It all started with just TT$2,000 worth of material and the will to succeed. Creative, talented and well-educated, the move from working in corporate Trinidad to starting up a home-based business was a risky one for Leigh Lopez. But fast forward two years to the present and she’ll be the first to admit that opening The Soap Kitchen (TSK) was well worth the risk.
’I love what I do. I don’t even see it as work because I enjoy doing it,’ she said while opening a basket of her best-selling products. Within seconds, the combined fragrances permeated every corner of the room. Soon the interview shifted from being one of questions and answers to a few minutes of oohs and aahs over her soap selection with a few people coming inside to see what all the fuss was about.
’You can smell the soap from outside,’ one curious onlooker shared.
Beyond the luscious smell, the presentation of the soap was impressive: a round of soap made to look like a frosted birthday cake, sliced to perfection; delightful coffee bars with coffee grounds embedded in the bar; crisp, cool mint bars and sea salt bars guaranteed to clean the skin without stripping natural oils.
’I learned how to make soap from my grandmother and I just expanded on that. My first clients were friends and family members and a lot of the process has been trial and error as I go along. I wanted to have an environmentally conscious business as I’m an avid environmentalist and I believe in protecting the environment. In fact, there is very little waste in our soap making process,’ Lopez noted.
’We re-use and recycle all our containers and try to reduce packaging by buying in bulk. We keep soap packaging to a functional minimal and display in permanent, reusable handmade crates. Our soap bag is made from organic cotton and that is reusable as well. Some soaps come in recycled paper and all of our soaps are 100 percent biodegradable, vegan and environmentally friendly.’
Lopez expanded her knowledge of the soap business by doing extensive research. ’The soaps they used to make long ago were a bit harsher because of the oils used. I use better oils for the skin. A lot of it is trial and error, using different recipes to see what works. In fact my eight-year-old son likes to say ’mommy is a mad scientist’ because I’m always experimenting with different soap recipes.’
Beyond the value to the environment, on a primary level Lopez said her products are better for overall skin conditioning. ’Our soaps,’ she said, ’are much better than commercial soaps. Our soaps are made with vegetable oils. A lot of the commercial soaps are made with animal fats. Some of them extract the glycerin from the soap. With my soaps, the glycerin is not extracted at all so it really moisturises your skin,’ Lopez noted.
She added: ’TSK soaps are made with food grade plant oils: Olive oil is our major ingredient bringing nourishment, healing and moisture to the skin. Coconut oil moisturises the skin and creates a luxurious lather. We use palm oil for creamier soaps. Mango and shea butters, oils of sweet almond, apricot kernel, castor and calendula are chosen for their skin and hair care qualities in a variety of our soaps. And we only use pure therapeutic grade essential oils to perfume our soaps.’
’Other additions come from nature. We use grains, spices, herbs, plant dyes and cosmetic clays from Australi and France. Our labels inform our customers of specific ingredients. Natural soap is better for your skin and what people should know is that we do not add TSK or use recycled oils, petrochemical derivatives or sodium lauryl sulphates.’
Some of the top sellers include the coffee soap and the lavender, oats and bran soap. ’The coffee is invigorating and it’s also great for removing strong food odours so you can use it by your kitchen sink when you’re rinsing your hands. For the body, the grounds exfoliate the skin and it’s one of the more popular picks,’ Lopez shared.
Another favourite is the lavender, oats and bran soap which according to a brochure from TSK, ’Is a great product as oats have been used topically to heal wounds and various skin rashes and diseases.’
Her products are relatively inexpensive and are quickly becoming must-haves for the environmentally conscious. ’Now you can get my soaps at Trincity mall at Cajevi Body and Bath, Soma’s at Normandie Hotel, at the pharmacy in Hilton hotel, Chic Shak in Belmont also carries it and down South it’s available at Herbs N Health in Gulf City.’
Lopez has also expanded her business from body bars to offer environmentally-friendly soap powder, hand soaps, lotions, body scrubs, foot scrubs and other home-cleaning products. To see the full selection, log on to www.thesoapkitchentt.com or for more product information, call 640-5119 or 681-1536.
rauguste@trinidadexpress.com
