My journey with soap making has deep roots in my family. My beloved Grannie used to create her own soaps using natural lye and different fats. She told me that her mother even made her own lye from hardwood ash—an incredible feat. As a child, I was captivated by the massive, beautiful smelling soaps she made. She used them for bathing, hand washing, and even laundry.

That early influence planted a seed in my mind and ignited a lifelong love for natural soaps. My first attempt at cold process soap making was in 2010, with the guidance of my dad. We embarked on creating cinnamon soap, but unfortunately, it turned out disastrously. The bars came out brown, sticky, and barely hardened enough for use. While I wasn't pleased with the texture, I fell in love with the scent and creamy bubbles. Undeterred by the initial setback, I decided to persist, opting for the safer melt and pour method, which was safer around my young family. I started making simple soaps for personal use and as thoughtful gifts. At the time, I was living my dream as a professional photographer.

However, life took an unexpected turn in September 2019 when I had an almost fatal accident during our family holiday in Greece. Suffering from a broken leg and hip, I faced a long road to recovery. Just as I was ready to return to work, the world was struck by a virus, thrusting us into a pandemic...