Day 2: Interview with KBShimmer

If you missed the Day One interview with Christy Rose, Owner of KBShimmer, you can catch it here. Now, back to the interview…

Anne-Marie: Do you have employees? How do you get it all done?

Christy Rose: Right now, it is just me and my husband (when needed). We work well together. He is always there to label, package and help however I need him.

Anne-Marie: What are some of the things you outsource?

Christy Rose:Right now, nothing. We make everything down to the labels. It was important for me to have control over the look and feel of KBShimmer. So, for now, we do it all.

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite ingredient to work with and why?

Christy Rose:Mica! Micas give my soaps such a shine and sparkle. The wide range of colors available, and the ability to mix easily, makes it a great choice to color my soaps.

Anne-Marie: How much practice do you think it took you to get the swirl that is so appealing in your soaps? Your multi-colored swirl is a serious piece of art.

Christy Rose: Thank you! I love color and I guess it shows in my work- LOL. When thinking about how I wanted my soaps to look, I knew that I loved the look of swirled soaps. There is something about delicate wisps of color throughout a bar that makes me happy. I tried layering using spoons to “swirl” the color. I tried pouring colors into my mold and mixing them. Neither attempt was what I was looking for. I then discovered “In-The-Pot Swirling”. I do this by pouring my colors into my pot with the base color soap before pouring the soap into my mold. This technique has helped me create the look I wanted. After dozens of batches, practicing with 1, 2 and 3 color swirls, I knew I could push myself and try for 6 colors. It was a nail bitter! I had to make sure that I used a fragrance that gave me time to work. I had to mix quickly to get everything thing into the mold, but I am very happy with the results.

Anne-Marie: Favorite Bramble Berry product?

Christy Rose: After your fragrance oils, hands down, LaBomb Colorants for my bomb bombs. They provide bold color, are easy to work with, and allow me to blend colors to my liking. I have tried other products, but now, will not make bath bombs without them!

Anne-Marie: Thanks for spending the time to fill us in on your fabulous and growing company. Your swirl soaps are out of this world and your Champagne Lip Balm is divine! Don’t forget to check out the KBShimmer Etsy store. This is Anne-Marie and KBShimmer signing off!