Sphaera Soap Bar – Artisan Soap Sphaera Soap Bar - Artisan Soap

Artist Ali Johnson allow us a peek into her minimalistic and quiet home studio where she makes all the soaps for Sphaera Soap by hand. As she cuts through a soap block using a handmade cutter that her dad specially made for her, the iron thread makes a melodic swinging sound.

Overlooking a view of mountains and nature, Ali finishes off some packaging for incoming orders. Wrapping them with just a box and then a layer of paper, the receiver can immediately smell the tantalizing aroma of the soap.

Interview “Bringing mindfulness to everyday routine”

Located just a short drive from the center of Wellington in the Ngaio area, lies Ali Johnson’s home and studio. Walking the stone steps up to her home where our interview is to take place, one can’t help but feel a sudden sense of tranquility and peace of mind, surrounded by the luscious green and blooming scenery. “The view is quite lovely,” mentions Ali, as we are guided into a bright spacious living room, which is a big understatement as it could easily become the object of an idyllic postcard.

Ali began her artisan soap-making career in 2010. Originally a trained sculptor and visual artist, Ali found that her world had changed when she became a mother. There was little time for big sculptures and art projects, but soap-making became a way to create functional and of high-quality pieces that would also allow artistic expression. In the beginning, she started making soaps for herself, and then selling some to friends and close family.

“My sister-in-law Suni suddenly booked a meeting with the owner of a newly-opened design shop without my knowledge and gave me the courage to take the business further,” says Ali with a chuckle. “Now she is my brand manager and handles all the social media.”

Since the beginning, Ali has been very cautious about the direction of her craftsmanship. Although there have been numerous inquiries of collaborations, she has turned 90% of them down, wanting to stay true to herself and the items she creates.

Inside her studio, formerly known as the garage, Ali makes all of her soaps by hand, using a slow cold-press method. Choosing sustainable and ethical ingredients is a big part of her brand Sphaera’s ethos and she chooses local ingredients from New Zealand whenever possible. One soap uses ‘kawakawa’, a native New Zealand plant known for its health benefits, which is harvested just outside her house.

Making a batch of soap takes approximately six weeks. After combining ingredients for a recipe, she pours the liquid into their molds. The soap block is then cut into cubes using a machine her father handmade for her. After six weeks of air-curing, the edges around the cubes are delicately smoothed out, one by one, by hand. This process takes time, patience and skill. Ali places the finished soap into folded squares of matte paper and slides the box to a close. Small capital letters in black font read “Sphaera Soap Bar”.

“I always have the act of gift-giving in the back of my mind when making soap. The first thing people do is smell, so when creating a soap it’s important that everything from fragrance, the feel of the soap, to packaging, complement each other to create a special experience.”

Artisanal soap brand Sphaera was founded in 2015 by artist and health practitioner Ali Johnson. Her soaps are all hand-made in a slow process using traditional techniques and local New Zealand ingredients. Offering minimalistic, utilitarian objects for conscious, everyday use.
sphaera.co.nz