Contributed by Sarah Wegelin
Apple Island Naturals creator Kathy Lind loves being her own boss. She offers delicious, all-natural, vegan, and cruelty-free soaps, lip balms, creams, bath balms, deodorants that stand up to competitive brands, and bubble bath and massage oil.
Her products are offered in shops throughout Golden, B.C., and the surrounding area and have grown into shops throughout the province and worldwide, including Japan, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. She says she attributes her success to hard work.
“I love doing what I’m doing,” Lind says. Formerly a nurse, Lind got into soap making while off work due to an injury in 2008. She decided to pursue a business when told she could not return to nursing.
“I always wanted to learn how to make soap, so I got a book and started reading. Mostly to keep me busy while I was off,” Lind says. She started offering her hand-made products to friends and family who, she says, really enjoyed it. In 2014, she graduated from the West Coast Institute of Aromatherapy and started incorporating her knowledge of essential oils into creating new flavours and blends for her products.
“I’ve been doing many of the same shows and markets for years, and people have been so great. They have their favourites, make requests, and give me ideas,” Lind says.
Lind says it’s not just being her own boss and working hard that motivates her as her business grows. Over the years, she has helped people access quality, all-natural and vegan products and has helped some of her customers with unique skin-related issues.
“I had Psoriasis when I was 12, and nothing worked to relieve it. I found a natural product that cleared it up in a few weeks. It was gone and has never come back. I use my product now, which has also kept it away,” Lind says.
“My business allows me to still be in health care in a roundabout way,” Lind says.
“It’s fun to make new stuff,” she says. Her favourite products are the “Smoke and Leather” and “Coastal Calm” scents in her soaps. “Coastal Calm reminds her of Powell River, where she grew up, and she says it “smells like Powell River after the rain.”
“I love making new formulations and carving the soap; it’s ‘Zen.’ It’s so relaxing,” she says.
What makes Apple Island Naturals so unique? If you’ve ever tried the products, you’ll know it’s not just the quality of their products but the evident passion and commitment to natural wellness.
Are you looking to try some Apple Island products? Kate can be found at many of the local markets and also online at www.appleisland.ca.
