Our Story
The Question That Started It
My Naked Bar began in 2018 with a simple but persistent concern — waste.
Every year, I found myself worrying about what to gift my children’s teachers. I didn’t want to contribute to the pile of well-intentioned gifts that end up unused, tucked away in cupboards, or eventually thrown away. This felt especially personal because one of my twins is on the autism spectrum, and his educators had taken such thoughtful care of him. I wanted to show appreciation in a way that felt meaningful, not wasteful.
Soap as an Unexpected Answer
Soap became my answer — not because it was exciting, but because it was essential. It’s a consumable that gets used up, doesn’t linger on the planet, and can always be passed on if unused. I learned to make soap so I could gift something practical, and soon found myself making more than I could give away.
When friends and family began telling me the soaps helped with their sensitive skin, it planted a seed. Still, that alone wasn’t enough to start a business.
Around the same time, I began learning more about environmental issues and waste. Discovering how long plastics take to break down was a turning point for me. I felt overwhelmed by the scale of the problem, and powerless as an individual with no technical or policy background. But doing nothing no longer felt like an option.
Choosing to Do Things Differently
If I were to start a soap brand, it had to stand for something. I didn’t want to rely on fear, guilt, or preaching to talk about sustainability. I wanted to find a way to make people pause, feel curious, and engage willingly.
That’s when the idea of using upcycled milk cartons as packaging came about. They were already present in most households, waterproof, protective, and often discarded. Reusing them felt like a simple, honest form of reduction. It also created a conversation starter — something unexpected enough to make people stop and ask questions.
From there, My Naked Bar took shape. We chose cold-process soapmaking for its gentleness and integrity, even though it takes longer and limits scale. We chose not to follow trends that didn’t align with our values. We kept designs practical, ingredients intentional, and flavours playful — because we believe the journey toward better habits doesn’t have to be heavy or joyless.
Where We Are Today
A
Better Planet for our Children,
and theirs
Today, My Naked Bar remains a small, carefully built brand. It exists to care for skin first, and through that trust, gently invite people to rethink everyday choices at their own pace. The community that has formed around it — carton contributors, customers, and supporters — reminds me that small actions, repeated and shared, do matter.
This is my way of choosing to do something, even when it’s harder.
— Li Ting, Founder