Wisconsin is known for dairy products such as cheese and milk, which is usually associated with our mouth-watering food. However, Wisconsin uses dairy products in more ways than just one.
Handmade soaps in Wisconsin not only encompass many unique scents and designs, but some also include goat milk for a rich moisturizing lather. These are perfect for your sun-kissed skin!
Allow us to share just a few of Wisconsin’s top spots to get these wonderful soaps. (If you don’t see your favorite shop listed, give them a shout-out in the comments below!).
Century Farmhouse (West Bend)
Located in West Bend, this shop uses all natural ingredients. They make their soaps using filtered rainwater, organic teas, maple sap or snow, and scent them using only essential plant oils. They also work with farmers and growers from the U.S., U.K. and Canada for organically grown botanicals that are included in the soaps. Wisconsin provides their share by pitching in honey, maple syrup and organically grown lavender. One to check out is the Whiskey Vanilla Luffa Garden Soap, which celebrates the luffa grower from Tennessee and uses Jack Daniels Whiskey to grace the smell!
Lucy’s Soap (Eau Claire)
Lucy’s Soap is named in honor of the owner’s great-grandma Lucy, who was her inspiration to become a farmer. These soaps are handmade in small batches using the moisturizing goat milk produced by their small herd of Alpine Dairy goats. This shop truly believes in the saying that the ‘slow and steady win the race’. Lucy’s Soap takes approximately six weeks to make because they are “French milled,” which means the soap has been melted twice to help it last longer and hold the scent longer. These soaps are available in an array of scents and designs. One of their most unique scents is “dirt,” which yes, really smells like soil! (Perfect to take a piece of America’s Dairyland home to get that Wisconsin farm smell, right?)
Shamrock Soaps (Ixonia)
Located in Ixonia, between Milwaukee and Madison, all of their soaps are handmade in small batches. Although they use local ingredients such as homegrown hops and Wisconsin honey, the secret to their recipes is bringing the feeling of calm that they get in Ireland when visiting family into all of their soaps. They have started a quiet revolution, one bath at a time, where people take care of themselves and pause to unwind every day. Their best seller is the Irish Stout Soap, made with actual Irish Stout Beer, which makes a perfect all-purpose bar for both skin and hair. Here’s a fun niche soap that caught our attention: Shamrock Soaps carries their own line of skin care for Irish dancers, including the popular Kick Your Bum Foot Balm and Championship Legs Sugar Scrub.
Kreative Kraftwerks (Fond du Lac)
This shop began as a hobby in 2002 while the owners were working for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Specializing in soy candles, they soon began formulating handcrafted soap and lotion. Fast forward a few years: The owners recently purchased Absolute Soap, a company previously located in Florida. Absolute Soap products are made with many skin-moisturizing ingredients including unrefined Shea butter, organic cocoa butter and fragrance or essential oil blends. They also offer perfumes and Crush on You Sugar Scrubs.
Shiney Goat (Amherst)
Located in Amherst, Shiney Goat began by doing Internet marketing with Dancy Rose Soaps to bring those soaps to rural Central Wisconsin. After two years of bringing Dancy Rose Soaps to their customers, their friend Rosie decided to close up shop to pursue other opportunities. No fear, however, as they were then able to buy the recipes for some of the bath and body products and put their own twist on a good product. They have goat milk bar soaps and castile soaps, which are made with nothing but animal friendly vegetable fats. As for our favorite thing about Shiney Goat? Two words: beer soaps. So now you can indulge in beer san the guilt a la Butt Nekkit Drunken Goat Beer Soap.
Heaven Scent Gardens (Southern Door County)
Heaven Scent Gardens has all natural botanical handcrafted bath and body products to rejuvenate your skin and stimulate your sense of smell with a full line of aromatherapy body products. Some of the soaps they offer include Bug Me Not and Fisherman’s Soap. Bug Me Not is packed full of essential oils bugs hate (perfect for this time of year!) On the other hand, Fisherman’s Soap has the primary scent of Anise Oil, which attracts fish and masks human scent. For the ladies, however, they have the best type of soap one can offer after a long day of work and/or lounging around; Wine Soap. (Hmm wonder if they carry merlot soap…:) ).
The Wisconsin Ag Tourism Association is a member of Something Special from Wisconsin™ is a trademarked program administered by the Division of Agricultural Development at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection since 1983. Every dollar spent on Something Special from Wisconsin™ products and services supports local farmers, food processors, entrepreneurs, our communities and livelihood, as well as the Wisconsin way of life. Something Special from Wisconsin™ products are unique and of the highest quality, making them perfect for gift-giving, special occasions and every day!
