Let’s Talk about Natural Soap Making with Maria from Bangkok Soap Opera

Meet the ever effervescent Maria, a total guru on sustainable living, with a passion for all things eco-friendly. She’s the founder of Bangkok Soap Opera, which produces natural cosmetics, hosts workshops and promotes lifestyles that are kind to humans and the planet. In this interview, we get a little insight into her background, what’s she up to and what’s next.

Tell us about your background

My love of natural beauty care started with a passion for holistic medicine. When I was 16, I became interested in Tibetan Medicine and by 18 I was working as a Tibetan medicine therapist. When I was studying my second degree in Poland, I was invited to take a natural beauty care course and that connected my love of natural medicine with science.

What brought you to Bangkok?

Patience is everything. Planning is a must. Kindness is what makes our work special.

What’s next?

We would like to keep spreading our knowledge and reach an even bigger audience by opening branches of BSO around Asia. Our plan is to give professional support to soap makers and beauty formulators across the continent. We also would like to focus even more on sustainability and donate soap to communities in need on a monthly basis.

What would you recommend us to try?

Our vanilla and chrysanthemum lotion bars are an amazing substitute to chemical liquid lotions, plus they have plastic-free packaging and a shelf life of up to 12 months. It looks like a simple bar of soap. But it’s a lotion bar that makes your skin as soft as silk. Also worth trying is the newcomer in our family: natural oil-based perfumes. We have four scents in stock: green tea, frangipani absolute, vanilla dreams and citrus splash.

What do you do in your free time?

I love to cook and plant in my garden. As a former vet, I am passionate about my animals too; I have a dog, a cat, three rabbits and a hedgehog.

Where do you go for dinner or drinks in Bangkok?

I love to hang out at the rooftop bar, Cielo in Phra Khanong. It’s a five-minute walk from our store and I love having a drink on the 43rd floor and looking down at our street; it makes me feel like any problems are so tiny from such a height, which makes me feel positive.

Go and visit Maria at the store on Sukhumvit Soi 46 for all your natural soap needs and find out more here: Bangkok Soap Opera.