Minneapolis Based All-Natural Skin Care Company – Siena Soap

Siena Soap is a full line of all-natural and plant-based skin care for all ages. It is both eco-friendly and locally handcrafted in the Twin Cities. The company is owned and operated by mother and daughter duo, Mary and Jessica Ottman. The company started as a hobby for Mary because she wanted to provide her family with all-natural products that would meet all their diverse skin care needs. Together, the two women are helping bring a much wanted and needed skincare line to their local community.

“It started out of a need in our family for diverse skincare, but that need came about from my four siblings who are Korean,” Jessica said. “Living and growing up in the northern suburbs there were no diverse skin care options in stores. After attending many doctor and dermatologist appointments, my mom was tired of steroid creams being thrown at them for my siblings skin issues; she decided to start researching natural alternatives. Here we are today.”

Mary is the founder and visionary behind Siena Soap; however, it initially started as a hobby. She obtained a graduate degree in public health administration from the University of Minnesota and is a public health administrator. Mary named the company after Catherine of Siena because she stands for purity, just like the products sold by Siena Soap.

Jessica, co-owner of the company, graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a business degree. After graduation, she decided to join her mom and use her talents to help build her mother’s hobby into the company it is today.

Siena Soap offers 100% natural skin care products to the Twin Cities community while donating a portion of their profit from every sale to help survivors of sex trafficking heal and thrive. Siena Soap is partnered with a Minnesotan non-profit called, Terebinth Refuge. This partnership is possible because Mary was fortunate enough to know and work with CeCe, the founder of this nonprofit.

“Terebinth is a holistic shelter and transitional home that brings hope and provides strength-based, trauma-informed and holistic services for sex-trafficked and sexually exploited women, transitioning them from bondage to a life of health, stability and independence,” Jessica said.

During Covid-19, the company has been using their time and energy to focus on their online sales. With the inability to go out and shop or attend events to find new skincare products, people have resorted to online purchases. This has caused Siena Soap’s online sales to be the best they have ever seen, said Jessica. Unfortunately, the company has been missing out on their events, pop-up shops and in-person sales at their retail spaces.

“Covid-19 has greatly affected our business,” Jessica said. “All of our big spring, summer and now, even some fall events have been canceled. It's been devastating; as a small business we greatly rely on those events. We also had to close both of our retail locations while still paying monthly rent. Thankfully our online sales did pick up due to all these events being cancelled and our locations closing.”

The Ottman’s shared retail studio in North East Minneapolis, located at the Northrup King building recently re-opened, but their retail space in the skyway level of the IDS Center remains closed.

While Covid-19 has been affecting their normal work routine, the Siena Soap team has been finding new ways to give back to their community. Each week they have been taking one paid day to volunteer at the food banks in South Minneapolis and have donated carloads to food banks in both North and South Minneapolis. While they continue to donate to the Terebinth Refuge, the Siena Soap team also gave 30% of their June sales to help rebuild small businesses that were destroyed in both South and North Minneapolis through the “We Love Lake Street” organization and the “Northside Funders Group.”

The 14-year-old company is finding many ways to support and give back to their local community despite being forced to learn a new normal due to Covid-19.