Inspiring Conversations with Andrea Plummer of Scrupulous Soaps

Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Plummer.  

Hi Andrea, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I was born with a creative spirit, a fascination with chemistry, and sensitive skin. I struggled with eczema all through my childhood and wound up frustrated in my teen years to find that every product I used would irritate my skin more. I was a teenager when I made my first batch of bath bombs with my aunt. We used a recipe we found online, and it was a blast, but I still ended up covered in hives. It would take me another 5 years of trial and error to identify the source of my reactions. I would then quickly discover that the majority of skincare products contain what I’m allergic to. I would also uncover that these allergies are 2 of the most common skin allergies for everyone. If you look up the most common skin allergies, you’ll find Fragrance and Metals (nickel, aluminum, etc.) near the top of the list. Modern-day soaps and skincare products are fragranced with unregulated synthetic chemicals and colored with mica powders that contain metals. 

I started searching for products that avoided these ingredients, and I quickly found that the options were limited and excuses were plentiful. I could use unscented and uncolored products that still had chemical emulsifiers in them, and hope for the best. Or I could start developing how to replace these ingredients with natural substitutes that could actually benefit skin. 

I studied and studied before I made my first batch of soap, in my mid-20’s. It took a lot of leading up because of the safety precautions working with lye before it goes through saponification (the process of oil and lye becoming soap). Once I got over that hill though, I realized I could put to use all of the information I had been gathering, and start really making magic happen. I started sharing my products with the public in 2018 as Scrupulous Soaps LLC. 

Since then, you can find Scrupulous products in 2 stores (The Nest in Mount Clemens, and Le Marche in Saint Clair), on Etsy, and at all sorts of pop-up shows and markets across southeastern Michigan. I am spreading my reach to make natural skincare options available to those people looking for it, like myself for so many years. I love helping people learn to take better care of their skin and even start to love it. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A lot of the obstacles and challenges are expected. Researching and experimenting are my favorite challenges. Working to find what people like and how to make it in the right scale is all part of the fun. Making mistakes once in a while is great for growth. The biggest challenges that I’ve faced so far have been the same as a lot of small business owners in recent years. Securing good quality packaging materials has been complicated. Supplies like oils, salt, and even certain clays have fluctuated in price and availability. The logistics of indoor and outdoor markets have changed several times over. But I feel lucky to still be one of the people adapting and bringing my business to life through all of this. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Your skin is your largest organ. We love helping you take care of it. Natural soaps and skincare products don’t have to be boring. People with sensitive skin shouldn’t have to feel like a science experiment every time they moisturize. Everyone also deserves to see an honest and complete ingredient list on every skincare product they buy. Our skin deserves it. 

In place of fragrance oils, scrupulous products with scent contain essential oils. In place of mica colorants, scrupulous products use plant powders, clays, and botanicals. These natural ingredients are chosen because of the positive effects they have on you and your skin. A lot of these additives are full of antioxidants and minerals and great for your complexion. All products are formulated for sensitive skin and pass ph testing as well as human testing before being sold. 

All Scrupulous products are free of synthetics and palm oil. The soaps are made in the traditional cold process method, which is very gentle once cured. A lot of vegan options are available throughout the menu, as well as unscented options. 

We offer soaps for hand and body, facial soaps, whipped body butter, lotion sticks, hand salve, beard oil, facial oil, bath salts, bath bombs, accessories, and gift sets, and self-care kits. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I love live music. I go to a lot of concerts, and I listen to a ton of music. There are actually a lot of song and music references woven into my soap names. Sometimes people notice them, and a lot of time, they don’t. It’s just one of the ways I add bits of my personality to what I do. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/scrupuloussoaps/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scrupulous_soaps/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScrupulousSoaps/ 

Image Credits
Andrea Plummer
Scrupulous Soaps