Pine tar, rosemary, buttermilk and witch hazel are ingredients that great-grandma (or great grandpa) would have used back in the day to cure personal care maladies like sensitive scalp or dry skin. And while times have changed, the benefits these ingredients deliver haven’t—which is why a recipe from the 1800s may be exactly what a consumer needs today.
 
That’s a fact not lost on Katherine Oliver Jarnigo and Molly Oliver Vollmer, who share CEO duties at The Grandpa Soap Company, one of the oldest continuously operating soap-makers in the US. They have taken over the business from their father, and are spearheading new launches like shampoos and conditioners to round out the Erlanger, KY-based company’s product line.
 
The new hair care collection from The Grandpa Soap Company includes Pine Tar scalp-therapy shampoo and conditioner, which teams pine tar with the natural properties of tea tree oil to combat dry, itchy scalp.
 
“Pine tar is extremely moisturizing ingredient, it won’t strip the body of natural oils. It is a powerhouse for scalp and skin irritation” Oliver Vollmer said.
 
The new hair care SKUs also include buttermilk shampoo and conditioner for dry and damaged color-treated hair, rosemary shampoo and rose clay conditioner to restore healthy hair shine; and witch hazel shampoo and conditioner to remove environmental build-up and oil residue.
 
All of The Grandpa Soap Company’s products are free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, silicones, petroleum, and artificial fragrances and colors. In addition, The Grandpa Soap company’s products are backed by third-party certifications from NGOs like Leaping Bunny and the National Celiac Association. The natural strategy also carries through to the packaging and production, too. The hair care products’ 8oz and cap are fully-recyclable and all components are made in the same facility, which helps reduce the company’s carbon footprint.
 
 “Natural is the new normal,” Oliver Jarnigo told Happi in a phone interview with both sisters.
 
The hair care products have suggested retail prices between $8.49 and $9.99, and are available nationally in supermarkets and independent, natural grocery chains. They can also be purchased online at Amazon.com, LuckyVitamin.com and iHerb.com, too.
 
According to the sisters, the history of Grandpa Soap Company can be traced back to a stove on Jess Hoffman’s farm in 1878. After their father, Rich Oliver, acquired the operation in 1998, the girls were able to learn the business inside and out—thanks to “take your daughter to work” type days and summers spent packing products.
 
After working elsewhere, they began working for the company in 2010 and 2011. In 2015, they refreshed the packaging and branding of The Grandpa Soap Company, and in 2016, formally acquired the business and took over the reins from their father. The sisters divide certain roles, but together manage strategy, innovation, and product development (for instance, in the pipeline are new body washes due out this Fall).
 
When asked if it was difficult to work with a sibling on daily basis, both agreed that there are benefits to keeping things all in the family.
 
“Working with a family business has its challenges, but we are incredibly lucky. It makes the ride more fun,” said Oliver Vollmer.
 
“Our kids are around the same age, so we share the struggles of being working moms,” added Oliver Jarnigo. “It is sweeter to work toward the same goal.”