We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mary Langbeen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mary below.

Alright, Mary thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Being environmentally conscience is something that has been near and dear to my heart my whole life. Growing up in the 80’s we were very aware of climate and recycling was just becoming mainstream. Pair that with my love for the outdoors and gardening, a passion for earth friendly living began. As I got older and started a family, I gravitated towards natural products. I removed all commercial cleaners from my home and experimented with formulas to replace them. I even clothed diapered all of my babies! As my passion evolved, I began creating more and more products and after lots of trial and error, I had my base line of solid shampoos and conditioners, they are among my first recipes I offered for sale as our small business – Guinea Hill Soap. We had been using shampoo bars in the household for many years and I was thrilled to have a recipe that worked for all of us! Soon our customers fell in love as well. The best part is, there’s no plastic involved! Lather, rinse, done, no bottles. Next I developed a solid dish soap that I would put up to the test against any commercial product out there. Again, no plastic!
We are taking it a step further this year and have expanded into a refilling station that offers our soaps, lotions, body washes, bathroom cleaners, even fabric softener. This Guinea Hill Soap Refill Station can be found at Artistic Interiors in Fenton Michigan. And there customers can purchase what they need, by the ounce, at an affordable price. Products that are eco-friendly and simple, bottled up for you or bring your own container. This has been a great hit and we have big plans for 2024!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My inspiration comes from my family, we have a household that has dealt with a share of health concerns as many of us do these days. This list includes Type One Diabetes (two children), heart issues, asthma and other autoimmune issues. Nearly 8 years ago, we moved to a small farm in Mid-Michigan and here we live incorporating what we grow right into our products. I try to make sure we have a large variety of options for people and their different sensitivities. I want to provide, simple, wholesome solutions to everyday household cleaning concerns. We have plenty to test these recipes on, living on a small farm where there is no lack of dirt. The best laundry soap, laundry stain sticks, all purpose cleaner, toilet cleaner, soft scrub cream, dish soap, alpaca wool dryer balls. These just name a few of the simple household helpers I keep in stock to help people move away from the toxic cleaners found in that notorious cleaning aisle of your supermarket, you know the one that makes it hard to breathe?
Our brand is working towards plastic free as well and the refill station is a big step in that direction, it takes the word “recycle” a step further. And that is really my goal. Leave the earth as good or better than when we found it so we can have the chance at leaving our children with the green grass and blue skies and maybe a bit less plastic in our oceans.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being in a business that so intimately connects you to people in as much as providing home and body care is the friendships you develop along the way. So many customers become friends, We are blessed to have the support of our other local businesses, like Rebekahs Health and Nutrition Stores, and love to see the smiling faces of staff we’ve learned by name. My children come along to all of our market and show events, and we become friends with our managers and other vendors, We love what we do, the sense of community can become ingrained in you as business owner, it is a really great feeling. That feeling you get as the sun rises and you look across the way to that familiar face, “Hello, nice to see you again!” And it’s an aspect of being in a creative and goods market that i didn’t expect, it’s a lot of fun. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of rough days and nights and it’s not always easy, but the sense of family you are welcomed into makes it worth it,

Contact Info:

• Website: guineahillsoap.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guineahillsoap/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guineahillsoap
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@guineahillsoap2625
• Other: Our refilling station can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088979664314