“Natural soap may seem like a simple, personal luxury to most Americans,” says Kraemer, “but for the many people of Africa and other parts of the developing world who have limited access to personal hygiene products like soap, learning to make their own natural soaps, using ingredients found right in their own locale, is a compelling and cost-effective way they can improve their health. It’s also a skill set; a way to earn a living. Natural soap making also is a sustainable process, and that’s become a priority throughout the world.”

Read about Abbey Brown under The Chicago Soap Company, our owner Deb Kraemer, and our trade mission in South Africa in the following articles:

Off we go…

Well, we made it! After a long trip, the Abbey Brown Fam has arrived in South Africa for a three week trip, including an International Trade Show. We’ve carted along 2 suitcases full of product and have 13 meetings set up some in Johannesburg and some in Cape town! Among them, we are meeting with an NGO to discuss our educational opportunities and also a number of private labeling opportunities.

The support has been huge and welcoming toward small businesses here in South Africa. The experience is a great one already! What a tremendous effort Illinois has made to support this trade mission. We are grateful for this opportunity and challenge to export. Can’t wait to see what the next few weeks have in store…stay tuned!

Our anise, or Pimpinella anisum, is growing beautifully! Similar in flavor to star anise, fennel, and liquorice, anise and its oil has health benefits both inside and out. Snip anise leaves for fresh use, and collect seed heads while still green-hang them to dry.

As a tea, these deep and spicy seeds and leaves are great for digestion, gas and bloating, and chest congestion. Its use as a relaxing bedtime tea dates back to the days of Pliny the Elder (the Ancient Roman naturalist).

Anise oil has been known to cure a toothache and heal minor cuts. In skincare, anise oil may be used to soothe psoriasis and other skin conditions. It’s also great in aromatherapy as a soothing bath that relaxes the mind and the airways for better breathing.

*Avoid anise oil while pregnant and consult a doctor before using while nursing

I believe Spring has finally come! We are spreading compost this weekend, getting seeds ready, and our indoor seedlings are popping up.

We will be rolling out a new farmers market line of products that will be seasonal and brought to our local farmers markets. New this market season is our Aloe Vera line including Lemon Verbena Kale Soap, Parsley/Citrus Soap and Bergamot Thyme Soap – look for them, they are a wonderful addition to our lineup!

Each week we are committed to sourcing local ingredients that we infuse into our olive oil soap and other skin healing products.

Introducing a wonderful addition to our cast is Baby Clementine soap in honor of a new arrival in our lives that brightens up our days and probably keeps our Production Manager up most nights. This will include a deodorant for mom and other wonderful products to follow. Having a close tie to scent between mom and baby is important and develops at the time of birth.Our handmade soaps and products are always natural, never combined with anything less than 100% goodness.

Look forward to seeing everyone at the Market! You can find us at:
Daley Plaza – Thursday 7am – 3pm
Park Ridge – Saturdays 7am – 1pm
Logan Square – Sundays 10am – 3pm

Salts from the Sea are a natural resource and come from evaporating seawater. Rich in minerals, sea salt has therapeutic qualities which help cleanse and detoxify the largest organ- your skin.

Epsom salt is not from the sea, it is a pure mineral compound. It looks like salt (or sodium chloride) but is not- it’s magnesium sulfate. Himalayan salt is also not from the sea, rather it is mined from ancient seabeds that were pushed up into the mountain range and preserved by volcanic ash and is considered the finest of Earth’s salts.There’s a world of different salts to choose from, picking one over the other is like a box of chocolates, you just can’t go wrong, they are all yummy.

The type of salt you use for this is up to you. If you’d like to go to your kitchen, grab your kosher salt, and mix up a scrub now- go right ahead! If you’d like to create a more exotic scrub with the extra benefits of volcanic clay use a fine ground Hawaiian salt. We have a super soft, velvet-y textured Breton grey organic sea salt at our shop that is a perfect texture for scrubs. Any fine ground salt will do.

In a jar or container with a lid, combine 1 cup of your fine salt with 4 tablespoons of oil. Olive oil, grapeseed, sesame, any of your typical cooking oils are great for softening your skin. Grate some lemon zest into your salt and add a tablespoon of dried rosemary. Stir to combine. Add a few drops of rosemary essential oil to boost the anti-arthritic and astringent properties of your scrub.

Some salt scrubs are entirely saturated and dripping with oil, but we make ours with much less oil. It still leaves your skill feeling soft and refreshed! Simply get yourself wet in the shower or tub, and massage your salt scrub over desired areas either with your hand or a brush. Rinse and pat dry. Enjoy your rejuvenated skin. Moisturize! Store the excess for up to 6 months at room temperature.

Use this recipe to create a potpourri made of salt and essential oils that you can leave out to scent any room. You can leave your potpourri in a decorative open bowl and spritz with left over scent blend to refresh as needed or you can make your potpourri in a container with a lid that you can open from time to time when you wish to scent the area.

For this recipe you’ll need jumbo salt crystals. Try Himalayan for an interesting color. You might also choose a clear jumbo crystal that you can color with liquid dye, but why not let nature do the coloring?

First rinse your salt crystals quickly under water and lay them out to dry completely. This removes the powder from the outside of the rocks. In a spray bottle combine 1/2 ounce of vegetable glycerin with 1 and 1/2 ounces of your desired essential oil blend. Try eucalyptus and lavender to refresh your stuffy winter home or a citrus blend. Place your crystals in your desired container and spray with your scent mixture. Mix well. You’re done! The salt will absorb the scent blend into its pores. You can spray on more to refresh as needed.