10 Soap Business Success Stories [2024]
Soap-making business is a growing industry that can be home-based or a small local business. Soap business is one of the most lucrative home-based businesses that perfect your decision to work in your free time while you earn good cash.
Starting a soap business sounds simple enough. You can buy supplies for probably less than $1,000. Popular skincare products are now being sold online, and this doesn’t seem like a challenging field to break into. Below are some success stories of the soap business that will inspire you.
In this list, you'll find real-world soap business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a soap business that makes money.
1. Outlaw ($4.56M/year)
Danielle, the founder of Outlaw Soaps, started the business out of a desire for adventure and escape from the corporate world. On her honeymoon, she discovered a bar of soap that reminded her of the joy and excitement of her adventures. Realizing she could make her own soap with unique scents, she and her husband Russ launched Outlaw Soaps in 2013 with just $13.72 worth of supplies. Since then, they have built a loyal customer base and expanded their product line to include body wash, cologne, lotion, and more. With an average monthly revenue of $23,000 and a strong emphasis on customer service, Outlaw Soaps has found success by tapping into their customers' love for adventure and their desire to break free from the mundane.
How much money it makes: $4.56M/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 13
Outlaw Soaps, a soap company that started with just $13.72 of supplies, now makes an average of $23,000/month, with 46% of website orders from repeat customers who are loyal to the company's unique products and top-notch customer service.
2. Spinster Sisters Co. ($1.5M/year)
spinsterproducts.com" style="color:blue"> via Amazon, and we sell internationally. We are in natural grocery and mass grocery, we are in spas and boutiques, and we are in gift shops and hotel spas. You almost have to give all channels a shot, to try to drive growth, brand recognition, and new sales. We have a strong social media presence, especially on Instagram, and we engage with our customers through newsletters and promotions. Additionally, we prioritize customer service and aim to provide a personalized and positive experience for each customer.
How much money it makes: $1.5M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 10
Spinster Sisters Co, a natural skin and personal care company that manufactures premium quality products, went from making soap in a basement to a $1.5 million/year business, boasting 18 employees, 2100 stores across the US and expansion into Canada, seeing massive growth potential in its sales funnel and achieving a record sales week, with a robust direct-to-consumer business (24% of sales) that's grown organically until this year.
3. Mirai Clinical ($1.2M/year)
Koko, a Japanese female serial entrepreneur, came up with the idea for her eCommerce business of deodorizing body, hair, and home care products after realizing the lack of solutions for body odor associated with aging. Inspired by her grandmother's experience, she introduced Japanese Persimmon soap to the US market. Now, her business generates $100,000 in monthly sales, primarily through Shopify and Amazon, and focuses on providing senior-friendly products and exceptional customer service.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study features a Japanese female entrepreneur who started an eCommerce business offering deodorizing body, hair, and home care products, with monthly sales of $100,000 mostly from Shopify eCommerce and Amazon, targeting baby boomers and offering solutions for body odor associated with aging in the USA.
4. Waxing Kara ($396K/year)
Kara Brook Brown, the founder of Waxing Kara, came up with the idea for her business while working as an artist painting with encaustic, a paint made with beeswax. Through her beekeeping hobby, she became fascinated by honey production and the importance of bees to our food supply. This led her to start Waxing Kara, creating natural Bee Inspired food products and skin-loving bath and beauty goods that include ingredients made possible by honeybees.
How much money it makes: $396K/year
How many people on the team: 3
This case study follows the journey of Waxing Kara, a Bee Inspired® food products and bath and beauty goods business which generates $33K per month, and highlights the importance of inventory management, education, and relationships with customers and bee colonies.
5. Dirty Labs ($240K/year)
David Watkins, CEO and co-founder of Dirty Labs, came up with the idea for his business after working in consumer electronics and realizing the short lifespan of the products he was creating. He partnered with chemist Dr. Pete He and identified laundry detergent as the product to start with, aiming to create a solution that was safe, sustainable, and effective. They developed a prototype formula and secured funding from investors and notable individuals before launching their direct-to-consumer business.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5M
How many people on the team: 7
Dirty Labs, a cleaning innovation lab founded by CEO David Watkins, introduces a line of laundry detergents that solve the cleaning trilemma, being safe, sustainable, and effective, achieving the goal with formulations that leverage nature-inspired green chemistry and earning $240k annually from the direct-to-consumer distribution.
6. Alegna Soap ($60K/year)
Angela had always loved soaps and scents. She took the required chemistry classes in her degree and learned more about saponification, from where she joined similar communities and started her brand.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Alegna Soap is a successful handmade soap retailer who uses events, personalized client touches and weekly blogs to retain customers that trust the brand, while running the three major legs of the business which are retail, private label and teaching/speaking, and maintaining a healthy balance between each leg.
7. The Purple Sage ($48K/year)
Sandy Engels, the founder and artisan of The Purple Sage, came up with the idea for her business after realizing that there are women like her who have cared for others for decades and are now ready to prioritize self-care. She started making soap and bath products and eventually created her signature product, Bubbleaux, a bubble bath that provides a luxurious and pampering experience. With her rebranded company and a loyal client base, Sandy's business has grown steadily, and she is now focused on leveraging videos and live streams to connect with her customers in the future.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5K
How many people on the team: 0
A modern midlife woman crafts a soap company that encourages women to live and love boldly, garnering an average revenue of $2,800 a month by focusing on a collection of scents and products that results in a loyal client base.
8. Kiss My Crown Essentials ($14.4K/year)
Warnisha Foster, the founder of Kiss My Crown Essentials, came up with the idea for her business after feeling burned out as a single mother of four. She wanted a product that would make her feel feminine and empowered, so she created the Strawberry Rose' Champagne Soap. After selling over 500 soaps in the first month, Foster realized that there were many others who felt the same way she did. She now focuses on creating natural and organic products that prioritize nurturing and protecting the skin.
How much money it makes: $14.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $800
How many people on the team: 1
Kiss My Crown Essentials founder Warnisha Foster shares her journey from creating organic soap products in her kitchen to selling over 500 soaps in her first month with a mission to let mothers know that they are seen, beautiful, and a necessity.
9. TerraCure ($12K/year)
Dena and Elazar Gottlieb came up with the idea for TerraCure after Elazar struggled with chronic pain and found relief through a blend of Dead Sea minerals and essential oils. They created a set of three pain relief creams and launched their business by selling the products locally in Israel and later expanding overseas through their website. With a focus on quality and natural ingredients, TerraCure has helped thousands of people find relief from their pain.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 0
TerraCure, founded by Dena Gottlieb, is a natural skincare company offering a set of uniquely formulated products for muscle, joint, back, knee and tendon pain, based on a powerful synergy between Dead Sea minerals and essential oils, which has helped thousands of people with their pain, and they're now focusing on growing their online business through SEO and direct marketing.
10. The Gentlemen’s Lounge ($12K/year)
Jack Scrimshire, the founder of The Gentleman's Lounge, came up with the idea for his men's grooming brand after realizing that there was a lack of affordable and effective beard care products on the market. As someone who was passionate about entrepreneurship and the modern gentleman lifestyle, he saw an opportunity to combine his interests and create a business centered around natural, organic beard care products. With monthly earnings of $1,000 and a projected average of $10,000/month by the end of 2018, The Gentleman's Lounge is experiencing significant month-over-month growth.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 0
Men's grooming brand sees explosive growth with monthly earnings of $1,000 and month-over-month growth, aiming to reach $10,000/month by the end of 2018 by prioritizing automation, efficient use of financial resources, and a strong social media strategy that includes Instagram.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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