Why

What was "My Why"?

Yes...it's a long one!

Like many people who are drawn to a low-tox lifestyle, my journey began with my own health struggles. It hasn't always been an easy road, and there have been times when I've felt exhausted and searching for answers. Now, at 48, I'm navigating another stage of life – perimenopause and menopause. It's a challenging time, but it has also encouraged me to slow down, listen to my body, and to be more mindful.

In searching for ways to support myself naturally, I found comfort in something that had always been part of my life – essential oils. I’ve loved and used them for years, so turning back to them felt natural and unexpectedly it opened the door to an entirely new world for me: low-tox living.

Suddenly, I began questioning everything. Everything we cleaned with, everything we washed with, and especially everything we put onto our skin. I started making my own foaming hand wash, cleaning products, dishwashing powders and more. Looking back, I realised how much of my life had been spent surrounded by herbicides, pesticides and harsh cleaning chemicals without ever really stopping to think twice.

It also made me realise how many people begin this journey because of health challenges – cancer, endometriosis, fertility struggles, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, allergies, eczema, skin sensitivities, neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, and so much more! I started seeing more and more people making the shift toward a gentler, lower-tox lifestyle, and suddenly it all began to make sense why.

One statement stayed with me and completely shifted my perspective: your skin is your largest organ, and so much of what you put on it can be absorbed into your blood stream. That awareness stayed with me and honestly woke me up. Here I was navigating hormonal struggles while unknowingly surrounding myself with products that could potentially contain hormone-disrupting ingredients every single day.

My husband and I have two beautiful teenage daughters, and part of this journey has been about educating them too. I want them to understand the products they use every day, what ingredients are in them, and how they can affect their bodies. As young women growing up in a world full of heavily marketed beauty products, I believe it's important for them to know that not all skincare and makeup are created equal. Learning to read labels, understand ingredients, and make informed choices is something I hope will benefit them for years to come.

So while this venture began as a personal journey, it quickly became something much bigger – a commitment to creating a healthier, more conscious lifestyle for our entire family. What are we being exposed to every day? How could I create a home that felt safer and gentler? How could I reduce some of the unnecessary toxins when, if I’m being honest, I had cupboards full of them?

As I researched more, I was shocked by what I discovered. Harmful chemicals seemed to appear in places I least expected – even in products marketed as natural, sustainable, or eco-friendly. I learned that a single word on a label like “fragrance,” “parfum,” or “perfume” can legally hide thousands of undisclosed ingredients. Hundreds of compounds can sit behind one simple word.

How could something be called “green,” “natural,” or “eco” if so much remained hidden?

So I decided to change what I could – starting with the products we reached for every single day and what realistically fitted our budget.

I brought endless brands of soap, shampoo bars, and conditioner bars, hopeful that I’d finally find the one. But time after time, I was left disappointed. Even worse my daughters refused to use them as they never worked... great! I kept wondering how these products had such glowing reviews because, for me, they just weren’t delivering. All of them!

So, slightly frustrated and more than a little determined, I decided to create my own.

And that’s where my soap-making journey began.

There’s something incredibly empowering about knowing exactly what touches your skin and what you’re bringing into your home.

Then came my proudest moment, shampoo and conditioner bars.

Six months later, I held something in my hands that truly worked. Bars that felt incredible. Bars I genuinely loved using. And I mean absolutely amazing. I became completely obsessed. Even better? My teenage daughters love using them all too — and if you have teenagers, you’ll know that says everything.

My “why” is simple, but it runs deep.

I want to be intentional about what we put on our bodies. I want to teach my daughters that products can be beautiful, honest, effective, and nurturing all at once. I want them to grow up understanding that self-care should support and nourish them – never quietly work against them.

More than anything, I hope these products bring you even a small piece of what they’ve brought to me, my family, and my beautiful friends who became my very willing testers: comfort, joy, simplicity, and little moments of calm.

Use them slowly. Pause. Take a breath.

Live in the moment.

That is the gift I wanted to create — for the people I love, and now for you too.

With all my heart,
Annalise