We fell in love with cold process soap many years ago, on a family vacation. Picking up that first bar was a magical moment for us. We were intrigued by the simplicity of the ingredients and the delicious scents. When we used them, the soaps changed the way our skin felt, and we were entranced that someone had handcrafted the bars!

Our love became obsession. We each spent hours and hours of research learning about soap crafting. We discovered quickly that despite simple ingredients, soap making was indeed an art form, a science, and a labor of love.

Today, we love to help others discover what we did. That a simpler soap, one without detergent, fillers, and excessive chemicals, can LOVE your skin, so YOU can love your skin.

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Q & A with Rachael and Lucy

What is your favorite ingredient?

Rachael: Calendula (marigold) petals and extract! The petals look so pretty in a bar, and the extract has amazing properties. My son's skin had major issues when he was young, and calendula was a big help, so that's dear to my heart.

Lucy: I love using coconut oil in our bars. This oil is high in cleansing properties and is quite versatile in cold processed soap.

What is your favorite part of the soapmaking process?

Lucy: Cutting the soap loaves after they've cured! It's incredibly satisfying. My husband likes to be there to see the unveiling, so I typically wait until he is around, and he typically likes to show his muscle and work the cutter himself! I also love how we are always in the testing process, with soap found at every sink and shower in the house.

Rachael: I have so many, but I really enjoy the "finishing work" on each batch. We wait until the perfect moment to create some really fun swirls, curls, and eye-catching designs on the top of each bar. I also love that with soap, I get to create beauty and make others delighted. It's a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

What else keeps you busy?

Rachael: I'm a wife to a wonderful husband, who supports all my crazy soapmaking and business plans, and helps a TON behind the scenes. I'm also a mom to two active boys. We make a good team. I also work as a Hematology/Bone Marrow Transplant RN. I can be found with my nose in a good book when I can find the time.

Lucy: My love for "all things natural" began to take bloom when I was a young mom, welcoming my sweet babies into the world. I became a natural childbirth instructor when they were young, and eventually became a licensed midwife when they were older. While we are watching our grandchildren grow up, we also keep busy with our lives here at home and in our backyard orchard. We love to find as many ways as we can to preserve our citrus, peaches, apricots, plums, and apples. I also love to cook and really enjoy creating recipes that keep getting better every time they are made. Just like soaping, it is always a work in progress! My favorite time of the day is taking a walk through the trees and enjoying their wonderful beauty.