It’s time for me to promote another local business. Another owned by a friend of mine!
Frances Bell MBE, who retired recently from a long career in teaching, has launched a soap company, Evie Kay Skincare, with her friend Kelvin Reay. Frances was inspired by her Great Aunt Evie Kay, who liked ‘to get in touch with her instinct for nature’, and took great pleasure in visiting North Devon for its restorative benefits, away from her life in the industrial north. Read Evie Kay’s story. Read Frances’ story.
Since January 2019, Frances and Kelvin have built a thriving business and are now supplying their soaps to shops around the South West and Berkshire.
Their first soap collection borrowed from the passions of Evie Kay, such as No.3 Hedgerow Secret, with the fragrance of Devon violets or No.6 English Rain which encapsulates her love of walking in the rain.
Having purchased some Evie Kay soaps back in April, and after thoroughly enjoying their good quality and sweet fragrances, I decided to make a Christmas order for friends and family. Frances very kindly gifted me some extras, so I think it’s only fitting that I compose this post in order to show you what they are like in the hope that you can support an independent, local business and experience the beautiful products yourself.
All of the soaps from the first collection come beautifully packaged in bespoke boxes with artwork by a local artist. The larger boxes can be unfolded, reversed and reused as gift boxes!
Photo: Rhubarb & Burble
Photo: Rhubarb & Burble
Photo: Rhubarb & Burble
A new collection of EK Vintage Soap has recently been launched. The slices have the most amazing, organic cross sections and the Christmas themed Jolly Holly Soap has a cross section with a holly leaf and berry design!
Photo: Evie Kay Skin Care.
The cross section of this soap reminds me of the geological patterning of agate. Breathtaking!”
I ummed and ahhed over whether to buy the limited edition Orange & Cinnamon Soap, but I didn’t end up purchasing it. As luck would have it, Frances happened to gift me one! The cross section of this soap reminds me of the geological patterning of agate. Breathtaking! It’s aroma is sweet with spicy notes of cinnamon, but this isn’t overpowering.
Example of the EK Vintage Soap packaging 
Limited Edition EK Vintage Orange & Cinnamon Soap
For me, the pièces de résistance of the whole collection are the Pebble Soaps. They are so realistic and I can’t wait to place one on the sink in my en suite bathroom. (We made over the en suite during ‘Lockdown One’ and devised a white and aqua colour scheme. With a nod to a beach theme, we didn’t go ‘overboard’! We featured a print which I purchased from Desenio, entitled Blue Boats.)
The pair of pebble soaps are presented in a vintage linen bag which, obviously, can also be repurposed.
Pebble Soaps packaging and vintage linen bag 
A pair of Pebble Soaps
Please visit Evie Kay Skincare to discover the whole range and help support a North Devon business. They provide a wholesale service and you can subscribe for promotions, new products and sales news.
[Disclaimer: Evie Kay Skin Care has not sponsored this post and any opinions are my own.]
Louisa
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