Happy skin

Plato said, “Necessity is the mother of invention”.

Thanks to my plunge into the world of blogging 9 months ago, I have come in contact with many new people. Fantastic writers, inspiring mothers, and funny friends. Thanks to some of them, I’ve opened my eyes to the world of handcrafted products and ingenious inventions. Etsy, for example, is loaded with crafty moms, amazing artists, and savvy do-it-yourselfers.

Some people begin making goods as a hobby. Others as a means to earn a bit of cash. Others, like Soapwalla Kitchen chef Rachel, create their goods out of the “mother of invention” – necessity.

Rachel has lupus, an autoimmune illness. Like others who suffer from lupus, she can get terrible skin rashes, hives, and irritated skin patches. There were times, she says, when she could barely use water on her skin without irritation.

So Rachel began making her own body products in her Brooklyn apartment using only wholesome vegan ingredients.

I sampled a few of Soapwalla’s products recently: the Luxurious Body Oil, the Shea Butter/Tangerine/Clay Soap Bar, and the Citrus Grove Soap Bar.

The soap bars exceeded my expectations. They felt creamy and soft. And despite the velvety feel, they do not melt quickly in the water. The full-size bars (handcut, 4 oz.) will give you numerous skin-pampering showers. The soap bars I sampled were not overly floral or fruity. They have a very light natural scent, nothing fake or overpowering. I really enjoyed them!

Soapwalla’s product line currently includes nine bar soaps, all utilizing natural ingredients such as cardamom, almond, lavender, oats, lemongrass, and eucalyptus.

I wasn’t so sure about the body oil at first. Having sensitive skin myself, I shy away from oils. I’m a hypo-allergenic, oil free kind of girl. But this oil is not like… oil. It absorbs instantly and doesn’t leave residue on the skin. I put the oil to the ultimate test on my dry, abused heels. Months of flip-flop weather (and no time for a pedicure) leaves unsightly heels on my size seven feet. Soapwalla’s Luxurious Body Oil made my dry, cracked heels soft and smooth after ONE night. And after two nights + two days? I don’t recognize my own feet anymore! I also used it on my arms and legs. Just a touch of oil, and I have no need for thick lotions anymore. The Luxurious Body Oil is highly concentrated and goes a long way. My tiny sample bottle keeps going and going. Soapwalla’s regular bottle size is 4 ounces. This can easily last for months.

Soapwalla’s product line also includes a popular & unique deodorant cream, pregnant belly body oil (a great baby shower gift to spoil mom-to-be!), indulgent bath salts, and hand/body washes.

Hip, hip hooray to Rachel for taking her skin’s needs into her own hands – and sharing her talents and amazing products with us. I wanted to get to know such a take-charge woman a little better, and she was kind enough to respond to my mini-interview:

Are you the creator/owner of Soapwalla? Yes, I am the sole creator, owner and chef of Soapwalla.

Describe yourself with 4 adjectives. Adventuresome, grateful, compassionate, lucky

Where do you get your organic, natural ingredients? I source as many ingredients as possible from local sellers, including the Park Slope Food Co-op, of which I'm a member. I also try to purchase raw ingredients directly from producers/farmers (jojoba, essential oils, etc).

If you had to pick one, which of your products is your personal favorite? Eek, I don't know if I could answer that! The three items that are absolute must haves for me are my face serum, body oil and deodorant cream. I mix up the body wash and soap bar flavors on a regular basis.


Your skin is your largest organ. Make it happy!

To learn more about Soapwalla Kitchen, visit her Etsy shop. A new website, www.soapwallakitchen.com, is coming soon! You can also follow Soapwalla on Twitter or like the Soapwalla Facebook page.