The Face Behind SOAPothecary
Rachel Casamassa
Owner & Soap Artist - SOAPothecary
Hello everyone, and thanks for stopping by the SOAPothecary blog! I figured that I would introduce myself and put a face to my brand.
My name is Rachel and I am a stay-at-home turning work-at-home wife and mother living in Ramona, CA, which is a small country town in San Diego county. I have the most amazing husband named Tom who is my right hand man and biggest support behind this business. Together we have three handsome sons ages 13, 3 and 1. Our boys are our absolute world.
So how did I end up falling in love with the art of soap making and how did SOAPothecary come about you may ask? The answer to this is somewhat complicated.
While I’ve been a mom to my awesome stepson, Luca, for 9 years, after giving birth to my two boys, Carter and Kaleb, I started to feel somewhat lost in motherhood. I was living for these three boys, and everything in my world was centered around them. As parents, we argue this is how it needs to be, but it was undeniable that I was experiencing a loss of identity. I would watch everyone around me, including other moms and dads, with hobbies they loved and interests they devoted much of their time to, and I realized I didn’t have anything like that in my life. As much as I love being a mom and love the purpose my children have given me, I was struggling hard with my mental health, and was in desperate need for more balance. I was really longing for a creative outlet that would help me, and when I found one that did (in more ways than one), this quickly turned into a desire to help others.
Creating and selling body products was always something I took great interest in from a very young age. When I was a young girl, around 9 or 10 years old, I would crush rose petals in water and bottle the liquid up in little glass sample perfume bottles from the department store. I would then attempt to sell it as perfume to my neighbors in front of my home, like other children would lemonade. I now know that perfume is much more complex than crushed rose petals and water, but I remember how much joy I would get when someone would humor me and buy one. The feeling of making something that someone else could enjoy the way I enjoyed it (in my adolescent imagination) was a pivotal experience that I had no idea would come back to the surface over 2 decades later.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always been a crafty person. I’ve dabbled in many different arts and crafts over the years and while some were fun for a while, none of them ever really ‘sang’ to me. My husband would tell you that I have spent hundreds (probably more like thousands) of dollars on a variety of materials for arts and crafts that are sitting and collecting dust because I lost interest. I had always been interested in soap and body products, but for years I shelved the idea and never really looked into learning how to make anything.
Looking to simplify my skincare routine due to some skin issues I was having, I was motivated to finally look into what was involved in the soap making process, especially after seeing my mother-in-law’s great friend start an inspiring soap business. I decided to take to YouTube, not knowing what a deep rabbit hole I was going to go down. After binge watching videos on how to make a variety of soaps with all of the different and amazing techniques involved, I knew I had to make my first batch. I’m sure my husband was worried it would be yet another expensive craft I’d dabble in and ditch after a short time, but I knew it was different because I could feel in my bones that this was something I was meant to do. Quickly taking to Amazon and buying way more supplies than I probably needed initially, I jumped in with both feet and never looked back.
Flash forward to shortly after I launched my business, on two separate occasions, a couple customers of mine reached out letting me know that my products were not only helping their skin, but were also improving their mental health. One woman told me that through her depression, she often won’t shower due to a lack of motivation and that my products make her excited to take care of herself again. This resonated with me because my business was literally founded partly due to my struggles with mental health. I have been there. Some days, a task as simple as showering is so daunting when you’re in the thick of a depression spell.
I knew right then when I heard from this customer that I was onto something. I wanted to do more than just make pretty products that made a difference in people’s skin. I wanted to help people prioritize taking care of themselves and make a positive difference in their lives as a whole, mental health and all.
It’s been two and a half years since I made my first batch of soap. Crafting soaps and other bath and body products has become a part of my identity. It has given me so much more joy than I could ever express. To make tangible objects that not only allow me to be infinitely creative but also serve a purpose in every day life for my family, myself and now others who purchase my products has just been incredible. And my journey has only just begun. Whatever I end up doing with my life today, tomorrow or years down the road, I know that it must involve soap and other handmade body products. Who would have known? One thing you can know for sure is that a tremendous amount of love is put into every product you purchase. I hope you come along on this self-care journey with me and love the products as much as I do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here.
With love,
Rachel Casamassa - owner/soap artist at SOAPothecary
