Are you using real soap or a fake one? Part 1

I didn’t give a second thought to the Dove “soap” I was using until Danielle Roussy from Wildfiredragon Designs at the Burnaby Farmer’s Market pointed out that it might be the cause of my dry skin condition.

Her soap samples cleared up the issue and Dove is…Dove who?

This is what I love about Farmer’s Markets, and their entrepreneurs like Danielle who are totally transparent and more concerned about sharing information with you than selling their products.

I was inspired by her journey to become a smart foodie and self-taught creator of natural beauty products (hand made soap and shampoo bars, lotions and lip balm), which helped me to feel very safe in her hands. I thought that sharing her story might do the same for you before we get into the nitty gritty about soap next week.

1. Why did you decide to get “clean” five years ago?

My husband and I were not very healthy people. I was severely obese and never seemed to be able to find the right diet.

Finally, I just started to cut out all processed foods, and focused on fresh foods. Instantly, I could see a change, not only in myself, but in my son. He was having issues with anger management and biting other children at his daycare. Removing processed foods and all the unnecessary chemicals that went with them made an immediate difference.

I also noticed that my mood felt different — my brain seemed less foggy. I realized that we really are what we eat — in more ways than just calories.

Then, this movement just went through the house. I’ve always been conscious of my carbon footprint and realized there were more ways I could make a difference.

At that time, I was purchasing natural soap and lotion from a local store, but then they went out of business and I thought “How hard can it be to make this?” One thing led to another and suddenly, we were making everything — from our laundry soap to all-purpose cleaners to deodorant.

It was all about getting healthy and making sure our son had what he needed to grow and develop at his best.

2. What are the most significant changes you’ve noted since becoming a smart foodie?

Well with the change in diet, I’ve lost around 70 pounds so far. My husband has lost at least 30.

We can smell things stronger now. That’s one of the first things I noticed when I no longer had a bunch of chemical smells in the house. I can’t go into the ‘scented’ aisles at the store anymore (the ones that have laundry detergent and other items).

And our son’s eczema has completely cleared up.

3. How did you teach yourself to create all these great natural products?

The internet is an amazing tool. The soaping community is very large and full of many helpful people.

That attitude really helped and made me realize that I wanted to help other people. It’s more than just wanting people to purchase my products — I want people to understand what they are putting on their skin. We are all about education and transparency.

There are also lots of great books available — I spent a fair amount of money on Amazon and have quite the little library now.

Once I understood the basics, I used the knowledge I had from when I was an aesthetician to formulate my recipes.

I’m always learning something new and that continued education is awesome.

Photo credit: Danielle Roussy