The Soap Box opens store in Two Rivers

New downtown store sells bath and body products

By: Cindy Hodgson, Herald Times Reporter

TWO RIVERS — More people these days are looking for bath and body products that won't endanger their health or the environment, according to the owner of a new store selling "eco-beauty products."

Kirsten Dobbs, who opened The Soap Box at 1610 Washington St. on March 14, defines "eco" or "green" beauty products as those that don't have preservatives or synthetic chemicals, such as sodium laurel sulfate or phthalates.

Sodium laurel sulfate is a commonly used surfactant that can be a skin irritant, she said. Phthalates are used in a wide variety of products, including as a stabilizer in personal care items.

Even mainstream manufacturers are moving away from using phthalates in their products, according to Dobbs.
Not all of the products for sale at The Soap Box are all natural, although none of them contain phthalates, according to Dobbs.

"I didn't want it to be my whole niche because I want to reach everybody," she said.

Dobbs, 32, makes all of the bath and beauty products she sells. Besides the eco-beauty items, she also customizes fragrances for perfume, soap and body splash.

"We offer soy candles, which I also do custom," she said.

While she can do some custom fragrances using only essential oils, the selection is limited, she said. So for others she uses regular fragrances, which contain synthetic chemicals.

"I'm at about 100 right now," she said about the fragrances she has available.

People don't pay extra for her to design a scent she doesn't have, even if it takes her a month to get it right, because once she develops it she can add it to her fragrance line, she said.

"My prices are comparable to … big box stores," she said. "Some of the eco products are a little more."
Product prices range from less than $5 to $17. Her most expensive item is a mud masque that costs $17 for a 4-ounce jar.

Besides the bath and beauty products, which comprise the majority of the store, The Soap Box also sells sterling silver jewelry with natural gemstones, which she buys from a wholesaler, and vintage bead jewelry that Jody Dubinksy sells on consignment.

Dobbs plans also to sell handbags on consignment, made by Marli Post, and she is looking to expand her selection of bath and body products and candles by having people sell those items on consignment as well.

In addition, she is considering subcontracting with massage therapists to allow them to offer their services in a partitioned-off section at the back of the store.

The Soap Box is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For information, call Dobbs at (920) 246-4050.

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