Today we’d like to introduce you to Desiree Portillo.
Hi Desiree, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in Southern California, I had always had an interest in fashion design, wellness living, and a love for music. One of my first jobs was at a hot springs spa and I was always intrigued by the different muds, waters, and body treatments and what they could do for your skin, but I never really thought to make a career out of it. I ended up going to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and graduated with a degree in merchandise/marketing thinking that by choosing this broad field of study, it would allow me to start a fashion business of some sort or lead me in some sort of direction, but I never really found myself after that.
Fast forward to 2015, I had gone through a messy breakup and pretty much a dark period in my life. I had just moved to a small studio in Anaheim, CA and felt like I was starting from square one all over again. Then I realized the best way for me to move forward is to focus on something that has progress and will help me grow as a person, so I decided to learn to make soap and immediately fell in love with the art of it. Listening to my favorite music and making soap became a creative escape. With the advice of my friend (and now husband) I decided to use this as an opportunity to finally start a business doing something I was passionate about. I ended up taking soap-making classes and learning about the best ingredients for your skin to ensure I came up with the best quality soap bars.
Finally, I came up with the name, “HAUTBath” as an ode to my fashion background. My packaging aesthetic is mostly inspired by Chanel, minimalistic and chic. My biggest inspiration is my favorite artist, Lana Del Rey. I feel like she creates art through her music and that resonates with me. My husband Chris also plays a big role. He has a knack for men’s grooming and style, so I decided to take advantage of that and use him as my muse for my men’s collection. I run everything from scents and colors to types of soap by him. I even name a lot of my soap bars after songs that remind me of him. We now reside in the city of Dallas, TX and are in the process of expanding HAUTBath to a bath boutique offering a variety of products such as candles, bath decor, wellness products and eventually loungewear made by other local artisans!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road, I definitely have my struggles. You have to really put yourself out there online and in person, and that doesn’t really come natural to me. The second is that I am self-funded, so outsourcing isn’t an option right now and making soap is probably 10% of running my business. I’ve had to learn to wear so many different hats and learn about each one as I go. Here are some just to name a few:
-Photographer
-Buyer
-Shipping/Fulfillment
-Accounting/Pricing
-Marketing
-Web Design/Copy
-Social Media Manager
-Manufacturing
All of this on top of working full time can be challenging, but if you really love what you do then you will keep going and do what it takes. I can’t see myself ever giving up making soap. No matter how much work it takes to make everything come together or how big or small I am – I do it because I actually enjoy it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in making 100% natural soap bars that are created in small batches using the cold process method. I use organic oils and butters with raw materials that are selected with an emphasis on ingredients that are the utmost in quality and beneficial to your skin, each ingredient is included for a therapeutic reason and is plant-derived. Some additional products that I make are powder face masks, bath salts, and soaks, along with soap dishes and bath trays made from resin to compliment my core products. While I want to expand my product line to offer more variety in self-care, I can’t make everything. I decided to source out other handmade products from local artisans to eventually turn HAUTBath into an affordable bath boutique where you can come and shop for the ultimate self-care experience made by other artisans of the same values.
What sets me apart is my brand and values.
My whole goal for HAUTBath is to create a space for you to come and be inspired with products that make you feel your best. HAUTBath is also a lifestyle/wellness brand that focuses on feeling good about yourself and enhancing your lifestyle. I want people to remind themselves constantly through my brand that their well-being, mental and physical health is their top priority. I want them to feel inspired to build a life that makes them feel confident through my brand and products. I showcase this by providing valuable content on my website, blog, and social platforms on those topics as well as my soapmaking journey. I also aim to eventually be able to donate to animal shelters and organizations devoted to keeping animals off the streets.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice for those just starting out would be to not compare yourself to other businesses similar to yours. Everyone is on their own path and they also have their own unique style and challenges. Focus on how far you’ve come and keep going. Create your own unique vision of what you want and everything will fall into place.
Also, master your craft. Never stop learning to make the best possible version of your product. If you’re selling something you made, you need to be the expert on it and genuinely love it. I will never use another soap or body wash again because I genuinely love my product and use it all the time.
Something I wish I knew when I first started out would be to take the time to research and source out reputable wholesale vendors when possible. You can save so much money and price your products more fairly if you’re buying wholesale and in bulk, but also don’t buy more than you can reasonably use up before it expires.
If you’re going into soap making, I think it’s normal to want to try and make everything from bath bombs to candles but sometimes it’s just not sustainable. I ended up with a lot of wasted time and product from trying to literally learn to make everything. Ultimately, I realized it’s really just the soap and a few other products I enjoy making and will outsource everything else.
Pricing:
- All soaps are $7-$9
Contact Info:
- Email: desiree@hautbath.com
- Website: www.HAUTBath.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hautbath/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HautBath/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUIoUZIQVUiIYot-kalH65Q
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hautbath
