The past few years have seen consumers becoming more conscious of the raw materials that go into their grooming and wellness products. While handmade soaps have been around for a while, a new crop of home-based soap brands has been changing the game by using exotic ingredients, unique fragrances, offbeat colours and quirky designs. Here are some local brands that are must-tries...
Soapamma Soaps
Vibha Boraiah Shivalingaiah attended a soapmaking workshop in early 2019 and once she did, she knew there was no going back – and that’s how Soapamma Soaps (@soapammasoaps) was created. “For me, it’s about the joy of constantly learning something new,” she says, talking about how soapmaking is not just a business for her. Soapamma offers luxurious cold-processed soaps. Vibha has created soaps for wedding souvenirs, housewarming gifts, Christmas takeaways and even band merchandise. Her soaps use a variety of ingredients such as coffee, cocoa, peppermint, coconut, tea tree, geranium, activated charcoal and even beer, which are mixed into soap bases and moisturising butters. Rs.200 upwards
Scarlet Soapworks
Scarlet Soapworks (@scarletsoapworks) was started by Akarsha Gopa, who discovered soapmaking on YouTube. The process soon became a calming, fun experience. She was motivated to make it more than simply an at-home project and turned it into a business. The brand offers a range of products such as soaps, body butters, body washes, bath salts and even essential oils. Akarsha also ensures that her products are completely vegan and cruelty-free, picking her ingredients with a lot of care. “One of my favourite combinations is Rose Geranium essential oil in combination with Rose essential oil and strawberry powder,” she shares. Their body butters are packed with organic plant-based butters like shea, mango and cocoa butter. Charcoal and Tea Tree soap, Strawberries & Cream body butter, and the Citrique BonBon body wash are some of their best-selling products. They also make customised bath and body products, which involves customers choosing the colour, texture and any ingredients. Rs.100 upwards
Soapistry
What started as Maya Mukund’s curiosity to learn something new while being environmentally conscious grew into a full-fledged business. Named after the chemistry and artistry of their soaps, Soapistry offers a range of products made from skin-friendly oils and butters. “It’s very rare for you to come across a Soapistry soap that is a plain bar,” Maya claims, as she describes the thought that goes into making every bar of soap. They use oils such as peppermint, ylang ylang, tea tree and lavender, as well as premade fragrances. Butters such as shea, cocoa, mango and kokum are predominant in their soaps. Some of the favourites are Honey and Oats, Cool Water, Aloe Vera and Activated Charcoal. Rs.300 upwards
Suffuse Soaps
Aruna from Suffuse Soaps (@suffusesoaps) came across soapmaking while on a break from her clay craft hobby and entered into business due to her presence in Bengaluru’s many flea market spaces. “Suffuse means ‘to wash over’ or ‘to permeate.’ When soap making came into my life that’s what I felt – it took over my thoughts, time and all the space in my home,” she says. Aruna has been one of the first few soapmakers in India who has participated in designer soap competitions at the international level, and even sources some of her colours and fragrances from abroad, making them available to other soapmakers in the country as well. She uses coconut, castor, palm and sweet almond oils and prefers sticking to local oils and essences, since that is best for Indian skin and climate – this includes ingredients like turmeric, milk cream, neem, moringa, sandalwood, fruit and vegetable purees and juices. Rs.200 upwards