Our Story

Our story began at home, thanks to my daughter.

One day, she announced that she wanted to make soap. I promised we would try, and she kept reminding me until eventually I gave in. Our first attempt was rather disastrous, but something about it captured me. I fell in love with soapmaking, and especially with the old, traditional ways of making it, the simple ingredients, the slow methods and the knowledge passed down through generations. What began as my daughter's little idea became something I genuinely love doing.

I've always enjoyed doing things myself, baking our bread, fermenting, growing food and making things from scratch. Perhaps my grandmother Rufina had something to do with that. Growing up in Colombia, I remember her traditional jabón de tierra, which I thought was terribly old-fashioned and rather stinky! All these years later, I find myself returning to the simplicity of the traditions she grew up with.

My garden is my happy place. I grow organically, follow a no-dig approach, make my own compost and believe in letting nature do much of the work. Many of the flowers are grown for the pollinators, I gather a little for my soaps and  I leave plenty for them too.

Every Nena Botánica soap has a reason for being. Some are inspired by people I love, others by memories, places or little moments in the garden. Each has its own name and its own story.

And Nena? She's my beloved childhood toy cow, now passed down to my daughter, who drew her for our logo. The same daughter who first persuaded me to make soap is now quite literally at the heart of Nena Botánica.

I affectionately call them my happy little soaps. They're made slowly, cured patiently and never rushed out of the studio. I want to keep making them with the same love, care and happiness that started it all.

And it makes me very happy to share them with you.

The garden remembers what we have forgotten.

Andrea
Founder, Nena Botánica