Meet the Maker: Heather Swanepoel with Rinse Bath & Body
Some of the best businesses start by accident. Rinse Bath & Body Co. is proof.
Back in 2002, founder Heather was living life on the road, traveling the country as part of the Supercross dirt bike circuit. It was exciting work, but she was craving a creative outlet — something to do with her hands between events.
She decided to learn to knit. The problem? She could only knit squares and rectangles. A girl only needs so many scarves.
So she took a soapmaking class with her mom instead. They stood side by side, melting, mixing, and stirring. The next day when they uncovered their creations, Heather's soap was perfect. Her mom's didn't turn out quite right. Heather was immediately hooked.
From Hobby to Business
When you make soap, you make pounds of it at a time. To justify making more, Heather started giving it away to anyone who would take it. She experimented with ingredients, perfected her formulas, and refined her recipes. Slowly, the people she had once begged to take her soap off her hands started making requests — and insisting on paying for it.
That's when Heather and her husband looked at each other and realized they might just have something special.
Rinse Bath & Body Co. was officially founded in 2003. What started as a hobby has grown into a beloved brand featured in stores and spas across the country — all while staying true to its small-batch, handcrafted roots.
Photo courtesy of Erin Zwigart.
Still Family. Still Small Batch. Still Monroe.
Today, Rinse is based in Monroe, Georgia, and remains very much a family business.
Photo courtesy of Erin Zwigart.
All products are still produced in small batches to ensure quality and freshness. And as Heather puts it, they get it all done "with the help of moms, of course."
Photo courtesy of Erin Zwigart.
Their product line has grown far beyond soap — Rinse now offers body spreads, lip balms, bath bombs, shower steamers, essential oils, deodorants, skin sticks, and more, across 36 different scents. Everything is made with naturally derived ingredients and never tested on animals. Only, as their tagline goes, "dirty humans."
Photo courtesy of Erin Zwigart.
A Relationship Built Over a Decade
Georgia Crafted has been proud to partner with Heather and the Rinse team since 2015. Over a decade of collaboration, countless collections, and thousands of happy customers later — their products remain some of our most loved and most gifted.
But our relationship with Rinse goes beyond the products. Years ago, I brought my daughters to visit Heather and her team in Monroe. I have the cutest picture ever, but now that they are teenagers, I'm not allowed to share it (LOL).
I will never forget watching their eyes light up as they saw soaps being poured, and the joy they had playing in the loft. It's one of those memories that reminds you why supporting small, independent makers matters so much. These aren't just products on a shelf. They're made by real people in a real place — and that's exactly the kind of maker Georgia Crafted was built to champion.
That kind of staying power says everything about the quality and care that goes into every single bar, balm, and bottle that comes out of Monroe, Georgia.
What We Carry from Rinse
At Georgia Crafted, we are proud to carry a curated selection of Rinse Bath & Body Co. products — from their fan-favorite soaps and lip balms to their luxurious body spreads and bath soaks. Whether you're drawn to fresh peach, calming lavender, or one of their many other irresistible scents, there's something for everyone.
A few of our favorite scents/products:
- Peach Soap — Smells just like sweet Georgia peaches with a little tartness- just like if you plucked it off the tree!
- Lavender Lip Balm — Relaxing lavender for your lips.
- Peach Body Spread— shea butter blended with olive and apricot kernel oils, 93% naturally derived
- Lavender Salt Soak — mineral-rich soaks for a spa experience at home
- Lavender Shower Bombs — aromatherapy in the shower, no tub required
These products are available in the Build a Gift Box (or Bag) section of georgiacrafted.com OR in the Rinse Bath Collection.
Why We Love Rinse
Georgia Crafted has always been about championing independent makers — the people who pour their heart into what they make and build something real from nothing. Heather's story is exactly that. She didn't set out to build a brand. She just made soap that was too good to give away for free.
That's the kind of maker we love to support. And after one whiff of their Peach soap or one application of their Body Spread, we think you'll feel the same way.
Photo courtesy of Erin Zwigart.
Shop Rinse Products at Georgiacrafted.com and support an amazing small local maker!