Soapwalla

by Rachel Winard

Where are you from/where did you grow up?

I was born in Las Vegas and spent my high school years in Seattle. I moved to NYC when I was 17 years old - I have family ties to Brooklyn since the turn of the 20th century. I originally moved to NYC to go to Juilliard for violin performance 

Why did you start your business?

Soapwalla was born late one night, when I was desperate for skincare that wouldn’t exacerbate my extremely sensitive skin issues caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic autoimmune illness. After discovering that truly natural personal care products were few and far between in the early 2000s, I eventually realized that if I wanted safe skincare for my compromised immune system and sensitive skin, I would have to learn to make it myself. Soapwalla premiered in December 2009, and we remain committed to creating handmade, effective, eco-conscious facial and body products for all humans. 

How does your work connect to Brooklyn?

I don't think we could separate the Brooklyn-ness from Soapwalla even if we tried! ;) Brooklyn has always been home to scrappy artists and artisans who create amazing works out of nothing. There's a vibrancy here that continues even in the face of rising costs and gentrification. In addition, Brooklyn is such a diverse borough and we specifically make products that are for everyone (that's why our tagline is "For ALL humans").