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Looking for YOUR input

CBLindsay

CBLindsay

I Blame Dave
Owner
Legacy
One of the major benefits of being a vendor here on the TSC forum is the ability to ask the community what they think about things I may be doing or considering doing. So i have a few questions to ask y'all.

I have found that different batches of tallow (my Wagyu tallow is freshly rendered by North Alabama Wagyu) produce softer or firmer soap, add in the impact of various scent oils and you get even more variation in consistency. CBL soap is already pretty soft, MY personal preference and intent is to produce a firmer soap that is moldable but not sticky. The beer base and hemp oil base both end up far softer than I would like to have them...but they perform SO well. This brings me to my first question. Do you prefer firmer soap or would you be willing to accept a softer (possibly tacky or sticky) soap that performs at an elite level? Assuming performance is the same does the firmness or softness of a soap impact the perceived value?

Cream...what do you think of a cream like version of Hemp oil base? I have prepared a 2 gallon batch of hemp oil cream but am conflicted about making it part of my regular line. When I say cream i mean a base so soft it will have some ability to flow and is best loaded by dipping rather than swirling. What if the cream were sold in 6 ounce portions rather than 4? (Note: cream does not mean it has been watered down, only that the formula results is a creamier consistency)

Speaking of portion size. I am strongly considering offering (or switching to) a 2 ounce portion rather than 4. I had originally intended to sell CBL soap in the 88ml tubs but decided at the last minute to go to the bigger 200ml tubs because it is easier to load from. I am once again considering switching to 2-2.5 ounce portions BUT I am thinking of sticking with the larger tubs. The big question on my mind is...will 2 ounces in the 6.7ounce tub look pathetic? Will getting such a small portion in such a big tub leave you feeling like you didn't get the value you expected (assume the price is simply half the current price for half the current volume)? Would getting 2 to 2.5 ounces of CBL soap in a smaller tub be preferred?

On a related note, I am thinking of offering a 1 ounce "sample" size which will be sold in the 88ml tub. I think the 1 ounce portion in the 88ml tub will look like a decent value but its worth asking TSC member thoughts.
 
Bring on the hemp based soap! I don't care that it is less firm and slightly tacky. It's the best soap I've ever used and I want more of it! I do prefer firmer soaps but I'll make an exception. Now, I will say this, most of the time when I get a soap that is too soft for my liking, including some of yours... I just leave the lid off it for a day or two and let it dry out. This usually gets it to a texture I prefer, and doesn't affect the scent or anything else about it.

I don't care for creams at all. I need to swirl my brush to load it, and don't really care for any other method.

I like the larger tubs, because I like having a larger surface area for loading. Maybe a shorter tub would be better? Honestly, if it's a scent I like, I'm going to buy a few, and condense them into one full tub anyway. I dislike the smaller tubs you used for the limited releases. Just too small for my tastes. I moved all of mine into larger tubs. What Stirling used for their Black Friday releases was about as small of a tub as I'd like to see to be practical, 3 oz soap in a 4 oz tub. It was a good amount of soap, and still small/compact., But I do still prefer larger given the choice.

Would you consider offering different size options, for the same tub? Like give people the choice of having 3 or 6 ounces put into their tub? If I'm going to buy two tubs and condense them anyway, then it's saving us both time and money to just fill my tub up all the way to begin with.

I would definitely buy one ounce samples to test out new scents before committing to full size tubs.
 
Chris, it's great that you're looking for input on these kinds of things, and I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone when I say how much we appreciate being able to help provide some input.

I haven't tried the beer or hemp base, and can't comment on those. Your soaps are already on the softer/tackier side, but that is easily compensated for with some minor adjustments to loading. I'm of the opinion that performance trumps consistency every time, though if the performance were identical I would prefer a somewhat firmer soap. That flows(see what I did there?) right into the subject of the hemp cream. That sounds like something I'd definitely try. If you've already made a limited batch, I'm guessing that you're going to have a trial run to see how well it's received? 4 oz initially would probably be a good call, and see what people say when they've had time to have a few shaves with it. Or even sell 1-2 ounces to get more out there so you can get more feedback.

As for portion size, I usually don't care for smaller containers. BUT, that brings things right back around to the consistency of the soap. I normally have trouble loading from a smaller tub, but that isn't the case with your soaps. Having both 4 ounce and 2 ounce tubs of CBL I can say from experience that the smaller tub actually makes it a little easier for me to not overload the brush, and the loading process still takes very little time. 2 ounce in a 6.7 ounce tub would look pretty pathetic. It wouldn't affect my thoughts on the value of the soap, but it would look a little wasteful, even though I know that the tubs would be repurposed once they were empty.

The 1 ounce is a fantastic idea. That is the kind of thing I would order several of to see which scents I prefer, then PIF the "sample" to friends that I'm trying to convert to wet shaving and ordering full tubs of my favorites.
 
All I'll add is that the container size that Stirling did for his Black Friday release is my ideal container.
 
I'll think of your questions in terms of another vendor because I'll buy whatever you make as long as the scent is in my wheelhouse.

You know I scoop so tub size makes no difference. The smaller the portion we can buy, the better I like it because I'll never use a tub of most any one soap ever. Visually, it would look undesirable though to have a small volume in a large tub. Same cost, I would much prefer a small tub being filled rather than a fraction of a larger tub being filled. It would look like "being cheated" even though I knew I paid for a smaller amount.

I don't use creams, other than TOBS which comes in a tub anyway. So I likely wouldn't buy a "cream" from any other vendor other than yourself.

I smear the soap into the bowl, so prefer it not feel sticky, but I wouldn't buy or not buy based on that. I like the feel for a firmer soap myself. Feels more substantial and again like you get more for your money.
 
The thoughts expressed so far are pretty much in line with how I have been thinking. As users who have too many soaps anyway a 4 ounce portion is more than we need, and smaller portions could allow for more variety. I would prefer to limit the smaller tubs to the samples for two reasons 1) i think you need to be able to swirl on a full sample for best effect. 2) the size tub is manageable for samples but just too small for a daily use tub. I would definitely consider 2 or 3 ounces in a 4 ounce tub. The major obstacle with the 4 ounce tub is availability. I like the low profile tubs and finding a 4 ounce low profile is difficult...finding one at a favorable price is another thing.
 
I agree that 2 oz is a great amount especially since most of us who are into artisans have way too many soaps to go around. I am sure a dollar or two more in pricing for the right container will be worth the investment for the potential buyer. The tiny containers are a PITA to load.
 
I have the Wagu tallow in a full tub and the hemp in that chocolate sample you made for me. I really like both. They both perform very well, and the consistency of both is good for me personally.

I am definitely in the performance trumps hard/soft camp with no hesitation.

I'm also not really interested in creams. I've not used one personally that performs as well as the soaps.
Even when they are the same name/brand/flavor.

I don't mind smaller portions, but I do like the bigger easier to load containers also.

I do like the idea of the samples too. Since I have little to no clue what half the scent profiles are most times, and react to things most people don't and don't react to things that most do, it would give me a better idea before I got a whole tub.
 
I’ll say that I like the idea of different sized tubs offered at their respective price points, but not necessarily the idea of softer soaps.

I have moved away almost completely from cream-like soaps. I feel like CBL Wagyu and beer bases are the absolute softest I would ever want a soap to be. I was quite surprised at the relatively low shave count gotten out of a full sized tub that was 3017ed. For some reason I just equate harder soaps with better value along with performance, but softer soaps the performance is there but they're too easy to overload.

Don’t get me wrong, CBL is elite soap, and the value mainly comes from the superb shave experience it helps bring about. Value vs amount of superior experience offered is a difficult balance to find in any case.

I most happy to hear a more firm puck is in the works even more than hearing about the variety of sizes offered, though that is good too!

I just need to stinkin burn through some of the lesser soaps I have so I can feel justified in expanding my CBL collection little by little. (I’m quite disappointed that my Christmas ploy for soaps didn’t work)
 
I will agree with everyone that said the performance always will trump the consistency of the soap for me. Also I have figured out how to load from a WWSC soap container so even if you went to a smaller container CBL is one of my top five that as long as these are in business I’m going to own one or more regardless as long as I can.
 
For consistency, I don't like products that are too soft to load from the tub but are thicker than a cream. Other than that, I don't care.
For size, I really like the idea of 1 oz samples.
 
For me, performance trumps all. I don't really mind if something is hard or soft. The only time consistency comes into any sort of consideration for me is when I am picking my brush for the day.

I do not have an aversion to creams. If you say it is as great of a performer as the soap, then I say it would be worth a shot.

Size wise, 3oz in a 4oz container would be perfect, but I do understand that those containers are hard to source. I do like a little bit of head room in my tubs. I think any tub that is less than half full would feel like a waste though.

Edit: Samples are a great idea.
 
I like the surface are of the larger containers, and the performance bump sounds great. I agree with the guys here. Is there a big flatter container like a low profile 3oz that could go 2oz?
 
If you could find those Stirling 4 oz tubs but in red or blue to match your logo that would be awesome!
 
Cvargo said:
Yeah like the grocery sacks that Chris loves so much!
Click to expand...

Dude, you should see my under the kitchen sink stash of Target bags...I always forget to take them when shopping!
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Chris,

i cant judge your soaps performances yet because I just got my first two tubs and am in the middle of a 3017 of Chiseled face.

I think you should offer a cream based soap as an alternative. TOB and Trumperts do as an example. Some people cream some are soaps. I think the final products performance. where someone goes with. I use TOB creams for travel.

I have two soaps in a 2.5 oz container. One it Stop Shoppe travel size and TOBs travel size. The tub or strop Shoppe is not particle. The one of TOB is ideal. I can send you photos if you want. I think psychologically putting smaller amount in a same size might feel like someone is being cheated. Even though they are paying less. A smaller tub might be needed.
Would you give two size options? Still make the 4 oz? Just curious.
 
For me performance and scent trump consistancy but with those being equal I like harder because I feel like I have finer control of the load but as has been said that can be accounted for. I'd say go for the cream, I don't have many anymore but I do like them from time to time. I think a smaller amount of soap in a big tub could go either way. It doesn't look good but at the same time a customer knows how much they are getting when they order. As for samples, those are always a plus.
 
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