What started as a hobby 13 years ago for Chris Clarke, owner of Sunrise Soap Company, has now turned into a booming business in downtown York. Thirteen years ago, Clarke began experimenting with homemade soap, and before she knew it, she had made hundreds of bars, just by working out of her house.

Clarke began selling the soap at festivals and fairs and soon, her list of products increased—lotions, lip balm, shampoo bars, body scrubs and more. In 2005, she decided to open a small storefront. At only 200 square feet, the location didn’t offer much space, but it did provide a stepping-stone for bigger things. Two years ago, Sunrise Soap Company moved into its current location—a 1,700-square-foot shop with plenty of space to not only make and sell her natural, one-of-a-kind body products, but also to host educational field trips, factory tours, soap making parties, and hands-on demonstrations.

Clarke says the average woman uses 12 personal care products per day—exposing herself to numerous toxins. The skin has the ability to absorb both good and bad substances; therefore, by using chemical-based products for skin care, they are absorbed by the skin and can damage its structure.

Consumers aren’t typically aware of harmful ingredients in products, she notes. For instance, she explains that commercial soaps are stripped of their natural moisture, which is why skin becomes dry and itchy. “People would be surprised to learn that 90 percent of skin problems could be alleviated simply with a good bar of soap,” she says.

A natural soap from Sunrise will put much-needed moisture into the skin. With more than 100 varieties of soap made on the premises—including pine tar, neem oil, charcoal and sulfur soaps, poison ivy soaps and soaps made with goat’s milk and coconut milk—customers are bound to find what they need.

Clarke suggests shampoo bars as an alternative to chemical-ridden shampoos and conditioners, too. Her 100 percent natural herbal deodorants contain no aluminum: the lotions contain no parabens and are preserved naturally.

“Your skin is the largest organ of your body,” states Clarke. “How are you treating it?”

Location: 29 N. Beaver St., York. For more information, call 717-843-7627 or visit SunriseSoapCo.com.