Worth Mentioning

In the previous post I revealed the winners of the annual top suppliers according to Saponifier magazine. Before I do my "Honorable Mention," I will reaffirm why the top overall faves are so deserved of this honor:

1. Brambleberry: If you want superior quality with superior customer service, then you have arrived! The old adage proves you get what you pay for. Brambleberry aint cheap compared to the many suppliers you can find online, but their fragrance oils are un-beatable. What I love most about them is the descriptions are dead on! I also love the fact that they tell you how the FO performs in the different soap- and bath and body-making processes. There are also many useful tools on the site such as a lye calculator, links to affiliate sites, recipes, scent-blending options, and pre-made kits. No, I'm not on the payroll. My one little poo-poo: They need an east coast distributor!!! My favorite scents: Relaxing, Oatmeal, Milk & Honey, and Orchard (discontinued I think because I don't see it on the site anymore.)
2. Elements Bath & Body: Elements is a modge-podge of a supplier, if you will. I buy my labels from them as well as some containers and dry additives such as rose petals and lavender buds. They constantly run specials on their entire product line, and the shipping is quick! My recommendation: the labels!
3. Southern Soapers: I love SS because they're in Virginia which is "around the corner" from me, so the shipping and service is quick and efficient. More importantly though, they carry some of the best-smelling FO's out there. When I'm looking for something truly unique, I go to SS first. I also like the fact that Kelly, the owner, often holds free online classes. I'm also a member of her Yahoo group, SouthernSoapers. My favorite scent? Spiced Orange!

Now, for the honorable mentions, and I have two:

1. Sweet Cakes: I cannot stop raving about this supplier. Her designer dupes are dead on!!! Even the most discriminating nose would have a hard time picking the real scent from the faux one. I highly recommend SJP Lovely.
2. Day Star Supplies: I buy many FO's here as well, and I love DSS for the variety. I swear there are over a hundred different scents available on this site. What I love most though is you can buy five 2-oz samples for $25.00. They too are very concentrated and you can get a fragrant batch of 3 pound soap with one 2-oz sample. I recommend Iced Lemon Biscotti, Cherry Meringue Bites, and Cranberry Yuzu.