How a desire for natural skincare products lead one woman to start a whole new small business
We met her at an event hosted by The Point Park new Co-llab in Leon Springs earlier this summer. Impressed with the array and quality of her products, we invited Tarra Hardeman to share her entrepreneurship story with our readers.
On the origins of her business
“I’ve always appreciated natural products, approaches, and ideas. My mother was vegan and was always physically fit and smart, so I was raised with those ideals and a respect for research. I started my business in March 2016 after one hard lesson. I had purchased a large brand labeled “Natural Baby Shower Gel” and, upon opening it for the first time, noticed that it smelled of window cleaner. That spurred a week long research fest of checking and researching every ingredient in my bountiful collection of skincare products. I found that the products I had paid so much money for were made of mostly detergents, chemicals, fragrances, and water. I was confused at how they could use the natural label, disappointed that I had been duped for so long, and determine to find a better way. It became an obsession. I knew there had to be a way to produce products that were naturally and carefully made that didn’t have to cost a lot of money. I researched, and our company was born.”
On what Tarra brings to her work
“I bring an education and appreciation for natural products. I find that people are afraid and put off by a natural description because we are all so used to products that are brightly colored and artificially fragranced. Our products are handmade of the highest quality, ensuring the most careful recipe and production that money can buy, producing an effective and beneficial product each and every time. I love to talk to customers because most people are unaware of just how artificial their products actually are. We are a plant-based company, which means we do not use any animal products like some competitors. Even large brands use animal fats as their oils and we know that using oils like olive, coconut, and shea butter are more beneficial to the skin than cow fat.”
On her family’s contribution
“I created the business in 2016, and my husband has been an amazing contributor. He and our children help me with ideas and transport. They also attend events with me and stay for the duration, in support of my vision. It’s nice to have such amazing support in a start-up business. It’s also a great mechanism to teach my children about the benefits of being an entrepreneur. I am currently helping my 8 year old create a small business of her own, too. It’s nice to see that they gain so much in watching me.”
On moving to Texas
“We moved from Maryland in July 2017. We made the move to slow our pace and make family more of a priority in our lives. My business needed a change, too. When in Maryland I also owned a preschool, which took a lot of time and energy, so I did not have a lot of time for our soap business. The move to San Antonio enabled me to work the soap business full time. This has allowed me to take a good look at our business from top to bottom, which meant expanding our product line, changing the name to make it more personal to me, and being able to attend more events to expand the brand.”
Where to find her products
“We can always be found at www.CarmelSoap.com and strive to attend as many shows as possible. Our events page keep customer aware of where we will set up locally. In the summer we are less active in the event scene because the handmade nature of our products don’t do well in 100 degree weather . . . . We love the Salado Creek Market, where we will return in the fall, and also plan to attend the Ultimate Kids Expo at the Austin Hwy Events Center in October. We can always be found on Facebook and Instagram.”
Story produced by Pamela Price. Photographs provided by Denise Moore.
Thanks for reading!
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