The hand-made soap market is flourishing in Jamaica and do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiast Shanara Bennett has entered the arena with a line of luxury body bars that at times looks almost too pretty to be used.

Bennett has invested a lot of time in product aesthetics and design and has debunked the theory that ‘ugly’ soaps are the best. “My soaps look and smell good enough to eat but they are for external use only,” Bennett told Under The Dryer (UTD). Bennett believes this has placed her products at an advantage. “Otherwise from the quality I would say creativity sets my products apart from other organic skincare products on the market. If you look at my products, you can see a lot of thought was put into the design,” she continued.

Ritzy Beauty — on ode to Bennett’s late grandmother who dubbed her a ‘ritzy girl’ in her youth — was conceptualised in a fortunate stroke of serendipity. In 2016, Bennett, who had only completed a year of studies at the tertiary level before deciding to take a leave of absence as she sought to figure out her career. During a year of travelling and introspection, Bennett was moved to create products that would help friends and family who needed a healthy alternative to commercial skincare products.

Fast-forward to 2019, and Bennett has transformed her DIY skills into a skincare business and the young entrepreneur is happy with her choice. “It is probably the best decision I have made…being my own boss complements my personality and I’m truly happy…A lot of people are doing things that make them feel unfulfilled, so I believe I’m blessed,” she explained.

Ritzy Beauty has a bar of soap that will not just sit pretty on your vanity but will help improve the appearance of the skin. The Baby Rose luxury body bar gently purifies while leaving lovely notes of crisp apple; the turmeric and oatmeal luxury body bar promises to even skin tone while activating a radiant glow, and the soothing aloe vera featured in the watermelon body bar provides a soothing bar experience.

Bennett’s product line-up also includes hand-poured candles, organic lip butter, Face + Lips + Body Oil, golden glow shimmer mist and the glow exfoliating mask. With plans to delve ino the children’s skincare market and new products for men and women in the pipeline, the self-taught artisan is drenching the market, one soap at a time.