Kater's Acres Blog: MONDAY MADNESS: Crimson Hill Soaps & Scents

We have been blessed to come in contact with many wonderful people through the several teams we participate in. We have known Angie almost a year. She is a wonderful, hard working, and devoted Mom who has a knack for soaps and scents. We hope that you will love her and her products as much as we do.

Tell us about yourself.
Hi! My name is Angie and I am the owner of Crimson Hill Soaps & Scents! "Team Crimson Hill" consists of me, my two kids and my wonderful and very supportive husband. I am a proud stay-at-home mom of two beautiful kids and am also called "Coach" by my t-ball, softball and volleyball players and find myself staying plenty busy by being involved with my kids activities and volunteering at school and church...not to mention running a business! I love sports, gardening, home improvement and reading.

Tell us a little bit about the history of your store.
My business stemmed from our family’s sensitive skin needs and I have been making natural bath & body products for the past 6 years. It all started when my then-3-year-old daughter was having skin issues. After not having much luck with the dermalogical route and getting the standard “try Cetaphil and Aquafor”, a friend suggested I try natural soap. I bought a variety of natural soaps and found that some of them helped my daughter’s severe dry skin. After much research and trial and error, we found that the chemicals and sulfates in mass-produced products were irritating her skin….even the “gentle” Cetaphil and Aquafor. Since some of the soaps helped, I decided that maybe I should make my own since her sensitive skin would be a lifelong issue.

For months, I tirelessly researched recipes & ingredients and educated myself on the benefits of natural ingredients and the potential dangers of sulfates and parabens. I knew I would never make old-fashioned soap with lye so I leaned towards the healing and natural benefits of glycerin. My first efforts were bad (to say the least!) and resembled a pile of goo more than soap! But after each trial, I tweaked my recipe and the result was a marvelous, sudsy, long-lasting bar of soap! Over the years we have fine-tuned our recipes but still only use natural ingredients and skin-nourishing oils. What was once a family necessity has developed into a prosperous business with a loyal following. My business is my passion and I can’t imagine doing anything else at this point in my life.

What makes your store UNIQUE from all the other stores that sell a product similar to yours?
A few things come to mind….price, quality and selection. I am a sensible shopper and pride myself on offering big bars or soap at a reasonable price. When most shops offer 4 oz or even 3.5 oz bars, I still make 5 oz bars and keep the price affordable. I only use the highest-quality cosmetic-grade oils and ingredients in all my product and you can feel the quality. I feel my shop is unique in that I can offer many options for any customer. We have kids soaps, facials soaps, scrubs, party favors, bridal gifts, perfume oils, body creme….the list goes on.

What are your favorite items that you make and list in your store?
Picking a favorite item is very hard for me! I really love to do seasonal items since they are ever-changing. I also like to create my own custom-blended scents that are truly unique to my shop.

Tell us about an item in your store.

My Soap Sampler is a best seller in my shop and I have been making it for years! It gives customers a chance to try 6 of my best-selling blends and then choose their favorites. I find that many of my orders for these come from my loyal customers giving them as a gift to someone! They also make great travel soaps!

Do you take custom orders? What kinds of services do you offer and what are your policies regarding custom orders?
I love custom orders! One of my specialties is creating custom party favors for any event. I have made favors for countless kids birthday parties, baby shower, bridal showers, weddings and much more. I love to work with the customer to create a unique item that is special for their event.