My name is LaDonna Ford and I'm a fifth generation Arizona Desert Rat.

When I was in first or second grade we lived on a farm for about a month. My Daddy was in the Air Force and doing a tour in Vietnam. The farmer's wife knew that I was missing my daddy and she wanted to distract me so I wouldn't miss him so much. She took me under her wing and she became my Grammy. She taught me how to feed the animals, collect eggs, and even make a dress out of a flour sack. The most amazing thing I learned from Grammy though was how to make soap. Back then, we took grease and something I only knew as "white stuff" and cooked it over a fire. I always had the job of stirring it for what seemed like forever and then we'd pour it into a box for cooling and that was our soap.

While I don't have a farm, nor do I make clothes from flour sacks, I did continue to make soap and over the years I have learned so much about how important it is to treat our skin, our largest organ, well.

About a year after my daughter was diagnosed with MS, she told me about not being able to take hot baths anymore. While I had been making my soaps with mostly oatmeal and peppermint, I knew if I started adding some essential oils to my soaps, so that her showers could become relaxing.

After that one of my friends was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her radiation treatments left her skin red and burning. While reading her journal, I learned that Aloe helped with the burning from radiation. So I found an Aloe plant and harvested the first gel to make soap.

People always say to find a job that you are passionate about. Well after all of these years, I've finally decided to do just that. So here I am today, introducing Arizona Native Lotion and Soap to all of you. Using only natural oils and no artificial colors or fragrances, I hope you enjoy our lotion bars and soaps. My promise to you is to make a quality product, that will take care of your largest organ, your skin without any negative effects.

While purchasing from me, a small independent business owner, helps me to support my family, 10% of my profits will also go back to the Arizona State USBC Youth Scholarship fund, which allows my small business to help a young person's education, which to me, is the best gift we can give.