We recently connected with Monica Dean and have shared our conversation below.
Monica , appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
During the pandemic we were required to use hand sanitizers, the smells made my body react by pulling away, the harsh chemicals dried my hands and I would wince each time I’d reach for one. I thought why can’t these smell good? Why can’t they smell like lavender, or rosemary? I love the way spas smell, so calming and inviting. I wondered couldn’t a wipe smell like this and take us to small moments of calm throughout the day. I looked every where but was challenged to find a hand sanitizer that didn’t smell like a shot of tequila. I thought it was so unfair to those who struggled with alcohol that they be required to use a product that smelled like hard alcohol. I took a hand sanitizer to a lab and asked if they could make a product that was filled with essential oils as well as alcohol, she said yes and I went to work creating my brand Soul Wipe. I love to mediate, it is a practice that I love and it didn’t come easy to me so I use essential oils to calm my monkey mind. We have 7 chakra energy centers and each chakra center has an essential oil aligned with it so I created a seven product line to align with each chakra energy center. I also believe in the energy of crystals so I put a few of the quartz crystals that are in line with each chakra at the bottom of each canister. Each hand sanitizing wipe is made of bamboo, bamboo requires very little water to grow and produces more oxygen than traditional trees so I thought important to use a product that is sustainable. Side note bamboo trees do not require pesticides so there are no harmful additive in the product line. I thought it important not to dry out our skin so I requested that the wipes be filled with conditioning elements, we decided on aloe and chamomile flowers that have softening agents as well. The entire process was pretty exciting and I love the final outcome. The alcohol smell evaporates quickly and the aroma of the pure essential oils is left behind and lingers for quiet sometime afterward. A moment to reflect on the energy center that it is aligned with.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Soul wipe is a hand sanitizer made with essential oils to serve as a mediative tool. The aroma therapy of essential oils aligns with each one of our chakra energy centers. The alcohol required for sanitary purposes evaporates quickly and you are left with the aroma of essential oils. Allowing you a moment to breathe into this space for a sense of calmness. Throughout the day we get carried off with our to do action items the word “busy” is a badge of honor that takes us away from our since of well-being. Soul Wipe is created to take you into a space of now. Right here right now and breathe. Mediation gives me my sense of connectedness, if I feel swept away by life it’s an indicator that I haven’t been practicing my meditation. But mediation didn’t come easy to me. I found my mind racing to troubles of the past or forecasting worries of the future. I found a cheat sheet by using essential oils. The fragrance of pure essential oils kept me in the present. During the pandemic the smell to hand sanitizers made me wince and took me into a place of fear. I wondered why these hand sanitizers had to smell like hard alcohol and why they dried my hands? I love the smell of spas, the aroma of lavender or rosemary, these fragrances are so luxurious, and I wondered why this moment of dread and fear couldn’t be a moment of luxury? And the vision on Soul Wipe was borne.
Each chakra energy center has an essential oil aligned with it and these are the oils found within Soul Wipe. Additionally, I have crystals around my home to lighten my room. I have them on my windowsill, desk, kitchen etc. Therefore, small crystals are found at the bottom of each canister aligned with each chakra center. I thought it an additional bonus if the wipes softened my hands as well. Therefore, we added the ingredients of aloe and chamomile flowers as conditioning elements.
Soul Wipe was a final contender for the award of The World of Wipes Innovation Award® which recognizes and rewards innovation within the entire wipes value chain that uses nonwoven fabric/technology in a way that expands the usage of nonwovens. Soul Wipe was recognized for targeting a market sigmate that had yet to target “Mind Body” community with the chakra alignment.
Soul Wipe targets the mind body conscious as well as better planet mind focused. Those inclined to use a product that is not only good for the body but good for the environment as well. Soul Wipe offers an option for going within and finding the answers aligned with the body.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Soul Wipe was borne during the pandemic, the smell of the alcohol wipes smelled liked tequila to me. I thought it unfair to make those who struggled with addiction to have to use these products on top of a stressful life that the pandemic brought. My husband of 19 years struggled with alcohol and I wanted to make a product that didn’t smell like vodka. I wanted it to smell beautiful. Eleven months after the launch of Soul Wipe, he succumbed to his battle with his addition and I was left to run the business without my business partner and life partner. I didn’t want to quit, it slowed down but everyday I did a little more, I made another call, took another sample, shipped another package and I’m still knocking on doors. Trying to get on the shelves of grocery, retail space. Soul Wipe is in yoga studios, independent groceries stores and small boutiques in southern California.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
By creating a line based on chakra energy centers it targets a finite audience. Leaving out aromatherapy enthusiast, moms who desire non toxic products, earth friendly conscious. I’ve had to open the funnel by expanding the marketing strategy to include people who want a product that just smells, feels good and is good for the planet vs a meditation tool. Creating a product that is niche rewarding but getting the story across to the masses has been a challenge. Painting a story for using an everyday product as a moment of surrender.
Contact Info:
- Website: soulwipe.com
- Instagram: @soulwipeinc
- Facebook: @soulwipeinc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-dean-a25050163/
- Other: TikTok: @soulwipeinc