Pillar I
Take a look at our ingredient lists, located in a dropdown menu on each product page, and you'll see natural, nutrient rich ingredients right at the top.
Decades ago, Joel's mom began making goat milk soap when she learned about the skin healthy, vitamin dense benefits of goat milk.
As a boy, Joel's hands used to crack and bleed during the dry, cold winters of New England, but after he started using the family goat milk soap, that stopped.
Years later, we have added many more products, but the focus on natural, healthy ingredients remains central.
Click the button below to see every ingredient we use and why we use it.
Pillar II
We extensively research every ingredient that goes into our product formulations and periodically review our formulas against new information.
Philosophically, we believe if there are widespread concerns about an ingredient that require further study, such as parabens, it is our responsibility to use an alternative. That is why we use phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, and sorbic acid in place of parabens to protect against mold and bacteria.
Years ago, an early formula of our shampoo bar used a popular preservative that contained diazolidinyl urea. One of our customers expressed concern, so we delved into more research.
We devoted a significant amount of time studying it and decided to remove it from the formula, even though it is a popular, nationally approved ingredient. This meant finding a suitable replacement, new product testing, packaging, and taking a loss for unused packaging.
All that to say, we take our ingredients seriously, because we take customer care seriously.
Best lotion without any red flag ingredients or fragrance. I searched the entire internet and came across Joy Lane Farm. I have reordered multiple times. Our skin is our biggest organ and absorbs what we put on it. I take my topical products seriously and this product checked all the boxes without having to settle. Thanks, Joel & Katy!
-Bella
Pillar III
During the formulation process, we scrutinize every aspect of our products: how they cleanse, how they feel, their scent, the foam they produce, how long they last, and numerous other characteristics.
We never offer discounts or freebies for product reviews, and our products have an average rating of 4.95/5.
As one customer put it, "I searched for months for a lotion and tried 3 before I landed on Joy Lane Farm. It is a wonderful product, and I will be a lifetime “groupie.” I have no issues using it, it moisturizes my skin, and the purity of the product gives me peace. A big bonus for me is that I can use their scented product with no issue and that is such a treat. I am 100% pleased and grateful! The service the company provides is exceptional as well as their pricing. I love being a part of a small(er) business."
Transparently, we often take a loss in digital advertising to introduce customers to our products for the first time. Joy Lane Farm is growing not because customers try our products, but because they use them over and over again.
Pillar IV
Often, we receive messages from customers asking for new products. We keep these in a list and use it as the starting point for our product development meetings.
New products are released once or twice a year and when they are, we like to reach out to the original customers who placed the request and let them know, "Your idea made it! It's being released!"
We released liquid shampoo years ago, and almost immediately customers began asking for shampoo bars to use less plastic. The liquid shampoo took forty-two trials, so beginning a new formulation was daunting.
Still, we had enough requests that we went back to the drawing board. When our shampoo bars were released, they outsold the liquid shampoo so much that we discontinued it.
Customers know best.
Pillar V
We love including little details that delight our customers, like the plantable paper dust covers for our ceramic candles. They have wildflower seeds in them that produce clarkias, black eyed susans, snapdragons, and sweet alyssums.
We also love to tell stories of what inspired the scent or show sketches of our little town and home.
In the woods behind our house, we used bricks that had been tossed down the hill to make a circular patio with a twisting stairwell of granite rocks down to it. It looks out over a meadow and has a bench that is from Katy's mom's garden. It's featured on the label of our Northern Birch Keramikk candle.
The plain Jane soap from Joy Lane Farm has helped my family out so much. I suffer with very sensitive skin and my husband suffers with eczema, this soap has completely healed his hands and kept the flair ups at bay. Gentle and hydrating, it doesn’t make my skin break out and since it’s unscented I love it even more. Definitely a household staple for us! Love supporting small businesses especially ones that also support the communities, cannot recommend Joy Lane Farm enough!
-Loraina
Pillar VI
When we first started, we made a choice that we weren't going to make 100% organic products. Many of our products are 100% natural and we do use some organic oils, but exclusively choosing organic oils instead of natural, non-GMO ones would put the price of our soaps at $12/bar.
Eczema and psoriasis don't choose people based on income, so we wanted to keep our prices as low as we could while not compromising their effectiveness.
When we first got married, we were finishing grad school and waiting tables in the evenings, carefully budgeting a weekly cup of coffee at our favorite coffee shop. That was more than a couple seasons ago, but we haven't forgotten the pleasant feeling of still using products that were healthy and well-made while working hard to make ends meet.
Pillar VII
Our beeswax lip balm used to be sold in plastic tubes like regular lip balms. We posted a picture of them once on instagram, and one of our regulars commented that she loved our lip balm but would prefer to use it in a cardboard tube.
We loved the idea of cardboard tubes but weren't sure if they would work or how they would be received.
First, we tested our lip balm in several sizes. There wasn't any leaking, and we enjoyed the way the larger size felt. Plus, it was easier to apply.
Then, we sent samples to existing customers to see what they thought. We received glowing reviews.
Finally, we sold the compostable lip balms alongside our plastic ones. We didn't just want a more ecofriendly option; we wanted an ecofriendly option customers loved.
To our delight, the compostable tubes outsold the plastic ones by 600% and the plastic ones are now discontinued - all because of a comment on Instagram.
This is my second time now making an online order from Joy Lane Farm, but I had previously bought products from them at the farmers market over the summer and fell in love. It’s so nice to know the products are local and that good stuff is going into them. I’ve used candles, room spray, soaps and lotions and truly love all the products so far. The garden mint, eucalyptus
, and oat scents have been my favorites so far. Just smells super clean (: definitely will continue to purchase!
-Brianna