DENPASAR, Bali (BPN/PR) – Every significant journey begins with a small step, often born from a personal challenge that blossoms into inspiration. This is the story of Kwang Billyane Kartika Muragishi, 55, the founder of Billyane’s Natural Soap.
Her personal experience battling sensitive skin problems led her transformation into an MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise) entrepreneur, now known as the creator of beneficial all-natural products for many.
The Business Origin: A Personal Journey
Billyane initially suffered from recurrent and uncomfortable skin issues. Exposure to the wind would trigger intense itching on her hands and feet, resulting in frequent visits to the dermatologist.
In her search for a solution, she once ordered liquid soap from Hong Kong, a process that took two months for shipping.
The turning point arrived when she discovered the concept of eco-enzyme—a fermentation liquid made from fresh fruit peels, rich in benefits.
This sparked her desire to formulate her own natural soap. Initially, the soap was for personal use, then tested by friends. The positive response was overwhelming, motivating Billyane to start her own business.
She began pioneering the venture in 2019, officially registering as an MSME in 2020.
“After being introduced to the concept of eco-enzyme, I decided to create derivative products such as soap, detergent, shampoo, and Mirvana massage oil. I’m grateful that many people, both domestically and internationally, find my products suitable,” Billyane stated.
Understanding the Power of Eco-Enzyme
Eco-enzyme/bio-enzyme is a fermented liquid made from fresh fruit peels, such as lemon, orange, apple, pineapple, jicama (bengkuang), and banana peels.
It offers numerous benefits, particularly for overall skin health, acting as an anti-itch agent, a moisturizer, aiding in wound healing, and promoting healthy hair. Eco-enzyme is often called the “liquid of a million benefits.”
Philosophy and Value of All-Natural Products
Billyane emphasizes that her creations are more than just cosmetics and cleaning agents; they are part of a wellness product line that supports skin health and life balance.
All formulations are made from natural ingredients, making them safe for all ages—from babies and children to adults and the elderly.
They are especially beneficial for those dealing with skin issues like acne, itching, inflammation, and eczema.
“I use selected and premium natural ingredients like olive oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, sweet almond oil, local honey, lerak fruit (soap nut), and even Papuan red fruit oil. In addition to utilizing eco-enzyme from various fresh fruit peels, I blend them with herbs because they are excellent for skin health,” Billyane explained.
This combination of local and natural ingredients is the hallmark of Billyane’s Natural Soap. The products not only nurture the skin but also align with the spirit of environmental friendliness.
Featured Products: Top-Selling Natural Solutions
Billyane’s Natural Soap offers a diverse range of recommended natural products. Here are a few of their bestsellers:
- Almond Honey Liquid Soap: This best-selling product is safe and comfortable for use from infants to seniors. It’s highly suitable for sensitive skin, inflammation, eczema, and irritation. Customer testimonials indicate that this soap helps with prickly heat, acne, and is even safe for autoimmune or cancer patients due to its gentleness, similar to baby soap, keeping skin moisturized and well-cared for. The soap has a pleasant almond scent.
- Eco-Friendly Detergent: Unlike conventional detergents, this product is unique because it’s multi-functional. Besides washing clothes, it can be used for mopping floors, washing dishes, vehicles, and even bathing pets. This detergent is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, gentle on the hands, prevents and eliminates musty odors on clothes, and requires no added softeners or fragrances.
- Mirvana Oil: Also known as massage oil, this natural therapy product is highly favored for its many benefits. It provides relief from headaches, muscle aches, stiffness, bruises, cramps, sprains, and insect bites. Furthermore, it can alleviate cold and cough symptoms and soothe digestive discomfort. It is applied topically to the affected area. For sleep difficulties, it is applied to the soles of the feet.
- Shampoo Bar: This product not only addresses scalp and hair issues (e.g., dandruff, stickiness, and dullness) but also helps to stimulate hair growth in bald areas and strengthens hair pigment. Customers’ testimonials reported that their frequently-dyed, increasingly white hair gradually returned to a healthy, grayish color after routinely using the shampoo bar.
Marketing and Promotion Strategy
Billyane runs the business with her daughter. Despite being a home-based MSME, Billyane’s Natural Soap continues to grow and maintain its presence.
The products are now available on marketplaces like Tokopedia, Shopee, TOCO, and WhatsApp Business.
In addition to online stores, they market their products through resellers, participate in bazaars hosted by MSME and eco-friendly communities, and serve requests for custom products for specific budgets, such as soap for wedding souvenirs.
Their promotion strategy is simple: they rarely offer discounts as their prices are already competitive, but they do provide free tester bonuses while supplies last.
This method has proven effective in attracting new customers.
“I like giving bonus testers for certain purchases. I also hand out product testers at communities or events, which gets many people interested in my products and turns them into regular customers,” Billyane said.
Billyane also frequently promotes her products within nature and environment-loving communities.
Unsurprisingly, her target market is diverse, ranging from natural product enthusiasts, environmentalists, Eco Enzyme Nusantara Community, consumers with sensitive skin problems, dermatologists who recommend eco-enzyme soap, to foreign tourists. Several hotels have even expressed interest in using Billyane’s Natural Soap products.
Challenges and Future Hopes
However, the entrepreneurial journey is not without its hurdles. As a home-based MSME, Billyane’s Natural Soap faces obstacles with BPOM (Indonesian Food and Drug Authority) licensing, which requires the production facility to be separate from the residential home.
Although the soap is made in a dedicated room separate from the kitchen, the administrative requirement remains a barrier.
Consequently, export requests to countries like Australia, Japan, and Zambia cannot be fully realized.
Billyane is not deterred; she maintains production consistency and builds market trust by actively participating in bazaars and community activities, focusing on product quality.
Billyane holds a strong hope for owning her own production facility to meet the BPOM standard requirements. This would allow her to expand her market reach, including exporting overseas.
With this expansion, she aims to bring this quality local product onto the international stage.
Armed with passion and consistency, she is confident that Billyane’s Natural Soap will continue to deliver benefits, not just for skin health, but also for the environment and the wider community.
Readers interested in the diverse products from Billyane’s Natural Soap can visit their website at www.billyanesnaturalsoap.com and Instagram at @billyanesnaturalsoap.
