TRAIL BLAZERS Swede Dreams are Made of This, KalaStyle

WEST COAST WATERS

SWEDE DREAMS

ARE MADE OF THIS

Little did Kate Smith and Lance Gershenhoff know that their lifechanging brightly colored objects would be personal care products, instead of the toys that they were helping to develop while both worked and met at Hasbro in the late 1980s.

Smith and Gershenhoff, owners of Rhode Island’s KalaStyle, left the toy world after eloping in Portugal and decided to import soaps they’d happened upon while abroad. Their combination of industriousness, creativity and love of travel built up what is now a 35 year-old business that started in their backyard on a small Cranston farm and continues to fuel the local economy.

Breaking into-and then remaining current--in the ever changing health and beauty industry is always challenging. Thanks to their daughter, Alice Smith, KalaStyle is as popular as ever.

Alice has been involved in the business since adolescence and is now the company’s creative director, introducing more domestically made goods to the line while keeping the tried and true products that customers have come to know and love. A key example is the best-selling Swedish Dream collection which includes

the exfoliating Sea Salt Soap--their number one product. “It means the world to us when our customers say that this is the only soap they’ll use,” said Alice. KalaStyle’s cruelty-free, vegan and environmentally-conscious range is

It means THE WORLD

TO US when our customers say that this THE ONLY SOAP they use. Said Alice.

available at many brick-and-mortar concerns across the country in addition to their website. From lip balms and bar soaps to candles and hand sanitizers, many of the products offer the option of layering their

We LOVE WHAT

WE MAKE, and we make what we love. It's simple and honest. I think that's WHAT MAKES KALASTYLE A GOOD

COMPANY. Hopefully we can

do it for another 35 years."

product development and we aim to make personal care items that stand the test of time. I think that’s why people love and trust our products. Our slogan has been ‘BUY

GOOD SOAP - THE EXPERIENCE MATTERS’ since day one,” Alice said.

Alice is excited about adding and creating new products for the line along with her team, many of whom have been with KalaStyle for over 20 years. Alice was heartfelt in saying that “We love what we make, and we make what we love. It’s simple and honest. I think that’s what makes KalaStyle a good company. Hopefully we can do this for another 35 years.”

subtle and clean fragrances or enhancing surroundings by bringing in natural fresh scents such as cedar or sea salt. “We don’t like rushing when it comes to