An Honest, Heartfelt Look at my 2025 Journey

As we are now here in 2026, I’ve been doing a bit of reflecting on the past year here at Bare. 2025 was a big one, full of hard work, lovely surprises, challenges, and so much support from all of you. I thought I’d share a look back on what the year held, from products you loved most, to some moments behind the scenes!

The Products You Loved Most

One of the biggest joys of 2025 was seeing just how much love some of my products received. The Scrubs really flew off the shelves this year, online, through wholesale, and at the shows I attended too. I’m so pleased, as they’re a product I’m really proud of and it’s lovely seeing more people discover them!

The Facial Oils were another wonderful surprise. I’ve always thought of them as a hidden hero in the range, so it’s made me happy to see them getting the attention they deserve!

A Stand-Out Moment

Although I only managed to do three shows in 2025, I’m already dreaming of many more in 2026. One that really stood out for me personally was Glynllifon Fair. The atmosphere was wonderful, a beautiful setting, alongside incredibly talented fellow makers. My customers were all mostly local and already familiar with Bare, which was lovely! Getting to chat face to face with people who use and love my products was honestly so humbling. Hearing your stories, your favourites, and how certain products have helped you, those moments stay with me long after the stall is packed away. Truly special!

The Challenges Along the Way

Like many small businesses, 2025 came with its challenges. Rising costs were a big one! I always do my best to use the highest quality natural ingredients, and some of those costs increased quite a bit. Trying to absorb those rises while keeping my prices fair and accessible was tricky, but it’s something I continue to navigate carefully.

There were also personal challenges behind the scenes. In October, I lost my mother. She had been poorly with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and I had been her carer for a long time. Keeping Bare going during that period wasn’t easy, but work also gave me something steady to hold onto when things felt hard.

What 2025 Taught Me

One of the biggest lessons I learned last year was this: the world does not fall apart if you run out of stock!!

For the first time in over ten years of Bare, I had to remove products from the website because I completely sold out and simply couldn’t make more fast enough. I’ll be honest with you, it was stressful! I take real pride in keeping the whole range available, but I learned that sometimes things are out of your control. It taught me to be a bit gentler with myself. After all, I am making and packing every single product by hand!

What I Loved Making Most

Soap making will always be my happy place, there’s nothing quite like being in the workshop, batch after batch, doing what I love. But I have to say, I especially enjoyed making the Scrubs this year. I tweaked the method slightly, letting the coconut oil cool to a creamy texture before adding it in to the rest of the ingredients, and what a difference it made! The scrubs feel even more luxurious now, and I absolutely love the result.

Looking Ahead to 2026

What am I most excited about this year? New products! I’ve got notebooks full of ideas, and 2026 feels like the year I’ll finally get them out of my head and into your hands! I’m feeling inspired, motivated, and so grateful to be able to keep growing Bare.

If you’ve been with Bare since the early days, or if you’ve only just discovered my little business; thank you! Your support, kindness, and encouragement mean more to me than I can ever say. I’m so grateful to have you along on this journey

Here’s to a creative and exciting year ahead!

Be sure to follow Bare Natural on Instagram and Facebook to stay updated on my latest creations and updates. Until next time! 🫧

Dinah x