Emily of Shieh Design Studio and Soap and Restless is well known in the soaping community for her gorgeous creations. Emily is a masterful soaper and has a keen eye for design. In fact, Emily is a designer at an architecture firm, and her skills show in every bar of soap. Emily’s product photography also sets her items apart – check out her beautiful photos to see what I mean! To learn more about Emily, including her photography tips and advice for starting a blog, in the interview below. -A.M.
Emily’s gorgeous Honey Moon Soap, watch her make it here!
How long have you been soaping for and how did you get started?
I started soaping in the summer of 2010, it would be 6 years in a few months. I don’t have a fancy story of how I started making my own soap from scratch, just simply not satisfied with the feel and scent commercial wash left on my skin. What really caught my interest in making my own soap and other bath & body products is that the OCD me loves the idea of having total control. I love how I can personalize every aspect of my bath & body products from the way it looks to the way it smells and feels.
What sort of advice would you give to those soapers just starting their businesses?
To be honest, selling bath & body products is never my main source of income, it’s more of an obsession and hobby than anything. I’m not really good at running profitable business, I’m afraid to give any business advice. However, I’ve always told myself to keep an open mind. There is so much to learn in making bath & body products, even the most experienced senior soap makers can learn a thing or 2 every so often. The science and art of making soap, or any bath & body products in the matter of fact, is endless. With an open mind, your possibility is limitless.
Left to right, clockwise: Viva la Juicy (type) Soap, Melon Mojito Soap, Opium Poppy Soap
