Handcrafted soap shop Luna & Co. Soapery opens in Babylon
Luna & Co. Soapery in Babylon, opened by Patricia and Marc Korte in April, offers a calming atmosphere with scents like jasmine and lavender. Credit: Julia Albanese / Rare Studios
Jasmine, rose, lavender and palo santo are some of the scents that welcome customers when they open the doors to Luna & Co. Soapery in Babylon.
"Sometimes I have incense going to clear away any negative energies, so I hope when people walk in they feel good energy, calmness and peace. As customers walk in, they usually mention how good it smells," co-owner Patricia Korte says.
Korte and her husband, Marc, opened the store in April.
"We wanted to take a chance and we knew that if we didn't do it now, we would keep making excuses," Korte explains. "Once we saw the location, we knew it was perfect for our business."
Marc started making soaps with natural ingredients during the COVID-19 pandemic, as he experienced allergic reactions to certain products.
“So, what began with hand- crafted soaps quickly became something much more: a way to infuse everyday routines with intention, healing and magick,” Korte says, referring to the more spiritual practices of the latter, not tricks or illusions.
The shop is named after the couple’s cat, Luna, who died last year. "Luna" also means moon, and the store's moon soap was the first bar of soap that Marc created.
Before opening a storefront, the couple sold their products at fairs, markets and events on Long Island and in upstate New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. They sell items in-store and on their website, lunacosoap.com, as well as to wholesalers, in addition to making soaps for baby showers and weddings.
Shoppers can look for events like a "Practical Magic" movie night, a full moon sound bath, a create-your-own-vision board night and a Brew & Boogie Bash, where kids can meet Sally from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" while making their own magical potions and enjoying tasty treats.
Prices range from $8 for planetary soaps to $60 for perfumes.
The store's Goddess Ritual Body Oils are its most popular product. They are made with jojoba oil and botanicals that correspond with the respective goddess. These oils can be used on your body, face, hair, in bathwater and to anoint or dress candles.
Luna & Co. Soapery; 29 Deer Park Ave., Babylon; lunacosoap.com, 516-216-9769
