Crafter Interview: Bomb La Bon Bath and Body Confectionary

You will want to sink your teeth into these sweet bath creations by Bomb La Bon Bon!  Find out more about how crafter Yaryna creates her gorgeous body confections.

(Yaryna and her sister)

Tell us a little bit more about yourself.

My name is Yaryna and I own Bomb La Bon Bon Bath and Body Confectionary store that specializes in yummy products for bath and body inspired by candy and bakery products. Besides being an artisan, I am finishing my Masters in Molecular Oncology at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, ON, which is a rewarding degree, seeing as the work that is done can help many people in the future battling cancer.

I was born in Kiev, Ukraine, and my parents emigrated in October 2002, which would mark our 10 year anniversary in the country this year.   My parents are my inspiration hands down, as they have left everything behind for their children to have a better future, and for that, I will be forever grateful.

When did you first start creating your Bath and Body products and what prompted it?

I have been creating bath and beauty products for over a year now. It all started when I decided to create Christmas gifts for family, friends and colleagues instead of going through the hectic Christmas shopping experience in the mall. Needless to say, everyone loved the goodies and that has prompted me to take my craft to the next level and start selling it online

I want to sink my teeth into the Bath Bomb Cupcake (even though it is soap)! What are your favourite items to create?

I have been told numerous times by the customers that the products should come with a “DO NOT EAT” warning. My father still asks me if anything that I make is edible, he would really want some “cakes” with his coffee.

My favourite things to create would definitely be bath bomb cupcakes, as they look exactly like the real thing, and there is no limit to colours, scents and decorations that you can use to create a unique cupcake each time. Plus, show me a woman who does not go GA-GA for cupcakes!

How do you come up with your creative ideas for products?

For me, making bath products comes exactly as cooking- I create on the go. Whatever comes to mind gets executed in the products. There are no specific recipes that I follow, but the rereplacementer in me has learned from trial and error ways of creating products with perfect consistency and mouth watering scents.

In addition, I have a huge sweet tooth, not even kidding, I need chocolate every day. So my needs for sweets have been transferred to the shower as well. The good thing is, these products do not target your thighs as chocolate cake would.

I love the fact that your products are free from Parabens and other icky ingredients. Is there a story behind creating quality without the added ingredients?

When I was a teenager, I used to suffer from severe acne, which took a huge toll on my confidence. After a round of isoretinoid Accutane, my skin became severely dry and sensitive; however, I was still breaking out. Everything was tried from department store brands to the expensive dermatological products and nothing helped. My skin felt like it was on fire constantly, and anything that I used that was targeted for acne sufferers dried my skin even further. Needless to say, it was a vicious cycle. 

After a couple of months of jumping from product to product, I decided to sit down and rereplacement about skin sensitizers. It was surprising to find out that most of the products I have used, even deemed for extra sensitive skin contained paraffin oils, sodium lauryl sulphates and parabens in them, which in the end, have made the condition even worse. From then on, I have switched to using only Castile soap on my face for a cleanser and unrefined organic shea butter as a moisturizer. I do not want to sound like a cliché advertisement; however, within two weeks my skin was soothed, moisturized and finally clear!

After doing my extensive rereplacement, I decided to start creating my own skin-loving body washes and body scrubs as well as concoctions for body butters. Have not gone back to anything store-bought since. It makes me feel more confident to actually see what goes into my products and know that they would not cause a reaction on my “hard to please” skin.

What are your words of wisdom for others who may want to start a bath and body shop?

Do not be afraid to experiment! Create from your heart- this would really set you apart from the rest. Do your rereplacement on the ingredients and skin conditions- and think about what consumer wants.

A little bit of courage, lots of determination and persistence and a dash of luck- here is a recipe for the success.

When you are not creating delicious bath products what do you enjoy?

I love hiking! Our house is located by gorgeous Ancaster waterfalls - I make sure to visit at least once a week if weather co-operates. I also love exploring Hamilton – after 10 years there is still so much to see in the city!

I am a big foodie, so for me, trying out new cuisines is a must! Lastly, I absolutely love to travel- if that was my job, I would be living a perfect dream. I love to explore and experience new cultures in their native surroundings. The ultimate dream - to travel the world!