Hiya Sudsy Rockstars!

As the days grow longer and the weather starts warming up, it’s clear that summer is on the horizon. Everyone’s favorite season brings a sense of adventure, freedom, and all the fixin’s for unforgettable memories. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of warm sun on your skin, and cool breeze in your hair, especially if you’re on vacay mode.

We all need to take a break from our busy lives and enjoy rest, relaxation and fun getaways. Whether it’s a beach vacation, a camping trip, or just lazy afternoons on the front porch, summer gives us plenty of time to unwind and recharge. Kick back and float your own boat!

SUMMER SEASONAL SOAPS

Fruits, flowers and the great outdoors - summer scents lift our spirits and make us feel alive. There’s something special about the scents of summer that instantly transport us to warm, carefree days outdoors. Take a deep breath and savor the sweet, nostalgic scents of some of this season’s greatest pleasures. These are only available for the next few months, made in limited production. ($6.00 each)

WATERMELON MINT – The combination of watermelon and mint is a refreshing and invigorating scent that is perfect for hot summer days. Sweet, juicy watermelon, the favorite fruit of picnics and pool parties, paired with cool, crisp mint is uplifting and energizing. Playful and fun, this pink bar is the perfect summer shower friend.

LAVENDER WOODS – This scent is a beautiful blend of calming lavender, brightly floral petitgrain and neroli, and warm spicy woods that tantalizes the senses with its complexity. Soothing floral notes and soft woods instill a sense of tranquility, orange blossom brings a touch of citrusy freshness, and a hint of spice gives a comforting depth to the fragrance. It feels like a sophisticated European perfumed soap, with a pretty dark purple hue, made from Brazilian clay. This one truly feels expensive, in the best possible way. It’s my new favorite thing in the shower. (100% natural)

SEA SALT + SURF - This soap is loaded with mineral rich sea salt, which has all kinds of beautiful skin benefits. Sea salt exfoliates skin in a soothing, silky way, gently dissolving old cells without scrubbing. Salt also helps to detox skin by drawing out impurities and excess water, reducing inflammation and helping to relieve skin issues. Sea salt minerals of magnesium, potassium, iodine, calcium and zinc are quickly absorbed through your skin, improving texture and balancing oils and hydration. But the scent might be the best part. Its salty notes of ocean breeze and misty spray of crashing waves captures the essence of a day at the beach. Even the light blue and white color look like ocean surf!

FOREST BATHING – A practice that started in Japan, forest bathing involves immersing oneself in nature and allowing the sights, sounds, and smells of the forest to restore and rejuvenate mind and body. It’s become so popular recently because spending time in nature has many wellness benefits from reducing stress to boosting our immune systems. Deeply connecting to nature grounds us to Mother Earth, slows down our breathing, resets our minds and allows us to heal. This dark green bar, is a playful nod to a stroll in the woods - bathing with a soap that smells like the heavenly deep forest.

One more note: I mentioned earlier this spring, I’m making a special soap for each of the equinoxes and solstices this year to mark the change of seasons. I will have a SUMMER SOLSTICE scent next month (June) to officially kick off summer. Keep your eyes peeled for that announcement!

NEW! HELPING HAND SETS – SUMMER VACATION VIBES

I’ve created a new version of the mini soap sets with all the scents of a summer getaway - Front Porch (ferns & fresh breeze), Summer Cottage (wildflowers), Beach House (our signature summer scent), Woodland Cabin (firs and cedar) and Lakeside Camp (lake water and woods).

Helping Hand Soaps are a set of 5 small square soap bars in different scents (2 oz ea), stacked up and tied with bakery twine in a charming package. While we’re continuing to re-invest our loans to Kiva from past purchases of these soaps, this summer we are donating half the proceeds of these sets to World Central Kitchen. Racing around the world to feed people in the wake of devastation and supporting those local communities, this organization is doing crucial work. They are more than a charity, they are the best of humanity, and we have chosen WCK to fund this summer. ($12 each)

MOTHER'S DAY GIFTS AND CARE PACKAGES

Moms are super heroes at taking care of everything for everybody. Tell her how much you appreciate her with a happy little gift of pretty smelling soaps and treats that she can pamper herself with. It’s way better than brunch, though nobody said you can’t do both. And it will last all month, way longer than a bunch of flowers. We’ve got all shapes and sizes of totes, care packages, ribbon tied boxes, the works.

This is the time of year for grads, Dads, birthdays, and lots more occasions for sending a small, thoughtful, handmade gift. Maybe a Soap of the Month Sudscription with 2 fancy soaps in the mail at the start of each month? You know what I say about the gift of soap. You’re not hinting ” ugh, you smell bad.” Gifting good soap means “you're special and you're worth it.” “You enjoy the finer things in life on a daily basis”. “I love you and want to pamper you.” All good stuff.

Dreaming of a vacation so long I'll forget my passwords . . .

Floating into summer