For awhile, I hunted high and low for the perfect shower gel. I like bar soap just fine, but I normally prefer a liquid soap and shower puff. The problem is that it’s a real challenge to find a pure, healthy shower gel. I’d find one with no parabens, but it would contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Then I’d find a soap with neither SLS or parabens, yet it contained an artificial fragrance and phlatates. Or I’d find a seemingly safe shower gel, but I couldn’t pronounce most of the ingredient list due to gobs of chemicals. Finally, I glanced at Dr. Bronner’s Magic Pure Castile liquid soap at Whole Foods, picked up a bottle, and felt true relief.
First of all, I adore the crazy, old school labels. I don’t buy into Dr. Bronner’s philosophy, but if you take a few minutes to read the labels, they’re highly entertaining. I love how each soap smells, too – fresh and clean. I love that I don’t even need a shower puff to create a good, soapy lather. I just squirt a small amount of the liquid soap in my hands, rub ‘em together, and a small bottle of Dr. Bronner’s lasts me a long time. But what I love most of all are the ingredients. Take a look at my current favorite scent – tea tree oil:
Water, saponified organic coconut & organic olive oils (w/retained glycerin), organic hemp oil, organic jojoba oil, tea tree extract, citric acid, and vitamin E.
I should say here four more things that I love. One – the coconut & olive oils are certified fair trade ingredients. Two – all of the oils are organic (as you can see). Three – Dr. Bronner’s bottles are made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Four – all of the soaps are completely biodegradable. Are you sharing my passion yet? I should hope so.
Seriously, those ingredients are so simple, yet genius. See, Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap doesn’t need nasty SLS or other foaming agents:
“Our soaps are 100% true pure-castile soaps. The high foaming lather of our soaps is from their high coconut oil content, which makes a more luxurious and rich lather than any detergent can ever create. ‘Pure-Castile’ is your guarantee that what you are using is a real ecological and simple soap, not a complex blend of detergents with a higher ecological impact due to the waste stream during manufacture and slower biodegradability,” says the web site.
My main use for these liquid soaps are in the shower or even sink-side as a hand soap. My other favorite scent besides tea tree oil is almond. I take the trial size on the road because most hotels provide crappy little bottles of paraben-filled shower gels. I got my husband hooked on peppermint for his shower time. We have a friend who once used the peppermint liquid soap as toothpaste. You can find other amazing uses for Dr. Bronner’s Magic liquid soap on this page, and right on the bottles, including:
- Light house cleaning.
- Heavy-duty grease-cutting.
- Shampoo.
- Laundry.
- For babies – the Baby Mild formula is perfect.
- To soak dentures.
- For shaving – both guys faces and gals’ legs (and pits).
- Speaking of pits, it can be used as a deodorant.
- On your pets.
- To wash your car. That’s impressive.
- And in a warm bath. Ah yes, it would make a great bubble bath.
But I know good and well there are many, many other homemade recipes for my beloved castile soap, and that I’m too lazy to Google such information. So, fellow Sustainable Scoop readers, how do YOU use Dr. Bronner’s Magic Pure Castile liquid soap? Please leave comments – Kerry and I want to know!
{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }
S 04.18.08 at 10:10 am
I especially LOVE Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Liquid soap as an ultra-natural laundry soap. I’m amazed at how soft my clothes are…no toxic fabric softener or dry sheet needed!!! I too, have a deep affection for the “Doctor” and his crazy antics
Behan 04.18.08 at 10:44 am
We use Dr Bronners to make all-purpouse household cleaners (with borax, hot water, and essential oils). I also dilute it (a lot!) with water and put in a foaming dispenser to use for hand & body cleanser. I tried to make shampoo out of it, but not quite satisfied with the results…still looking for a good formula there!
Kerry 04.18.08 at 10:53 am
I haven’t found a way to use Bronner’s successfully on my hair yet, though using coconut oil in my hair BEFORE I shampoo helps quite a bit. Otherwise it dries my hair out. We use our Dr. Bronner’s for just about everything else, though. It’s the only thing I use to wash my dogs, sometimes when I take them to the river I’ll give them a river-bath with the lavender soap. I think that’s okay, right?
bob 04.18.08 at 12:02 pm
I actually used to date Dr. Bronner, and we came up with some pretty inventive ways to use his soap!
Angel FUnk 04.18.08 at 6:45 pm
Look for Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds for home cleaning. They are specifically formulated for that purpose and work 1,000 times better than the regular soaps. I use it for all my household cleaning, mopping the floor, making spray cleaner, etc.
Dave-O 04.19.08 at 10:16 am
I always take Bronner backpacking with me. When in the woods trying to “leave no trace”, Bronner is the only soap/cleaning agent I have ever felt comfortable using.
We make a great team. Bronner & Belman!
Jenni 04.19.08 at 2:50 pm
Thanks for such good tips, y’all!
Please keep ‘em coming ….
Nicole 04.19.08 at 5:06 pm
Hey! Be careful using Dr B’s on pets, on cats especially. Tea Tree oil can be toxic to cats and I wouldn’t risk putting peppermint on a cat either. I would be hesitant to use any flavor on a pet because it can be a little bit drying and dogs and cats tend to have more oil on their skin.
But other than that, I lurve me some Doc B’s!
Jenni 04.20.08 at 7:59 pm
Thanks for the tip, Nicole. I have two cats and I didn’t know tea tree oil could be toxic to them!
So, do you think the Baby Mild formula would be OK on pets?
Nicole 04.21.08 at 6:18 pm
Honestly, I wouldn’t. My experience with DR B’s is it can be drying. I don’t have a problem with it because I don’t have dry skin, but on a pet it may just be too much. Their skin is so sensitive to that kind of thing.
I found this link:
http://cats.about.com/od/housekeeping/a/aromatherapy.htm
and peppermint is indeed toxic to cats. hope it’s okay to post this link.
Love the blog.
mel 04.22.08 at 8:21 am
i was given dr. bronner’s when i got a piercing at a fantastic piercing place in sac (sub q) … they recommend cleaning the piercing with dr b’s, rather than those mystery chemicals they give you at claire’s or the piercing pagoda … and wouldn’t you know – the piercings i’ve gotten from sub q are the only ones i’ve never had a problem with! (i’m sure that’s due to a combination of factors – dr. b’s being one) :>
Jenni 04.22.08 at 3:02 pm
Thanks, Nicole, and Mel!
Ted 04.24.08 at 5:04 pm
I love Bronners. I like the lavender the best and my favorite thing is to wash my hands first thing in the morning or right before bed as the smell is really nice to either start or finish the day. We water ours down quite a bit as it is very concentrated and when diluted it not only lasts a lot longer, but it is less drying.
I tried brushing my teeth with it a few times and it is ok – a little weird but good while camping.
Nice one, Bob.
Linda 04.28.08 at 11:13 am
I tried Dr. Bronner’s Baby Soap for my daughter and it dried out her skin so much that it started to flake. I even diluted it. Anyone else have this issue?
Kerry 05.02.08 at 2:27 pm
I do find the soap to be drying, I can’t use it on my face for this reason. I’ve also noticed that when I use it on my dogs that their skin flakes, but they’re so oily normally that it doesn’t really matter.
Rachel F 05.03.08 at 9:43 am
I was reading on medical website if persons with dermatitis or sensitive, dry skin should use castille (true) soap, like Dr. Bronner soaps, on their face. The Medical Doctor said if it is a castille soap, i.e. result of mixing a fat and an alkali to produce a fatty acid salt at pH 9-10 with cleansing properties, it’s a no no. She said that a true soap probably is not the best choice for a facial cleanser in persons with barrier dysfunction, yet the need for hygiene remains important. Patients with atopic dermatitis or sensitive, dry skin should use syndet or PH balanced cleansers, either liquid or bar, to remove environmental dirt, sebum, and bacteria contained within their biofilm.
This site is so great. I always try to get more scientific information before making my choices, because I have very dry skin and sometimes it breaks out. My experience using Dr. Bronner soap was not very good. My skin become taunt and dry… they said that I can use to wash my hair as well, but I decided not to try…
http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/article/articleDetail.jsp?i...
Rachel F 05.03.08 at 9:53 am
Hey the correct link is:
http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=4497
So if you have dry or sensitive skin: Say NO NO to Dr. Bronner products… also don’t use them on the baby skin… skin that dry out constantly can lead to dermatitis or become sensitive. Check the Modern Medicine website for more info. Also EWG website has a lot of good info on the ingredients. I heard that Dr. Bronner products use Sodium hydroxide to saponify the organic oils… No always organic means good or safe. Be aware!
Jenni 05.03.08 at 9:59 am
That is interesting info., Rachel. I can’t use it on my face, but strangely, I can use it on my body – even undiluted! This is surprising because I have dry skin in general. I chalk it up to everyone’s skin being different. Dr. Bronner’s is a fantastic product, but it may not be for everyone.
Rachel F 05.03.08 at 1:08 pm
Hi Jenni. Good for you. Dr. Bronner soap is very cheap…
My experience with Dr. Bronner products was not good. It’s really harsh… when I was younger it was different, but now as I become older (I’m 42 years old) my skin is somehow more demanding…
jennifer 10.25.08 at 2:54 am
I am a big fan of natural handmade soaps and keep trying them. They convert my bathing to real pleasure session. I would particularly mention this Soap called Moksha. Sold by Lass Cosmetics, this natural handmade soap contains Lavender& Ylang ylang. Moksha is a treat for the muscles & the senses.
Ann 01.10.09 at 2:01 pm
I had the same problem regarding drying. I used it on a pouff in the shower and within a few days my skin began to get chalky and gray in color. I stopped using Dr. Bronner’s peppermint liquid soap. My skin is now regaining its color and not so ashy anymore. Anyone else have this problem, and if so, what is the correct remedy.
Patty 01.31.09 at 11:22 am
I make my own shampoo with Bronner’s liquid castille soap. I use 1 part soap, the rest is warm distilled water. I add about 2 tablespoons of liquid glycerin, a teaspoon of jojoba oil, and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I use a whisker to mix all the ingredients together. The xanthan gum (similar to cornstarch) is all natural and thickens the shampoo nicely. Xanthan gum and the glycerin leave your hair feeling much softer.
Kerry 01.31.09 at 1:42 pm
Patty, that shampoo sounds amazing. I’ll have to try it!
Patty 02.01.09 at 12:35 am
Kerry, the shampoo is really nice actually. My husband and 16 year old son even like to use it. I stopped making it for a while, (went back to work full time and had little time) and went back to regular shampoo. My hair paid the price! My hair was so much more manageable when I was making my own shampoo. I also make my own facial wash using the same ingredients, but smaller amounts, and I use essential oils ( sweet orange or lemon oil, tea tree, etc.) Also, sometimes I’ll use a little rose flower water in place of some of the water. That gives the soap a softer texture. I use less xanthan for the facial wash. I like it to be more liquidy than the shampoo. Anyway, I wish you luck with the recipe, let me know how it turns out if you can.
Cristine 02.05.09 at 4:21 pm
I was SO dissapointed recently when I tried the dr bronners rose soap for the first time. I diluted and used it two days in a row to wash my face. I felt like it left a film and then I broke out in a very painful acne/rash. It took my face almost 2 full weeks to recover. The rose smells awesome and I still have a bottle, so I will figure out another way to use it. I used the baby one in the past as shampoo, I mixed it with jojoba oil and some other ingredients- it was nice. I’m curious if anyone has used this for their laundry?
mssmith93 03.16.09 at 7:24 am
I’m looking for a Dr. Bronner’s Magic Peppermint Liquid Soaps recipe for shampoo. Can anyone help me out
kj 07.06.09 at 2:48 pm
I love Dr. Bronner’s products, I always use them for backpacking, since they don’t harm the environment.
Recently, I found Dr. Bronner’s products in bulk and for great prices on http://www.greencupboards.com, you should check it out.
Rms386 08.09.09 at 6:41 pm
Dr. Bronner’s soap is one of the only soaps that does not dry my skin out. I’ve tried tons of other organic soaps, but none of them ever worked!
I also started using it to bathe my dogs because I was having the same problem with them! Their skin and coat has never looked healthier!
I also LOVE the fact that there is hemp oil in it. Hemp is a miracle plant that is way under rated these days!!!
Twigfilly 10.12.09 at 8:09 pm
Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap is the only soap that DOESN’T dry out my skin. Weird… considering most comments on here complain about dryness after using this soap. My face is so sensitive that even the special pH balanced “sensitive skin” soaps cause my skin to flake. Since I have switched to Dr. Bronner’s Almond Soap, and I have also used the Lavender, I have not had /any/ problems with itching or flaking on my face. My skin feels clean, refreshed, and soft. I put a squirt or two into a hand soap pump bottle and then fill the rest with water and use it on my face and for hand soap in my bathrooms. I am amazed by this product… and I do get a good laugh out of reading the “articles” on the bottles! Dr. Bronner and his space ship stories … It is entertainment while I wait for my conditioner to set in, haha.
LadyBird 12.01.09 at 3:43 pm
Wow. This product is so versatile! Although, I would only use it as body soap. And, I must admit I was apprehensive at first – I thought the quality of the soap might have been sacrificed for the political statement it represents. The advertising for the product (the bottle itself) says less about the contents and focuses, instead, on radical notions of well-being. I am glad I tried it. This truly is my favorite body-wash, it offers me a rich lather and the scents are refreshing! Check out my blog on Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps for more information: http://ladybird21.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/dr-bronners-magic-soaps/
carla 03.10.10 at 4:09 am
I was using a very expensive olive oil cleanser on my face and body. I have to order it, and the biggest size I can get is 6.7 oz. and the shipping along with it, was too much.
I happened across a receipe for Dr. Bronner’s baby castile, so I ordered the 16 oz. and gave it a try. It has worked out beautifully.
I put 3 part organic olive oil, and one part Dr. Bronner’s baby mild soap and mix. Gives my face a wonderful feel and removes everything without drying! I made me a a shampoo and body wash too.
I do change the recipe from time to time with different oils. So far Rice Bran Oil imixed is my favorite for face, and in the summer I half the olive oil and half grape seed oil for my body and hair. It is so much cheaper!!! My whole family uses it, especially my son who HAD exzema.
For the price you just can’t beat it.
karmicflower 05.21.10 at 5:08 pm
I love Dr. Bronner’s soaps! I use the lavender soap on my children, a bath with a little of this stuff and they go right to sleep afterwards. My husband and I also use it for hair and body. I like to dillute it for handwashing soap and to mop the floors with. I do find that my hair feels dry when i rinse it off, but i remedy that by using a vinegar rinse (2 Tbsp per cup of water), my hair comes out clean and super soft. I do the same on the kids hair.
I am happy to be lowering my impact on the environment. I can clean the house and am not worried about harmful fumes & residues getting on my babies.
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Bronners is amazing 10.25.10 at 11:03 pm
Anyone who reads these negative comments, keep in mind that any links pointing to other, “better” soaps are almost always direct competition to this great soap. The natural body market is extremely competitive and it is being swamped by people looking to throw a few diluted natural ingredients into your shampoo and then leave all the same petro-chemicals in there.
When it comes to the natural health community, most people don’t look at comments on blogs with a skeptical eye. These comments are on other blogs almost word for word when I am looking for information on this soap.
This soap can be drying if you use it in its pure form and don’t dilute it. You should always dilute it a bit from my experience, if you know you have dry skin. You can literally probably put 1 measured cup of it into 10 gallons of water and clean your body with that water 100 times. It’s strong, and using it in its pure form is a waste of money, unless you want to really cut grease in your hair or are cleaning a carpet stain or something.
I want to defend this soap, because I read about the founder’s history and I feel that he did make the best soap out there, and seeing people accept these engineered comments as authentic is disheartening. The guy did make the purest soap in my opinion from day 1, and I am sure these other companies has some idea of how much they are making selling this stuff, and now they want a piece of the pie, but they aren’t willing to take a slimmer profit margin, and they aren’t coming out with this type of quality. I hope Bronners never sells out to any of these mega-brands.
Betsy 05.29.11 at 4:15 pm
Hi. I’d like to know from Patty her exact recipes for hair and face products:
Patty said: “I make my own shampoo with Bronner’s liquid castille soap. I use 1 part soap, the rest is warm distilled water. [Does this mean 1/2 castile an d 1/2 distilled water? And to that you add ...] I add about 2 tablespoons of liquid glycerin, a teaspoon of jojoba oil, and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. I use a whisker to mix all the ingredients together. The xanthan gum (similar to cornstarch) is all natural and thickens the shampoo nicely. Xanthan gum and the glycerin leave your hair feeling much softer. [Do you condition after using this shampoo? How long a "shelf life" does the shampoo have?]
Patty continued: “I also make my own facial wash using the same ingredients, but smaller amounts, and I use essential oils ( sweet orange or lemon oil, tea tree, etc.) Also, sometimes I’ll use a little rose flower water in place of some of the water. That gives the soap a softer texture. I use less xanthan for the facial wash. I like it to be more liquidy than the shampoo. [This sounds lovely, please offer this neophyte a recipe with measurements to follow! Thank you.]
Kalani 06.28.11 at 4:23 pm
I have had lifetime dermatitis. Dr. Bonner’s magic soap has never irritated my skin or made it dryer. As for the hair…it sure cleans it well, but use a conditioner afterward. As for babies, I have used it on my grandbabies, but I always lotion them up after their bath. They have suffered on side effects. The doggies also get a great bath with this wonderful soap, but I also use a conditioner on them. Everybody’s happy!….
lisa 09.01.11 at 7:36 am
Supposedly, lavender is safe for dogs and it’s supposed to be helpful repelling fleas; a little Dr B from time to time MUST beat a poisonous flea bath. FYI people, garlic and onion is toxic for dogs! & not only is tea tree toxic for cats, also aloe! Chocolate is toxic for both cats and dogs.
Ilana Rivkah 11.21.11 at 8:30 am
I’ve used Dr. Bronner’s since I was a child and still love it. I have very curly hair and use it as a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo/scalp wash in combination with Whole Foods brand unscented conditioner (about $3 from Whole Body), also made with pure ingredients. Bronner’s feels great on my skin and is also perfect as a sensitive skin facial cleanser.
Jenny 11.26.11 at 6:29 am
I just started using the baby formulation on my newborn as a shampoo, and 2 days later his skin its peeling horribly. It makes me
sad, but I’m going to have to keep looking for a new product for him…