A personal story from Joyce
Why I make
soap.
It began with a question close to my heart,
and became a craft I could not leave behind.
01 / THE REASON
A mother's curiosity.
It is easy to put off something we would like to learn. But when it concerns our children, we often begin searching for answers right away.
During her early childhood, my daughter experienced hair loss and damaged hair. We tried a number of shampoos and other products, but the experience left me wanting to learn more about what we were using.
After seeing garlic shampoos advertised, I wondered whether I could make something myself. My interest in soapmaking had only just begun.
02 / MY FIRST EXPERIMENT
Olive oil, garlic, clay, and time.
I added crushed garlic cloves to unrefined, cold-pressed organic olive oil and left the mixture for about a month. I then used the infused oil, together with other oils and clay, to make a soap for my daughter.
It was a very personal experiment, full of learning. The garlic scent was noticeable, and I began exploring how scent and ingredients influenced the experience of using a bar.
I also learned that washing hair with soap can feel different depending on the water. Hard water was one of the things I had to understand along the way.
03 / WHAT HAPPENED NEXT
A new habit in our home.
My daughter used the soap for about two months. During that time, I noticed changes in her hair that encouraged me to continue learning and making.
That was our family's experience. I cannot say that the soap caused those changes or that someone else would have the same result. For me, the lasting part of the experience was the curiosity it inspired and the handmade habit it brought into our home.
Soon, making soap became part of my role in the household. I wanted to keep learning about ingredients, improve my process, and make something we enjoyed using.
A small experiment became a reason to keep making.
04 / WHY I CONTINUE
For the care in the process.
Today, that beginning still stays with me. I make soap because I enjoy the connection between ingredients, process, and the finished bar, and because making something for another person feels meaningful.
Each batch asks for patience and attention. Those qualities are part of what I hope you feel when you hold one of my soaps.
If you would like to know where this curiosity began, my story starts a little earlier, with a bottle of homemade vinegar.