Houston native's invention going into Oscars swag bags

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Houston native's invention landed her first on the ABC hit show Shark Tank and now her samples will go inside celebrity swag bags at the Oscars.

"Slowly but surely I turned my passion into profit," said Lydia Evans, who started experimenting with all-natural skin care products as a way to fight her own eczema.

"My co-workers would complement me all the time," said Evans.

She eventually started selling her products to her colleagues and to her brother for his barbershop.

"He'd say 'Hey, I need more soap!' And I would make just enough to drop off to his barber shop, but I never pushed it," said Evans.

But soon, she said, she started following the call of the universe.

"I got laid off and took my severance and put it into my business," she said.

She started a skin care line out of her parents' home.

"My father said to me, 'That SWAG Bar, sweetheart, is going to take your business off,'" Evans said. "And this was before we even had a thousand bucks in sales."

Her mother may have been more skeptical at first. After all, Evans went to Hampton University to become a doctor. But she said God had other plans.

"She made a decision not to become a doctor," said mom Joan Evans, "and oh my God! That was the worst!"

That feeling didn't linger long. Over time, the 3-in-one deep cleansing soap bar did well, but it was Lydia's December 5th appearance on Shark Tank that helped her really soar. The Sharks bit-and her sales went through the roof.

Lydia said the SWAG Bar, which stands for Soap Washes and Grooming, acts as a cleanser and exfoliator with the embedded loofa, while disinfecting your skin with secret natural ingredients.

"That reduces blemishes, breakouts and acne," Lydia explains.

While her invention has gained popularity with men and athletes, it isn't limited to them.

"Women have started to use it on their legs, bikini area and their underarms," she said.

And, as if her luck couldn't get any better, following her successful Shark Tank appearance, Oscars organizers approached her about including her bars in their goodie bags for A-listers.

"We're doing the official celebrity gifting," said Evans, who has already sent the shipment off to Los Angeles. "We're going to be on the lookout after this to see who is going to say, 'man I love my SWAG bar!'"

What does mom think now?

"(There are) not a set of words that can describe how proud I am," she said.

As Lydia gets ready for Oscar Sunday, she hopes that her outlook inspires anyone with a passion and the courage to pursue it.

"I knew that I had a purpose. I knew that there was a reason I was given this ugly thing called eczema," she said.

"This feeling inside me, I wish I could bottle up and give to someone who is feeling hopeless right now. I wish I could give it to someone who needs a little inspiration right now. Never give up on your dreams," she said, "because they will come true. I've never been happier in my entire life."

Each bar costs $14.99. You can find more information at Pure-Swag.com