Mainland Vintage Featured in Bramble Berry's Maker of the Month

September 2025

How long have you been making bath and body products, and how did you get started? How long have you been selling your products?

I came across Bramble Berry soap making videos while looking for a new hobby in 2020, and after watching about 15 hours of Anne-Marie making soap that first week, I was hooked. It unlocked creativity and inspiration for me in a way very few things have done before. I decided to start selling my soaps so I could continue to expand and explore the ideas I had for new collections.

What do you love most about making bath and body products?

Every Mainland Vintage product tells a story, which means there's a way for customers to identify with our products in a way that's deeply personal. There's something for everyone: gifting someone a soap that reminds them of home, supporting a cause they believe in, or loving the high quality ingredients we use.

Where do you find inspiration?

My collections are designed around locations and historical eras, so I find my inspiration in the beautiful landscapes across the US and in cultural moments from the past. There is nostalgia in memory and that sense of home, but that is different for everyone, so I'm always looking for ways to tap into that joy regardless of where you live, travel, or come from.

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

Creating new collections is so fun. Figuring out how to design a soap so that the look matches not only its scent but also the product name, and the whole thing fits into the overall theme of its collection, is so rewarding. It feels like a puzzle, and I never get bored with it.

You manage a team of several employees. Tell us a bit about your experience scaling your small business and hiring additional help.

My first employee offered to help for a few hours a week during the holiday season in 2023, but I stayed busy enough that she never left! Recognizing that I needed to start outsourcing certain tasks so that I could focus on production, creating new product lines, marketing, and running the business overall was such an important decision to make, and one I have to keep making as the business grows.

What has been your biggest challenge to navigate as a business owner?

I made the decision last month (August 2025) to move out of my home kitchen and into a production studio. I've had my eye on studios for over a year, but have been hesitant about "the right time" to make a change like this, as it will change everything about my day to day. But the business has been steadily growing, especially on the wholesale side, and heading into the busy holiday season, I knew I needed to scale my capacity to meet demand. It's been a mix of scary and exciting, but it will allow us to continue to grow and expand the team.

What advice would you give to makers looking to start their own small business from home?

I am a huge advocate for having a strong brand identity. It will make you stand out, help guide product and design decisions, and create something lasting that is truly yours. Build something you are passionate about instead of just following trends, and you'll have a business that feels authentically yours.

What other makers do you admire, and what do you like about their work?

Mad Sass Soap has such a beautiful style. Their photography and color palette are unique in a way where you can always tell whose photo you're looking at. As someone who cares deeply about brand identity, they've inspired me for a long time.

Lustful Bath is a few years ahead of me in terms of size and scope, so following them feels like getting to watch a big sister grow and succeed. The moves they make feel achievable in my near future, so I can draw inspiration from their growth without it feeling daunting.

Bonita Fierce has made their culture and heritage a cornerstone of their brand in a way that's so unique and powerful. You can always tell how personal each product is, and it inspires me to put that same care into our own product lines and brand identity.

What are your three must-have Bramble Berry products?

Natural Indigo Powder. I love that this natural powder has such a vibrant, rich color. It's perfect for the night sky in our Twilight Saguaro soap.

Sea Moss Fragrance Oil. A customer favorite, I recently expanded our product offerings with this scent because people can't get enough. It's now a soap, body oil, and candle.

Vanilla Color Stabilizer. There are nice-to-haves and then there are must-haves. Several of our best-selling soaps couldn't exist without this ingredient preserving the color.