That last day. We were standing on what felt like the edge of the world, cliffside at Muriwai Beach, New Zealand. Our rental car doors were open, music was playing, and we looked down at the black sand beach, trying to wrap our minds around the journey that was ending. That was our last destination after living out of suitcases for the past eight months - just the two of us - planning as we went along. I had no idea what to expect when we boarded the flight back to New England the next day. We had both quit our jobs and left the lease on our Boston studio. We were kind of broke, kind of had no place to live, and kind of terrified that we would never feel that happy again.
During that flight I thought about the people and places we met. The makers, bathers, and surfers along the way. I also thought about the beautiful landscapes I could barely comprehend, and in contrast, a glacier in New Zealand that had retreated so far back you could now stand on the stone it once covered. I thought about how everything I needed could fit into a single suitcase when utilizing simple, multi-use products. That realization made me feel more connected to myself and the environment. Lastly, I thought about my soap making hobby. How relevant this time-honored method of bathing with plants suddenly felt. Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, everything changed.
That summer I obsessively researched, sourced, and tested the ingredients for a bar soap that would gently cleanse and deeply nourish. A bar made from organic plants and free of palm oil and synthetic substances. As I poured myself into it, scent nostalgia crept in and memories from our adventure began to form essential oil blends. By December 2018, we launched Wild Lather. And that bar turned out to be a triangle.
For every batch, we take our nourishing blend of five organic plant oils: Coconut, Olive, Shea Butter, Camellia, and Castor, saponify them, then combine them with naturally occurring clays and solar-infused botanicals. We then swirl in a house-blend of steam-distilled essential oils and allow them to air-cure for one month. A time-honored process that's so worth the wait. Made for full body bathing, shaving, face cleansing, and sustainable travel. For a more in-depth look on how cold process soap is made (it's really cool!), please visit our FAQ page. Breathe deeply, friends ♡
~ Liz + Conrad
