Being vegan isn’t just a fad or a thing… It’s a way of life and for those who are, one of the best things is discovering a hidden gem of vegan products to indulge in.
In the Etsy shop Carmen’s Soaps, you’ll find an assortment of high-quality vegan cold-processed soaps and scrubs all handmade by Carmen George.
Carmen’s Soaps… The Genesis
Carmen has a background with handmade personal care products so when a friend of hers who sold soap on Etsy unexpectedly and without explanation closed her Etsy shop, the platform immediately got on Carmen’s radar.
Most folks might have had reason to pause seeing someone they knew leave the marketplace but not Carmen. She dug right into Etsy to see what it was all about.
She was inspired by the videos of Anne-Marie Faiola of Bramble Berry on YouTube to become a part of the Etsy community and in particular to contribute to the natural products niche. This is an important part of Carmen’s business strategy because doing her part to protect the environment is a significant part of the inspiration behind Carmen’s Soaps.
What are the future plans for her Etsy shop…? To grow it from a part-time business into her primary source of full-time income… Naturally!
Inspiration, Planning & “Falling Into Business”
When buying personal care products it’s really important that you invest in products that have been created with not just high-quality ingredients but also ones that actually do what they claim. While Carmen doesn’t make any therapeutic claims of her products, she makes a signature clay and honey facial soap .
She was using her clay and honey soap on her own face when a co-worker expressed interest in trying it to help curb her acne… and just like that, Carmen’s business was birthed.
Thanks to a combination of the power of word-of-mouth marketing and a growing market for natural skin-friendly products, she found her niche.
Butterflies… Flowers… Ocean waves… And of course, Instagram! She draws inspiration from these and incorporates them skillfully and artistically into her products.
Learning Her Craft
As the young mother of a 6-month old with eczema, Carmen was instructed by a physician to use oatmeal baths for her baby’s flare-up but she quickly discovered that the perfumes in these products only aggravated the condition.
…Grandma to the rescue!
Her grandmother-in-law stepped in and with the wisdom most seasoned relatives seem to have and taught her how to make oatmeal and honey soap. She made it and used on her baby and lo and behold, his skin cleared up and to this day he hasn’t had any major flare-ups.
It’s been 17 years now that Carmen has been making her soaps and launching her handmade vegan soap business is the vehicle she is using to share her products with other families that may find themselves in a similar situation as hers.
Today she makes the soaps and scrubs she sells in small batches to ensure product quality…
She also uses good manufacturing processes (though not in a factory…) when making her soaps and this ensures that she produces consistently great products each and every time.
Goals & Future Aspirations
Like a true maker, Carmen’s desire is to have her soaps available commercially but specifically through mom and pop shops and in Farmer’s Markets rather than in the big-box stores.
Eventually, her goal is to have a flagship retail store for Carmen’s Soaps with three lines of products… One for spas and professional barbers, one available for sale through retail outlets and then a line that will be exclusive to her Etsy shop.
Watch out world! 🙂
Helpful Resources
- Instagram: has been a good driver of traffic to Carmen’s Etsy shop even though she has a small following right now. One of the things the platform has been especially good for is connecting with a supportive community of fellow soap makers.
- Podcasts:
- Launch Grow Joy with Andreea Ayers
- Social Media Marketing with Michael Stelzner
- Improve Photography
- Etsy Conversations
Final Thoughts…
With Carmen’s Soaps you can expect to get not just consistently good products, but also a great spa experience wherever you use Carmen’s products, at home or away from home, and the best customer service she can offer.
Around the web you can find Carmen’s Soaps on Instagram and of course Carmen’s Soaps on Etsy.
