About Us

      Defender soaps, a family owned and Veteran operated business is located in the beautiful mountains of Galax, Virginia. Defender Soaps was created with Military, Veteran, First Responders, and medical professionals in mind. US Army Veteran of the company Will Ward decided to ensure veterans had a product to ensure elite skin care could be maintained by those in need of proper body care. Our products are for those who wish to have a great scent and soft skin with a way to connect to other veterans. 

    Owners Cathy and Rick Ward began looking for a natural way to soothe and cleanse Cathy's skin irritated by eczema. With more than one member of the family experiencing dry and itchy skin we needed a better way to cleanse our problem skin. 

     So after much research and many batches of various soap trials we developed our all natural,  no color, and no fragrance skin loving soap. This handmade soap with all naturally based oils moisturized and cleansed in a totally natural way. We were hooked. Our skin felt better and the handmade natural soap did not irritate our skin like the commercially produced soaps. 

     Along our journey we had requests for our handmade soap made with some beautiful color and amazing fragrance so we added additional soaps to our line. 

     Cathy and Rick Ward owners/soap makers welcomed their son Veteran Will Ward and his wife CJ to help with operating the business in 2020. Both Will and CJ were excited to help with the business as they both experienced challenges with their skin and found handmade soap a benefit for dry, itchy skin too. Cathy has the distinction of being certified in both Basic and Advanced CP/HP (cold process/hot process) through the HSCG-Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild, a national certification. This certification basically means that Cathy has advanced knowledge in both cold and hot process soap making.

      In December 2021 we welcomed Jack and Claudia to our Defender family to assist in marketing as well as packaging, With years of experience in owning a business we welcomed their valuable help in growing our business.    

     As future customers of Defender Soaps, we are excited for you to try our products and to be able to earn your business. 

     We will continue to strive to make excellent products and to always give great customer service!