Meet Jackie from Ginger’s Wild Soap Company

Tell me how you started in soap making.

I have always been curious about the concept, I consider myself a huge “product junkie”.  I literally woke up at 3am one night and said out loud to myself “I am going to make soap”, then went right back to sleep.  The next day I started my research on soap making and it’s been a passion ever since.

How long have you been making soap?

I started making soap in 2010.  Since I didn’t know much about it, I took a beginners class on organic soap making and started out with cold process soap.  I dabbled more and more in different processes and in 2011 I started making glycerin soap. Glycerin has been my favorite thus far.

Tell me about a project or experiment thaat you consider to be the most successful. It doesn’t have to be soap.
I have been looking to expand my product line and have been having some issues creating a moisturizing, yet, not too shiny lip balm recipe and I recently perfected one. I consider most of my projects successful,  Some more challenging than others, some I am waiting to have that ah-ha moment but if I cannot get something right the first time I keep trying.

If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been for you in soapmaking, What did you achieve?

I would consider this past year a very successful year.  I attended a lot of craft fairs, experimented with some great ideas and am taking pride in creating products that people genuinely love.

Do you have a specific goals? In one year? In two years?

At the beginning of each year I sit down and write a list of personal and professional goals.  One of my professional goals for 2014 is to have a fully operational website up and running; I am currently selling on Etsy. I would also like to attend more craft fairs and secure some wholesale and retail accounts.

If you could wave a magic wand, what ill in the world would you solve and why?

If I had a magic wand, I would stop at one ‘ill’. It’s manic we’re talking about. No more cancer, diabetes or AIDS. Also, no more IBDs, like Crohn’s and Colitis. And I would make sure children don’t suffer….anywhere!!! I would make people be generally nicer. It’s a magic wand, right?

Tell us about a time when soaping didn’t go the way you wanted. What was your “great catastrophe?

When I first started making cold process soap I wouldn’t take into consideration the effects each fragrance oil would have on it and I must have seized over 10 batches of cold process soap before I started to get the hang of it.

 All soap makers have them so tell me about your worst “lye burn”.

Knock on wood… I have been very lucky thus far and have not endured a lye burn.  I also cover myself in such a way that would put HAZMAT to shame!

Do you get a lot of support from your family?

Yes, I get tons of support from my family! My fiancée recently surprised me with a display case that he build from scratch so I could maximize my table space at craft fairs and he is my tester for all of my new products, even if they smell like bubble gum or called princess pink!  My first craft fair ever was a few miles from my parents’ house so they volunteered to help me do the show.  I think they were just as excited as I was. My mom came with me to the show, my father had breakfast made and packed thermoses of coffee for us and some sandwiches for lunch.

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, whom would you like to see play the lead role as you?
Isla Fisher. She can do a spunky fiery (yet classy!) red head, very well!

You’ve cast the main character, now what do you think the title should be?

NYC’s survival of Jackie!

What motivates you and what doesn’t?

Seeing how much people enjoy my products really motivates me.  I feel truly blessed that I am able to do what I love and see people enjoy it and get excited about it. Not everyone can say that.

How would your best friend describe you?
Animated, fierce, passionate and loyal.

What’s the biggest mistake you made in your life and what did you learn from it?

This is personal, but… I almost got married to the wrong guy. Luckily, I got out before it was too late. Lesson learned: lead with your heart, think your head.

If you had to give up ONE of your favorite foods, what would it be?

I recently did!  I gave up pizza, amongst other things in an attempt to maintain a cleaner, healthier lifestyle in 2014.

 Tell me about your soap. What is your brand name and company philosophy.

The company is Ginger’s Wild Soap Co.  I like to think that every scent has a bit of my personally in it. My soap is fragrant and fun.  I want people to get excited about bathing!

1) Where can it be found? Are you on Etsy?
Right now, other than local craft fares I’m only selling on etsy:

GingersWild

2) What is your most popular soap
I have two soaps that are huge right now. The first is Exfoliating Toasted Pumpkin Oatmeal Soap Bar – it is warm, creamy smelling soap.  It smells so delicious that whenever I make it my fiancée thinks I am baking his favorite oatmeal cookies. The second is Golden Lemon Grass which is a sweet, clean, fresh scent. It sells out really quickly and is a great unisex scent.