From Idea to Bar: La Reina Arrives

Three Years, Three Vendors, and One Beautiful Bar

Some products take time, and this one took its time.

We started developing the La Reina Bathing Bar in June 2022. I had a vision for a rich, nourishing, naturally scented bar soap that would carry the elegance of La Reina and align with our commitment to plastic-free, low-waste beauty. But finding the right partner to bring that vision to life took more than three years.

By October 2022, we found a vendor who seemed like the right fit. But after months of delays, thousands of dollars spent, and compromises, they let us know in June of 2023 that they couldn't move forward. So the search began again.

Thankfully, my perfumer introduced me to a woman-owned and led manufacturing company. We got to work. We spent months perfecting the color, making sure it reflected the lush herbal green of the La Reina fragrance. The cutting and stamping didn’t meet our standards, so I had custom molds made. The first set was incorrect. So we made more.

Now, in July 2025, the La Reina Bathing Bar is finally here.

It’s everything I imagined. Luxurious, creamy, and plastic-free, this bar is infused with nourishing shea butter, castor oil, sunflower oil, apricot oil, and detoxifying green clay. It gently cleanses, deeply hydrates, and surrounds you in the signature La Reina scent with notes of bergamot, sage, rose, geranium, labdanum, and patchouli.

Just in time for Plastic Free July and outdoor shower season.

We’re already in the process of developing more scented bars using our most-loved fragrances. I can’t wait to share what’s next.

Thank you for being part of the Leland Francis journey. I’m proud to finally share this labor of love with you.

Dillon Peña
Founder, Leland Francis

Discover La Reina Bathing Bar →