I wanted to do a spotlight on one of my favorite local business: Mountain Soapworks, nestled in the shadows of Mt. Rainier. My long-time friend, Kristi Harris is the sole owner and operator of this small business and her motto is, "Commitment to Good Health and Happiness in Every Bar!"
Kristi and I are "beauty junkies" - we love scented soaps, lotions, shower gels, bubble bath, make-up and other beauty products. One could say we have a graveyard of beauty products under our bathroom sinks! So, I suppose it was fitting that one day in 2004, she started making her own soaps.
It all began when Kristi discovered that her young daughter was allergic to all of the soaps she tried. She would break out in itchy red bumps, which would be heart-breaking for any mom! As a good mother, she brainstormed with her mother-in-law and made her very first batch of unscented oatmeal goat's milk soap. That was the trick! After using the soothing soap, her daughter's skin went back to normal and Kristi started thinking about the chemicals in the soaps her family was using. An idea was born, and Kristi found her passion: making chemical-free hand-made goat's milk soap!
At first it was a hobby, but it quickly grew into a business. Kristi sold her high-quality soaps to family and friends... but then word spread and now her soaps are featured in several stores and even a bed & breakfast: Stormking Day Spa & Cabins at Mt. Rainier, Nest Necessities, Salon Deevine, Tiki Tails Dog Salon, Hair by Mechelle, and the seasonal Puyallup Farmers' Market. Even in this economic downturn, Kristi Harris has found increased success as word spreads about her soaps. Many of her nation-wide customers found her after staying at a Stormking cabin.
My husband prefers Mountain Soapworks' soaps, too - especially "The Man Bar." The clean scent stays with him all day and it smells really good. My favorite soaps are "White Tea & Ginger," "Tea Tree & Lavender," and "Red Ripened Raspberry Body Bar." I give her soaps away as gifts for my clients, friends, and family.
When I asked where she gets the inspiration for her scents, Kristi explained that the season inspires her to come up with "fun, yummy names that incorporate healing properties" and then she comes up with a recipe to match the name. For a list of her seasonal soaps and her specialty bars, please visit the Mountain Soapworks website. You can tell she loves what she does - every handmade soap bar is wrapped up like a present and each order is carefully protected with tissue paper and includes a sample or two of her other delicious soaps.
I love Kristi's high-quality soaps and even ordered a case of "Good Dog" Doggie Shampoo Bar for my Golden-Lab. This dog soap is very gentle on his fur - it leaves his doggie fur very soft and it smells great!
What makes Mountain Soapworks soaps so special? Mrs. Harris uses fresh, local goat's milk from the goats her mother-in-law raises in Shelton. She also gets fresh goat's milk from a farm in Eatonville. Kristi believes in using only the freshest products and buys all of her ingredients locally, when possible. She explains that goat's milk is one of the fattiest milks available and it is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It produces a very creamy soap bar that is gentle and non-drying to the skin.
Kristi's Mountain Soapworks soaps are all handmade with the finest, freshest ingredients with no chemicals or preservatives. She grows rosemary, lemon verbena, sage and lavender in her herb garden for the sole purpose of adding them to her soaps. Kristi adds essential oils and natural aromatherapy products to her bars of soap to provide healing properties to dry, itchy skin, achy joints, or sore muscles. Mountain Soapworks' soaps are handmade with natural, high-quality products. Kristi explains that her soaps are healthier and have beneficial properties; the scents and essential oils last much longer on your skin; and the soap lasts longer than ordinary soaps, as long as you let the bars dry between each use.
Mountain Soapworks will be hosting their annual Holiday Open house on Saturday, December 5th, 2009. If you would like more information, please contact Kristi through her website or via email: mountainsoapworks@msn.com ...and tell her Stephanie sent you!