Making Soap the Old-fashioned Way is a Family Tradition for Local Business Woman
Everything old is new again for one local business woman. After leaving
a career in sales and marketing to become a full-time homemaker, Becky
Rippelmeyer of Belleville, Illinois became serious about soap-making. This is the story of how one family's generational stories brought a
renewed interest in making all-natural soap the old-fashioned way.
Most people use soap products several times a day to wash hands or to bathe with. Staying clean is an important part of staying healthy. Many of us don't think twice about the soap we use. It's not difficult if you have normal skin but what happens when you have a special skin condition that causes outbreaks, severe dryness or allergic reactions? One local entrepreneur may have just the solution for you.
Becky Rippelmeyer has been making cold-process soap, the old-fashioned way since 2002. She owns and operates Heirloom Soapworks from her home in Belleville. So how did Becky become interested in soap-making? From the time she was a young girl, Becky heard her grandmothers talk about making soap. Three generations of her family made soap at home before store brands became popular.
0Interest in the soap-making led to extensive research on the subject. Becky learned that chemicals and fillers are added to commercially produced soaps, which can be harsh to your skin. Working with base oils coconut, olive, palm, shea butter, mango butter and cocoa butter), essential oils and other natural ingredients like oatmeal and honey, Beckys soaps are all-natural and nourish the skin.
Motivated by positive feedback received from family, friends and a growing customer base, Becky expanded her hobby into a full-fledged business and started a website (www.HeirloomSoapworks.com) to market her products. Becky is a member of the Real Handmade Soap organization. She believes this old-fashioned craft will never grow out-of-date because her products provide people with skin problems relief from dryness often experienced with mass produced commercial soaps. Through her research, Becky has learned that certain oils and nutrients are very healing for specific skin conditions. Part of her business is putting this knowledge to work for customers. She can recommend a product to meet you specific needs. For example, synthetic fragrances commonly added to commercial soaps can cause irritation and dryness. Becky's homemade soaps use essential oils and natural botanicals to promote healthy skin while providing a long-lasting aroma.
Old-fashioned soap can be created in a few hours but must cure for several weeks before packaging. One of the benefits of producing soap from your home is that your house always smells fresh and clean when you have guests. All of Becky's soaps are rigorously tested on family and friends to insure quality. Becky's soaps do not contain any petroleum ingredients, parabens, preservatives, colorants or detergents. Her soaps are rich in glycerin, a naturally occurring byproduct of saponification in cold process soap making. Glycerin is beneficial as a skin softening agent but is often extracted from commercially manufactured soap to be sold for use in secondary products such as hand lotion.
What about the photo used on Heirloom Soapworks products labels? That's Becky's grandmother, the late Annie Henke, of Moro, Illinois. Continuing a family tradition and keeping history alive are natural extensions of the business. To learn more about Heirloom Soapworks products, contact owner Becky Rippelmeyer at (618) 791-5796 or www.HeirloomSoapworks.com.
Story and Photo by Sallie Dawkins
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