In 2013, Brittnee Miller was a stay at home mom with 2 kids searching for a way to spend her time while her children napped. On a whim she ordered some soap making supplies and Wild June was born. All of her products are made with clean ingredients in small batches in Washington.
Check out our interview with Brittnee where she tells us how she accidentally became a soap maker and shares some of her favorite places near Spokane.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED? WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST STEPS AND HOW DID IT EVOLVE FROM THERE?
I've always been a creative person. In 2013 I was staying at home with my two young children and needed a creative outlet, something fun that I could do during nap time. I had been interested in skincare for quite some time. So I ordered some supplies and made my first batch of soap. As my soap making addiction grew, I realized that I needed to start selling some of the bars that were taking over our laundry room, bathroom and linen closets in our house! Just like that, Wild June was born.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR NAME?
June is a family name, and is also my daughter’s middle name. I like the idea of being wild and free-spirited, kind of care-free. I wanted that vibe to translate into my skincare line. So Wild June just seemed fitting. It’s a fun name. :)
TELL US ABOUT YOUR WORKSPACE?
My workspace is currently in the downstairs of our home. I have a room with barn doors that open up to the living room, making it feel open and spacious! I’ve definitely outgrown the room and have taken over other areas of the basement as well. I am thankful that I can work out of my home, but moving into a bigger space would be more ideal and is definitely one of my goals.
WHAT MAKES YOUR PRODUCTS SPECIAL OR DIFFERENT?
I’ve put so much time and thought into every product that I make. I come up with a product idea, and then spend months doing research on the best ingredients before putting together a formulation. There’s so much involved in skincare formulation, but it is fun! I use high quality, 100% natural ingredients and make my products in small batches. Every order is packaged with care, and I love throwing in extra goodies like a Wild June sticker and product sample as well! I think it makes it a great experience when someone receives their order. It’s something that the big box brands certainly don’t do.
DO YOU HEVE A FAVORITE REVIEW OR COMMENT ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS?
The deodorant cream reviews are my favorite. It’s something that everyone wants & needs to use, but many struggle to find a natural deo that they actually like. So when they try ours, LOVE it, and rave about it, it seriously makes me so happy!
WHAT'S YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITE PRODUCT YOU SELL?
You’re going to make me pick? ;) I absolutely love the body oil! I use Solstice every single day, and my skin is always soft and moisturized. It just smells really great and soaks in like a dream.
ARE THERE ANY GREAT LOCAL ARTISANS OR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE INTO RIGHT NOW?
This is another tough one. There are so many amazing artisans and small businesses to love! Locally, I love the store called From Here located in downtown Spokane. They are amazing at supporting local artists and do many events to promote meeting the maker, etc. They have over 110 local artists in their shop, which is truly amazing! There is so much talent in this town. Another shop that I’m super excited to have products in is Good + Well Supply Co., located in the Seattle area. I love their products and their vibe!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE LOCAL RESTAURANT?
We are lucky to live right up the hill from an amazing little place called Chaps Diner & Bakery. Part of their building is an old farmhouse, which is super cool and charming! They bake the most amazing cookies, breakfast pastries, and their omelettes…don’t get me started! ;) No-Li is a local brewery that we love. Dry Fly is hands down our favorite distillery. They make an amazing Gin & Tonic canned cocktail, great to take along for a day of fly fishing on the river!
YOU LIVE AND WORK IN SPOKANE: DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PLACE TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF YOUR AREA?
Although we don’t go there enough, we really do have a beautiful downtown area. They’ve done so many improvements in recent years, putting in an ice/skate ribbon, play scapes, splash pads and gorgeous landscaping. Not to mention the river that runs through it! There is so much to do in Spokane as well. We love going hiking up at Mt. Spokane or in Liberty Lake loop, to name a few. Although technically it’s more Central Washington, the Leavenworth area has some of the most amazing hiking and backpacking around!
photo credit : parks.wa.gov
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WASHINGTON?
Washington is so diverse We’ve got a little bit of everything. We have the ocean, gorgeous mountains, beautiful farm land, and even desert. It’s prime for anything you want to do outdoors, which is very important to us. You can pretty much find whatever you’re looking for in our state!
Thank you so much Brittnee for sharing your story with us!
More Behind the Brand
If you enjoyed this blog, check out some of our other artisan profiles!
- Anne of Retreat Drinks (healthy hot cocoa)
- Megan of Good + Well Supply Co. (candles and more)