Preston and Tyler of Sudz by Studz create and sell gorgeous cold process soap, lotion and balms in Sacramento, California. I met Preston at the Central Soapers Workshop last year, where he gave an engaging talk on Instagram and business. I was impressed and inspired by his passion for the industry. Tyler and Preston recently started a clever monthly subscription box called “Soap of the Month,” where customers can receive a bar of limited edition cold process soap. Read the interview with Preston and Tyler below to learn more about their soaping journey and tips for those just starting out. -A.M.
Sudz by Studz’s beautiful Gingerlee soap.
How long have you been soaping for and how did you get started?
As of this month, we’ve been soaping for three years. Our journey as soapmakers started shortly after we took a course on cold process soap making. At the time, Stud Preston was getting ready to graduate with a degree in philosophy and Stud Tyler had just moved back to Sacramento after having been on NBC’s The Voice and living in LA. We found that making soap was an enigmatic process; it combined art and chemistry in the most cathartic way, so we knew it had to become a mainstay in our lives. Consequently, we ordered $200 worth of supplies to start and became super addicted. Our newfound hobby was overrunning our lives, and outgrowing our studio apartment, so we decided to turn it in to a business.
Preston and Tyler work together to create their beautiful products.