If love were an ingredient, you’d find it in a Cunningham Vintage Soapworks bar of soap. That’s not entirely an embellishment either, considering that founder and professional soaper Nancy Cunningham’s business slogan backs up her claim. As a rule, her soap line goes against the current of mass production, and instead produces all-natural batches with her customers’ skincare health and safety in mind.

“Natural ingredients, great for babies to seniors included.”

Nancy’s a firm believer in social responsibility. She and her photography-savvy husband Ross champion producing chemical-free cosmetics for their community in London, Ontario. It all started when their two-year-old grandson developed eczema, and off-the-shelf soap brands, chock full of harsh chemicals, failed to be a viable treatment. 

Taking matters into her own hands, the solution-oriented Nancy began researching soap alternatives on the internet. Her research yielded a fantastic recipe that was low on unpronounceable ingredients and heavy on the benefits. 

“[It] cleared up his eczema,” Nancy attests with glee.

 When her discovery yielded results, Nancy began experimenting with what she had learned about soapmaking. Inspiration took over as Nancy incorporated hand creams and bath bombs to her cosmetics line along with a variety of different sized and shaped soaps. It was only a matter of time before she started infusing her line with gentle-to-the-skin scents such as vanilla bean, maple cream, peppermint, lemon-lime, and some with floral fragrances, all of which you can explore here.

 Soon after, the London community became acquainted with the Cunningham Vintage Soapworks brand, and orders started coming in. Nancy would keep up with customer requests and purchases via local venues in person and her Facebook page online. To stay better organized with her inventory, she sought out the ShopHERE powered by Google program to launch her eCommerce storefront to consolidate her customer base and streamline shipping and pick-up options.

 “We had been having problems getting an online presence. After registering for this program, the process seemed smooth and seamless.”

 Through the Shopify platform, Nancy was able to build the Cunningham Vintage Soapworks website as she had envisioned with the help of her eCommerce coordinator. With a retro look and nostalgic feel, Cunningham Vintage Soapworks went live with the online capability of reaching customers throughout Canada and the United States. While this expansion came with numerous logistics to consider, such as shipping rates, package sizes, and delivery dates, Nancy innovated her workflow and effectively transitioned to the online shopping world.

 “The biggest challenge is to increase our online footprint and convert that to increased sales. We wish everyone knew how much care and love goes into our product. There is still much to do, but we are prepared for the challenge.”

 You can visit the Cunningham Vintage Soapworks website here and get an early start shopping for the holidays. The product pictures on the site are courtesy of Nancy’s husband Ross, whose artistic prowess shines through each professionally photographed bar of soap. This duo is looking forward to showing you some of their latest soapy creations!

 You can also connect with the Cunninghams via Instagram (@cunninghamvintagesoapworks) or reach out to them on Facebook.

To launch your very own eCommerce website for free, sign up for the ShopHERE powered by Google program here.