I base my business mission on the belief that some health issues are induced by the environment or from the products and food we consume. When it comes to beauty or cosmetics, as a whole, the industry has been deceptive, dangerous and wasteful. Deceptively and dangerously telling consumers that a certain product is healthy, when in fact it has chemicals known to cause cancer or ingredients that disrupt hormones. Their choice of packaging produces landfill waste and destroys our planet, ocean and animals or wildlife. Their decisions are based on greed. SoapArtSF will be different. We will use quality ingredients with no chemicals, use only safe, responsible, sustainably sourced ingredients. Our goal is to be 100% vegan and plant-based. Our packaging will be zero waste or eco-friendly. Our decisions are based on love. This requires lots of research and work, but my drive and passion helps me to stay focused and energized as we look for ways to improve the product to the benefit of humans, animals and the planet.

SoapArtSF is a small business that manufactures natural soap. Hi, my name is Yumi Bennett. I've been working in the corporate world for a long time. For social recreation, I hosted soap making events in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was an opportunity to enjoy quality bonding time with friends and family. However, when everything shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, I had to stop doing this. We could no longer have social visits and suddenly we were isolated and not even working secularly. An annoying problem came up from all of the extra hand washing and disinfecting; our hands began to feel dry from the harsh chemicals. Using natural soap felt better than the commercial soaps that contained detergents. Washing your hands with soap and water is more effective than using hand sanitizer and can be considered like a vaccine. So, there was a need for good quality soap that was non-drying. With many hours on my hand, I taught myself how to formulate a plant based and vegan soap recipe. We decided not to include palm oil, even sustainable palm oil; and we wanted to incorporate hemp seed oil. I want to prove that beauty products could be pure, clean and earth friendly. I know I can't save the world from its current state, nor can I reduce aging. However, I can have a clean conscience knowing that our products are not contributing to disease or pollution. The best part is just opening the conversation with people about reading labels and how to be responsible for our consumer choices, which in turn, can contribute to having a healthier and happier life. There's a growing demand for products made with real ingredients, with no added chemicals or enhancers. It is important to see familiar ingredients that are easy to pronounce and spell. More people prefer vegan, palm oil free, cruelty free products and appreciate packaging that is eco-friendly. SoapArtSF will rise to the top because we will use quality ingredients with no chemicals, use only safe, responsible and sustainably sourced ingredients. Our goal is to be 100% vegan and plant based. Our packaging will be zero waste or eco-friendly. Our decisions are based on love. This requires lots of research and work, but my drive and passion help me to stay focused and energized as we look for ways to improve the product to the benefit of humans, animals and the planet. Ingredients are always listed and available for our products. Soaps, shampoo bars, masks, serums, bug repellent, and even dog shampoo are made from all natural, organic and unrefined raw ingredients whenever possible. Even though listing the ingredients on soap is not a requirement, to be transparent, we share all the ingredients that were used. Always do a patch test first and if it irritates your skin, stop using it immediately and see your doctor. Take care of your body, nourish it and show gratitude for what you were given. Let's also do our part in taking care of the earth we live on. Reduce, reuse and recycle. "Keep It Classy, Not Trashy!" CALL TO ACTION: Support brands that use compostable packaging. Consider replacing your soap that comes in plastic bottles with a solid soap bar (since it lasts longer than liquid soap, it will save you money). Or use a re-usable water container to refill your drinks instead of single-use plastic bottle. You will make a difference. Ditch the plastic! Our goal is zero waste.