Clean, nontoxic products are all the buzz in today’s skincare industry, but it was Nicole Taxiltaridis’ son, who suffered from eczema, that inspired her to take a step further and create Balm of Gilead Handcrafted, a home-based micro-soapery in Newtown featuring her own line of healthy, nourishing skincare.
“In 2020, my husband and I learned our youngest son had eczema around his mouth and I saw how painful, uncomfortable, and discouraging it was. Conventional options often made his skin worse, or helped temporarily, but came with trade‑offs,” said Taxiltardis who was compelled to search for better ingredients, safer alternatives, and handcraft her own products. “I found raw unrefined shea butter, beef tallow, goat’s milk, bee’s wax, essential oils, and homemade laundry detergent, amongst other household detox adjustments to drastically improve his dry skin.”
In 2025, Taxiltardis established Balm of Gilead Handcrafted after four years of research and development of ingredients. At her micro-soapery, she formulates small batches of about 500 bars to maintain consistency, quality, and freshness.
The business name is derived from the Bible. “It’s an ancient plant used as an exceptional healing ointment, one sought after for its power to nourish and restore. Jesus Christ was called the “balm of Gilead” symbolically for His many healing works of the body and soul,” she said.
Self-taught, Taxiltardis, watched YouTube, read e-books, and took an online course.
“It’s very easy and similar to baking bread,” she told the Fairfield County Business Journal. “It’s all about the measurements and temperatures.”
For all skin types, the products are made of the finest ingredients through the cold-pressed method of saponification to create clean, non-toxic skincare.
“I focus on procuring natural unrefined raw ingredients which maintain their natural integrity. We blend grass-fed beef tallow and goat’s milk from U.S. farms and raw shea butter from Northern Ghana into simple, three-to-four ingredient soaps and creams. It’s a pure, effective alternative to synthetic-filled skincare.”
She occasionally makes lip balms and puppy paw jam for dogs.
While commercial store soap may include harmful stabilizers, preservatives, and synthetic additives, Taxiltardis’ soap is crafted with nutrient-rich ingredients with no fillers – a nourishing fat, a lightweight carrier oil, an essential oil for aromatherapy, and, sometimes, a natural skin booster such as charcoal or clay. Northern Ghana is one of the top producing regions in the world.
“This region is the native land where shea trees have grown for centuries, building up resilience and potency at the cellular level,” she said. Her beef tallow is sourced from a family-owned farm in Michigan, where the owners share her philosophy of returning to time-tested, ancestral approaches to health and beauty.
Products are sold online at: balmofgileadsoaps.com and are also available at The Given Inn cafe in Redding, and in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Upcoming vending events in Fairfield County include Fairfield Harvest Market, Newtown Community Center’s Sip ‘n Shop, Milford’s Small Business Saturday Holiday Pop Up, and Milford’s Lamplight Stroll.
Taxiltardis’ mission is multifaceted.
“I want to educate customers about what their skin absorbs when using conventional soaps and lotions and why it matters. I hope to reduce reliance on harsh chemicals by offering clean formulations that have stood the test of time prior to the industrialization era,” she said. She added that she strives to build a community around skin health, family health, and overall detoxifying of our home environments.
Already, Taxiltardis’ products have gained traction. Acclaimed Haitian-American artist guy Stanley Philoche recently placed numerous orders.
“It was validating and emotional. It feels like affirmation and not just that the work is good but that the vision, the care, the ingredients, and the values behind Balm of Gilead Handcrafted are resonating,” she said.
n November, her products were included in a VIP swag bag for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. “It was another opportunity that brings further credibility and visibility. It motivates me to keep improving every batch,” she added.
Taxiltardis operates with a double bottom line – profitability and positive impact.
“My goal is to build a successful business and improve human well-being, by educating people about skin health, reducing exposure to harmful ingredients, and helping families reconnect to clean, time-honored solutions,” she said. “I’ve built the business sustainably, primarily through monthly events that generate consistent cash flow and allow me to reinvest directly back into growth.”
Taxiltardis said her profits have funded new soap molds, ingredients, mixers, and other equipment for her micro studio. She hopes to scale intentionally by 30–50% year over year until 2030, reinvesting in growth while maintaining the integrity of small-batch craftsmanship.
This fall, Taxiltardis will launch Behind the (shower) Curtains, an educational series focusing on skin health, the benefits of detoxifying your home, and the hidden impacts of industrial soaps and synthetic fragrances on hormones and the nervous system.
“My mission is to help people understand the skin, our body’s largest organ, and empower them to make simple, effective changes,” she said.
