Naturopathic Nutritionist

My journey into soapmaking started in 2016, when I made my very first batch of soap.

It all began with my efforts to clean up my diet and lifestyle. Once I had addressed what I was putting into my body, I started thinking about what I was putting on my skin. I was looking for natural soaps and body lotions for my psoriasis, without unnecessary additives and at a reasonable price. Then I came across a YouTube video showing how simple it was to make your own soap — and that’s where it all started.

I spent weeks researching and learning everything I could about the art and science of soapmaking — from the unique qualities of different oils and butters to the chemistry of the saponification process, lye calculations, essential oil blending, herbal and spice infusions, and developing my own recipes.
It took months, and many test batches, to find what I considered my perfect soap recipe: the right balance of moisturising properties, a creamy lather and a hard bar that would last.

Over time, I also fell in love with the creative side of soapmaking. I experimented with pouring and curing techniques, different moulds, natural colourants and all sorts of beautiful finishing touches that made each bar unique. The possibilities seemed endless — so I went for it. I experimented, played with ideas and let my creativity run wild.

I would sometimes wake up and, while still lying in bed, create a new soap recipe in my head — imagining the combination of oils and butters, colourants, herbal infusions and essential oils. By the evening, I could have a new batch of soap sitting in its mould, ready to begin its journey through curing.
There is something incredibly satisfying about unmoulding a new batch and holding that first finished bar in your hands. After all these years, I still love making soap!

Of course, things have changed since those early days. Once I started making soap for sale, safety certification meant that I had to work strictly with tested and certified recipes and formulations. In a way, this put some limits on the creativity and experimentation that I had enjoyed so much.

I still make new soaps from time to time for family and friends, but not at the rate I used to. And although I have had to put some of my experimentation aside, I still love the craft, the process and the feeling of creating something from simple natural ingredients.

From Soap to Body Lotions
Making body lotions came a little later. It was a natural progression, as I already had many of the oils and butters I needed.
Here, I delved deeper into the world of herbal infusions, exploring ingredients such as calendula, lavender and chamomile and learning more about their traditional uses in skincare. I also experimented with different ingredients to create lotions with different textures and properties.
For the face, I like to keep things light and easy to absorb, using ingredients such as shea butter and aloe vera gel. For the body, I enjoy richer formulations using ingredients such as cocoa butter, coconut oil, avocado oil and vitamin E to create a nourishing lotion for dry skin.

What started with a simple search for a more natural soap eventually became a passion for understanding ingredients, experimenting with formulations and creating natural body care products of my own.

And that passion is still very much alive.