Body products are a passion project for couple

When Alyssa Voice was mourning her father four and a half years ago, she researched how to make body butters at home to ease her mind.

It was so successful that she thought she would share her products with the public. That flourished into Tucson-based Old Pueblo Bath & Body Essentials, which also produces handmade artisan soaps, lotions, sugar scrubs, beard oil and beard wash.

Among the scents are absinthe, autumn harvest, apricot freesia, Asian pear and lily, black raspberry vanilla, cactus and sea salt, calla lily, cherry merlot, cinnamon spiced vanilla, citrus and agave, coconut milk sorbet, cranberry, ginger and lime, and fresh peach and poppy.

“We’re known for our lotions,” said her husband, William Voice.

“My wife makes a really fantastic lotion with natural ingredients in it. I was doing a show and these two ladies tried our lotion. They got all the way to Park mall, one turned to her friend and said, ‘My hands are really soft.’ They went straight back here to get lotion.”

The origins are twofold. Besides easing Alyssa’s mind, the couple wanted to bring quality soaps and lotions to people at a reasonable price.

“There are so many products out there filled with chemicals that you can’t even pronounce and are bad for your skin,” William said.

“We set out to change that. Fast forward to now, and we have a growing business always striving to bring our customers the best in products, ingredients and customer service.”

The products are sold on their website oldpueblobathandbodyessentials.com, and at farmers markets.

“We do craft fairs and street fairs all over here, in Tucson, in Phoenix, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sedona and Pinetop,” he says. “This summer is our first out-of-state show.”

Recently, the Voices sold their products at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and donated part of their proceeds to Air Force veterans.

They also sell their products wholesale to clients in town and out of the area. Old Pueblo Bath & Body Essentials are available at The Food Conspiracy Co-Op at 412 N. Fourth Avenue, Tucson; and Johnny Gibson’s Downtown Market, 11 S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson.

“We’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished,” she says.

“I’m really proud of the soap and the lotion that I make. It’s mine. The recipes are mine. It’s something that’s unique to me that I’ve done over time. I’ve done a lot of research A lot of thought has gone into everything that I make. For me, it’s a creative outlet. Making soap, for me, brings out my creativity and it’s like art for me.

“It makes me feel good when people come and spend their hard-earned money on something that I’ve made. It’s really satisfying.”

Old Pueblo Bath & Body Essentials

oldpueblobathandbodyessentials.com

This article appears in Apr 27 – May 3, 2023.