Welcome to Raven Tales, an online journal where I can share the last 25 years of stories of RavenSong Soap & Candle. 

Let me share a little one about a question I’ve been asked many times: “What is your favorite soap?”

Featured in this photo: Breakfast on the Boat, Moccasin Trail,

Soapberry Ice Cream and Lemon Poppy Seed Artisan Soap. 

 

Now, that question, it’s a tricky one. It’s like asking, “What’s your favorite Beatles song?” — or perhaps, in our way, asking, “Which season is your favorite?” How can one choose, when each has its own gifts and teachings? The answer shifts, like the tide or the breath of the cedar in the wind. It depends on how I’m feeling, the time of day, or what my spirit needs most in that moment.

In the mornings, when the light kisses the mountains and the world wakes anew, I reach for something uplifting—a bar that carries energy, like the salmon leaping upstream. I want a soap that helps me greet the day, something invigorating to set my path straight and strong.

But as the sun begins its descent and the quiets, I find myself drawn to something softer, gentler, to unwind the weariness of the day.

Yet, if you pressed me—if you asked which bar feels closest to my heart—I would tell you about the Haida Potlatch Bar. Ah, that bar, it holds a special kind of magic. It’s not just soap; it’s a story, a celebration. It carries an energizing blend of Bear Essential Oils and high-quality fragrance that stirs my spirit, with clay and milk balanced perfectly, and a lather that feels like silk against my hands. It’s the one I reach for most often, almost like it knows me better than I know myself.

Feature: As a storyteller, I was always capturing memories and stories on my camera.

In this photo is my sister Marion. 

But I would not stop there. I’d tell you about the Dandelion & Clay bar from our Indigenous Collection. Do you know dandelion? A healer, often overlooked, yet so giving. This bar is infused with its gifts—dandelion oil, clay, and a blend of essential oils that nurture and restore. It’s a medicine for the skin and the soul. Each bar of soap infused with dandelion is hand-harvested by the young Indigenous women and students at RavenSong. 

And then there’s Coastal Lavender: Vancouver Island Collection. When my skin is dry, or my spirit feels stretched too thin, this bar brings comfort, like the embrace of a wise Elder’s words. Its healing properties remind me of the lavender fields that speaks gently to the wind, “Breathe in medicine and exhale the worries on your mind.”

And after a long day in the garden or a hard workout, there’s Raven of Skedan—refreshing, cleansing, and as invigorating as a dip in the cold ocean waters. Inspired by the island village of Daajing Giids on Haida Gwaii, this bar honours the ancestral roots of the Raven clan. Formulated with aromatic anise, it soothes and protects hard-working hands.

I could go on, weaving stories of each bar and what they bring to my life. But here is the truth: my favorite soap is never just one. It changes, like the seasons, like the moon, like the ebb and flow of our own lives. Each bar is a gift from the land, a reflection of what we need in that moment.

So, the next time you reach for one of these soaps, ask yourself, “What do I need today?” and let your heart guide your hand. That’s the beauty of RavenSong—there’s always a story waiting, a little piece of the earth and spirit in every bar.

Thank you for letting me share my story. May you find your favorite, not just in soap, but in the moments of your life.

Valerie Lamirande, Founder and Creative Director