Our Story
Our family owns a small farm just out of Los Angeles where we raise French Alpine goats.
We hand-milk our goats & use the fresh milk, as well as herbs from our garden, fair trade shea butter & natural essential oils to hand-craft moisturizing & nourishing artisan soap. We then hand-cut, hand-trim and hand-wrap each bar of soap. Chivas Skin Care is a labor of love!
As our soaps have been recognized by Lucky Magazine and Daily Candy and carried in respected stores like Studio Fred Segal, Terrain and select Whole Foods, we have been fortunate to be able to grow our simple line to now include goat milk cremes, goat milk bath salts and lip balms.
Read below to hear more about how we got started making soap. And if you have any other questions, you can browse our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us directly.
Donna, mother
I was born in Brooklyn and raised in New Jersey. Imagine: NYC model, Salutatorian, French Banker. In 1992, I moved with my husband and four children to California where I decided to raise French Alpine goats, amidst the groves of avocados, grapefruits, peaches and figs. Learning the benefits of goat milk, I started making wonderful goat milk cheeses, yogurts, ice creams and eventually goat milk soap! My friends and family particularly loved the soaps and kept asking me for more and more until they eventually convinced me to establish my own business selling them. As the business has grown, I am proud that I continue to hand-milk my goats and hand-make each small batch of soap. And I have to add that caring for the goats is a real pleasure.
Lauren, daughter
I remember receiving my mom’s first batch of soap in a college “care package.” My roommates and I loved it. After graduation, I traveled the world and became interested in each culture’s traditions of health and beauty. I worked on an organic lavender farm in New Zealand and studied Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine in India. These experiences abroad strengthened my passion for environmental and social justice. So, when I returned to California, I started working part-time with Ten Thousand Villages (a non-profit Fair Trade organization) and part-time helping my Mom get Chivas on its feet. Slowly what I thought was just a favor for my Mom, turned into a passion for designing new products, learning more about natural health, and working with customers and vendors. I’m proud that I can now blend the principles of fair trade with my commitment to personal health and environmental well-being into my dedication to Chivas Skin Care.
Photo Credit: Group image by Brian Juarez
Photo Credit: Image of Donna by Margaret Burke
Photo Credit: Image of Lauren by Myra Vides
