Some years ago, I started making pots for plants, candles using essential oils, and then rope and paper baskets. But something was still missing, and I could not figure out what it was. Then one day, while sitting in my garden, I smelled the sweet aromas of orange blossom and basil mingling together. That moment was a turning point for me. I wanted to use that fragrance, but how? I did my research on essential oils and their various uses, and came across what I had been looking for: “handcrafted soap.” This would soon become my new hobby. I collected different ingredients and essential oils to make my first ever batch. I started making batch after batch, and that was how my hobby became my passion. Making soaps gave me so much joy that I started making them everyday and never got tired.

“Go organic” is one of the most popular slogans around the world. For years, I was moved by calls to save our dying planet, to let it breathe by rejecting the synthetic industry and using natural, organic, sustainable products. Keeping this in mind, I decided to do my part to help the planet, by encouraging people to rely on natural ingredients to protect the planet and themselves.

I want to take a trip down memory lane, back to where it all started.

I spent many years trying to explore different things to keep me engaged, but had a hard time finding something I was truly passionate about. I knew there was more to life than what I was doing. I needed something into which I could channel my innate creativity, something which kept my mind engaged and my imagination running.

I had no idea where I wanted to land but I was sure there was something in store for me. I started experimenting, working with my mind and my hands. I worked in the garden, landscaping to growing plants, making cemented pots, flower beds, and paper and rope baskets, among other crafts. Ever since I was a child, I enjoyed working in the garden and loved the smells of rose, jasmine, basil, orange blossom, and other floral aromas.

That led me to another one of my interests: aromatherapy. I bought books on essential oils and used them in candles and diffusers. I took perfume making classes at Neal’s Yard Gardens in London and tried to make perfumes for family and friends. But that was just a hobby, not a calling. My creative pursuits pleased many friends and family members, but something was still missing.

In early 2018, everything changed. My brother was diagnosed with cancer in London and I had to make frequent trips to visit him and his family. During this emotionally challenging time, I was browsing the internet, looking up herbs and essential oils. I came across something related to natural soaps. I decided to buy books and e-books in order to learn more. I had never considered that making soaps in your own home was a possibility!

I bought Melt and Pour bases from Stephenson and started making soaps using different herbs and ingredients to experiment with, in the basement kitchen of my brother’s house. He called it my “soap workshop,” where I was free to work for long hours. The first batch left me with a joy and satisfaction I had never before experienced. By now, I was so invested in this new project that I started making soaps every single day. It turned out to be my favourite creative project of all time… and that marks the beginning of the birth of “Infusions”.

I started exploring soap classes to develop my skills to the next level but had difficulty finding the right course. Basic, 1-2 hour classes would not be enough for what I wanted. Then one day an advertisement just popped up in front of me, about a week-long intensive course offered by Soap School, Huddersfield, UK. I booked my spot and went off to attend the course that changed my life in two significant ways. Firstly, I finished my diploma and got my certificate. But far more importantly, I lost my brother, my inspiration and my support, only three days after I finished that course. Knowing that he was happy that I got my diploma, and that I had found a pursuit I was passionate about, is what keeps me going.

And so, by following my instincts, my interests, my passions, and my intuition, I went from being a hobbyist to being a professional. Now, herbs and plants are not just things I can enjoy the sights and scents of. I find myself exploring their unique properties and their many potential benefits for our skin. I grow my ingredients in my own garden and study each one of their properties. This has allowed me to understand how all the chemicals we use in our daily soaps and skincare products can damage our skin, and to create natural soaps that can help nourish skin while being kind to the environment.

Our skin is as important as the inner organs of our body. If we take care of our skin, it will stay healthy and glowing forever. Take care of your skin and look beautiful, inside and out.