Meet the Founder
My journey to founding Blackberry Barn Soaps began with my own struggle to find a soap I could comfortably use.
Commercial liquid and bar soaps left me with intensely itchy, fluid-filled bumps on my skin. Highly fragranced soaps were especially difficult for me. I also tried soaps from crafters and small-batch artisans, including bars made with goat’s milk and tallow, but I continued to experience severe itching.
My husband and I tried everything we could think of. We installed shower and whole-house water filters and had our water checked by the water authority. I changed laundry detergent, stopped using dryer sheets, and switched shampoos and conditioners in case the rinse water was irritating my skin. I also sought treatment from more than one dermatologist.
Eventually, I gathered the courage to make my own soap. A friend showed me how to make cold-process bar soap, but it took about five years before I began developing my own formulation. Several batches and reformulations followed before I finally made a bar I could use without experiencing irritation.
That first formulation contained no colorants, essential oils, or added fragrance. After struggling for so long, I was reluctant to introduce anything new. When I began experimenting with color and scent, I made those bars for my husband rather than trying them myself.
That experience became the beginning of Blackberry Barn Soaps. It shaped the care and thought I bring to making soap, and it remains a deeply personal part of why I started.
After struggling with my skin for so long, I was hesitant to try them myself. Eventually, I gathered the confidence to try my formulations with mica colorants and fragrance.
To my delight, I found that I could comfortably use every scent and color in my finished soap bars with this one recipe. My skin felt smooth, calm, and soft in a way I hadn’t experienced since childhood.
That personal success became the foundation of Blackberry Barn Soaps. What began as a search for a soap I could use grew into something I’m so blessed to share with others. Everyone’s skin is different. For me, this experience inspired me to begin sharing and selling my soap.
The best part is that none of this happened without Jesus. My family and I prayed faithfully for relief from my suffering, and through the process, I grew closer to Him.
Sometimes He speaks the word, and we are healed. Sometimes He works through others to help us. In His infinite wisdom and care, Jesus answers prayers in different ways. I believe He will use my answered prayers to bring His purposes into the lives of others, whether through soap or something else entirely.
So, yes, this is my soap story. But even more than that, it’s a story of faith, answered prayer, and a relationship with Jesus.
Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and the door will be opened. And I’m not talking about soap. I’m talking about knowing Him.
With gratitude, Tracy, founder of Blackberry Barn Soaps, LLC.
