An Ode to Our Original Product: Apotheke Bar Soap

Our first products weren’t perfect. Honestly, they were far from it. In 2011, after being laid off from her job, Chrissy was in search of a new hobby. She had thrown herself into baking and had actually gotten quite good at it yet still wanted to create something that lasted longer than a pound cake (not that her husband, Sebastian, was complaining).

Knowing she wanted to make something with her hands, Chrissy began researching bar soap recipes and scent formulation. Through trial and error she discovered, coconut oil gave her batches the rich later she wanted, while palm oil hardened the soap helping it keep its shape, and olive oil added moisture. Chrissy’s original “recipe” was 50% coconut oil, 25% olive oil, and 25% sustainable palm oil. After countless failed attempts, which included many ruined kitchen pots, she created her first successful batch of bar soap; a lavender bar soap made using essential oils, crafted right in her very own kitchen.

National Handmade Day kicks off the month of April, serving as a reminder for us to always remember our roots. Chrissy’s hobby and passion for nailing the perfect bar of soap inspired her to create what we now know as Apotheke. Though bar soap batching isn’t taking up space in Chrissy’s kitchen anymore, it’s still batched by hand.

Handcrafting fragrance is what we do, from pouring candles, filling diffusers, to stamping bars of soaps with our logo. We do it all and we’re proud to share these products with our community. We thank you for your support in helping us go from Chrissy’s kitchen to our amazing factory nestled in Red Hook, Brooklyn.