DINING GUIDE

from Style Magazine, December 2020

SPIRITS

PEOPLE

It just makes scents

Reunited couple finds happiness in home-based business and each other.

STORY: ROXANNE BROWN ≈ PHOTOS: ANTHONY RAO iving frugally, clean, and happy are the main goals for Ken and Alex O’Bright of Fruitland Park. They found that out serendipitously. In fact, it is how most things in their lives seem to happen, including how their company Belladonna Apothecary came to be, how they ended up back together after being married to each other and then going their own separate ways for 15 years, and how they found their perfect home.

“All these things just brought us to this point. It’s like the universe was grooming us and that’s ok, because we are always creating something in some aspect of our lives. Every day is something new,” Alex says.

Before founding their ETSY-based shop, Alex traveled the country for 18 years for TJX Corporation, launching Home Goods, Marshall’s, and TJ Maxx store openings.

One day, while on a trip with her boss, she unexpectedly called it quits.

“I was on the road 48 weeks a year. Finally, about three years ago, I was kind of burnt out from traveling. I was never home, and I was like, ‘I can’t do it anymore,’ so I told my boss, “I’m done,” Alex says. “It was never a planned thing that I was gonna quit and I was scared to death going from a reliable income every single week to being without that safety net and realizing it’s all on us.”

Ken, who has worked at Disney for 13 years, says, “It came as quite a shock.”

Soon after Alex’s resignation, the two were out shopping when she came out of a popular beauty store with what Ken considered over-priced soaps.

It got him thinking, and the universe must have liked his idea, because later, after frying bacon at home, he experienced an undeniable “ah-ha” moment.

“As a guy, I was like, ‘Wait a minute, I cannot see spending $80 on six bars of soap,’ and that’s what led me to think of reusing and recycling the waste bacon grease I saw sitting there, rendering it down to a cake of lard and researching YouTube on how to make a bar of soap,” says Ken, laughing about how the rst bar of soap he ever made was from bacon grease.

Today, the soaps they sell at Belladonna – some Vegan and none bacon – are made from all-natural ingredients, including French lavender, pine tar, patchouli, rose petals, pumpkin, apples, honey, oatmeal, goat’s milk, bayberry, sage, sandalwood, and many more.

In fact, it sems that no ingredient is o limits when added to the 7-oil blend Ken’s got down to a science.

“Each oil has a di erent characteristic. It’s all chemistry,” Ken says of the precise blend of olive, palm, coconut, almond, sun ower, and castor oils he uses as a base for every batch.

The soaps can be made into any shape and personalized for occasions like bridal showers and weddings, to beautify bathrooms, and more. With all, the art takes patience. Ken mixes each batch’s star ingredients into a 10-pound crate with the oils and some lye. After solidifying for about 48 hours, the soap is cut with a mandolin cutter, then cured for 30 days before it can be packaged and sold.

“I have about 30 scents available at all times,” Ken says.

Alex however, had other ideas. Hence the second half Alex however, had other ideas. Hence the second half of their business – handmade jewelry made from of their business – handmade jewelry made from interesting and unique vintage pieces. interesting and unique vintage pieces. “I don’t like anything new, so I repurpose old things,” Alex says.

On Belladonna’s ETSY site, there are all kinds of jewelry choices, including necklaces made from old belt buckles, from kyanite, sea glass and crystals, vintage stained glass, and pendants made from wooden ayahuasca mother vine slices from Peru.

Alex also has a patent on her one-of-a-kind ‘potion-naries;’ Boho-inspired charms that feature glass vintage vials wrapped with custom cut de nitions taken from antique dictionaries with yellowed pages from throughout the world, and lled with complementary substances like rose petals for love, magnetic sand for luck, etc.

All in all, the pair says they plan on continuing what they are All in all, the pair says they plan on continuing what they are doing and rely on kismet’s direction, with Ken’s soaps and doing and rely on kismet’s direction, with Ken’s soaps and her potion-naries as their main staples. her potion-naries as their main staples. She also says they’ve avoided a storefront to keep She also says they’ve avoided a storefront to keep prices a ordable. prices a ordable. “We keep our overhead low and then our prices can “We keep our overhead low and then our prices can stay reasonable for every income,” Alex says. stay reasonable for every income,” Alex says. She says most of their handcrafted soaps are $7 She says most of their handcrafted soaps are $7 and all other items range from $5 to $200. Every and all other items range from $5 to $200. Every order includes a small gift and free shipping. order includes a small gift and free shipping. “We may not be the richest at this, but we are “We may not be the richest at this, but we are beyond happy,” Alex says. beyond happy,” Alex says. If interested, people can If interested, people can browse Belladonna’s product browse Belladonna’s product line at etsy.com/shop/ line at etsy.com/shop/ BelladonnApothecary or call BelladonnApothecary or call 352.408.8183. 352.408.8183. They also sell at farmer’s markets and arts and craft markets and arts and craft fairs throughout central fairs throughout central Florida and at Renninger’s. Florida and at Renninger’s. Select soaps and products Select soaps and products can also be found in area can also be found in area shops, including Mia shops, including Mia Bella Salon and Spa Bella Salon and Spa in Fruitland Park and in Fruitland Park and Love on the Rocks in Love on the Rocks in Mount Dora.

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