Dr. Bronner’s organic soaps and lotions
To follow up my post on the Cosmetics Database website (LINK), I wanted to talk about Dr. Bronner’s soaps.
I’ve started using Dr. Bronner’s organic soaps instead of my old shampoos and body washes, which contain loads of unpronouncable chemicals that you don’t know what they do.
Dr. Bronner’s don’t just SAY they’re organic like most ‘organic’ cosmetics, they’re actually made the way soaps have been made for thousands of years, are fully organic, have no animal by-products, aren’t tested on animals and are really quite nice. I use the almond 18-in-1 soap for a hand, body & face wash plus shampoo, and I’ve tried the peppermint 18-in-1 soap for toothpaste. Yes, using it as toothpaste takes a little getting used to but it’s not unpleasant. I’m going to try sprinkling baking soda on the toothbrush as a mild ‘whitening’ scrub. Have you read the chemicals that are in toothpaste? Why do the tubes say ‘do not swallow’? I don’t want to know.
Hikers, trekkers & backpackers use Dr. Bronner’s out in the woods or on a long walk because it’s fully biodegradable, which is really nice. Wash up your dishes, clothes and your body with one soap, can’t beat it!
You literally only need 2 drops of it in your hands to do your hair (if you’ve got short hair - folks with long hair might need 3, really long hair would need 4 or 5 drops). 1 drop will do your hands. 3 or 4 drops on a cloth or sponge will take care of your body wash needs.
I haven’t used it yet for washing dishes or clothes yet, but once I’ve finished with my current supply of dishwashing soap and laundry powder I’ll give them a shot. I have used Ecover for both, which is fully biodegradable, but it’s expensive and not very concentrated, plus at the moment it’s tested on animals. I would think one teaspoon will clean a sink of dishes, and I’ve read 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup (60-80 ml) will do a load of clothes. UK clothes washers are much smaller than US washers, so maybe 50-60ml at most should do it.
After washing up, I’ve started using Sun Dog lotion, which again is fully natural and organic. Nothing I can’t pronounce on the label 
and no animal testing again. I’ve had stuff that absorbs into my skin faster (I can’t stand greasy skin after using moisturizer) but this has no unnatural chemicals and whatnot. I’d rather have a little extra greasiness than unknown substances absorbing into my skin.
For cleaning hard surfaces like kitchen counters and bathroom areas, Dr. Bronner’s have Sal Suds, which is a fully biodegradable, organic, natural, dilutable cleaner. I would think anyone with kids would be crazy to use anything else, especially bleach and other factory-made stuff, for cleaning if they have a baby, toddler or other child. For the moment I’m going to stick with a vinegar and water mix, which kills bacteria naturally and is biodegradable like all the Dr. Bronner’s stuff.
Finally, everything they make is fully biodegradable and none of it is tested on animals.
(and for what it’s worth, I’m not paid by Dr. Bronner’s to say any of this, I just really like their stuff and believe in the product)
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