BY ANGELO VELOTTA
Gazette Newspapers
MENTOR – “The hope behind the soap.”
That’s the mission and the feeling at Natural Soap Lab.
“I am a follower of Christ and I have been giving random acts of kindness my whole life,” Sharon Johnson said.
Johnson is the owner and soap creator of Natural Soap Lab, which has been in business for eight years. The lab was located elsewhere in Mentor for three-and-a-half years, but opened its bright doors on Jan. 22, 2026, on Center Street.
“A lady sent me a bar of purple soap and I was running out of practical things to give out, so I e-mailed her and she said she made it. I watched hundreds of hours of YouTube videos and got my supplies from Hobby Lobby,” Johnson said.
Her first bar made was with Calendula, or marigold, and she was giving them away. People began to ask her if they could use it to treat different skin conditions such as acne or eczema, so Johnson dove deeper into her research.
“I flipped it around and targeted soap for problem skin,” she said.
Now the 3,000 square-foot store is bright and inviting, decorated with plants and filled with over 150 varieties of soaps. All of them are free of harsh chemicals and come in a kaleidoscope of both colors and as many scents: from the golden hues of the turmeric soap line, to the deep ebony of the activated charcoal bars, the pastel green and rose of the sea salt bars and the opaque white bars speckled with green and yellow of the chamomile bars, Natural Soap Lab offers many choices and options for those looking for a healthier soap.
The lab also offers glycerin soaps for those dealing with dry skin.
A multitude of other soaps are available, infused with everything from tea tree, orange and clove, spearmint, eucalyptus, lavender, oatmeal and honey and many more.
Soap mugs make a great gift idea, as well as bars of soap stamped with a variety of messages or designs, including: Mom, Dad, Aunt, Grandma, Pastor, Niece, Nephew, and many more.
There are gift-centric items for specific sports teams such as the Cleveland Browns and Cavaliers and a variety of soaps and scrubs in fun scents such as hot cocoa.
Johnson, who was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, but has lived in northeast Ohio most of her life, is also the author of 12 books, including “Breaking Bad Eating Habits” and “Don’t Do These 15 Things if You Want a Strong Mind,” both of which are available for sale at her store.
“Never give up, never quit.”
That’s the motto that Johnson, her staff, store and even their truck, embrace.
She is heading to Los Angeles to end March and later this year is planning on travelling to Texas, New York, Niagara Falls, Atlanta and Chicago, to pass out her “Never Gie Up, Never Quit” bracelet bands to as many people as possible.
Actually, one million people is the goal.
Back at the lab, Johnson not only makes all of the soap, but also greets each customer and helps them on their journey to find the soap that will be beneficial to their specific needs.
Natural Soap Lab is located at 7215 Center St. in Mentor, and is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and 12-5 p.m. on Sunday. You can learn more about the soap (and hope) and www.naturalsoaplab.com.
