Kia ora everyone, it feels like the perfect moment to say a proper hello again, especially as Be Natural Soap enters a brand new chapter.
I’m Sarah – maker, mum, surf lifeguard, community doer, and the woman behind Be Natural Soap. For years, my mum Susan and I made soap together. This year she retired (and truly earned it), which means Be Natural Soap is now a one-woman, small-batch operation with big heart and even bigger plans.
As I step into this solo chapter, I wanted to share who I am, what drives me, and why natural soap NZ isn’t just a product to me, it’s a philosophy, a lifestyle, and a commitment to people and place.
Sarah Lucas, owner at Be Natural Soap
Why I Make Natural Soap
Be Natural Soap began with a simple idea: that what we put on our skin, and what goes down our drains, really does matter. I wanted something honest and uncomplicated, real oils, real ingredients, real benefits, without the unnecessary chemicals that fill so many supermarket bars.
Every batch I make uses:
Plant-based oils
Pure essential oils
No palm oil
No synthetic colours
No detergents, fillers, or harsh chemicals
Natural soap feels different on the skin because it is different. Gentle, nourishing, biodegradable, and handcrafted with intention — that’s the heart of natural soap NZ, and it’s the foundation of everything I create.
My Connection to People, Place & Planet
Soap-making is only one part of my world.
Outside the workshop, I remain deeply involved in the community, as a trustee on an environmental collective and through my ongoing local government mahi, which I continue to share on my People Place Future page.
That connection between people, place, environment, and the small choices we make every day runs through everything I do. For me, Be Natural Soap isn’t just about clean skin, it’s about living respectfully, reducing harm, and choosing products that align with our values.
Making natural soap NZ is one way I get to live out those values in a practical, tangible way.
The Beauty of Small-Batch Soapmaking
With Susan now happily retired, Be Natural Soap operates as a truly small-batch, handcrafted business. That means:
Every litre is made by me
Every ingredient is chosen for a purpose
Every batch is fresh and carefully made
Every order that leaves my workshop has been personally handled
When you choose small-batch natural soap, you’re choosing integrity, attention, and craftsmanship, not mass production.
And honestly? That hands-on making is the part I love most.
What’s Next for Be Natural Soap
This transition into a solo chapter has sparked new energy and new ideas. Over the coming months, I’ll be working on:
New product lines to complement the soaps
Even more sustainable packaging options
A refreshed website (yes, finally!)
Blog posts, behind-the-scenes content, and more storytelling
Limited seasonal releases made in tiny batches
It’s an exciting time, and a deeply personal one. Growth doesn’t have to be fast. It can be intentional, grounded, and values-led.
Just like natural soap should be.
Thank You for Supporting Natural Soap NZ
Every time you buy from Be Natural Soap, you’re supporting:
A local NZ maker
A woman-led business
Sustainable, low-impact production
Community involvement
Environmental stewardship
Honest ingredients and real craftsmanship
Your support genuinely means the world. It keeps small businesses alive. It keeps communities strong. And it ensures that natural, low-waste, skin-loving soap continues to be accessible across Aotearoa.
Here’s to a new chapter – for me, for Be Natural Soap, and for everyone choosing natural, simple, beautiful products made with intention.
Soapmaking really is a science, but lucky for us, it is also a great way to unleash some creative flair whilst creating a useful and unique product. Soapmaking requires the exact measurement of fats and alkalines, combined at exact temperatures. But once the science is taken care of – it is time to conjure up …
How Substances Get Absorbed into the Bloodstream. The primary way chemicals, toxins, and other substances enter our bloodstream is through our digestive system, which is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients and fuel for our bodies. But an equally important, way that substances enter our systems is through skin absorption. Skin absorption occurs …
A mother-daughter duo are travelling back in time to make old machinery relevant in today’s world. Be Natural soap owners Sarah and Susan Lucas believe in the reduction of waste, so much so that they have their labels printed from a 1940s machine. The Taranaki Aviation Transportation and Technology Museum (TATATM) in New Plymouth is …
Are Natural Soaps better for you? At home you use all sorts of beauty products, including soap. Many of these products contain a lot of chemicals and additives which can impact on your skin. Overtime these products can accumulate in your body, cause irritation or skin problems. Many people are turning to natural soap. Here …
Be Natural Soap: A new chapter in natural soap NZ
Back to basics
Kia ora everyone, it feels like the perfect moment to say a proper hello again, especially as Be Natural Soap enters a brand new chapter.
I’m Sarah – maker, mum, surf lifeguard, community doer, and the woman behind Be Natural Soap. For years, my mum Susan and I made soap together. This year she retired (and truly earned it), which means Be Natural Soap is now a one-woman, small-batch operation with big heart and even bigger plans.
As I step into this solo chapter, I wanted to share who I am, what drives me, and why natural soap NZ isn’t just a product to me, it’s a philosophy, a lifestyle, and a commitment to people and place.
Why I Make Natural Soap
Be Natural Soap began with a simple idea: that what we put on our skin, and what goes down our drains, really does matter. I wanted something honest and uncomplicated, real oils, real ingredients, real benefits, without the unnecessary chemicals that fill so many supermarket bars.
Every batch I make uses:
Natural soap feels different on the skin because it is different. Gentle, nourishing, biodegradable, and handcrafted with intention — that’s the heart of natural soap NZ, and it’s the foundation of everything I create.
My Connection to People, Place & Planet
Soap-making is only one part of my world.
Outside the workshop, I remain deeply involved in the community, as a trustee on an environmental collective and through my ongoing local government mahi, which I continue to share on my People Place Future page.
That connection between people, place, environment, and the small choices we make every day runs through everything I do. For me, Be Natural Soap isn’t just about clean skin, it’s about living respectfully, reducing harm, and choosing products that align with our values.
Making natural soap NZ is one way I get to live out those values in a practical, tangible way.
The Beauty of Small-Batch Soapmaking
With Susan now happily retired, Be Natural Soap operates as a truly small-batch, handcrafted business. That means:
When you choose small-batch natural soap, you’re choosing integrity, attention, and craftsmanship, not mass production.
And honestly? That hands-on making is the part I love most.
What’s Next for Be Natural Soap
This transition into a solo chapter has sparked new energy and new ideas. Over the coming months, I’ll be working on:
It’s an exciting time, and a deeply personal one. Growth doesn’t have to be fast. It can be intentional, grounded, and values-led.
Just like natural soap should be.
Thank You for Supporting Natural Soap NZ
Every time you buy from Be Natural Soap, you’re supporting:
Your support genuinely means the world. It keeps small businesses alive. It keeps communities strong. And it ensures that natural, low-waste, skin-loving soap continues to be accessible across Aotearoa.
Here’s to a new chapter – for me, for Be Natural Soap, and for everyone choosing natural, simple, beautiful products made with intention.
Ngā mihi nui,
Sarah 💚
Be Natural Soap NZ
Related Posts
Combining Science and Creativity…
Soapmaking really is a science, but lucky for us, it is also a great way to unleash some creative flair whilst creating a useful and unique product. Soapmaking requires the exact measurement of fats and alkalines, combined at exact temperatures. But once the science is taken care of – it is time to conjure up …
How the Skin Absorbs Substances
How Substances Get Absorbed into the Bloodstream. The primary way chemicals, toxins, and other substances enter our bloodstream is through our digestive system, which is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients and fuel for our bodies. But an equally important, way that substances enter our systems is through skin absorption. Skin absorption occurs …
All About Our Labelling!
A mother-daughter duo are travelling back in time to make old machinery relevant in today’s world. Be Natural soap owners Sarah and Susan Lucas believe in the reduction of waste, so much so that they have their labels printed from a 1940s machine. The Taranaki Aviation Transportation and Technology Museum (TATATM) in New Plymouth is …
Are Natural Soaps better for you?
Are Natural Soaps better for you? At home you use all sorts of beauty products, including soap. Many of these products contain a lot of chemicals and additives which can impact on your skin. Overtime these products can accumulate in your body, cause irritation or skin problems. Many people are turning to natural soap. Here …