Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
When Robin Avrett started tinkering with soap making, she simply wanted a more natural, creamier soap, one that lathered lusciously without weird chemicals with unpronounceable names. The soaps she has ended up creating reflect the determination of an inventor, the precision of a baker and a visual artist's eye for color, shape, composition, texture and light.
“I had tried a variety of handmade soaps which never seemed to accomplish what I was looking for,” recalls Avrett. “Sometimes the scents would last a wash or two and then disappear, or the bar would melt away.”
To get the soap she wanted for her family, Avrett decided she would make her own. She spent more than a year reading about soap making, watching videos online and attending seminars before she attempted her first batch. Then her discoveries continued through experience. It took five to six years of creative experimentation to develop the soap she envisioned. She arrived at a precise recipe with five key elements: coconut oil, olive oil, rice bran oil, avocado oil, shea butter and coconut milk (this last item being the key to creaminess).
“No chemicals, no preservatives,” says Avrett. “Just good, simple wholesome ingredients to conquer dirt and nourish the skin.”
When I saw a recent display of Avrett's soaps, however, my first thought wasn't about how well they would lather, clean or stay fragrant. Rather, I felt I was at an exhibit, completely fascinated with the bars as works of abstract art. That's because Avrett isn't content with making just a plain soap that consistently feels good. She gets creative with scents, composes colors for effect and tries different techniques to achieve unusual designs.
“I want my soaps to be colorful, fun and smell fantastic,” Avrett shares. “There are so many types of design pourings. I want everyone to be pleased with my soaps and want them to pass on to their friends their uniqueness.”
Avrett and her husband Warren have a big, blended family – eight children, 27 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren – so she has had lots of folks right at home to enjoy her soaps and give feedback about them. Over time, though, Avrett's soap making became more than a family affair. Her relatives loved the soap so much that they recommended them to their friends. Before she knew it, her hobby had bubbled up into a flourishing business. She also had reached such a level of artistry with the process and result that she began teaching soap-making classes at Jefferson Arts Gallery. Avrett enjoys meeting new people and educating them about soap making, whether they are buying a soap bar or making their own in her classes.
Currently, soap making is a part-time activity for Avrett. She has been the office manager at Esposito Garden Center in Tallahassee for 24 years and also has worked every other weekend for the past 16 years as a memory care nurse at St. Augustine Plantation, an assisted living and memory support community in Tallahassee. She plans to retire soon, though, and will be delving more into expanding her soap business.
Avrett chose the business name Lloyd Creek Soap because she drives by Lloyd Creek every day on her way home from work. She has lived in the Christmas Acres area of Lloyd since 1986 and been an active member of the Jefferson County community. She and her husband Warren met when he was her son's baseball coach. In the early 90s, they helped form the Jefferson County branch of the Babe Ruth League so that local youth could continue playing baseball after Little League. Her “crazy and wonderful life” has included having as many as six children living at home at a time, and she is currently raising a teenage granddaughter. Avrett and her husband like to play and watch golf as well as enjoy time with their five English bullies and a cat “who is not intimidated by the dogs.”
Clearly, soap making is a big part of home life as well. In fact, the dining room table has been taken over by soap bars, which must cure for at least four weeks before they are ready for packaging and sale.
To see the full range of Avrett's artistic soap creations, visit the Lloyd Creek Soap website. Her soaps are available for purchase at Esposito's, online at lloydcreeksoap.ecwid.com and locally at the Jefferson Arts Gallery gift shop on West Washington Street and Two Sisters New Beginnings on East Washington Street. Avrett is in the process of developing a special soap that includes coffee grounds, which are a natural exfoliant, from CowHaus Coffee Company on North Jefferson Street. Be on the lookout for coffee soap on sale at the coffee counter soon!