Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap
Firstly, Dr. Bronner’s is celebrating their 60th anniversary! They’ve been making soap for a really long time, which means it must be good. I first learned of Dr. Bronner’s Magic soap some time ago, but I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I hadn’t actually tried it unitl recently. I think that in talking with friends and family that Dr. Bronner’s is most notable for their soap making, but they do offer lines of other products including hair care and cleansers. Some benefits of the soap touted on the website include:
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Fortunately for me, my local Target had a temporary price reduction on all of the soaps and I took this as a sign that I needed to finally purchase this soap. I chose the lavender for a few reasons, but mostly because I love the smell. Dr. Bronner’s website has the following description:
DESCRIPTION:
A relaxing fragrance for tired and stressed-out souls lavender calms the nerves and soothes the body. Perfect just before bedtime or to start your day out with a tranquil peace of mind. All oils and essential oils are certified organic to the National Organic Standards Program. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.INGREDIENTS:
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Lavandin Extract, Organic Olive Oil*, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Lavender Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
* CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS
** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin
This soap is Fair Trade, organic and not tested on animals, and packaged in 100% recycled plastic bottles, so I can feel good about buying it. More importantly the ingredients are proven to be good to your skin. Now let’s take a look at the ingredients individually:
The ingredient second to water is organic coconut oil. According to the website Organic Facts:
Hair Care: Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.
Skin Care: Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin. It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc., used for skin care.
Infections: Coconut oil is very effective against a variety of infections due to its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, diaper rash, etc.
All of that information sounds good and I had no idea that coconut oil could be so useful. The next ingredient is used in making soaps and is essentially lye. It dissolves in water, which is why it is marked with a double asterisk and the note that explains that it is used to make the soap, but disappears once mixed in. The next ingredient present that is of significance is Lavandin Extract. What is lavandin extract exactly? Well, according to Snowdrift Farm:
Soapmakers love lavandin oil, and it is grown as a major commercial crop throughout Europe, though its origins are in France. Lavandin is an hybrid — a cross between Lavender officianalis and Lavender aspic or spike lavender. This cross-breeding provides the plant with the stamina needed to grow abundantly at lower elevations.
Most of the gorgeous deep blue and purple flowers seen in travel photos of the French countryside and attributed to growing lavender in France — is actually lavandin. Lavender grows well only at elevations of 1800 feet or greater. The heartier lavandin can grow at 1000 feet elevation and upwards. Snowdrift Farm imports our lavandin oil directly from the grower, near Grasse (France).
So, what’s the difference for you, the handcrafter? For starters, there are structural differences between the plants. Lavandin produces a 3-pronged flower-head, while true lavender gives a single “spike”. Scent-wise, the lavandin contains far more camphor, making it a “louder”, far less subtle note than true lavender. We prefer true lavender, such as Bulgarian lavender in perfumes, but do not discount lavandin when it comes to soaps and body care products. Lavandin has the capability of sticking around longer in soaps and lotions because of its chemical composition, making it the perfect oil for these applications. For more information about Lavandin, we recommend Julia Lawless’, “The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils.”
Further, according to Victoria Anisman-Reiner in her article titled, “Lavandin Not the Same as Lavender” she indicates that it is important to note that Lavandin extract does not have the same health benefits as lavender. However, lavandin extract is frequently used in soap, shampoo and cosmetics because the scent lasts longer and, “Lavandin is known to be highly antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial…Both lavandin and lavender are non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing to the skin”. Lavender oil is used in smaller quanitites in the soap though, so we’ll just go ahead and cover those benefits now. The benefits and uses of lavender oil are many and varied, so I’ll return once again to Organic Facts for the details on this essential oil. You can read the details provided in the article by clicking on the link above, but here is a quick summary of the benefits:
- pain relief: muscle aches and join pain
- nervous system: calming scent that helps with stress, migraine headaches, anxiety, depression nervous tension, emotional stress and increases mental activity.
- respiratory disorders: colds, asthma, flu, infections of the throat and respiratory tract.
- skin care: lavender has been used to treat a plethora of skin conditions including acne, psoriasis, eczema, sunburn, wounds and more.
I’ve covered the benefits of olive oil previously and it has done wonders for my skin. Used alone it wasn’t sufficient to keep my face clear, but it’s super for removing eye makeup and moisturizing the under eye area. All of the oils used in Dr. Bronner’s soap are non-comedgenic and health benefits that range from moisturizing to antiseptic. They are mild and unlikely to cause skin reactions.
I have some seriously sensitive skin, so sensitive that I can’t even use products with witch hazel becuase I have an allergic reaction ending in contact dermatitis, which is an extremly rare reaction to the herb. I’ve been using it for about two weeks now in the shower as a bath wash. My skin is clear, smooth and not oily at all. Given the good response that I’ve had to date I decided to expand my use of it to my hair and face. I washed my hair with it and it suddenly felt very, very weird. I can’t describe it exactly but it was like my hair felt heavy and didn’t separate easily. I’m not sure what would have happened had I washed with just the soap, but I immediately followed with my regular shampoo and conditioner to no ill effect. Phew, that was a close one! If I had read the FAQ’s section of Dr. Bronner’s website prior to washing my hair with the soap I would have read the following:
Can I shampoo and condition my hair organically?
1) Shampoo with your favorite Dr. Bronner’s soap. True soaps clean hair well but can leave a tangly look & feel; however…
2) Rinsing with our new Organic Shikakai Conditioning Rinse results in spectacular look and feel! Just stir 1- 2 capfuls of this rinse into a cup of water, close eyes and slowly pour while massaging into hair. Keep hand combing hair until hair feels entirely sleek (~30 seconds). Rinse out well. Repeat if necessary in extra hard water conditions or with longer hair.
3) After drying lightly with a towel, massage in Dr. Bronner’s new USDA Organic Leave-In Conditioning Crème for added silkiness and softness.
I’ll experiment with that on a weekend, but not before work. I did wash my notoriously sensitive, acne-prone, combination to oily skin with it though. So far, so good. My face doesn’t feel oily, but it does feel very soft and smooth. It didn’t sting, tingle or feel weird in any way. I’m recovering from the witch hazel experiment, so I didn’t want to feel anything at all. I’ll report back on how my face handles the transition, but at the first hint of breakout I will jump ship! So, while it isn’t likely that I’ll be doing all 18 suggested uses for the soap (listed in the FAQ’s and below), so far as a body wash it’s pretty excellent. It’s good for the environment and feels good on my skin; no complaints there so I feel as if it is money well spent and mission accomplished. I’ll continue to use Dr. Bronner’s and if I am feeling advertous enough to employ my soap for different uses other than skin care, I’ll be sure to report back.
The 18 Uses for Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap:
Dr. Bronner recorded the “18 in 1 uses” on his label, which we have left mostly intact since his passing in 1997; however, people have told us many, many more uses for it than that. Here is his version. A more paraphrased one follows.
Dr. Bronner’s version:
- Always dilute for Shave-Shampoo-Massage-Dental Soap-Bath!
- Peppermint is nature’s own unsurpassed fragrant Deodorant!
- A drop is best Mint Toothpaste; brushes Dentures Clean!
- A dash in water is the ideal Breath Freshener & Mouth Wash!
- Peppermint Oil Soap for Dispensers, Uniforms, Baby, Beach!
- Dilute for ideal After Shave, Body Rub, Foot Bath, Douche.
- Hot Towel-Massage the entire body, always towards your heart.
- Pets, silk, wool & body tingles head to toe – keeps cool!
- 3 dashes in water rinse most Sprays Off fruit & vegetables!
- 1/4 oz in qt H2O is Pest Spray! Dash, no rash Diaper-Soap!
Paraphrased:
- For everyday body-washing: Get wet and pour soap full-strength onto hands-washcloth-loofah. Lather up, scrub down, rinse off, and tingle fresh & clean.
- For other uses, dilute from one part soap into 40 parts water for light cleaning, to cutting it in half or using it full strength for heavy-duty grease-cutting jobs.
- For shampoo, though we now recommend our new Shikakai soaps for this, many people are fond of using it as such. The method of application is to wet hair and scalp very thoroughly, squirt some soap into hands and work into a lather. Wash hair, then rinse well. Afterwards use our new citrus hair rinse and leave-in conditioners as directed.
- For the laundry, use 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for one regular load; adjust as needed depending on hardness of water. I’ve been told that adding a dash of baking soda makes it even better.
- For toothbrushing, apply a drop or two of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap to a wet toothbrush. Brush as you normally would, rinsing accordingly. Be careful about using more than a couple drops of soap, as you might start foaming at the mouth. Many people with sensitive or softer teeth like to use our soap as a toothpaste because it lacks abrasives.
Recessionista Beauty Secrets
For those of you who have read my blog before you have likely read that I have issues with my complexion; it’s combination and acne-prone (ie, expensive to take care of). Over the last two years I have been working to reduce the number of products I use and looking for inexpensive, natural options to replace the plethora of expensive chemicals that I have been slathering on my face. I tried olive oil to replace my face wash with mixed results. It was definately inexpensive and natural, but it was also messy and dulled my complexion. It did turn out to be the best eye make-up remover that I’ve ever tried, and outshined even the most expensive products that I relied on to remove my hard working MAC eye-liner for pennies on the dollar in comparison. I would definately recommend rubbing on a bit of olive oil to remove eye-makeup and then wiping dry with a cotton cloth, because it moisturizes while it cleans and leaves my eyes looking fresh and wrinkle-free. As for the rest of my face, I now use differin acne medication by prescription, which has allowed me to eliminate a number of beauty products that I relied on previously. I now use Aveno face wash because it is gentle and non-drying and an astringent. I had been purchasing Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion for years, but it did nothing to control the oil production in my T-zone, which left me patting down my face several times a day and it doesn’t fall into the inexpensive category to be sure. Buying it in its largest 32 oz size brought the $/oz down to about $1.50 per oz. I began researching astringent/toner alternatives and decided to try Witch Hazel.
Also known as winterbloom, snapping hazel and spotted alder, Witch Hazel is indigenous to the woodland areas of the Northeastern United States. This unique plant bears delicate golden flowers and seed capsules in late autumn, after the leaves have fallen. The seed capsules mature one year later, at which time they burst open and scatter the seeds away from the mother plant to ensure propagation of the next generation. The twigs and bark contain the therapeutic and aromatic constituents that when distilled create the clear, fragrant, natural astringent Dickinson’s is famous for today.
Native Americans recognized Witch Hazel’s value, and would apply it topically to treat minor wounds, abrasions and skin irritations. Nineteenth century missionaries learned of the plant’s therapeutic qualities and produced the first commercial Witch Hazel Extracts as basic ingredients for a wide array of personal care products.
Today, the applications of Witch Hazel go beyond facial care where a mild but effective astringent is desired; other applications include cleansers, body washes, hair care, eye gels and personal hygiene products. Consumers and medical professionals alike recognize Witch Hazel as a naturally soothing and cost effective botanical extract.
Witch Hazel is recommended for:
- Excellent for sensitive skin
- Removes excess oil and sebum
- Controls oil production
- Reduces skin blemishes
- Cleanses and conditions skin
- Tones and tightens pores
- Soothes redness
- Refreshes and cools skin
- Does not over dry
- Hypoallergenic
- Dermatologist tested
I checked this information with “The Derm Doc” and he confirmed that it would be safe and effective as a toner for my face and I started using it nearly 3 weeks ago. I purchased the Up and Up brand from Target and have used it twice a day (morning and night) each day over the last three weeks. The oil production has greatly reduced down to normal levels, leaving my skin looking taught, dewy and fresh. I haven’t had any breakouts or irritation as a result of using it and I would recommend this product without hesitation as an inexpensive, natural toner/astringent. I do not exfoliate my skin because I am currently using the prescription acne treatment, but I’m certain that there are plenty of inexpensive, natural options out there.
What inexpensive, natural beauty secrets have you discovered?
Rethinking the Cotton Round
Photo: Sproutzstore.blogspot.com
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the production of cotton uses a lot of water which is a valuable and dwindling resource. Shortages of fresh water worldwide lead to famine and starvation, war and terrorism, poverty and disease. In thinking about how I can do my part to help eliminate the unnecessary use of this precious resource globally I have been looking to reduce consumption of disposable products that I can replace with reuseable options. The first and easist switch for me was to stop purchasing new clothes and reuse fabric that I have available locally. Next, I began to investigate other household items that I could replace and while I was washing my face last night it dawned on me; cotton facial rounds! These little cotton pads are great for removing eye make-up and cleansing, but I use several of them each and every day. I thought,”surely, there must be some way to buy or make my own reuseable pads”. This morning I began to look for alternatives and was pleased to find that I can both buy and make my own easily and inexpensively. There are packs of Organic Reusable Cotton Face Rounds
Rich Hippie: Organic, wildcrafted perfume that sounds yummy
I love finding new earth-friendly products to try and review. The health and beauty industry is practically bursting with new, organic alternatives to mass-produced synthetics that can contain nasty things like petrochemicals and “hormone disruptors”; yikes! Today I found a very intriguing product online, Rich Hippie perfume. They make yummy perfumes from all natural ingredients extracted from flowers and plants combined with wine alcohol distilled from grapes with exciting names like “Brown Sugar”, “Maharishi”, “Rock Star”. While these are sold in a limited number of retail stores worldwide you can purchase their organic perfume right on the website. Best yet, you can order samples of each fragrance if you like to mix it up (like I do) or try it before you commit to just one. So take note friends and family, this is a bit out of my budget, but it would make a lovely gift. 
