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Local store provides homemade natural body products

April 3, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Jasen Obermeyer

It started out as a way of finding natural alternatives for body products when she became pregnant with her first child in 2013. Now, Jennifer Kleinpaste is the proud owner of Bridlewood Soaps, providing those natural products that are on the rise.

Located at 450 Richardson Road, it all began as a hobby, starting with a natural bar of soap, but eventually grew after Ms. Kleinpaste began giving it to friends and family. “I made more and more and more, I started giving them away to people, people liked them, and I figured I’d try and sell them.”

It was originally made in her kitchen, then in a basement that was flooded last year, but she now has the space to expand her business.

Everything sold is natural: soaps, baby scrubs, lip balms, clay masks, face and body oils, baby products, and bath salts; all made with 100 per cent essential oils, no colours or preservatives.

“They’re better for your skin. I think they do all of the same things as all these synthetics stuff, they just try to create cheaper alternatives,” said Ms. Kleinpaste.

Growing from that hobby, she began selling her products at the Orangeville Farmers’ Market. Now, the products are sold in 60 retail outlets, mainly across Southern Ontario.

Despite this, according to Ms. Kleinpaste, “It still kind of feels like a hobby.”

Jennifer “totally enjoys being on the creative side,” said staffer Jessica Marchildon.

She says she sees people gaining more interest in natural products. “We’re starting to realize the effects of chemicals.”

Ms. Kleinpaste added that people are becoming more aware of the benefits of natural products, comparing to how awareness in natural ingredients for eating is on the rise. “A lot of people appreciate coming in and seeing the ingredients and knowing exactly what it is.”

She said that customers like how everything is homemade. “We’re creating it in a bigger scale now, but it’s still very small.”

Ms. Marchildon added that customers like knowing their products are not being shipped and imported elsewhere. “I think the people that come in here are really glad to see that it’s all made here.”

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