As you walk up to Simply Eden, which is a cute cottage-like building along a boardwalk in Eden, you will smell the delightful fragrances before you even step a foot inside. Simply Eden is home to wonderful custom made, all-natural soaps, lotions, and body care products. All are made right there in store.
When Athena was working as a food and beverage manager at Snow Basin, she started to have some health concerns and needed to make some changes. One of those was a lower stress career, and the other was to be very careful with what she put inside of her body. She changed her diet to combat the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. She also has sensitive skin and had to start paying attention to what she put on her body as well. One day, while driving through the beautiful Ogden Valley, she saw a farm with goats, and the thought came to her, ”I should make goat milk soap and lotion for myself.” She purchased goats and started learning to make homemade, healthy soaps and lotions in 2007. In 2009, after perfecting some recipes, she began selling the product online and at a few local shops. In 2013, she opened her store called Simply Eden, just over the hill in Eden, where she sells all-natural soaps, lotions, bath bombs, lip balms, lotion bars, body mousse (thick whipped body butter), face cream, and muscle-rub cream. All of the milk is sourced locally with local goat farmers.
One of the most important factors in her business is that she controls ALL of the ingredients she makes her products with. Some natural product manufacturers purchase pre-made bases for their products and then ad fragrances to their liking. The reason Simply Eden has developed such a tremendous following is because she doesn’t purchase anything pre-made. Everything is made from scratch in their store in Eden. In fact, when you are shopping, you will often find them in the process of creating their products right there in front of you.
When she first started making soaps, she turned her kitchen into her laboratory. She has two rules: (1) products have to be good at what they do and (2) they have to feel good on your skin. She is very particular about that. She doesn’t want to use a lotion or creme that feels oily or greasy on the skin, no matter how good it is for your skin. When she finally got overwhelmed with her projects and the mess it created in her kitchen she built a kitchen in her basement and continued her projects there until she bought her storefront and moved production to the store.
Goat milk contains natural properties that help make it one of the best natural ingredients available for your skin. For one, it contains alpha hydroxy acids which help break down bonds between dead cells and remove them from your body. It is also packed with vitamins and minerals, which nourish your skin, and the natural fats and oils help keep the skin soft and moisturized.
Currently, Athena has two main goals for the coming year. One is to transition people to refillable containers so they can produce less plastic waste, and the other is to create a shampoo bar. She likes the idea of a bar because it doesn’t require containers at all.
Athena and her staff are very kind and willing to help you find exactly what you need. This is a great place to go if you have sensitive skin or if you simply want to decrease your exposure to synthetic soaps, lotions, and chemicals. It is 100% worth the drive over the pass to visit Simply Eden. I know I will be back.
Business: Natural Body Products
2612 N Hwy 162 #3
Eden, UT
(801) 745-5033
www.simpy-eden.com