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San Lorenzo.- After three decades of dedicating his life to education, the desire to continue a healing family tradition led Víctor M. Coss Rivera to venture into the production of soaps, oils, and alcohol-based products. His business is focused on meeting customer needs while protecting nature.

“I mainly use medicinal plants that I cultivate at home to achieve the maceration of the oils, which—in turn—serve as a base for creating the soaps. I have malagueta (West Indian bay), rue, rosemary, sage, and those I don’t have, I acquire them from local farmers,” expressed the former teacher and school principal.

After a period of contemplation following his service at the Department of Education, Coss Rivera turned to his childhood for inspiration in his new role, which he performs with great passion.

“After retiring as a school principal, I felt the need to find something to keep me engaged and break free from the sedentary routine of being idle at home. That’s when I remembered my grandmother Mercedes making her oils, alcohol-based products, poultices, and ointments with the plants she had in her backyard. I have around 25 soaps under the microenterprise brand VC Soaps; not all of them are medicinal because I adapt to the needs of the customers. But I mainly focus on crafting natural medicinal products,” he explained.

One of his most remarkable creations is a soap born out of the necessity to alleviate a skin ailment. “I have a friend who suffers from a serious case of psoriasis, and she mentioned that the use of certain oils can improve this condition. So, I set out to make it happen and succeeded with a soap based on bergamot. I consider this my greatest project because I have seen positive results,” he expressed.

“I always look for high-quality products that protect the environment. I’m very mindful of the raw materials used in each item I make because we’re dealing with skin,” he remarked, recalling another anecdote that led to the creation of another product, this time with a particularly unique story.

“During the pandemic, a friend shared a formula for making ‘aceite de ratero’ (samaritan oil) and that’s when I decided to create my own version. This oil is used on the skin to repel any kind of pest; its efficacy may vary depending on the customer’s faith in the product,” he noted.

The curious name of this ointment comes from a legend dating back to 1413, during the bubonic plague outbreak in France. According to the tale, four thieves who were arrested for robbing the sick never contracted the disease. During their trial, the judge offered them a reduced sentence if they revealed what made them immune to the plague. The thieves responded that they were perfumers and had created a combination of healing herbs that they rubbed on various parts of their bodies to ward off the disease. Hence its name, popularity, and current usage.

Coss Rivera hosts glycerin soap-making workshops for groups of up to 15 people. If you are interested in participating in his workshops or obtaining information about his products, please call 787-515-1020 or visit his social media pages under VC Soaps. You can also reach out via email at victor_coss@yahoo.com.