoff. With this extra time, I decided to take the&nbsp;opportunity to embark on this epic personal dream of mine : to open my own&nbsp;online store of handmade soaps.</p> <p><img alt="" src="https://d3v4jsc54141g1.cloudfront.net/uploads/project_image/image/726228/0bceb158-1b93-4292-a59c-d300f414036d.jpeg" width="100%" /></p> <p>I started making bar&nbsp;soaps for fun in early 2019 following a trip to Canada where I met another passionate soap maker who inspired me a lot with her sense of art and dedication to the craft <em>(she still inspires me to this day)</em>. I first started to learn through studying books, watching online tutorials and then eventually participating in a workshop in Paris to learn the basics of cold process soap.</p> <h3>But what is cold process soap?</h3> <p>Saponification occurs when a <strong>fatty substance is mixed with lye</strong>, at a certain temperature. When these two components are brought together, the molecules recombine to form soap and glycerin.</p> <p>Once the soaps have been removed from the mold you have to be patient, in fact they must go through a <strong>drying period of 4 to 6 weeks</strong> before being used. During this period, the last traces of soda disappear and excess moisture evaporates, leaving the soap in a perfectly, cold hardened state, ready for use.</p> <hr /> <h3><strong>The Project in Detail</strong></h3> <p>The <strong>store</strong> will open its doors on <strong>Etsy</strong> and <strong>Un Grand March&eacute;</strong> platforms <em>(websites dedicated to craftsmen)</em> with&nbsp;a variety of 6 soaps and associated accessories to start <em>(soap dishes, pouches, etc ...)</em>. Subsequently, I would like to develop more products to offer a more varied range <em>(bath salts, solid shampoos ...)</em>. But first, we&rsquo;ll start of all with the implementation of the soaps <em>(everything in its time!)</em>.</p> <p>You should know that in order&nbsp;to sell soap in Europe, each formula must be <strong>validated by a qualified toxicologist</strong> before being able to sell them on the European market.</p> <p>It is also necessary to respect all&nbsp;<strong>ISO standards</strong> concerning the soap production workshop.</p> <p>Today I have already invested in a good part of the <strong>equipment</strong>: soap cutter, molds, containers, protective glasses, mixer etc. I also made the choice of the range of soaps and created the logo.</p> <p>I had registered the brand&nbsp;&quot;NAO SOAP&quot; with the INPI but unfortunately this one was refused because too close to a name of an already existing cosmetic laboratory.</p> <p>So I have to find a <strong>new name</strong> and also register&nbsp;it.</p> <p>I am currently in the process of choosing the packaging, creating the business / thank you cards, making the photos and videos for the future site, setting up the documents before sending to the laboratory, and finding a new name.</p> <h3><strong>Why contribute?</strong></h3> <p>I am asking you today to help finance part of the toxicological analysis, the deposit for the new name and the logo with the INPI, the purchase of additional materials and a storage base for packaging and accessories.</p> <p>My hope is to see the debut&nbsp;of this project in&nbsp;<strong>July 2021</strong>!</p> <hr /> <h3><strong>The rewards</strong></h3> <p>In exchange for your donations, you will have the right to choose the <strong>handmade soaps</strong> of your choice, accompanied by a thank you card, or even, the chance to participate in a <strong>soap workshop</strong> to learn the basics.</p> <p><em>Please note that the delivery costs will&nbsp;not be included.</em></p>