About Us
About Us
Perfectly Natural Soap® was launched from a hobby into a business in 2013 by Shaen and Rich Goetsch in Williamsburg, Virginia. Our journey started five years earlier when we found out that our oldest child was allergic to the synthetic chemicals found in many “baby” shampoo and washes. In an effort to find products that would not irritate our baby’s skin, we embarked on an interesting journey that always educated, sometimes frightened and ultimately empowered us to make something better than what we were finding out in the marketplace. From that journey, Perfectly Natural Soap® was born.
We make our products right here in Williamsburg, VA using the highest quality raw materials available. We use plant-based oils, essential oils, natural fragrances and botanical extracts in our products. We never use dyes, parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic colorants, or harsh synthetic fragrances. Our success comes not just from our terrific products but our consistently high customer service. We want you to be perfectly happy with Perfectly Natural Soap® and we work tirelessly to make sure our customers are!
In 2016 we achieved certification from the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild of Advanced Certified Soapmaker. The Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild is the only international non-profit trade association serving the handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry. The certification process tests are on chemistry, regulations & processes as well as a practical test of our soap.
In November 2016 we opened our first retail location, Perfectly Natural Soap @202 Main, located in beautiful historic Smithfield, VA right on Main Street, in the heart of the historic area. In 2018, our second retail location opened on Richmond Rd. in our iconic hometown of Williamsburg, VA. Then, in 2020, we opened our third retail store on Prince George Street in the historic downtown Merchant Square area of Colonial Williamsburg, VA.
Why Perfectly Natural?
Have you ever read the label on a typical commercially produced soap or personal care product? We have and found that they are full of detergents, synthetic chemicals, preservatives, and dyes. In fact, most “soap” that you buy is not actually soap at all, it’s a synthetic detergent full of bubbly chemicals that look and smell like soap but in reality, aren’t.
Are those synthetic ingredients safe? Well, there is a lot of debate on that topic. At Perfectly Natural Soap®, we have read the research for both arguments and are not convinced that they are safe. And if we’re not sure, we are going to err on the side of caution and we are not going to use them in products made for our family … or yours.
Even if you choose to fall on the other side of that decision, our natural soap is far more conditioning to your skin because it is made with incredibly high-quality plant-based oils and butters. Your skin will feel the difference.
Many commercially produced products contain parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and petrochemicals. Perfectly Natural Soap® does not.
Synthetic parabens are preservatives. Most personal care products do contain synthetic parabens to increase shelf life and inhibit micro-organism growth in products that contain water and have an agreeable ph where micro-organism growth likes to occur. Why do we avoid them? Research shows that parabens have estrogen-like properties and have been linked to cancerous breast tumors. Instead, we use paraben free preservatives when a preservative is necessary to inhibit micro-organism growth.
Sulfates are added to many soaps and shampoo products to produce lather. One beautiful part of making natural soap is that by using base oils like coconut and castor in our recipes, we have gorgeous fluffy lather in our soaps without having to even think about using sulfates. Why? Sulfates can be skin irritants.
Phthalates are solvents and are used because they cling to the skin to give scents longevity. At Perfectly Natural Soap®, we only use 100% natural or phthalate free fragrances in our products. Why? Phthalates have been linked to cancer and birth defects in some research. Phthalates are not required to be reported on labels so be wary of “fragrance oil” and “perfume” on a label … most contain phthalates.
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Petroleum jelly, paraffin and mineral oil are all common petrochemicals. So are the parabens, phthalates and sulfates described above. Perfectly Natural Soap® does not use petrochemicals in our personal care and soap products, instead relying on the vast array of natural oils and butters available from nature. Why? Unlike natural oils, there are no skin nourishing benefits from using a petrochemical product and as noted above, many petrochemicals are linked to cancer in research studies.
Thank you.
Thank you for taking a moment to learn about what drives our passionate commitment to create natural soaps, bath and body products that are not only healthy for your skin but also our environment.
Perfectly Natural Soap, LLC Williamsburg, VA 23188 (757)742-3624 info@perfectlynaturalsoap.com