Maker of the Month: Herbs and Soil Apothecary
Introducing our Maker of the Month series! We're constantly inspired by the DIY bath and body community, so we want to showcase their talent here. We'll be featuring a different business owner or hobbyist each month. Learn more about how they got started creating, what inspires their work, and their advice for fellow makers. If you want a chance to be featured, share your photos with #BrambleOn!
Gabby with Herbs & Soil Apothecary has been making DIY bath and body products for years. When a close family member was diagnosed with cancer, she started researching natural ingredients and what they can do for the skin. She now sells beautiful scrubs, bath salts, masks, soap, and more made with botanicals and essential oils. Get to know Gabby below!
How long have
you been making DIY bath and body products, and how did you get started? How long
have you been selling your products?
I have been
creating and making DIY projects for years, but I just started to sell my creations
over the last few years. I have always enjoyed making sugar scrubs, bath salts,
facial masks, and various bath products for everyone in my family. Recently, when a
close family member was treated for cancer, I started to research more about natural
ingredients and their benefits. That is when Herbs & Soil Apothecary was
launched, and I haven’t looked back
since.
What do you love most about making
bath and body products?
I’m always thinking
of new ideas and like to mix it up a bit. My favorite thing about making skincare
products is that it allows me to be creative daily. I have a wide product
range because I enjoy using different techniques, working with different
ingredients, and experimenting with essential oil
combinations.
Why do you love
using botanicals in your products? What's your favorite at the
moment?
I have always had a deep connection with
nature, and over the last few years I’ve been studying herbal medicine and
how to forage. Learning about medicinal benefits that come in something so simple as
a plant is fascinating to me. Once I realized I could put these lessons into my
business, I went crazy and created multiple concoctions of herbal infusions. Picking
just one botanical as a favorite is hard for me, but if I had to choose it would be
calendula.
What inspires you to
create?
Colors from nature are always changing and I
find that is the biggest source for my inspiration. When I see colors that catch my
eye, I will make a mental note and come back to it later to create a soap or a scrub
that’s influenced by that color. Seeing the textures and shapes of the
trees, leaves, and petals on the flowers inspire me to come up with new color
combinations, soap tops, patterns, and blending of scents.
Cold process soap topped with botanicals
Who’s
another maker you admire? What do you love about their work?
Rough Cut Soap
Co. inspires me all the time! I love her style and color
combinations, and her soap toppings are
beautiful.
What advice would you give to
someone who wanted to get started?
It’s a
scary step putting yourself out there and deciding to run your own business, but if
it’s something you are passionate about then go for it. Jump in, work
hard, and experience the journey because once you do, it’s
amazing!
Have you
experienced a fail? How did you work through it, and what did you
learn?
I have gone through a few fails. I forgot to
add the essential oils to a freshly-poured salve and had to redo the entire batch.
Lesson learned is to pay attention to what I’m doing. I also
remember making a cold process soap and had it expand and overflow like lava off the
sides. Another lesson learned is to stick to the recipe and follow it very
closely.
In my opinion, mistakes are something that you should learn from, it doesn’t mean it was a failure. It just means that I needed to slow down, stay organized, and take my time.
What plans do you have for your
business moving forward?
I am proud of everything I
have accomplished so far in building Herbs & Soil Apothecary. Turning my
passion into full-time employment is one of my biggest achievements. It
hasn’t been an easy road and I’m still feeling the bumps along
the way, but it’s so worth it.
What’s
your favorite Bramble Berry project?
The Rose
Clay and Charcoal Soap Project is still to this day one of my favorite
projects from Bramble Berry. I love the rustic appearance of this bar when it is
cut, from the layers of activated charcoal. Rose clay is one of my favorite
ingredients to add in so many skincare products, and that color you get just from
the clay is gorgeous.
Gabby's top Bramble Berry picks
- Lavender Mica - The color is BEAUTIFUL in whatever I make with it!
- Greenhouse Fragrance Oil - I cannot get enough of this scent.
- Cornflower petals - I love the color and they always arrive in perfect condition.
- Orange peel powder - I add this to one of our most popular soaps and it gives it such a creamy color, reminds me of sweet sunshine!
Find Herbs & Soil Apothecary
Online
Instagram
Facebook
Shop This Article
Maker of the Month Tags:
