Horsefeathers Frivolities, the beginning...

Since the age of two, I have suffered from eczema. Over the years, I've realized that even the so-called 'gentle' and 'all natural' soaps that you find at the store are too harsh. Even dish and laundry detergents I have to be careful about, because more and more products have changed their formulas over the years, becoming more and more chemically based. At the point when this really started, I had reached the point of using little more then plain water to clean anything, including my dishes, my clothes, and myself! I felt completely stuck, because it seemed like nothing worked without causing a horrible reaction.

A few months ago, after doing the research with my husband and testing too many 'natural' soaps and finding I had a reaction to them, I decided to try a completely natural, 'cold process' lye soap, something that isn't seen much these days. And, amazingly, it worked! No breakout, no itching, no worries at all. I was hooked!

Of course, the problem at that point was, it didn't come cheap. I had two choices: Either I continue ordering the soap I could use, and paying the greatly higher prices, or I learn to make it myself. I'm a crafter and artist, so of course I loved the idea of being more hands on about this, so the decision was made: That I needed to make my own truly natural soap... no harsh chemicals, no detergents, just pure soap and natural, skin-friendly scents. If I couldn't use my own soaps, then I wouldn't expect anyone else to use them, either. A few experimental batches later, we realised that not a single soap I made seemed to cause me any problems, and an idea was formed... If this was the solution to my problems, then there were probably other people out there feeling just as stuck.

Or maybe even, not the same problem. What about someone who simply wanted a completely natural soap? Or those who had specific allergies that needed something safe for their use? Perhaps someone who is vegan, and has realized that most mainstream soaps are tallow based? What about problems with fragrances, or acne, or any number of other potential problems that "bath bars" just aren't good for? Or, closer to home, how expensive these soaps can be to get from the few stores that do sell them?

So far, my husband and I have registered for a business name, received the EIN and tax ID's, and ordered the equipment. We've already created and tested a half dozen recipes, and want to develop more. I want to make soaps that people know they can trust, where there is something for everyone. I even want to look beyond just soap, to other products that could do with both a little updating, and a more natural, traditional approach. Shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, everything!

For now though, soap. It's a start, but I want to be able to take this farther. That's where you come in...

The future...

I would like to raise $2200 to expand our products and produce more varied soaps.

The money would go towards:

• $200 - Georgia business license
• $300 - Soap cutter
• $300 - Paper and supplies (business cards, wrapper labels)
• $250 - Business insurance
• $650 - More soap molds and equipment
• $500 - Ingredients

I'd like to explain each of these a little more, so you can see where I'm getting my numbers from.

Business license Because I'm not doing the business under my real name, I have to register for a 'doing business as' license with the state.

Soap cutter Right now, I'm cutting my soap with a blade and miter box.  Upgrading to a professional soap cutter would let me cut a full log at one time, with much smoother and better looking bars.

Paper and supplies The paper I use for the soap labels, is Lotka paper. Lotka paper is made from the bark of the Daphne bush which regenerates naturally providing a renewable resource. The paper actually has wild flower seeds in it, so once you receive your soap, you can plant the label to grow flowers. I also want to have business cards professionally printed for the business.

Business insurance protects both my family and yours if someone were injured due to my products.  I don't see this as likely, but as they say, it only takes one person to ruin everything.

Soap molds and other equipment I have a small number of small molds right now, and would like to expand to be able to produce larger, more consistent batches. 

Ingredients are what makes the product -- and I want to make great, all-natural products! This amount of money will allow me to buy enough ingredients that I can survive as a profitable business for about two months; after which I should be able to support myself through profits alone. Some of the oils I need are only available in bulk if I want a reasonable price.

The products

Right now, I am specialising in soap, but would love to expand to include bath bombs, shampoo, lotions, and more. Below is a list of scents that I have, and I plan to expand this list as soon as I can. The scent oils I use are all natural, certified organic, vegan, gluten free, and contain no allergens.

Scents:

• Chocolate
• English Lavender
• Cherry
• Almond
• Coffee
• Spearmint
• Gardenia
• Honeysuckle

We also have several different style of soaps, including a coffee-based soap and my husband is working on a mechanics soap with a pumice base.

Closing thoughts

• As a reminder, if my Kickstarter isn't fully funded, I don't get any money. But don't worry -- you don't lose any money, either!
• Rewards will ship out the first part of September. Custom scents will take a little longer, as once the recipe is developed and tested, the soap will still need a month of curing time before it's ready to be used.

Thank you for considering my Kickstarter and taking the time to read through it!