Meet Trisha Hanudel Lopez of San Pedro Soapworks

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trisha Hanudel Lopez.

Hi Trisha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I’m Trisha Hanudel Lopez, founder and creator of San Pedro Soapworks.

My mom knew I was working out formulations, so she challenged me to create a hand cream to relieve her dry, cracked hands. She was using prescription-strength creams they were making her hands worse. Challenge accepted. At this point, I had books of notes on oils, butters, botanicals, essential oils, so I set to work and came up with a formulation she called ‘Magic Cream’ because of the healing effect it had on her hands, and said she’d pay $100 for a jar. So, I set to work using the good ol’ MBA to turn these formulations into a business.

I was seeing moderate but steady sales with local and online channels, and it was a fun hobby business. Then the pandemic hit. Having exhausted Tiger King, my husband clicked on a YouTube video of something like “Becky the Homesteader,” which featured Becky on a farm making cold-process bar soap among the chickens. I was horrified at the way she appeared not to measure anything or take any safety or sanitary precautions (the formulating I had learned was precise, sanitized, careful, measured). Becky was just going wild. My husband suggested I make bar soap, and again, challenge accepted. I got to working in the garage, learned and honed the process, and came up with some pretty damn good bars of soap. This was a process that was still scientific but more artistic, and I was in love with the creative possibilities. I was taking lots of walks with the babies at the time in my San Pedro neighborhood, so I decided to make soap that reflected the natural bounty that is San Pedro.

But San Pedro is so much more than its nature – it’s got soul and personality unlike any other LA area. I went deeper to try and reflect the soul and spirit of San Pedro into the bar soaps. A whole line was born, and I was invited to participate in my first market November 2021. My products were a hit, and I’ve been growing ever since.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m not a scientist! I studied art and business. All I had to learn formulating was my incredible Google skills and whatever was on the internet. But I knew I wanted my products to one day be able to play with the big dogs – the goal is to get on the shelves of a local chain of grocery stores – so I knew I had to learn from the professionals. The initial learning curve is intense! But grit and a determination to do the damn thing kept pushing me forward and helped me separate the wheat from the chaff (learn which sources are legit) and make some pretty sweet products. I’m always learning about ingredients every chance I get and am in a new experimenting phase with a few new products (not quite ready for prime time yet). The constant learning is a fun challenge, and because there’s always something new to learn and experiment with, the possibilities are endless.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
San Pedro Soapworks makes bath, body, and hair care products inspired by the sights and scents of sunny San Pedro and Southern California. We carry a full line of products, including body wash, shampoo, liquid hand soap, body cream, conditioning hair cream, night serum, beard oil, lip balm, and a colorful array of artisanal, cold-process bar soap. Made only with good-for-you ingredients like essential oils of plants native to Southern California, coconut-based cleansers, aloe vera, and nourishing oils, San Pedro Soapworks transforms your personal care routine into a natural, refreshing, and fun Southern California experience. Our bottled best-sellers are Rosemary Sage Shampoo and Hair Cream, Lavender and Vanilla Body Wash and All-Purpose Cream, Citrus Hand Soap, Lavender Night Serum, Lavender Tea Tree Beard Oil, and Horchata Lip Balm.

Our cold-process bar soaps embody the bright, breezy beauty of San Pedro and coastal California in a fun bar of soap directly inspired by eclectic local places, and designed to evoke the free spirit, warm heart, and bold soul of Southern California. Our best sellers are The Brine, a salty citrus bar that’s super-moisturizing because it’s made with salt water; Wild Lavender, a sweet floral bar that’s just so gosh-darn pretty; and Damn Peacocks, an exotic floral blend of gardenia, tuberose, fig, and vanilla, inspired by those damn beautiful birds that run the streets of coastal San Pedro.

San Pedro Soapworks is the only bath, body, and haircare line that captures the beautifully gritty vibes of southern California in bath and body products and is directly inspired by the soul of the port town San Pedro, CA. San Pedro Soapworks is both hyperlocal and universal, with products and scents that will whisk you away to the iconic ocean breeze, vibrant sun, and freewheeling spirit that is the California dream.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Follow @sanpedrosoapworks for the latest updates! We’re always growing, with some great projects underway and pages upon pages of new ideas and inspiration.

Also – we’re so down for collaborations of any kind! As a small business, we love being part of the small business community – emphasis on the community. Let’s work together and make something great! San Pedro Soapworks is stoked to work with other stores and busineses on an exclusive, custom bar that reflects the vibes. We’ve done custom bars for lifestyle brand Kaiyo (a tropical fruity scent to match their island vibes), the LA Maritime Museum (a breezy beachy bar and a bar inspired by the beautiful wood grain of their historic boats), and a brand-new one in Silverlake. Reach out and tell us your ideas, and we’ll turn you out your own custom soap!

Pricing:

• Retail prices range from $5 (lip balm) to $20 (body wash, shampoo, all-purpose cream).
• Gift boxes are our jam! Whatever fits nicely will ship, so customize to your heart’s content. Pricing varies depending on products.
• Let’s do some wholesale! Contact us for minimums and pricing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sanpedrosoapworks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanpedrosoapworks/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sanpedrosoapworks/

Image Credits
San Pedro Soapworks