Handcrafted soaps can be found in many stores, especially established retailers like Whole Foods. While soap making has been around for centuries, the artisan handcrafted soap is in a resurgence, mostly because people are looking for a soap that is gentle on the skin and offers more natural ingredients.
Ted Giammona, owner of MoonEssence of Petaluma is in business for that reason. He is not alone as there are many who make soaps, like Jan Barry of The Nerdy Farmwife web site because they wish to have a wholesome product for a loved one to use.
He took some time to talk about his business and life journey. “My mom and I started MoonEssence eight years ago with the encouragement of family and friends. “It really all started with my stepdad, he said. My mom was trying to find a gentle soap that would not irritate his skin. My stepdad had cancer and his skin became so sensitive that he could not use regular soap. My mom was on a quest and she decided that the only way to find a gentle soap for my stepdad was to make one herself.”
The result was initially a whey soap made from leftover cheese. Now called Pt. Reyes Whey Soap it is the most popular in the MoonEssence line of bar soaps. Giammona’s partner Rod Schmittou is not surprised. “The whey soap is incredible,” he said. “It is super moisturizing and I think the reason why it is among the most popular of the product line is because it has all the good stuff.” That is what makes it so moisturizing. Schmittou and Giammona have been working together brainstorming pushing what had been a homemade creation out of necessity into a high-quality all-natural organic product line.
“At first I was just helping,” said Schmittou. “But then as we kept working together on it, getting more of a consensus on skin care and ingredients that are beneficial, the product went beyond a ‘nice soap.’ Even our whey soap has a special process that makes it exceptional,” he said. Schmittou took on more responsibility and believed in MoonEssence so much that he sold his hair salon to help Giammona expand. MoonEssence now has a full-service salon and day spa in Petaluma offering the very best in hair, nail and skin care, all with the commitment to all-natural, organic and wholesome ingredients and methods.
In those early days, Giammona and his mom went from selling their soaps at Farmers’ Markets to opening a little store front in Petaluma. “Then about three years ago, said Giammona, Whole Foods approached us.” In just a short amount of time MoonEssence has gone from a Farmers’ Market item to a major product line. “We are in over 60 stores now,” said Giammona.
Thanks much in part to Marilyn Martinez of Golden Gate Brokerage, an all-natural products marketing service. “Our pledge, said Martinez is to represent only manufacturers of quality natural products with our high standards of service to each of our principals and their products within the Northern California and Northern Nevada territories.” “Ted’s home-grown brand is unique,” she said. All the ingredients are locally based. “MoonEssence only has simple all-natural ingredients. What I like about MoonEssence soaps is that they don’t get all gooey in the shower,” she said.
Since Golden Gate Brokerage has stepped in this past March to help with distribution, Giammona says, “our sales have gone up 65 percent.” He insists that his main concern is satisfied customers and the delivery of a high quality all-natural organic handmade product. “Retail space to me is just real estate, I don’t deal with that, it is not in my mindset. I focus on quality and our uniqueness, that’s what sells and creates customer loyalty and satisfaction.”
Giammona went on to say, “Customer satisfaction is part of what fuels the passion I have for all natural products. Both my mom and I and my partner Rod all come from artistic and creative backgrounds so we see no limits on the horizon to this.” “We are going were the soap wants to go,” he added.
Available in Whole Foods, Sonoma Market and soon to be in Oliver’s Markets of Cotati, Montecito and Stony Point, visit the MoonEssence web site to learn more. And, see the MoonEssence page on Facebook.
