Renee Lillie, owner and creator of Tub-Time Treasures, really is a Jill of all trades. It was a chance stumbling down an online rabbit hole that led her to making bath and body products. Renee recalls, “I had been selling my other crafts on Etsy, and was frequenting the Etsy sellers’ chat room. One of the other vendors was posting … Read More
Member Spotlight: Bubble and Flame Soap and Candle Co.
Bubble and Flame Soap and Candle Company intends to infuse your daily rituals with fantasy, whimsy, and the esoteric. Sarah Frost, the one woman show behind Bubble and Flame Soap and Candle Company relates that her first soapmaking experience was in high school. “Some people paint, some people sing, some people write…I make soap.” Aside from focusing on cold process, … Read More
Member Spotlight: Alabu Skin Care
Ed. Note: When we asked Maryclaire Mayes, founder of Alabu Skin Care, for Alabu’s founding story, her response was so nicely put we decided to publish it in its entirety. Grab a mug of tea, sit back, and enjoy! “People always ask me how we got into the adventure of our natural skin care business. I always thought I was … Read More
Member Spotlight: Fire and Ice Handmade Soaps
An undying love and respect for handmade soap drove Stephanie Seagle, owner of Fire and Ice Handmade Soaps, into business. Stephanie relates, “I have always loved handmade soap. I started with melt and pour…read up on cold process soap making and just jumped right in.” In business for a year now, Fire and Ice Handmade Soaps joined the Guild six … Read More
Member Spotlight: Mt. Lebanon Soap Company
The birth of Christopher and Erin Csernica’s daughter was also the birth of their company, Mt. Lebanon Soap Company. The symmetry is perfectly fitting as proceeds from the company serve a very special purpose for Summer, born with genetic disorder trisomy 21. “We decided we wanted something to teach her, give her skills over the course of her life, with … Read More
Member Spotlight: Southern Girl Soapery
While in business and an HSCG member for just over a year, Southern Girl Soapery proprietor and soapstress Stephanie Hamling has been formulating for over a decade. As Stephanie recalls, “I began making soaps as teenager. With intense allergies to many chemicals and fragrances used in bath and body products, I wasn’t left with many commercial options. Over the last … Read More
Member Spotlight: Simmons Natural Bodycare
For Simmons Natural Bodycare, it all started with a classic soapmaking tome: Ann Bramson’s Soap – Making It, Enjoying It. Allergies and sensitivies to the fragrances and colors available commercially drove Dottie Simmons and her husband to make their own. It became gifts, then an easy addition to their craft fair table, eventually launching into a business. 32 years later, … Read More
Member Spotlight: Radiant Fettle
Quiet, radiant soulfulness emanates from skincare and wellness company Radiant Fettle. You truly get a sense for Radiant Fettle’s heart in talking to owner Kelly Jacobi. Soapmaking is Kelly’s way to honor her mother’s long ago “dabblings in the creation of soaps and other skincare products” and to keep her mother’s spirit alive after her untimely passing. Kelly explains, “I … Read More
Member Spotlight: P.S. I Love Soap Co.
What better company to feature on Valentine’s Day than one which proudly proclaims their love for soap? (Yes, we’re pretty proud of ourselves.) It’s apparent that Pam Saldutti, owner of P.S. I Love Soap Co., has a major love affair with soap. Enter the P.S. I Love Soap Co. lens through Pinterest. There, you get to see the evolution of … Read More
Member Spotlight: Honestly Simple Soaps
As any soapmaker will tell you, soapmaking is a slippery slope. Upon learning how to make soap, you discover that you have raw ingredients to make many, many other cosmetics. And then, of course, it seems like a waste to not put all those amazing oils to good use. Such is the story behind Honestly Simple Soaps. Owner Heather Albrecht … Read More