08-07-2025
‘Such a pinch yourself moment': Close friends launch brand in major retailer
Two friends have been left stunned after launching their body wash brand and watching it off the shelves almost immediately.
Georgie Gilbert, 38, and Camille Peressini, 39, invested over $100,000 to launch their natural body wash brand, SOMA, which is stocked in Woolworths nationwide.
The idea was pretty simple; the pair wanted to create a body wash that feels like 'a luxury fragrance experience' but is designed for everyday use, with a reasonable price tag.
The product is currently available in three fragrances – Amber & Jasmine, Almond & Vanille, and Vetiver & Cedar.
The plan was to launch the brand in early July – but a few products were made available on shelves earlier than expected.
Things spiralled from there after some online creators discovered the personal hygiene products early and posted about them on social media. The business owners then decided to pivot, accelerating the launch to meet the unexpected demand.
Even though the close mates believed in their idea, they were elated and overwhelmed to see the initial reaction.
Ms Peressini said that witnessing the products sell out at some supermarkets has felt incredibly 'surreal' and nothing short of a dream come true.
'Such a pinch yourself moment,' she told
'Myself and Georgie have been working around the clock just to get the product on shelves.'
Ms Peressini stressed that the success has been made that much sweeter because of how they've achieved it.
'The turnaround was wild, and we've done it all with no outside funding and no team,' she said.
'SOMA is entirely self-funded, built from the savings we accumulated during our previous careers.
'No debt, no outside investors – just the two of us, supported by brilliant retail and manufacturing partners.'
The instant success has been a huge surprise, but the friends and business owners always knew there was an audience for their product.
The pair explained that they both strongly believed there has been a 'real gap' between overly functional supermarket body washes and ultra-luxury products in department stores.
They wanted to create a product aimed at people their own age but were also determined to make it affordable at $18 a bottle.
'It was born from a desire to connect with fellow Millennials through a brand that had great formulas, elevated minimal design and an affordable price,' Ms Gilbert explained.
It has been an absolute joy to see the brand doing so well in its first month of launch.
Ms Peressini said it's still early days, so they're still unsure of the exact amount made from their sales, but they're thrilled with the initial projections.
While the pals weren't keen to share exact figures, they did reveal that Woolworths has already placed multiple reorders.
'We honestly can't believe it,' they said.
