Grooming & Glamour

GROOMING & GLAMOUR Raise

THE Bar

By Amanda Dahl

The woman behind PT Soap Co., Cori Kline, might not share initials with the name of her business, but she’s no less represented. “The PT in PT Soap Co. stands for ‘puppies’ and ‘tattoos’ – two things I love and that make me happy!” she says on the company’s website. In fact, Kline’s dog, Stitch, appears in the logo, crooked ear and all, with a heart-shaped tattoo that reads “mom.”

“[Stitch] is just slightly imperfect, with that one goofy ear,” Kline remarks about the dog who inspired the design. “He was a puppy when I started the business. Just like Stitch, every bar of soap is different. It’s all handcrafted. Even using the same recipe, each soap comes out not in the same design. Like Stitch, they are beautifully imperfect.”

Her small-batch products are wrapped in simple brown paper or come in reusable glass containers. And by shipping each order in an eco-conscious box, Kline stands by her personal commitment to the environment and sustainability in her business.

“I’m always studying and researching,” she says. “My values are in every bar of soap.”

Product ingredients also reflect this pledge to respect the world and its inhabitants. The only animal byproducts featured are goat milk and honey.

“When I first started, I used certified, responsibly sourced palm oil,” Kline says. “I backed away from that because of deforestation and environmental concerns. I just prefer not to use it at all. … Based on my own beliefs and values, I have been making decisions as a business owner. I only use botanicals like herbs or plants, like spinach powder or turmeric or cocoa powder, [to color my products].”

Kline’s research extends to product design, where she is constantly experimenting, most recently with grooming products for men, as well as perfumes, and adding in hempseed or aloe.

New products were announced at the start of this month. Limited-edition soaps in six new scents – pumpkin spice, vanilla oak, apple sage, campfire, eucalyptus and the visually appealing harvest moon – are available to shop online at ptsoapco. com/shop, where you can also find lotion and shampoo bars, dish soap and sea salt scrubs. ln