Meet the maker behind The handcrafted luxury bath & body products of Mad Sass Co., Naomi
At Bulk Apothecary, we are proud to support and highlight the talented community of handcrafted bath & body products and candles. We love to share our customers with this amazing community. Every month, we feature a standout business from the maker community, showcasing their unique journey and passion for crafting.
This month, we’re excited to introduce you to Naomi, the Bath & body crafter behind Mad Sass Co., a brand known for its handcrafted, vegan, paraben-free, line of amazing bath & body products. Naomi’s dedication to creating exceptional products has captured our attention, and we’re eager to share it with you.
Thank you for taking the time to share more about your business with us and the maker community. Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your journey with Mad Sass Co? We’d love to hear how you started handcrafting bath & body products.
Hi, I’m Naomi Heedt, owner and founder of Mad Sass Soap Co! We make natural, artisan, and handcrafted bath and body products that are hydrating and nourishing for even the most sensitive skin types. I started Mad Sass in 2018 as a way to find skincare that wouldn’t inflame my twins’ sensitive eczema-prone skin. After sharing products with my friends and family, I started doing markets and, eventually, opened my first store in Portland, Oregon, in 2020. Four years later, we opened our second store in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and our products are now carried in luxury hotels, grocery stores, and boutiques across the country!
Wow, the growth of your bath & body line is truly inspiring! We know the impostrance of products that work for sensitive skin but still feel luxurious. Can you share what values your business embodies?
We strive to deliver high-quality products at affordable prices, develop genuine customer relationships, follow ethical and environmentally friendly practices, and be an inclusive and welcoming company.
What was your inspiration behind the name of your company?
Coming up with names is always tricky, and finding one that fit took me a long time. I was reflecting on why I started making soap and skincare products and realized it all came back to my twin girls. Without them, this crazy journey wouldn’t have happened! When they were little, I called them Maddy Moo and Sassy Sue—from there, Mad Sass was born!
That is so sweet! We love the creative ways our makers come up with their business names! Out of all the amazing bath & body products you’ve created, what’s your personal favorite?
I have so many favorites, but I have a few that are on my daily rotation. My whipped body butter, Golden Glow Vitamin C facial oil, and Hello Hydration facial cream are my daily essentials for all-day head-to-toe hydration! Another favorite of mine is our Shower Steamers! My whole family uses these regularly, and they’re the only way to get my kids into the shower. Plus, these are made with Bulk Apothecary essential oils!
Those all sound amazing! Speaking of Bulk Apothecary and favorites, can you share your favorite product we supply you with?
Our favorite Bulk Apothecary products are essential oils! Bulk Apothecary has the best quality essential oils and they’re at a great price point. We use a variety of them in our best-selling Shower Steamers to create a beautiful spa-like aromatherapy experience.
Thank you, we are honored to be your trusted supplier. Can you share one piece of advice that has helped you in your business?
When I first started selling at markets, my husband told me to “stack it high and kiss it goodbye.” He used to sell fruit at farmers markets when he first came to the US from Germany, and he taught me how to sell my products with confidence. If you start every market prepared and put in the work, you can sell anything.
What are some of the biggest challenges you and your business face?
My biggest challenge is balancing life and a quickly growing small business. When I’m not making products and running between stores, I’m attending school events and trying to spend as much time with my family as possible. Over the past year, Mad Sass has grown incredibly, and we’ve taken on new partnerships that have increased our production load, keeping me busier than ever. Thankfully, I have a fantastic team that I can rely on to keep everything running smoothly when I need to spend time with my family.
Yes, balance is a bid one! I love that you have a team behind you that you trust! Do you have any words of wisdom to offer any aspiring makers?
My biggest piece of advice is to have patience and stay positive. Making products is fun but can also feel very challenging at times. I’ve seen products fail right before my eyes, even after years of practice. I’ve had to throw away batches of soap. I’ve had markets with low sales. At the same time, I’ve had days where all of my batches of soap turned out perfectly, and I’ve had markets where I sold out of products. I continue to work on improving my products daily, and slowly but surely, I consistently have perfect batches. If you remember to give yourself grace and to take breaks when needed, everything works out in the end.
Thank you for that honest positive message, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule of balancing your bath & body business and family! Before we wrap up, can you let everyone know the best way to explore more of your work and connect with you?
If you want to learn more about building relationships with your bath & body product customers, check out our blog, Customer Communication: First Impressions to Lasting Loyalty
