About Us

A Handmade Christmas Challenge:

Every gift must be handmade: that was the beginning of my obsession with making handcrafted soap. Many family members had suffered from dry skin issues like eczema, and I was intrigued by the prospect of making natural, moisturizing handmade soap that would soothe their skin and eliminate harsh additives found in commercial soap. So I made soap for Christmas and after my family smelled and experienced natural soap, they said I should start a business!  After extensive research I launched The Soap Chest in the fall of 2000 and began selling the soap that our family had fallen in love with.

High Quality Ingredients • Timeless Technique • Extraordinary Benefits

I enjoy incorporating my own homegrown herbs and local honey and goat milk into my soap and experimenting with exotic oils and butters from all over the world. I love creating a beautiful and wholesome, yet practical product. Starting from scratch, I make soap in the “new, old-fashioned way,” that is, using centuries-old processes but incorporating new and more precise measurements and globally obtained ingredients. 

From "At Home" to Brick and Mortar

After years of making soap from a home-based workshop, The Soap Chest was bursting at the seams. So, in November of 2015 I took the opportunity to fulfill my long-held dream of opening a shop in Downtown Camas. With a well-appointed workshop, a lovely retail space and an herb garden in back, I now run the entire business at this location. Creating new products and scent combinations is my passion and I love helping customers find natural items that nourish the skin and delight the senses!