Made in Virginia: Why Shopping Local for Handmade Soap Is Worth It
There's something that happens the first time you walk into a shop where everything on the shelves was made a few miles away, by people who live in the same community you do. It feels different from browsing a big-box store or scrolling through a national brand's website. There's a story behind what you're holding. You know who made it, where it came from, and why.
That's the experience we've been working to create at Perfectly Natural Soap since we first opened our doors on Main Street in Smithfield back in 2016. And it started, the way most good things do, with a very specific problem we needed to solve.
How a Virginia Family's Kitchen Project Became a Skincare Business
Perfectly Natural Soap was born in Williamsburg, Virginia in 2013, but the real story starts a few years earlier. When our oldest child turned out to be allergic to the synthetic chemicals found in most commercial baby shampoos and washes, we did what any determined parents would do: we started reading labels.
What we found wasn't reassuring. Most conventional soaps and personal care products are loaded with detergents, synthetic fragrances, artificial dyes, and preservatives that have no business being on a baby's skin. Or anyone's skin, for that matter. So we started learning how to make something better.
That learning process turned into a genuine passion for the craft of soapmaking. The kitchen experiments became a small business. The small business found its home in Williamsburg, Virginia, where we've been handcrafting our products in our warehouse studio ever since.
The soaps, lotions and balms that ship out of perfectlynaturalsoap.com or sit on the shelves in our stores was made right here in Williamsburg. Not in a factory somewhere across the country. Not overseas. Here, in our community, using the highest quality plant-based ingredients we can source.
Two Stores, One Virginia Roots Story
We're proud to have grown from that original kitchen operation into something with real roots in the communities we serve.
Smithfield, VA: Where It All Started
Our first retail location opened in November 2016 at 202 Main Street in historic Smithfield, Virginia. If you've spent any time in Smithfield, you understand why we fell in love with it. The town has that genuine, unhurried charm that's harder and harder to find. A walkable Main Street with locally owned shops, a community that takes real pride in its history, and visitors who appreciate something made with care.
Perfectly Natural Soap @202 Main is right in the heart of it all. Stop in and you'll find the full product line, a staff that genuinely knows what they're talking about, and the chance to try before you buy. We want you to find something you love, and we're happy to help you get there.
202 Main Street, Smithfield, VA 23430 Phone: 757-542-3818 Monday through Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Williamsburg, VA: Richmond Road
Our Williamsburg flagship on Richmond Road opened in 2018 and is our largest location. It's where most of our local regulars come to stock up, and it's the store we think of as home. The Richmond Road shop carries the full line, hosts our seasonal launches, and is a great starting point if you're new to the brand and want to explore everything we make.
Every customer who walks through the door gets a complimentary hand scrub when they come in. That's been our tradition since the beginning. We want you to actually experience the products, not just look at them. It's hard to go back to conventional soap once you've felt what a well-made natural bar actually does for your skin.
2021 Richmond Road, Suite A, Williamsburg, VA 23185 Phone: 757-345-5407 Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday: Noon to 4 p.m.
What "Handmade in Virginia" Actually Means
It's worth being specific about what we mean when we say our products are handmade, because that word gets used loosely.
Our soaps are made using the cold process method, which means the oils and butters are combined with a lye solution at carefully controlled temperatures and then poured into molds to cure. It's a hands-on process that takes time, attention, and skill. Each batch is made in small quantities so we can maintain quality and consistency at every step. There are no conveyor belts, no automated filling lines, no mass production shortcuts.
The lotion, body cream, scrubs, deodorant, beard care, and other products in our line are also made in our Williamsburg studio using the same commitment to clean, plant-based ingredients. We use plant-based oils, essential oils, natural fragrances, and botanical extracts. We never use dyes, parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic colorants, or harsh synthetic fragrances.
We're also a certified member of the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild, which is the only international nonprofit trade association serving the handcrafted soap and cosmetics industry. Certification requires testing on chemistry, regulations, processing, and practical soapmaking. It's not a rubber stamp. We earned it, and we're proud of it.
Why It Matters Where Your Soap Comes From
We're not going to tell you that buying local is a moral obligation. But we do think it's worth understanding what you're supporting when you choose a Virginia-made, small-batch product over a mass-produced alternative.
You know what's in it. Our ingredient lists are short, readable, and honest. When something we use has an unfamiliar name, we'll tell you what it is and why it's there. We have nothing to hide and no reason to obscure what goes into our products.
It's better for your skin. Commercial soaps are often not technically soap at all. They're synthetic detergent bars formulated to clean efficiently at low cost. That efficiency comes at a price for your skin's natural oils and moisture balance. A small-batch natural soap made with quality plant oils behaves differently on your skin. That's not marketing language. It's chemistry.
You're supporting a Virginia family business. When you buy from Perfectly Natural Soap, online or in one of our stores, you're supporting a business that's genuinely rooted in this community. We employ people who live here. We buy ingredients from suppliers who share our values. We pour everything we have into making products that are worth your trust and your money.
The products last. Our shave soap pucks the better part of a year or more with daily use. Our bar soaps are concentrated and long-lasting. Quality ingredients used honestly tend to perform better over time than diluted, filler-heavy alternatives, which means the value is real.
Coming to Visit? Here's What to Expect
Whether you're a local stopping in to restock or a visitor to the Historic Triangle looking for a genuinely memorable place to shop, here's what you'll find when you walk through our doors.
Every customer gets a complimentary hand scrub at the start of their visit. It's our way of making sure you get to experience the products firsthand before you decide what you want to take home. The staff knows the line inside and out and can help you find exactly what your skin needs, whether that's something for sensitive skin, a gift for someone specific, or just a great bar soap that won't let you down.
We also offer gift packaging and can help you put together something special for any occasion. Birthdays, holidays, hostess gifts, teacher appreciation, thank-you gestures -- handmade skincare makes a genuinely thoughtful gift, and we've helped a lot of people find exactly the right thing.
If you can't make it to one of our stores, everything we carry is also available online at perfectlynaturalsoap.com, with shipping available nationwide.
Find Us in Virginia's Historic Triangle
Perfectly Natural Soap is proud to be part of the fabric of Coastal Virginia. From our original home in Smithfield to our flagship store in Williamsburg, we're here for locals and visitors alike.
If you're planning a trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, or Yorktown, our Richmond Road location is a short drive from the Historic Area and well worth a stop. If you're exploring Isle of Wight County or passing through the town of Smithfield, we're right on Main Street. And if you're anywhere in Virginia or beyond, you can always find us online.
Handcrafted in Williamsburg, Virginia. Loved by customers everywhere.
Visit us in store or shop online at perfectlynaturalsoap.com
Smithfield store details Williamsburg, Richmond Road store details