LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: When Kristen Dunning, founder of Gently Soaps was diagnosed with eczema at a very early age, her whole life turned upside down. From steroid shots to medicated creams, Kristen was prescribed almost everything as her eczema treatment. Unfortunately, none of them worked and instead left her with further irritated and sensitive skin.
Tired of trying everything in the market for eczema and sensitive skin, Dunning turned to herbs and DIY Natural remedies. After a lot of research, and several trials and errors, she finally managed to create Gently Soaps, a line of soap bars created for sensitive skin. With no essential oils or synthetic fragrances, this herbal-infused bar soap turned out to be her magical solution for controlling eczema.
Now Dunning is ready to share her creation with the world and has decided to step into 'Shark Tank'. On Episode 1 of Season 15, she will be pitching before the Sharks- Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O'Leary, Daymond John, and guest Shark Candace Nelson.
What is Gently Soap?
Founded in 2020, Gently Soap is on a mission to, "Offer products to a demographic that often struggles to find solutions within the commercial skincare industry: those with sensitive skin." Gently Soap isn't just another run-on-the-mill soap brand. What sets Gently Soap apart from other players in the market are the strong values that guide the brand, such as sustainability, giving back, and ethical sourcing. From its plastic-free packaging, donating a portion of sales proceeds to various charities, to using only the highest quality ingredients grown in the USA, Gently Soap is definitely a brand with strong ethics.
In an interview with Shoutout Atlanta, Dunning explained, "Gently is founded on my story and understanding of what it feels like to have no options. We offer products that are gentle on the skin and gentle on the planet. Gently formulates soaps that are 100% natural, vegan, essential oil-free, fragrance-free, dye-free, and palm-oil free."
Who is the founder of Gently Soap?
Kristen Dunning is the brains behind Gently Soap. In an Instagram post, the entrepreneur shared her personal journey which ultimately led to the creation of Gently Soap. "I was barely two when eczema began taking over my life. Rough, itchy, painful patches went from rare seasonal occurrences to lifetime companions. I was around 4 when eczema spread to my scalp and I began losing my hair. Large bald patches are now marked only by my mother’s memories of strategically placing barrettes and ponytails to hide them and the overuse of too many topical steroid creams."
"Tomorrow I turn 21, and my eczema has also, over the years, manifested itself into overly sensitive skin that has kept me from using many commercial skin and hair care brands. Anything I tried would break me out, burn, or cause skin peeling. I was overwhelmingly unhappy with my skin relationship and I refused to give up without trying to do something about it," she explained.
"Out of this struggle, Gently Soap, was born. This skincare line is #natural #fragrancefree #herbal #sensitiveskinfriendly and a huge part of my heart. All items are self-packaged and handmade and I love seeing the faces of every customer when they receive their orders.Thank you for supporting my dream, truly...THANK YOU," she expressed.
What is the cost and where to buy Gently Soap from?
You can get your hands on Gently Soap from the brand's website here, Amazon, BLK+GRN, or Mahogany. Each 4 oz bar of soap retails for $12.99. You can select from one of the four variants available:
Treasures of the Sun
Infused with soothing ingredients like turmeric, calendula, and chamomile, Treasures of the Sun is packed with anti-inflammatory properties, and is the perfect soap bar for anyone battling dry, itchy skin.
Reign Cloud
Reign Cloud, has a cloud-like shea butter base and a natural purple tone that comes from powdered alkanet root. This soap bar is infused with lavender for a luxurious, relaxing bathing experience that will leave your body refreshed and with a lasting royal glow.
Breathe
If you favor floral fragrances and notes, then Breathe's rich cocoa butter base infused with Rose Petals and Chamomile will surely win you over.
Gardener Knauft's
Gardener Knauft's has a moisturizing shea butter base and is infused with calendula and chamomile. Gardener Knauft’s is named after the founder’s research mentor - Dr. David Knauft - who was the first to believe in the Gently Soap dream.
Gently Soap's customers can't seem to stop raving about the soothing properties of the brand's soap bars. A customer named Ally P, left the following review on Amazon, "This product is wonderful and truly does what it claims - I bought this for a good friends 7 month old baby who has been suffering from severe eczema since birth and after using this entire bar of soap she said immediately 9/10 - only deducting the last point for not being able to HEAL the eczema itself ? It’s the only soap that hasn’t irritated her daughters skin and she’s so happy I was able to recommend to her. The mission behind this brand is truly amazing and has a founder with a passion for helping people who have sensitive skin!"
Where is Gently Soap now?
According to the brand's Instagram page, Gently Soap is a finalist for Pharrell's prestigious Black Ambition prize competition. "BIG NEWS - I can’t think of a better way to start off our Shark Tank Week ? We're thrilled to announce that we've made it as FINALISTS of the prestigious @pharrell's @blackambitionprize! ? Out of thousands of applicants, we're among the top 50 finalists competing for a chance to win up to $1M to support our mission at Gently Soap. ?"
The Black Ambition was founded by Pharrell Williams in 2020, with the goal of championing bold ideas, breaking down barriers, and supporting Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs to excel, uninterrupted.
Who will steal the deal?
Lori Greiner may steal the deal as she's quite interested in skincare. Although the brand's sales numbers and profit margins will ultimately be the major deciding factor for the sharks on whether to invest in the business or not. So, we will just have to wait and watch to see if the Sharks even make a deal.
'Shark Tank' Season 15 Episode 1 airs on ABC on Friday, September 29, 2023, at 8 pm ET. Catch the latest episode featuring products like GATSBY Chocolate, Pie Wine, Worthy Brands, and Gently Soap.
Missed an episode? Been wanting to catch up? Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu. Not just that, you can also watch old seasons and episodes on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.
