Kathy Tarbox - Founder/Publisher
Inquisitive with a drive to research, Kathy launched Making Soap Cosmetics & Candles Magazine (formerly Saponifier) in 1998.
Working behind the scenes, she has a particular fondness for the simpler things in life. She has been a soap maker, web designer, marketer, card maker and botanical illustrator.
A lover of God’s Word. She is desperately thankful for God's grace. An avid reader, ponderer, and question asker. Sometimes impatient, usually disorganized, frequently forgetful…but is always grateful for her wonderful life.
She lives in Washington State with her blessing of a husband of 41 years, Mom to 4 adult children and gamma to 12 grandchildren.
Working behind the scenes, she has a particular fondness for the simpler things in life. She has been a soap maker, web designer, marketer, card maker and botanical illustrator.
A lover of God’s Word. She is desperately thankful for God's grace. An avid reader, ponderer, and question asker. Sometimes impatient, usually disorganized, frequently forgetful…but is always grateful for her wonderful life.
She lives in Washington State with her blessing of a husband of 41 years, Mom to 4 adult children and gamma to 12 grandchildren.
Beth Byrne - Managing Editor
Beth has always liked reading, writing, the arts, and crafting, and was a school teacher until she had her first child. She home-schooled her six children for 17 years, and has kept busy with various volunteer activities in writing, editing, and teaching, as well. However, now that some of her children have graduated and left the nest, and others are attending elsewhere, she finds that she can pursue her other interests even further. Although Beth figures she’s dabbled in enough subjects to appear on Jeopardy, she has no plans to actually do so.
Her hobbies of gardening and floral design led to an interest in herbs and in making her own cosmetic preparations. Melt and pour soap came soon after, which she enjoyed immensely, even winning a contest for artistic ability. She said, however, that she would never make cold process soap. Three years later, she saw a soap-making demonstration at the New York State Fair, and life would never be the same. Now, with untold batches of soap under her belt, and experiences with various processes and methods, she is crazy about soapmaking and in sharing her skills with others. She has begun a small business called, Soap and Garden, and is working on her website. Most of the credit for putting together this site is due to her son, Ethan, and her husband, Ken.
An avid researcher and learner in soapmaking, Beth looks forward to learning more, teaching more, and doing what she loves, imparting information to others. She is eager to do it in written form here at Making Soap, Cosmetics & Candles. It is an honor to be on staff, helping to make this magazine again the best soaper’s magazine available.
Her hobbies of gardening and floral design led to an interest in herbs and in making her own cosmetic preparations. Melt and pour soap came soon after, which she enjoyed immensely, even winning a contest for artistic ability. She said, however, that she would never make cold process soap. Three years later, she saw a soap-making demonstration at the New York State Fair, and life would never be the same. Now, with untold batches of soap under her belt, and experiences with various processes and methods, she is crazy about soapmaking and in sharing her skills with others. She has begun a small business called, Soap and Garden, and is working on her website. Most of the credit for putting together this site is due to her son, Ethan, and her husband, Ken.
An avid researcher and learner in soapmaking, Beth looks forward to learning more, teaching more, and doing what she loves, imparting information to others. She is eager to do it in written form here at Making Soap, Cosmetics & Candles. It is an honor to be on staff, helping to make this magazine again the best soaper’s magazine available.
Sandy Maine - "Ask Sandy" Column
Sandy Maine is a prominent influence not only in soapmaking as a craft, but also in inspiring those who shared her passion to turn their craft into thriving entrepreneurial ventures. An astute businesswoman, speaker and author, she is held in high esteem among those engaged in the creation of natural soaps, body care and cleaning products in a growing artisan industry. Sandy and her team were the original designers and producers for Burt’s Bees Soaps. Sandy is currently the
founder and owner of Adirondack Fragrance & Flavor Farm, where innovative “farm-to-body care” products are happening. As someone who has been through it all, she has a great deal of knowledge to share and wants to share it with our readers in the “Ask Sandy” column. Do you have a question for Sandy? Send it to her here and find the answer in the next issue.
founder and owner of Adirondack Fragrance & Flavor Farm, where innovative “farm-to-body care” products are happening. As someone who has been through it all, she has a great deal of knowledge to share and wants to share it with our readers in the “Ask Sandy” column. Do you have a question for Sandy? Send it to her here and find the answer in the next issue.
RUTH ROMANO - Column Writer
Ruth owns an award-winning soap business based in the UK, ruthromano.com and runs regular soap making classes, teaches a cosmetics business course and provides a business consultancy service. Ruth is also an experienced marketing professional and a Huffington Post blogger.
Sara Golding - Column Writer
Sara is the owner of Sunflower State Soaps, located in the Midwest. She has spent many years learning how to perfect the business of retail, and is sharing that information with new business owners. When she is not busy making soap, or tweaking a spreadsheet, she is swimming or crafting with her daughter. Together, they have taken up completing 1 Mile Fun Runs, and Sara recently completed her first 5K obstacle course.
Bill McConnell - column writer
Bill is the owner of the successful brick-and-mortar storefront, Whole Life Soaps in Wrightwood, California. He specializes in cold-processed soaps, bath bombs, handcrafted lotions, and other natural beauty-care products.
Cindy Rumpf Novack - Column writer
Cindy Rumpf Novack is the owner of www.CandlesandSupplies.com in Quakertown, PA and found her passion making candles in third grade. She loves to help others create their own candles and soaps, be successful, and have fun doing it. Cindy has been making candles for over two decades, has an Advanced Soap Making Certification through HSCG and teaches classes in her own store, art schools, trade shows and seminars. In her spare time Cindy likes to read, horseback ride, garden, distill hydrosols and essential oils, travel, hike and basically just enjoy the outdoors and everything nature has to offer.
Niki Senior - column writer
Niki is Master Herbalist & founder and formulator at Norfolk Organics.
Alicia Grosso - column writer
Alicia is an interdisciplinary artist, teacher and author. Her soapmaking books are The Everything Soapmaking Book, and Soapmaking: A Magickal Guide. She has written a soapmaking column for The Essential Herbal, presented at soapmaking conferences, and been a guest teacher at soap studios on the west coast. She lives in the beautiful Puget Sound area with a kitty and a bunny.
Diana Gale - Column Writer
Diana served as a team coordinator in digital publishing from 2002-18, and works occasionally as a manuscript editor. Upon discovering soap making in 2014 she opened Star 9 Divine Beauty & Bath, LLC. At her home studio in the scenic Columbia River Gorge, she enjoys creating new skin care formulations, and designing logo and label artwork with a Flapper air for Star 9 Designs. She met her husband John on stage, and they love to write and perform music together.
Cindy Jones Lantier - column writer
Cindy, of The Eclectic Soul and Soap's On, is an experienced soap maker and educator. She loves creating products, teaching, and connecting with her customers. She lives in Southern California with her supportive husband and three kitties-kids.
