KIND Soap Opens Missouri Store

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo.—KIND Soap Co. opened its first shop in Webster Groves. The shop carries KIND’s all-natural, specialty body care products for women, children and men, including handmade soap, luxury spa products, as well as all natural lip products and aromatherapy balms in vintage jewelry.

These products were developed by Jean Scholtes, owner. “The more I used and researched beauty and body care products, the more I realized how many irritating and potentially harmful ingredients are contained in almost all of them," she said. “When I started developing my products, I made every effort to ensure that every single product is free of synthetic fragrance, chemical irritants, and possible carcinogens."

Previously, KIND Soap products had been sold online and at events such as the Webster Groves’ Farmer’s Market. This new venture allows customers the opportunity to test and smell the products before purchase. Also, the new space allows Jean to showcase and test new products. One new product line is Vintage Balmshell, which pairs vintage jewelry, such as compacts, pillboxes and poison rings, with aromatherapy balms for natural headache relief and sinus problems, as well as energizing and stress relief blends.

“The word ‘KIND’ seemed to really sum up what I wanted this company to be about—the company and it’s products will always be three things—KIND to your skin, KIND to the earth and KIND to others. Following these principles, I have developed products that I enjoy using on myself and my family, and am proud to offer them to everyone else" Jean said.

All-natural soaps at the farmer's market: the217.com

They look a bit like blocks of colorful chocolate. Up close, however, these blocks smell like an assortment of flowers and herbs. These blocks are soap blocks. They are so fragrant (and delicious looking) because they’re handmade, homemade and all natural.

Josie Oberg is the owner of Queen Anne’s Lace, a small, family owned business that uses goats, bees and an herb garden to create soaps, candles, herbal creams, and other body care products.

It all started when Oberg received a book called “101 Easy Soap Recipes” from her father. She began creating her own soap recipes and eventually it grew into a business. Using milk in soap is nothing strange in the industry. For Oberg, using goat’s milk was the “obvious choice.” After all, she had two goats and they were giving milk. Goat’s milk also contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which exfoliates the skin. And truth be told, she really just loves her goats.

“They’re addictive,” said Oberg. “Like potato chips, you can’t have just one. I say, ‘I do this to support my goat addiction.’”

Goats are also easier to keep than cows. They’re smaller and they produce more milk for the amount of food they eat.

“We have a small property, and it just wouldn’t be practical for cows,” said Oberg. “You see that in a lot of poorer countries, where they’ll have goats instead of cows because they’re a lot more affordable and they’re easier to keep. And, they’re fun.”

The soap making process takes two to three hours per batch, and Oberg makes them the old-fashioned way.

“Each batch of saponified oil and goat’s milk is stirred until thickened, poured into a loaf mold to set up, then sliced into individual bars. This method of soap making is known as ‘cold process,’” she said.

Oberg uses food grade vegetable oils and aromatherapy grade essential oils. But, unlike commercial soaps which are detergent based, she uses olive oil and leaves in the natural emollients and glycerin so the soaps are milder and don’t dry out the skin as much.

“I like the food grade oils because I feel like they’re higher quality,” she said. “I don’t think you’d want to use something on your body that wouldn’t be high enough quality to eat. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

Oberg isn’t on her own, though. This family business involves Oberg’s little sister and mother. Her little sister grows flowers, so Oberg will buy the flowers to infuse them into the soap. Meanwhile, her mother enjoys making salve products.

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