In the News

Some Bunny Will Thank You
Northwest Indiana Times April 2, 2011

A-tisket, a-tasket, here's an alternate Easter basket. A raspberry-scented pink bunny soap guards two Easter egg-sized soaps nestled in a cheerful, 4-1/2-inch tall metal pail that can double later as a vase. All glycerin soaps are handcrafted and pails are available with pink, yellow, or green backgrounds. A perfect hostess gift. WHERE TO BUY: $15.95 at www.soapourri.com or (515) 222-0144. Read the article here.

Natural Beauty
515 Magazine 2010

These beauty products are made with green ingredients. We love chemicals. It's apparent from our choice of 25-ingredient beauty products. We dismissed hippie-loving Mother Nature a long time ago with her natural remedies and opted for products that are cheap, widely available and full of stuff we can't pronounce. But she's finally making a comeback. Ditch the ethyl- and phenyl-whatever and go for some of these all-natural beauty products available around Des Moines. Featuring Soapourri's Moisture Rich Butter Bar.

Waltz into the Sunset, Merry Gentlemen
Northwest Indiana Times December 24, 2010

These eyeball soaps caught the eye of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas on a recent shopping trip. It's a toss-up, whether they're earmarked for naughty or nice politicos on her Christmas list (from Soapourri, www.soapourri.com). Read the article here.

Swine Suds
New York House magazine January 2010

While soap can't cure swine flu, Soapourri's Piggy Soap is the next best thing. Made with peppermint oil, Piggy Soap is the perfect hand-washing companion. $9.95 with crate, $5.95 without.soapourri.com. Read the page 16 article here.

Shop for a Cause
Uptown Liz Holiday Gift Guide for the Breast Cancer Survivor December 24, 2009

We all know someone who has been affected by breast cancer; a small gift to show your encouragement is a wonderful holiday gesture. Breast Cancer Awareness products are sold year-round, and any of these would be a perfect gift for the breast cancer survivor in your life.

Another great soap for display, and 100% of the profits go towards the leading breast cancer foundation. Breast Cancer Awareness Glycerin Soap,100% of profits from the sale go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Read the article here.

Seek holiday oddities for your strange friends? Look no further
Ventura County Star December 12, 2009

Wacky gifts from outside the box

Wacky is not shy. No shrinking violet or meek wallflower, wacky doesn’t cower from the light or hide in the shadows or wait for you to call it. It seeks you out. To wit, our annual wacky gifts guide. We didn’t search for any of this — it came to us in a giant unwieldy sack of e-mails and desk junk, not unlike that sack Santa forces those reindeer to haul on a sleigh around the globe every Christmas Eve. It was a tough job separating the wacky wheat from the chaff, but Christmas 2009 produced another bountiful harvest of products off the wall and under most anyone’s shopping radar. Ingenuity has its limits, but wacky knows no bounds. We’ve got rugrat robots that do the dirty work, a way to jazz up your toilet’s look and a means to stop the epic odors emanating from it. We’ve got a sporty hovercraft that debuted at the Olympics and mechanical spiders that move with fingertip command. We’ve got silver and swine-flu soaps. We’ve got a way for your baby to rock out in the womb. We’ve got jewelry and a personal door and passkey for your already-spoiled pets. Plus, we’ve got chocolate mousse-flavored reindeer Peeps, and pickle Popsicles. What more do you want, you ungrateful kids?!! ...

The pitch: “Of course we know that our soap can’t cure swine flu,” Soapourri.com owner Cindy Helgason advised from headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, “but we hope that seeing this cute piggy at their sink will remind everyone to keep washing those hands!” Availability: http://www.soapourri.com or 515-222-0144. Cost is $9.95. The buzz: The generous 6-ounce pink glycerin soap piggy is scented in natural peppermint essential oil and will come stretch-wrapped on straw in a reusable wooden crate. If you’re sick of swine flu references, check out the Web site’s rubber ducky soap and the football soap that comes in a fudge brownie scent.

Read the article here.

2009 Gift Guide
Baltimore's Child December 2, 2009

Piggy Soap Is Good Clean Fun

The swine flu virus is on everyone’s mind these days, and experts agree that hand washing is the best way to avoid getting sick. Soapourri has introduced a humorous way to remind everyone to wash those hands! Its Natural Bath & Body’s Swine Flu Soap is in the shape of a pig—and makes a great stocking stuffer. The pink piggy soap is a generous 6 ounces of handcrafted glycerin soap, scented with natural peppermint essential oil for a fresh clean fragrance. The Piggy Soap comes in its own wooden crate, standing in a bed of straw. It’s available at www.soapourri.com.

2009 Holiday Gift Guide
Irishfireside.com November 27,2009

Cindy Helgason’s handcrafted Claddagh Soap Gift Box comes with two beautiful and fragrant soaps in gold and silver. And those with a passion for Ireland should also try her Irish Oatmeal soap made with real Irish oatmeal or her special loaf soap featuring the Irish tri-color flag.

Read the article here.

Bacon Soap
Royal Bacon Society, Where Bacon is King! July 29, 2009

We begin with a new product from Cindy at Soapourri. She has a variety 3-pack of Man Soap (scroll down a bit), including not only bacon, but also bay rum & lime (yum) and Dirty Boy, which includes coffee grounds, pumice and the scent of motor oil! Super inventive and exfoliating! Count my man in. And just so your guy doesn’t feel weird about getting soap in his stocking, it comes wrapped in manly camo paper, tied with minimalist twine.

Read the article here.

Daily Updates on the World of Sweet, Sweet Bacon
Bacon Today July 31, 2009

Cindy H. wrote in to let us know that she is also selling meat-scented soap on her website, Soapourri.com. But it’s listed on the seasonal page, folks, so act while you can. Cindy hasn’t sent us a sample to test, so if you buy it, try it! (And come on back to leave us a comment.) – Mike

Read the article here.

Quick tips: An easy way to help prevent the swine flu and other illnesses in kids (and adults too)
Examiner.com April 29, 2009

The easiest, most effective way to keep your kids from getting the swine flu (aka H1N1) or other things like the regular flu or colds... washing their hands properly. Washing hands properly is so much more than touching soap and running water over your hands. You need to wash them for at least 20 seconds (which can be forever to kids)!

But have no fear, there are some really easy ways to get little ones to wash right and have fun. It may be hard to get your kids to do this at school where many have automated sinks that turn off way before 20 seconds are up and little ones have a hard time reaching the faucet to begin with, that's the case at my daughter's preschool. But if you get them into the habit at home, they'll do it at school too. The first and easiest tip is have your kids sing the alphabet song while washing their hands. From A to Z takes 20 seconds. Check out more handwashing songs here. Next, stock up on cool soaps that they'll actually beg you to use. Some cool ones to try:

Eyeball Soaps from Soapourri.com are really fun and a great way to get your kids to keep washing. As the soaps move, the eyes follow you around. That's worth lots of giggles. They're recommended for kids three and up but my 1.5 year old loves using this one too.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Stuff We Love
WBO Digest, Helping Women Business Owners Achieve the New American Dream
Volume 1, Issue 2, February 2009

A Clean Slate featured as one of the "Stuff We Love". For more information about the WBO Digest, click here.

The Ziplock Files: Travel Friendly Beauty Products
Blackdresstraveler.com February 13,2009

Soapourri Butter Bar provides lush moisture in a solid form with 25% shea butter. Click here to see the whole article.

2008 Holiday Gift Guide
Irishfireside.com December 6,2008

Irish-American Cindy Jones Helgason's Claddagh-shaped soaps got our attention, but when she added an entirely new product to her lineup just for our subscribers... well, how could we resist. Her gorgeous Irish Oatmeal soap is made with real Irish Oatmeal and smells and feels wonderful. Meanwhile, her Country Animals and Shamrock soaps make a great addition to an Irish-themed gift basket. Click here to see the whole article.

2008 Holiday Gift Guide
Clevelandleader.com November 26,2008

Add-a-Tubes is a cool new product for the shower. It consists of a tubular mesh exfoliating bag filled with tubular handmade glycerin soap in bright colors and terrific fragrances that you choose. The gift set combines 6 'tubes, a bag, and a hook in one cool plastic cylinder. This gift is awesome for everyone, because everyone bathes! It is such a practical gift and you know it will get used, unlike other gifts you will receive this holiday season. The best part about the tubes is that you can choose from the six different fragrance collections available: Fancy, Flowery, Foody, Fruity, Fresh and Funky. With 34 fragrances to choose from, there are an unlimited number of combinations possible. Many users of Add-a-Tubes have stated that the glycerin soap is much kinder on the skin than name brand soaps or detergent bars found in the grocery store. To pick out your Add-a-Tubes Gift Set for only $10.95, go to www.Soapourri.com . Click here to see the whole article.

Halloween decor kids will love - from pumpkinhead scarecrows to eyeball soaps and more
Examiner.com October 22, 2008

Halloween is just over a week away, but there's still time to get your home looking spooky with a touch of cooky and no ooky. Eyeball Soaps ($6.00, Soapourri.com) Get some extra looks at all of your sinks... and get the added bonus of getting your kids to want to wash their little hands. My toddler can't get enough of these! The soaps are recommended for kids three and up, but my 2.5 year old enjoys watching the eyeball watch her as she moves it around. Click here to see the whole article.

Stress Relief for Less Than $40 a Day? Better than Rachael Ray
Peekaboopicks.com September 15, 2008

.....Of course bubble bath only works for the bath, so in the absence of tub time I make do with the Add-a-Tubes from Soapourri. These simple scented soaps are a soothing glycerin, and each one slips into the long-lasting scrub bag so they won’t slip out of your hands and down the drain. The suction hook for the bag ensures this is a Mommy pleasure that can be hung high above the hands of little monkeys who always want to try Mommy’s stuff.

Green Gifts for Mother's Day
The Green Parent May 4, 2008

My Mother's Day Gift Box: Help mom wipe that carbon footprint off of her face with this stylish gift box filled with a butter bar and souffle made from fair trade shea butter and an assortment of hypoallergenic soaps that use vegetable glycerin instead of petroleum.

Flu Prevention
Better.tv January 2008

Our eyeball soaps are featured on this interview with Michelle Madhok of Momfinds.com. Click here to see the interview.

Fighting Flu Season
Good Morning America, ABC - 1/3/2008

Sanitizers, soaps and other tips for staying healthy in the New Year

Interview by Heidi Jones with Michelle Madhok of Momfinds.com. Click here to see the interview - our eyeball soaps are featured at 5:15 into the program.

Holiday Gift Guide 2007
Lena's Notebook

Get in the holiday spirit with some of our favorite holiday ideas this season!.

Tricks & Treats
Halloween Celebrations, a Woman's Day Special Interest Publication, Fall 2007, page 14

Out of Sight

Watch out! The eyeballs in these handcrafted glycerin soaps move. $6 each. 515-222-0144; http://www.soapourri.com.

Press Release
June 3,2007

2007 'What a Pair' Benefiting the John Wayne Cancer Institute to Provide Amazing Gift Bags for Participating Celebrities This Year's Cast to Receive Special Gifts of Gratitude. Some of the celebrities that received the gift bags include: Jamie Lee Curtis, Sherry Lansing, Marg Helgenberger, Joely Fisher, Lea Thompson, Jaclyn Smith, and Sharon Lawrence.

To read the article, click here.

News and Reviews
Desmoinesfamilies.com, May 21,2007

Review: Soapourri

I have to admit, I was a skeptic of this bar soap (I'm a big fan of bodywash... for me and the boys). But my 2-year-old thought I'd hung the moon when I brought out his new puppy bar soap from Soapourri.

My son is crazy for puppies, so he loved his doggie- and bone-shaped bars, but Cindy at Soapourri can get you anything from a goldfish to an elephant, a shamrock to a set of eyeballs.

The night I surprised him with the soaps was at least two months ago, and they are still hanging on. Granted, they've been washed down to teeney-tiny versions of their former selves, but they still entertain (and de-gross) my toddler.

The best part about the soaps is that they make scrubbing fun... so my little independence-seeking boy can wash himself... and he loves it!

To read the article,click here.

New Products for your Home and Garden
NWI Times,Sunday,April 29,2007

Soap-prise

Mother's Day Gift Idea #1: A pink-and-white box brimming with natural, homemade Soapourri soaps and bath goodies. Contents include Amazing Grace soap (named after soap queen Cindy Helgason's mom), face pouf, inscribed oval soap, butter bar and whipped shea butter. Customize Her Ladyship's collection with a variety of scents to make it as unique as she is.

WHERE TO BUY: $34.95. Visit www.Soapourri.com or call (515) 222-0144.

To read the article,click here.

Lifestyle and Leisure Section - We Like It
Cincinnati Enquirer,Sunday, September 24,2006

Halloween Soap Gives Dirt the Evil Eyes

Give guests and kids the creeps for Halloween with eyeball soap from Soapourri in Des Moines,Iowa. The gruesome green soap has an eyeball that floats in the soap when you move it. It’s a sure way to get dirty boys in the tub. There’s a full menu of scary soaps – ghosts, mummies,witches–but there are pretty creations as well and the add-a-tube mesh bag with slim soap tubes for customizing soap mixtures. Not for children under 3. $6 for one 3-inch “bar.” 515-222-0144;www.soapourri.com.

Discoveries - Our Favorite Midwest Finds
Midwest Living September-October 2006

Here's looking at you, soap

Eyeballs quiver in blue or green glycerin soap "irises." Rubber duckies masquerading as ghosts, mummies, witches or Dracula float atop a blue pool of ocean-scented soap. Molded bats and black cats show no fear of the water under the deft hands of West Des Moines, Iowa, soapmaker Cindy Helgason.

Cindy left a corporate accounting job eight years ago to start making soap with the most skin-saving materials she could find. Now, she molds soaps for every season, plus bars, loaf soap and a "butter-bar" for very dry skin. Teenagers, she reports, love her new "add-a-tube": a mesh bag with slim soap tubes they can select in their own customized scent mixtures. To order: Soapourri, Box 25056, West Des Moines, IA 50265 (515/222-0144, www.soapourri.com).

Demonstration and Interview
ABC WOI-TV Channel 5 News at Midday - August 30, 2006

Indieshopping.com Summer Gift Guide

Interview
MissEvilKitty.org's Indie Interviews - February 14, 2006

To read the Soapourri interview, click here.

Good Clean Fun
Des Moines Register - HomeStyle Weekly - October 26, 2005

Soap maker offers seasonal shapes for the bathroom

Everyone wants one of Cindy Helgason's eyeballs.

"The eyeball is the best-selling soap all year long," says Helgason, owner of Soapourri Natural Bath and Body, a West Des Moines company that sells homemade glycerin soap. An eyeball floats in a pool of greenish or bluish "goo" made of glycerin soap. Although not recommended for children younger than age 3, the eyeball and its other creepy counterparts - bats, black cats, ghosts and pumpkins - are great ways to extend Halloween decorations into the bathroom.

Helgason has been making the molded soaps in Halloween shapes for a couple of years, but new this year are duckies in costume, which can add a more whimsical look to Halloween decoration.

"What's so great about the soap is that it's good for your skin, but people buy it to look at," she says. "I truly believe everyone should have fun soap in their bathroom. Life is too short not to have fun soap."

Six years ago, Helgason picked up a soap-making book when she was looking for a way to make small presents for family and friends during the holidays. The former CPA has been making soap ever since."It was just the most fun thing I've ever done," she says.

In addition to the Halloween soaps, Helgason also offers other decorative molded soaps and loaf soaps in a variety of colors and fragrances.

Made in Iowa
Des Moines Register - August 21, 2005

Sports Soap Duckies

These sports-themed duckies are made of ocean-scented glycerin soap and come in soccer, basketball, football and baseball garb. These soaps are gentle enough for children to use. The soaps cost $6 and can be ordered through www.SOAPourri.com or by calling (515) 222-0144..

Fun Soaps for Little Hands
SheFinds Mom Blog, April 17, 2005

Soapourri makes whimsical soaps to keep hands clean and germ-free.

With articles about germs and illness prevention saturating parenting magazines all winter, how come I never came across one that gave good advice for how to get my 4-year-old to wash his hands without a lengthy battle? But, I found a solution. Eyeball soap. Yes, eyeball soap. It’s kooky, it’s a little scary, and it totally works. It’s soap, with a cool plastic eyeball inside from Soapourri. Now he loves to wash his hands, so he can make the eyeball move. And the soap smells good. And he washes for a long time, which the magazines will tell you is key to germ elimination. There are other kinds of soap too - soap with elephants, frogs, ducks, horses, pigs, you name it.

Love This: Soapourri
Tips and Ideas for Wedding Planning, April 2005 newsletter from Cassandra Bromfield's Company

This is soooo cute. How many wedding favors have you gotten, that you have to dust, pretend you like it, and /or tuck it in the catch all drawer? Those days are finally long gone. Soapourri has created a wedding favor that is practical and fun. Little soaps have been created in many shapes, from a ballerina, to fishes, to even bars of glycerin soap with your wedding date on it (how'd they do that?). There are great natural bath and body products too. Be sure to browse the entire site to find a cute gift for family, friends, or your first home together. You'll say you Love This too.

More information about Cassandra Bromfield's Company at http://www.cassandrabromfield.com.

zen in the city
Kitchen and Bath Ideas Magazine from Better Home and Gardens, November/December 2004, page 116

Equal parts meditative and metropolitan, a master bath in the middle of everything provides a place to get away from it all. Designed by Kitchen and Bath Ideas magazine, it's part of a 1924 warehouse in downtown Des Moines that's been converted to lofts. Of course, you don't need to have an urban address to appreciate its metro sensuality and soothing simplicity.

On pages 4,116 and 119 custom-designed soap by Soapourri is featured at the sinks in the bathroom of this loft.

Cybelesays.com
Cybelesays July 2004 Review

Great Minds Lotion Alike...It's a portable, non-spillable, solid lotion called Soapourri Moisture Rich Butter Bar. Great for travel, since it's packaged in a push-up container, similar to a solid deodorant. It's one-quarter shea butter and 100% soft fun. Try Orange Creamsicle (it goes with the whole push-up Dreamsicle container).

To read the review,click here.

Cybelesays.com
Cybelesays June 2004 Review

Gotta luv da soaps! Here are our picks for this month. Personalized Handcrafted Large Oval Soap, personalized for Cybele.

To see her newsletter,click here.

Cybelesays.com
Cybelesays March 2004 Review

Soapourri Single Use Rose Petal Soaps...

are just too pretty to use! I like to draw a bath and then float a few of these rose-scented glycerin disks in the water.

To read more, click here.

New products for your home and garden
NWI Times - September 7, 2003

Soap-prise

Bulb planting is a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. Treat your favorite (sore) green thumb to Soapourri's Gardener's Gift, a terra-cotta pot filled with soothing, handcrafted goodies. Contents include a bar of glycerin Gardener's Soap with ground pumice, loofah and oatmeal to help scrub dirt away, a moisturizing Butter Bar and a tube of bath salts to relax aching muscles. Ask about available scents.

FYI: Gardener's Gift is $19.95. Order by visiting www.soapourri.biz or by calling (515) 222-0144 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time weekdays.

Pssst
Des Moines Register - July 27, 2003

Smells good to us, bad to skeeters