Makers Series: Abdah Emporium

Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Specialty: Skincare

Welcome back to our Makers Series, where we sit down with one of our talented manufacturers and get the deep-dive on their story: from why they started their business, to their passions outside of it, to their future goals. It’s a great resource for people who want to know a little more about the products they consume or for those who might be interested in starting their own business.

For this 2nd episode, we sat down with Abdah Emporium, a skincare company in Grand Rapids, MI. Led by Naseerah Hutcherson, her soaps and scrubs are produced entirely by hand, and the look and smell are amazing. We were intrigued to hear about how she started her business and are impressed by the level of detail and expertise that go into her craft. Please check out her Lavender Soap Bar or her Sugared Body Buff in our shop! To view the rest of her products visit Naseerah at Abdah Emporium.

© Abdah Emporium. Owner Naseerah Hutcherson crafting soap.

Abby (Willinglee)
We love the story behind the name of Abdah Emporium. Do you mind telling our readers about that?

Naseerah (Abdah Emporium)
When I first got married 6 years ago, I moved pretty far away from all my family and friends. I was living on my own for the first time, had just had a baby, and found myself in a place that was so emotionally, mentally, and physically unsafe for me that it was really jarring.

It made me think back to experiences I had as a kid, where two parts of my identity were perceived as mutually exclusive: being Muslim and being Black. The term “Abdah” is an Arabic word which, linguistically, means “female slave”. In Islam, it’s understood that “Abd” is a general term for a servant or slave of God, but it’s also sometimes used to refer to Black people in a derogatory way outside of a religious context. It was a term I felt had been co-opted and weaponized against me when it should have been something I embraced, as a Muslim. In the midst of a pretty fraught time in my life, I decided that I was done allowing anyone else to distort and corrupt any part of my identity. Now it’s something that reminds me of my commitment to God, and my commitment to bringing moments of comfort and reprieve to others.

Abby
Wow, so powerful! I love how you transformed a hurtful term into one that means so much, and into one that now means “success” for you. We’ve used your products, and they definitely bring a reprieve to our routine! Tell us about the process of starting your own business. How long have you been doing what you do?

Naseerah
I have officially been in business for six years, although I was unofficially in business prior to that. It’s been a wild ride, for sure. This is going to sound funny, but it literally all began with me Googling “crafts for teens” one evening as a bored 17-year-old. I stumbled across a soap making video somehow, and it quickly snowballed. I was obsessed, and I thought it was so amazing how I could control exactly what was in all the things I put on my body, especially as someone who has struggled with skin issues for years.

I had no idea what I was doing when I started. It was not methodical, organized, or goal-driven. I was just enamored with the craft, had too much soap in my parents’ basement, and suddenly needed to share this amazing stuff with everyone I knew. I would say a vast majority of what I’ve learned about running a handmade business has been through obsessive late-night Googling, and trial and error.

“It all began with me Googling crafts for teens one evening as a bored 17-year-old.”

© Abdah Emporium

Abby
So fun! I was a teen crafter, too. I spent a handful of months obsessed with polymer clay. And it helps to have a personal interest, too, like how you wanted to know what was going onto your body in hopes of healing your skin—that makes the business so much closer to your heart.

How do you explore and ultimately decide on a scent?

Naseerah
I am a lover of stories and nostalgia. I find that fragrance is an excellent vehicle for storytelling. Like, a fragrance can transport you to the moment you met the love of your life on a wet day in April, or embody your favorite aunt who has an eclectic sense of style, is an academic, buys you the perfect gifts, and is happily single. So, I decide what/whose stories I want to tell, contemplate what fragrances best capture the essence of those stories, and build on that.

Abby
Yes! Storytelling is so important. Are there any specific/special memories you have associated with your scents?

Naseerah
“Adore” and “Queen” are definitely two that are nostalgic to me. They’re very different but they trigger similar feelings in me. They remind me of finding my mother’s special dusting powder when I was a kid, hidden away in the bathroom. That elegant gold and amber can followed us from apartment to apartment, for years and years.

Abby
Amazing how our senses can transport us like that! You are a one-woman shop producing everything by hand. What is that process like?

Naseerah
I love every part of it. I truly think that I couldn’t have done this for so long if I didn’t love it. It’s taken me years to perfect methods and formulations and techniques that give me consistent results. I haven’t gotten to the point where production is overwhelming, and I hope to stay at a manageable level on that front. Making is a bit of an escape for me, and I like that it’s this thing I can do by myself. Maybe that will change in the future, but for now, it’s part of what really motivates me.

© Abdah Emporium

“I love every part of it. I truly think that I couldn’t have done this for so long if I didn’t love it.”

Abby
Totally. When it’s a passion, but also self-care, you know you’ve found something more than worthwhile. What's one thing that surprises people about how you manufacture your soaps and scrubs?

Naseerah
People are sometimes surprised that I make everything “from scratch”, so to speak. It’s a very involved craft, and there are certainly shortcuts that you can take, but I’ve been doing it this way for so long that it really doesn’t seem so complex anymore. One thing people always seem so baffled by is how I blend fragrances. They always ask how I know a blend will smell good, and the answer is that I really don’t know, but it’s based on an educated guess after having smelled hundreds of fragrances. Sometimes I surprise even myself!

Abby
Oh my gosh—I have a feeling I’d be bad at blending! What a cool talent to have in your back pocket. What has been the most rewarding thing about being a small business owner?

Naseerah
Hearing from people how much they enjoy what I make is definitely the most rewarding thing about my business.

Abby
And what’s one thing about being a small business owner that’s been tough or that you’ve had to constantly work at? Social Media often skews how difficult it can be sometimes. For us, it’s balancing our day jobs with Willinglee. And content creation… that’s always an ordeal ;)

Naseerah
Creating content on social media is definitely an ongoing struggle. When I was doing in-person events, it was a lot easier for me because people would walk up to my table or my booth and they were getting to meet me. On social media, it’s hard for me to gauge how much and what kind of content I should share to keep my audience engaged. A big thing with building trust in a small business is seeing the face of the person behind the brand, and for religious reasons, I don’t take photos of myself, so that’s been a tricky thing to work around.

Abby
Oh, that is tricky! But I love how you engage with your followers on social by asking them questions and taking polls, then incorporating their answers into what you make. It’s a really honest way to interact, and definitely inspiring for Alex and me when discussing our own social strategy. So thank you for that!

Without giving any secrets away, what do you think is next for Abdah?

Naseerah
Oh gosh, so many things! I definitely want to dive deeper into perfumery and more custom fragrance work. I want to focus on really fine-tuning my blends and making them unique.

“I get my littles involved pretty often and I love that they get so excited to enjoy the fruits of their labor.”

Soap Details, © Abdah Emporium

Abby
OOOHHH, fragrances! Making a note for myself to check that out!

When you're not creating self-care products, how do you enjoy spending your time?

Naseerah
I bake a lot (probably too much). I get my littles involved pretty often and I love that they get so excited to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Plus, I get to count those activities as art and science lessons! I’m also a pretty avid reader. I love anything mystery and sci-fi/fantasy.

Abby
That’s so sweet! They will have the fondest memories of baking with momma in the kitchen. I would venture to say that your baking is both beautiful and scrumptious! (And no, you can never bake too much)!

How can we follow your journey?

Naseerah
My Instagram is where I hang out the most. You can catch me in stories trying to figure out who really enjoys grape jelly on a PB & J, or in my grid urging people to please, for the love of God, EXFOLIATE.

Abby
Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your world with us! I believe I have some exfoliating to do 😊 🧼.

Find more Makers Series on our blog, or shop Abdah Emporium products below.