Homemade Beauty Products Gaining in Popularity

There’s always something or someone new at the Chicken Farm Art Center.

This Mike and Patty Smith, natives of Abilene, visited the Chicken Farm for the first time on Saturday.

Their business, ‘The Country Escape,’ is making homemade soaps, candles, air fresheners, scrubs, and creams out of fresh ingredients and family memories.

“We were looking for something to do in our retirement,” explained Patty, noting that neither of them were much for idle hands.

“I love to cook,” said Mike, “making soap is like following a recipe, adding a little of this and a little of that.”

Now the Smiths have over 45 different kinds of soaps and are constantly branching out.

“We get the best ideas from our customers,” said Patty, explaining that customers will request a different scent or to use a certain oil.

Sometimes a new product comes from an unexpected use of a current one.

“Our daughter was stung by a scorpion, and the foot crème was there handy, she put it on and the sting was gone,” said Patty.

Now they have a smaller more condensed version that can used to ease the pain and irritation of bug bites.

A review on their site sings the praises of the crème.

 "We were camping and the bees were terrible. We used the Insect Bite Relief on the bites and it helped so much with the pain and the swelling. Quick relief." Nicole- TX, Midland

Despite only being in business for a little less than a year, sales are booming, both domestically and internationally with soaps being sold as far away as Russia and Japan.

As far as the Chicken Farm goes, “We will definitely be back,” said Patty with a smile.

The prices are low due to the Smiths wanting an affordable product for everyone, and they can be found at their store www.thecountryescape.net or their etsy  http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCountryEscape