Telling the story of the forest

I use natural materials to capture a moment in the seasons and invoke a memory or emotion in the people who use my soap. From the smell of the early spring when the sun warms the buds on the balsam poplar and the golden resin begins to flow to the fading sunlight of the fall when the goldenrod and fireweed blooms.  I follow the seasons and ethically wildcraft the botanicals that capture the story of the forest in my soap by infusing oils or drying them to craft the colours of the designs. 

The aesthetic and blends of scents are carefully crafted to transport the user to a memory or feeling. The base of all of my soap begins with beautiful raw goat milk which is lovingly hand milked from the goats that I share my land with, a partnership that flows through the seasons of life from birth to natural death.  I am honoured to share my world with these creatures and to craft beautiful, useful things with the gifts they give me.  Soapmaking is a combination of art and science. Many factors like temperature, humidity, milk fat content, and the botanicals and oils used play into how the medium behaves, meaning that each batch and even each piece is unique.

Each of our soaps start with 100% raw, hand-milked goats milk from our own herd of dairy goats giving them the creamiest lather that doesn't leave your skin feeling dried out. We specially choose rich oils and butters to go into every bar and all of our colours and scents come from nature. 

~You wont find any artificial colours, fragrances, phthlalates or parabens here.

~Ingredients are grown or sourced locally wherever possible.  Oils are selected from high quality responsibly harvested suppliers.

~All our products are registered with Health Canada.

A bit about me

I am Leiah, Trained Herbalist, Soapmaker, Goat-whisperer, and keeper of the secrets of the ages.
I take nature and science and a little magic and create beautiful useful things.

I have always been in love with the forest, I take so much inspiration from a sun dappled path through a cedar grove, or a crisp fall morning with brightly coloured leaves tumbling to the ground and a hot cup of coffee. I spent my childhood summers camping in the boreal forests of Northern Saskatchewan with my family, I always felt at home in the woods. Fast forward many lifetimes of moving around Canada, I landed in Winnipeg where I met my other half. In 2008 we took a giant leap out of city life and into a log home on 67 acres deep in the woods of Southeastern Manitoba and got some goats.

I started to seriously study plants and herbal medicine in 2012 and spent the next 6 years studying and writing exams or working in my herb garden through nap times or with a cranky baby strapped to me. As the fog of early motherhood started to lift I began to find myself again through creating artisan goat milk soap and herbal bath and body products using the plants and animals around me.

My life is a goat rodeo, and not just the part where I have goats.
I have three small humans, I run a small business and a farm.and I am terrible at finding time for myself, so in this chaos I try to find small moments of self care.
Self care for real life.
Something simple that brings joy into my day.
That's my goal for Apothecandy, to say "hey, I see you. You deserve this moment of joy too, let me share it with you".

I want people to feel seen, to feel good, and I want them to use the good soap because they deserve to use beautiful things.