Local artisan Catherine Parent has found a way to stay clean in the most natural way, and she has been making her organic line of soaps, Willowbank Soap Co., for almost eight years.
“I wanted something natural, and the stuff in the store tends to be expensive. And this way I can choose whatever I want to put in it,” said Parent as she was setting up her booth at the Saturday Farmers’ Market in Golden’s Spirit Square.
“So I started making soap at home for myself, and for my friends.”
Parent’s line of products has grown over the years, and now includes a variety of soaps, men’s shaving soap, lip balm, and body balm made mostly with organic shea and cocoa butters.
“I have some natural bug repellant now. And I’ve also made a bug repellant soap and shampoo all in one, so you can use that camping,” she said.
“Also new this year is dog shampoo. So just get your dog wet, and lather it up (with the bar).”
The location of Golden, and it’s natural resources, is the inspiration for much of the Willowbank Soap.
“Lots of my stuff, I try to use local ingredients. So there’s catnip from my garden, glacial silt from one of the local rivers, chamomile from my garden, juniper berries infused in olive oil, and sage from my garden,” said Parent.
And if you return the containers after you use the product (with the bug spray and body balm), you get a refund with your next purchase. The soap and shampoo bars only have labels on them, which Parent has put her personal touch on.
“Then I hand colour all the labels with pencil crayon. In the winter time I do that while my husband watches hockey, in the summer time it’s just whenever I have the chance,” she said.
You can find Willowbank Soap products every week at the Farmers’ Market, as well as at the Art Gallery of Golden, Mountain Pure, and Elite Nutrition.
