Having cruelty free, earth-friendly packaging, palm free, vegan, and 100% handmade in the description of your independent soap empire is always a smashing start which is how Charlotte Hatch feels 6 months into her business, Soap & Rose, but where did it all begin?
Charlotte was in the RAF for 12 years serving as a nurse and loved this job but as she got married and her husband was in the navy she realised her life had to change. Adapting her lifestyle to fit around her new family, she fell in love with the idea of making soap.
Spending 4 months experimenting with the whole process of soap making including what bases to use has been a great journey for Soap & Rose. Making eco friendly and free from harsh chemical products was something that was important to Charlotte, all the products are 100% handmade using a cold process method before being individually wrapped which means all the love and care has been put into the soaps you buy. Using a base of; olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, and castor oil allows for natural ingredients to be used and one of the fun parts of soap making is the scenting process and what to add to make wonderful smells and entice new customers. Charlotte adds combinations such as Lime, Orange, Lemon, and Mai Chang to the top seller Citrus body soap bar that really makes your body feel fresh and clean and only uses natural products. Serenity is the best selling soap and is made up of Lavender and Geranium with pink and Brazilian purple clay, the smell is so amazing that it actually feels a pleasure to wash your hands! Using natural elements like clay in soapmaking means the colours are long-lasting and they don't fade like many plant-based colourants do. I really love the fact that the clays used actually help dry/sensitive skin and reduce irritation which is always a huge bonus! Clay soaps also have natural oil-pulling properties which can really help with removing impurities from your skin and can be especially good for people who have oily skin.
I first met Charlotte at a market she was attending and fell in love with the branding but also the shower steamers she had on display. Being someone who loves the smell of bath bombs from places like Lush but not being able to use them as my skin is so sensitive, I loved the fact that the shower steamers are a real treat that gives you the wonderful aroma of essential oils without having to use on your skin. You can put your music on, place a shower steamer in the corner and wait for the wonderful smell to hit your senses while singing to your track of the day! Priced at only £5.00 for two steamers or £8.00 for 4 means this little round disc that makes your bathroom smell incredible is a lovely gift for someone or for yourself!
Chatting to Charlotte she said she wanted her products to be affordable for her customers and so she really tries to meet that need at every sale and market she does. Having a business that is only 6 months old means there are lots of ideas and experimenting to do, but the fundamental structure is in place to be a business that contributes to bringing good soap to Portsmouth! My favourite products are the serenity soap, the shower steamers and the gift soap sets. I can’t wait to see where Charlotte takes this brand next!
You can catch Soap & Rose across Portsmouth over the Summer at different markets and stalls so look out on Instagram and also make time to go buy some of the soap and shower steamers as they are so well made and smell amazing. You can support an independent trader while making your bathroom have a fab aroma at the same time!
See below for more details on Soap & Rose
