Gently Soap

Gently Soap is a U.S. bath and body brand that makes handcrafted bar soaps and shampoo bars formulated for people with sensitive skin and eczema. Products are described as herbal, sustainably made, 100% natural, vegan, essential oil-free, fragrance-free, dye-free and palm oil-free, and the brand states its packaging is and will remain plastic free. Formulations use organic herbs and botanicals grown by U.S. farmers — including calendula and chamomile identified during the founder's university horticultural research — which the company describes as clinically proven to be irritant-free and safe for sensitive skin.

The direct-to-consumer catalog includes bath bars at $12, shampoo bars at $14, gift sets at $35 and $80, a wooden soap tray at $20, and a recurring "Sudscription Box." Bath bar lines include Greenhouse Dreams, Fields of Joy, Reign Cloud, Breathe and Bloom and Treasures of The Sun; shampoo bars include Sense of ReLeaf, Wells of Wisdom, Rays of Light, Rooted in Heritage and Lands of Legacy. The company also runs a LOVE GENTLY initiative donating misshapen but usable bars to non-profits serving the homeless community and survivors of sexual and domestic violence, and supports the David and Evelyn Knauft Fund at the University of Georgia Office of Service-Learning.

Founding story

Founder Kristen Dunning experienced seborrheic dermatitis from age four and severe eczema on her arms, legs and face, treated with steroid shots and creams, which led her to herbalism and DIY natural remedies. In 2018, as a freshman at the University of Georgia, she joined a research living learning community and pioneered a project on medicinal plants and their effects on skin conditions, later choosing degrees in agricultural communication and horticulture. Under horticultural faculty mentor Dr. David Knauft she identified pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) and chamomile (Matricaria and Chamaemelum) as botanical alternatives to chemical ingredients in conventional anti-inflammatory medications, planting and analyzing cultivars at the UGArden Student Community Farm. The first soap recipe was created in early 2019, followed by a period of formulation and batch testing, and she released the products publicly in October 2020. The brand also draws on her family's agricultural heritage; the Dunning family owns 84 acres in Dixons Mills, Alabama, where her grandparents Nancy and Raymond Sr. farmed. Early products used herbs sourced from UGArden; products are now made with herbs and botanicals grown by U.S. farmers.

Business model

The company sells consumer packaged bath and body products, primarily bar soaps and shampoo bars, at unit price points of $12-$14, plus accessories, gift sets and a recurring subscription box. Products are handmade in America using herbs and botanicals grown by U.S. farmers; after early kitchen-scale production the founder contracted with a third-party manufacturer. At the time of the Shark Tank pitch each bar cost $2.38 to produce including packaging and retailed for $11.

Product sales through the company's Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer store, a recurring "Sudscription Box" subscription, and retail/marketplace distribution (Amazon launch planned around the time of the Shark Tank taping, and a national Walmart launch).

Traction

At the time of the Shark Tank taping, lifetime sales were $113,000, 2022 sales were $66,000 with $38,000 in profit, customer acquisition cost was $5.83 against an average order value above $40, repeat customers were 78% of purchases, and sales had grown roughly threefold year over year. The company sold out its inventory the night the episode aired. Its website displays 743 customer reviews. In 2026 it secured its first Walmart purchase order for a national launch.

Latest developments

Gently Soap was a recipient of the inaugural 2025 Makers Mindset x The Equity Studio grant, a $50,000 equity-free award for female founders in beauty, health and wellness, and directed the funds into inventory, operations and retail infrastructure to prepare for retail expansion. It has since secured its first Walmart purchase order and plans a national launch with the retailer in fall 2026. The brand also received a 2025 O-ward for Best Bar Soap For Sensitive Skin after being named to Oprah's 2024 Favorite Things.