Shiny Hiney Soaps began the way most businesses do – unintentionally. In the spring of 2008 my toddler son developed a bad case of eczema. None of the store brand soaps seemed to be helping much; if anything they seemed to be aggravating his skin even more. After reading the ingredients on the label it wasn’t hard to see why. Manufactured soap, while claiming to be moisturizing and good for your skin, in reality traps impurities and robs the skin of the moisture it needs to remain a healthy organ.
I began to entertain the idea of making my own soap and after reading a book on the natural soap making process I became convinced that I could. I persuaded my sister to attend a cold-process soap making class with me one weekend. From there it all snowballed. We were obsessed. That same day, after the class had finished, we went on a shopping spree and purchased all of the materials we would need to begin making our own soap on a regular basis. We were in charge of our own clean destiny now!
The two of us began reading up on aromatherapy and the healing properties of different oil combinations. We learned which blends made a harder bar, which made more lather; we learned which oils protect against the damaging effects of the sun and which ones promote the healing process. I took it one step further and attended a class that incorporated milk into the soap making process. Milk is rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals and is very nourishing for the skin. Best of all, it moisturizes and softens the skin naturally.
Not being the type to ease into anything, we immediately created a lab my basement and began experimenting with different scents, oil combinations, adding clay and exfoliating ingredients. My sister and I were like a pair of mad scientists. She would call me at all hours of the night with new ideas for scent combinations and I would find myself day dreaming about herb infused oils.
Family and friends soon heard about our new endeavor and became interested. The response was inspiring! So inspiring in fact that over time we had to buy more molds to keep up with the demand. We made sure to personally test every soap we made so we could speak to the benefits of each bar. Once we started getting inquiries from friends of friends we knew it was time to take our hobby to the next level. We created a name for our soap and made up some business cards.
And about the name - you’re probably wondering how we came up with it. As you’ve already read, the idea to make our own soap all started with my son – who you’ll be happy to hear no longer suffers from dry skin. The name originated from a song I would sing to him during bath time.
"I see your hiney,
It’s nice and shiny,
You better hide it,
Before I bite it!"
Today we continue to operate out of my home in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. In addition to our soaps, we have expanded our product line to include all-natural lip balms (under the name Shiny). Our motto is simple “good for your skin…naturally!” We are committed to using only natural ingredients and treating your skin with the care it deserves!
Our soaps change regularly since we’re always experimenting and trying different combinations - but don’t fret – we keep a steady supply of our most popular bars in stock. If you’re looking for something specific just let us know! We can even custom make an order or create a gift basket to fit your soap and/or lip balm desires.
For a current product list, local appearance dates (we participate in local farmers markets and craft fairs), to place an order, or to provide feedback (we LOVE feedback), please email us atshinyhineysoaps@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
I began to entertain the idea of making my own soap and after reading a book on the natural soap making process I became convinced that I could. I persuaded my sister to attend a cold-process soap making class with me one weekend. From there it all snowballed. We were obsessed. That same day, after the class had finished, we went on a shopping spree and purchased all of the materials we would need to begin making our own soap on a regular basis. We were in charge of our own clean destiny now!
The two of us began reading up on aromatherapy and the healing properties of different oil combinations. We learned which blends made a harder bar, which made more lather; we learned which oils protect against the damaging effects of the sun and which ones promote the healing process. I took it one step further and attended a class that incorporated milk into the soap making process. Milk is rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals and is very nourishing for the skin. Best of all, it moisturizes and softens the skin naturally.
Not being the type to ease into anything, we immediately created a lab my basement and began experimenting with different scents, oil combinations, adding clay and exfoliating ingredients. My sister and I were like a pair of mad scientists. She would call me at all hours of the night with new ideas for scent combinations and I would find myself day dreaming about herb infused oils.
Family and friends soon heard about our new endeavor and became interested. The response was inspiring! So inspiring in fact that over time we had to buy more molds to keep up with the demand. We made sure to personally test every soap we made so we could speak to the benefits of each bar. Once we started getting inquiries from friends of friends we knew it was time to take our hobby to the next level. We created a name for our soap and made up some business cards.
And about the name - you’re probably wondering how we came up with it. As you’ve already read, the idea to make our own soap all started with my son – who you’ll be happy to hear no longer suffers from dry skin. The name originated from a song I would sing to him during bath time.
"I see your hiney,
It’s nice and shiny,
You better hide it,
Before I bite it!"
Today we continue to operate out of my home in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. In addition to our soaps, we have expanded our product line to include all-natural lip balms (under the name Shiny). Our motto is simple “good for your skin…naturally!” We are committed to using only natural ingredients and treating your skin with the care it deserves!
Our soaps change regularly since we’re always experimenting and trying different combinations - but don’t fret – we keep a steady supply of our most popular bars in stock. If you’re looking for something specific just let us know! We can even custom make an order or create a gift basket to fit your soap and/or lip balm desires.
For a current product list, local appearance dates (we participate in local farmers markets and craft fairs), to place an order, or to provide feedback (we LOVE feedback), please email us at
Looking so forward to having you at the Open House!! Welcome to the Web! :O)
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