Kaerlig Beauty

This week we are very excited to have become Aberdeen's very first stockist of Kaerlig Beauty. These beautiful liquid soaps are truly natural - no parabens, no alcohol, no colour and a pH of 7 - the same as water! Available in 3 colours Red, Blue or the unscented Naked. We've invited Amy to take over the blog and tell you all a wee bit more about her products and how she ended up making soap in the first place!

Hi - Amy Alexander here from Kærlig Beauty. I am thrilled that Nourishing Insights are stocking Red, Blue and Naked, my soaps!


These small runs of luxury liquid soap were born as a direct result of my experiences with breast cancer. After being diagnosed with triple negative cancer, an operation, chemotherapy (the dreaded hair loss), sickness and radiotherapy quickly followed and three people, in particular, took the brunt of it all. My very own heroes, 51, 17 and 16 picked me up and I owe them so much. They did not complain and got used to sickness being an unwanted companion. I am still cross that I couldn’t protect them all from seeing me poorly.

After treatment, I was somewhat surprised that I didn’t bounce back quickly. To put it bluntly, I was ravaged by treatment. Unlike so many others, I was not brave! Aside from the forced menopause, pain and sheer exhaustion, my skin was so thin, so dry and quite frankly, so ghastly. And to top it all, my hair was non-existent, although a wonderful wig helped me feel more like myself.  

My college background is in lecturing sociology and psychology. I recognised the impact that the illness and treatment was having on my mental health. I wanted to take back control.  Soap-making was a therapeutic hobby and so it made sense that the fight back would start there.

I kicked back. No more whining. No more avoiding the mirror. I signed up and completed a Diploma in Organic Skin-Care and embarked on a joyous journey that now includes a ‘big girl laboratory’, terrifying EU testing regulations and countless failures. I tell you what though, 51, 16 and 17 always smelt pretty good, even if my soaps didn’t look as smart as they do now!

The soaps are all locally made in Strichen, Aberdeenshire. They contain jojoba, castor and coconut oils and are loaded with extra glycerine for a real boost of skin-friendly. The stylish (modest, aint I?) glass bottles each have a colour assigned to them after countless sniff tests. What do you imagine Blue and Red to smell like?!  The exception is Naked, more about her later. 

Each is packed with essential oils: Blue smells so fresh, of spearmint and lime; Red is grapefruit and bergamot. It is rather boastful, I know, but they are lovely. The fragrance lasts ages! Oh, and they are truly natural - no parabens, no alcohol, no colour and a pH of 7 - the same as water!

What about Naked? Well, as the name suggests, it is naked, a pure soap. No fragrances, just gentle wonderfulness. A soap perfect for people who have sensitive skin. This is the soap that cleansed my skin so gently after treatment.

What makes these soaps stand out is the sustainability factor. I detest plastic and really wanted to help my customers be able to re-use, thanks to a cost-friendly refill pouch, a stylish product. And of course, the glass bottle will last for years.

I have been a vegetarian for almost 30 years and although sustainability was important, so was being cruelty-free. I didn’t want to make and use a product that had involved animal testing at any point in the supply chain. These soaps are proudly vegan!

And finally, the name is simply Danish for ‘caring’. I have a great deal of admiration for the Danish culture. I love the strong sense of family, of being present and of appreciating others and our world. And of course, the Danes are known for their cool style. I’m a bit of a fan!

What do you think your favourite colour will be?

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