Our Story: How Goat Milk Soap Helped Our Son's Eczema

Behind everything is a good story and Bend Soap Company is no different. Some businesses begin with a personal passion and others are born of necessity. Our business was started by both!

First, we love goats. In fact, we’ve had as many as 90 on our property at once with more on the way! We also believe in healthy, natural living. But the reason we started Bend Soap Company extends much deeper than these passions alone.

Chance’s Eczema Issues

When our son Chance was little, he developed itchy spots on his legs. We learned that skin issues are somehow related to digestive issues (common in eczema). So we watched his diet, trying to determine a sensitivity, but the issue continued. His skin consistently dried out on his legs resulting in painful itching, and a raised, bumpy rash.

Chance was a trooper and rarely complained despite the pain. In fact, he did a little itchy “dance” when he was trying not to scratch his legs because the itching was just so distracting! However, it made it difficult to concentrate on school work, and he got teased a lot, too, making him very insecure.

"When we realized that these ingredients in “soap” and other products were contributing to Chance’s painful eczema, we knew we needed to make some changes."

We put lotion on him, but the lotion burned! We gave him baths, but his skin would dry out further. One day, we put oatmeal in his bath as a moisturizer. Just as we hoped, it helped! But unfortunately, the oatmeal left a mess and the results were only temporary. Chance’s eczema returned, leaving him itching and scratching until he bled.

As parents, it’s extremely difficult to see your child in pain daily, especially when there's little relief available and nowhere to go for a solution. But, we were determined to find a solution, so we kept researching. After a few weeks of trial and error, we discovered something that changed the course of our lives forever.

The Nourishing Power of Goat’s Milk Soap for Eczema

When we realized that these ingredients in “soap” and other products were contributing to Chance’s painful eczema, we knew we needed to make some changes. Most of the commercial soaps, bubble baths, lotions, and many other skin care products we were using were FULL of toxins and unwanted ingredients!

We were already drinking goat’s milk on our farm, but through research, we discovered the health benefits of using goat milk soap for eczema and how nourishing it was for the skin. Shopping around, we found many “goat milk soap options”, but most of those also included unwanted or inferior ingredients.

We began asking questions:

1. Was the goat milk soap made from fresh goat milk or powdered goat milk?
   
   
2. Was the goat milk soap made from scratch? Or was it made using a pre-made goat milk base, using who-knows-what in the ingredients?
   
   
3. Did the goat milk soap have a “token” amount of goat milk in it? Or was it made using goat milk in place of water?
   
   
4. Was the goat milk soap made with quality nourishing oils? Or did it include GMO oils (corn, soy, canola) or other “vegetable” oils?

A good goat milk soap is packed with vitamins, proteins, and minerals. It’s easily absorbed into your skin and naturally helps to exfoliate dead skin cells. However, it wasn’t goat milk alone that was the key. Using quality oils that are high in vital nutrients was also an important part of finding a solution to renew and nourish sensitive skin.

Taking matters into our own hands, Dwight decided to make his own goat milk soap, using fresh goat’s milk from our goats along with nourishing coconut, olive, and red palm oils. In 2011, he made the very first Oatmeal & Honey Goat Milk Soap and gave Chance his first “milk bath” by adding some of the soap to the bath. We gave him milk baths twice a day because the more he soaked, the more his skin improved.

After a couple days, he stopped itching and his eczema began to fade. After two weeks, his eczema was gone!

Bend Soap Company Today

Now, years later, Chance’s eczema hasn’t returned and the whole family has switched to Bend Soap’s natural goat milk soap products! Bend Soap Company offers natural solutions for so many others who may struggle with the same issues or just want natural skin care options.

We know how difficult it is to watch your children or a loved one suffer from painful itching and dryness to the point their skin is bleeding. Goat milk soap may not be a "cure" for all eczema, but it can help ease symptoms and irritations greatly!

We are so grateful this natural remedy allowed Chance to enjoy being a kid again! We are now on a mission to help others by creating natural soaps and other skin care products as a healthy alternative to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals on your skin. Our products have been shared all over the country and in many countries across the globe. If you or someone you know suffers from eczema, we encourage you to browse our collection of goat milk soap that is perfect for caring for eczema. Curious to learn more? Hear what our customers have to say!