Meet Stevey Rose Martinez-Maez | Soap Artisan

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stevey Rose Martinez-Maez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stevey Rose, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I began my soap making journey when I was very young with my mother in our kitchen. I was sexually abused when I was a child. I used to feel so dirty and I would take extremely long and hot baths. The hotter the water the better. For some reason submerging myself in water always made me feel better. I decided to tell my mother what was happening to me and about the men who were doing it. After a long conversation with her I went to my room. The next day she woke me up and we went to a craft store and she bought me a soap making kit out of the clearance bin. One of the ways my mother helped me cope was to teach me how to make soap using melt and pour soap base from that kit. I loved making soap because it made me clean. I took it to the next level and started making soap from scratch using the cold process method. One week after I told my mother about the sexual abuse that was happening she had an aortic aneurysm. I was 11 when my mother passed away. I never got to tell her how important that soap making day was to me. I am now 32 years old and that love for crafting and creating has only grown stronger. My husband is a Marine and in order for me to stay busy I began making soaps and bath products while he was gone. When he would come home and I always had new products for him to try out. It quickly grew and began taking over the house. That is when my husband encouraged me to start selling my products online and thus the birth of Battle Axe Soapery.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe what sets me and my brand apart from others is the overall quality of my product. I want to make each person using my products to feel good, healthy and clean. You shouldn’t have to worry about if the soap or bath products you are using are good for your skin or not. With my products I list each ingredient and try to keep things as natural and good for you as I possibly can. The thing I am most proud of would have to be all the amazing people that I have met along the way. I have had so many people reach out to me letting me know they are childhood sexual abuse survivors as well and that my story has inspired them in one way or another. I have had people reach out to me letting me know that my products have made their skin look and feel so much better. I got to where I am today through lots of hard work and sacrifice. It most certainty was/is not easy. I decided to open my shop in the middle of the covid pandemic with only $1200. I knew there was no going back, and I decided to give it my all and I am so thankful I did. There have been so many challenges along the way and all I can say is you have to have the ability to adapt and overcome. You have to believe in yourself, your product and know what your end goal is and set aside all excuses. One lesson that I have learned along the way is that having the ability to stay calm and keep your composure is one of the most important skills one could possess, especially when your back is up against the wall. One thing I want the world to know is I am just getting started. I want others who have gone through Childhood Sexual Abuse like myself to know that they are not alone, our voices will not be silenced, and our abuse does not define us. You can follow your dreams even if those dreams are as simple as making a bar of soap.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First place I would have to take my friend to would be the original Chubby’s or Santiagos. I absolutely love the outdoors so we would be spending lots and lots of time in the mountains especially Red Rocks and take a trip to Aspen for sure. I also would have to take them to Pueblo for an Italian sandwich from Pass Key Restaurant and maybe do a little hiking.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband and my sister Elizabeth have always been my biggest supporters. They have been with me through so much and have encouraged me every step of the way. It doesn’t matter where we are in the world, they always make me feel loved and supported no matter what.

Website: https://www.battleaxesoapery.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/battleaxesoapery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Battleaxesoapery/

Other: Also Check me out on TikTok- Battleaxesoapery