by Rachel Witkowski
Staff Writer
Carol Bianco has sworn off big name soaps like Dove and Caress for the rest of her life because she’s found a cure for her sensitive skin — and it’s right in her own backyard.
After four weeks of baking in the sun, Bianco’s soap batches are ready for use, cut and packaged to be sold at Bianco Moon, which is located in Hemming Plaza every Friday at the Farmers’ Market. She has sold her hand-made hygiene products all over Jacksonville and St. Augustine, and to stores such as Native Sun and Midnight Sun. After five years of business and more than 80 different soaps, Bianco can barely keep her production up with the high demand.
“I am so low on stock it’s unbelievable,” she said.
Last year, Bianco made 1,800 pounds of soap and so far this year she has made more than 900 pounds, which has all sold out. She came up with the idea after she had an allergic reaction to the latex gloves she wore during her years in the medical field. Bianco spent most of her 20-year career working in a dental office and then six years as a volunteer rescue woman and firefighter. Most of her soap recipes came from medical research while she was in the field.
“All we use are chemical products these days and nothing is natural and your body becomes very porous,“ said Bianco. “Once you try this soap and feel the difference on your skin, it’s so hard to go back to regular soaps.”