Perry Creek's Origin Story

Image of Dawn sitting on a rock near rapids
Hello there. My name is Dawn, and I make a lot of soap.

More importantly, I'm really terrible at self-care...

Eat lunch? I don't have time for that!

Go to bed on time? Let me just do this one more thing first.

I also love dogs and a strong cup of local coffee.

Can you relate?

As I write this, I am everything that is Perry Creek - from product development to sourcing high quality ingredients, to label design, marketing, and sales. I'm hoping to eventually bring some jobs to my small little town, located in the shadow of Katahdin. But for right now, it's all me.

Making time for self-care is hard. Let me make it easy for you to find time for yourself every day.

Wearing all of the business hats keeps me more than a little busy, but you get it. We're all busy, and life just seems to be getting busier and more anxiety inducing on a daily basis. I make a lot of handcrafted products, but they are so much more than just bars of soap, and tubes of lip balm. Perry Creek products are designed to give you a tiny spot of indulgent self-care that easily fits into your busy daily routine.

Perry Creek products are thoughtfully crafted, and you are part of our R&D process, always.

Perry Creek products are a simple way to treat yourself and delight someone you love, because each recipe is developed mindfully. Every new recipe must make it through my strict product development process which always starts with asking a lot of questions.

Who am I making this for? (Someone with dry skin, allergies, a citrus lover?)

What kind of product is best suited to address the problem? (Is it a leave on product or something that washes away?)

What does my customer want? (A balm, a salve, or maybe a soap?)

What ingredients will give the best benefits, and can I source them locally and sustainably?

What package is best for the consumer, product, and environment?

I want to be sure that I am developing the products that you want and need. In fact, you may have even answered some of these questions in comments on my social media posts or received samples of development products with your latest order.

An image of research and development bath and body products

Why do I put so much effort into product development? Because I was trained to do it this way.

Every small business owner has an origin story that often starts with working for someone else. My origin story is no different. For almost 20 years I worked as a research microbiologist in both the university and private sectors. For the last 16 years of my corporate career, I was responsible for food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance in the research and development arm of a multi-national food company.

You might be surprised by how much the food industry has in common with the skin care industry. Ingredients are key. Both are governed by the FDA (Perry Creek is located in the United States). The factories even look similar and have some of the same production goals.
I met a lot of great people and traveled all over the world. While I would absolutely do it all over again, the corporate life was taking its toll on me.
Did I mention that I'm bad at self-care?

I started making soap as a creative outlet. The scientist in me loves not only the complexity of the chemical reactions, but also learning all the things about ingredients and how they work together to create problem solving products (moisturizing, gently cleansing, soothing, and just about anything else you can think of). My creative side loves the array of colors and fragrances available. I quickly had too many soaps for my family's use, and I started giving them away to friends and, well, anyone who would take them.

If you know me, then you know how much I like a challenge. Soon I was creating gentle recipes for kids, soap for sensitive skin that is pretty and smells amazing, and skin balm for problem skin and for hands that are regularly exposed to harsh detergents and sanitizers.
We always called them 'lab hands', but as I write this, you could call them 'welcome to the pandemic hands'.

My passion is creating the perfect product that not only meets your skin care needs, but also adds a few indulgent minutes in your everyday routine to recharging you for the next challenge ahead.

I can also help your friends and family see you as a gift giving superhero!

If I can provide a few tips, tricks, and a bit of education about natural and handcrafted skin care products and ingredients along the way, I'll feel like I've done my job to help you spend your hard-earned dollars wisely.

Are you looking for a unique product?

I'm always really happy to develop something just for you or as a surprise for that special someone.

Contact me directly so we can discuss the details of your one-of-a-kind creation.

Want to learn more about artisan skin care products?

I'll be adding a few mini courses in the upcoming months, but in the meantime, you can visit The Journal and wander through the blog posts there. You can also sign up for the email list, so you don't miss new product launches and exclusive discounts.

Perry Creek also offers wholesale and private label products.

Maybe your small business is struggling to keep up with production as demand increases, or maybe you're looking for a bespoke product for your Bed & Breakfast, or you love Perry Creek products so much that you'd like to offer them wholesale.

I can't wait to help! Contact me and let's discuss the details.