Ruth O’Loughlin turned her hobby and passion for the environment into a business and has exciting plans for the future….
“When I started making soap in 2014, I struggled to find vegan recipes which didn’t contain palm oil, so I decided to develop my own. Originally, my soap was only in a small number of shops which I had approached on a whim. Turning my soap making hobby into a business was a natural progression, as I began to see a glaring need for more palm free products. Ruth’s Palm Free combines my love for creating with my passion for the environment.
My journey has been a combination of research, trial and error and learning along the way. I also took a course with the Local Enterprise Office and found the support and encouragement from connecting with like-minded start-ups to be invaluable.
Being an Irish business owner, I’m aware of the importance of support from the local community. I source all of my ingredients from a company in Co Wicklow, my labels from a printing company in Trim and I supply Ruth’s Palm Free mainly to independently owned, Irish companies.
Local health shops, cafes and pharmacies have continuously promoted my products. However, when shops closed due to the pandemic, my orders suddenly dried up. I took this opportunity to launch my online store, and I decided to used the break to expand my range. I rebranded my lip balm as Pocket Hand Balm and launched Naked Soap. I’m looking forward to adding my latest product, Safe Hands Cleansing Spray to the range this summer! “
Ruth’s Palm Free natural soap and lip balm are featured in our Box of Smiles – Keep Dublin Smiling gift box, check it out here
