Hello, I’m Amy from Rust & Charm

I’d love to tell you about my experience of working with Paula, from the Old Bexley Soap & Candle Co.

I got very interested in soap making after buying some natural goat milk soap, while on holiday. At the time, I was looking for something to help ease my eldest daughter's eczema patches that had been taking over her childhood with no prescribed creams appearing to help. I bought the soap to see if it made any difference and after only a few uses, my daughter's itching and redness started to subside. I was amazed and thought maybe I could make something like this for her. Maybe I could make soap that is natural and skin loving too.

I started to research. I watched many videos on soap making and followed many groups but I was scared. Scared of messing up. Scared of lye misuse. Scared of what I was getting into. But then I found The Old Bexley Soap & Candle Co and read about Paula and her story and decided to enrol onto her Soap Making for Beginners class. I loved it! It taught me how to make soap and gave me the confidence to go home and make it by myself. Paula was so kind and supportive and made me understand how to work with lye safely. It was a big thing for me and going on the course made me feel reassured.

The rest is history really. I started making soap as a hobby; playing with oils, butters and essential oils. Using my soaps to see what I liked best. Gifting friends and family. But I wanted to take it further. I enrolled on Paula's Business Compliance Course and learnt how to start a business by ensuring all my soaps we legally compliant to sell in the UK. I started up Rust & Charm Soaps in May 2021 and have been selling at crafts fairs and county shows, via social platforms and on both Etsy and via my website. I am so thankful to Paula and Old Bexley Soap & Candle Co for helping me turn a little spark into a firework. Without her, I wouldn't have had the confidence to start soaping in the first place. Thank you again Paula. I am so happy for you and everything you helped me with.