'Kushboo' is the creation of Soap maker Sarwat Jaleel - pronounced 'Ser’vet'
There seemed to be no limits to finding a health, beauty or wellbeing solution from natural sources in my mother’s Indian kitchen.”
An illness and long spell in hospital was a turning point in Sarwat’s journey. After showering with a luxurious soap bought in by her husband Richard, Sarwat was amazed how the beautiful scent from a bar of soap lifted her spirits. It was a reminder that the basic things can somehow make all the difference, even for just a few moments. That night Sarwat decided that she would begin to make soap for a local homeless charity.
But Sarwat wanted to create the very best ethical soap using natural ingredients, the knowledge and wisdom of herbs and spices passed down from her parents and of course, it had to be made with love…
As a Broadcaster Journalist and Reporter for nearly 20 years I had seen and reported on all that is good in the world but all that is awful too. At times it was overwhelming and frustrating as it was impossible to help every individual or charity I had encountered. Making soap for the vulnerable was the perfect combination of my creativity, heritage and giving back - it was a lightbulb moment."
At Kushboo, we approach making skincare as we would approach cooking, especially Indian cooking - where every single ingredient is natural and is chosen for its specific purpose to cleanse, moisturise and balance the skin. It’s the combination of quality ingredients, passion, skills and integrity all combining to create something truly unique. We handcraft every single bar soap individually in our 'Soap Kitchen', located in the beautiful Ribble Valley in the heart of Lancashire, England - an area of outstanding beauty, offering breathtaking inspiration in our creation of natural skincare.”
The various properties of the essential oils is an added bonus to restore and balance the mind and body. We add a natural exfoliator that compliments and balances the main scent enhancing each soap’s wellbeing qualities.
Almost everyone who picks up a Kushboo products immediately brings it to their nose to take in the glorious fragrance derived from the highest quality essential oils
The scent is such an integral element of each product and so KUSHBOO, simply translated as ‘Fragrance’ or ‘Sweet Smell’ in my mother tongue Urdu, and KUSH meaning ‘happiness’ seemed the natural name for our gorgeous smelling soaps filled with happiness and made with love.”
“We firmly believe that respecting what we put on our skin should be as important as what we put in our body. But this is only half the story. The respect and gratitude we have for our environment and nature is an integral part of Kushboo. Our family is part of a growing number of families like yours, wanting to live in a healthy environment, and working towards protecting our planet for future generations. We can help you do this by offering health and beauty products that work with the environment not against it. Our products are practical yet also aligned with your core values.”
“Our respect for nature includes caring for all living creatures which is why we never ever test our products on animals.”
Continuing with her parent’s teachings around helping the vulnerable and giving back to the community was the origin of Kushboo. It is a value very close to our hearts. The difference (be it a very small difference) a soap could make to someone who was going through a very tough time may be small but it can make all the difference at that moment.
The Kushboo soap bar that I was given made me feel like someone cared about me even though I had never met them. The beautiful smell felt like a hug. It gave me confidence and made me feel new (recipient)
We very quickly established that for every soap we sold we would donate another to charity, beginning with the local homelessness charity Nightsafe. We are proud to have increased our giving to a Women’s refuge and various food banks. In a small way, every time you buy a soap, you are helping support vulnerable people get back on their feet. Thank you.
We pride ourselves in being part of a community and we are committed to working with local suppliers where possible, helping to reduce our environmental impact. When we buy local, we help build and grow our community.
