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Body

Simplifying the Shower

Simplifying the Shower

One soap from head to toe. That’s it. I use it on my face. I use it on my body. I use it on my hair.

It’s a common question we get, whether the soap is OK for this or that body part. So much marketing has gone into specialty face soaps and body soaps and hand soaps. Then there’s the realm of shampoo – do you need volume today or moisture?

I used to have so many different products in the shower that the little built-in shelf was pretty much a joke. And as we added little ones to our family, the problem multiplied. We had kid soap and baby soap and my soap (body and face) and my husband’s soap, and then the shampoos and separate male and female shave gels. Now there’s just a bottle of the Liquid Castile Soap and the Organic Hair Rinse. Occasionally the Organic Shaving Soap if I’ve remembered to stock up on it.

To answer the question, “What’s this soap for?” I have to say, “Everything.” I may get a look that says I must be naïve at best or at worst a nut on the fringe. Maybe, but nonetheless, experience speaks.

I’ve bought the gamut of facial cleansers that are supposed clear problem skin. Nothing worked until I came back to using only Dr. Bronner’s (Pure Castile Tea Tree when it gets bad, but any scent the rest of the time). And I was a really hard sell initially regarding using the soap on my hair. I’m no beauty queen, but I do have some vanity, and I thought washing my hair with soap would leave it frizzy and dull. But my hair is strong and healthy. (I wrote about my switch from shampoo to soap in another blog post, but I want to mention here that you do need the Organic Hair Rinse.)

I’ve already blogged about my switch to the Unscented Castile Soap for my baby. My older kids are washed head to toe with it, too. It’s a lot easier on them as they learn to wash themselves. Hand them one bottle or bar and off they go.

I use the Organic Shaving Soap, when I have it on hand, which is about 50% of the time. It lathers more quickly and thickly than the Castile Soap. And it is more moisturizing. It’s a nice treat when I’ve remembered to grab some. When I don’t, though, the Castile Soap works well, although requires a bit more effort.

So our skin is clear, our hair is healthy. No one has dry skin or funny fragrances. It’s a whole lot more efficient just to grab one bottle – and a lot less to think about in the morning.

Now, as for the cleaning action of the Castile Soap: Our soaps are concentrated. A little bit goes a long way – but don’t let that phase you. Use as you would any other soap, just less of it. Here’s my not-so-fancy routine:

  • Deep breath. Quiet. Alone time. Thinking time. (Fellow parents, you know what I’m talking about!)
  • Body: Apply a small squirt of Castile Soap on a wet cloth and scrub away. I don’t pre-dilute the soap, as I find the water present in the situation does the diluting for me. I’ve also found that prediluted soaps are, well, cold.
  • With the Castile Bar Soap, lather soap into wet hands or washcloth.
  • Face: I use 2-3 drops Castile Soap in my wet hands and massage into skin.
  • Hair: A good ½ Tbsp. of Castile Soap is enough for my long, thick hair. Use more or less as needed for your hair type, cut, and texture. After I have thoroughly rinsed out the soap, I dilute the Organic Citrus Hair Rinse by half in a cup and then pour it over my head, work it through, and rinse thoroughly. If I’ve forgotten to stock up on the rinse, I’ll use a dilution of half water and half apple cider vinegar instead. My husband and son use the Castile Bar Soap on their short hair, and skip the rinse. There’s no wrong or right way here. Do what makes your hair happy.

And that’s it. This is really all I have in my shower on a daily basis. If you’ve seen photos of my bathroom cabinet, you know I’ll grab other products when my skin is feeling dry (Organic Sugar & Shaving Soaps, and GIY Scrubs, I’m looking at you). But more often than not, it’s just one soap. Life is complicated all on its own. My shower doesn’t have to be.

Further reading

This use and many more are in my book, Soap & Soul: A Practical Guide to Minding Your Home, Your Body, and Your Spirit with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, available now in hardback on DrBronner.com or at your favorite bookseller, and as an eBook and audiobook (read by me!) from wherever you download or listen.  

Download Now!

Castile Soap Cheat Sheet

Dilute! Dilute! OK! But how much? Print this guide!

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Bar Soap Cheat Sheet

Bar Soap aficonados, this one's for you!

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Terri says:

I read a post from Lisa, Feb. 15, 2023, about using castile soap as shampoo with dyed hair. You did not recommend it. My question is the same, but my hair has highlights, so basically bleached. Is it a good idea to use on bleached hair?

Lisa Bronner says:

Hi Terri- Castile Soap is fine for highlighted hair (where color is removed) but not colored hair (where color is added). The alkalinity of the soap, even though it is only mildly alkaline, causes the hair follicles to open and added color can leach out. I have highlighted hair myself and have been using Castile Soap to wash my hair for more than a decade.

Stephanie says:

Hi there! I have made the complete change to using Bronner soaps. Today I threw out everything under my bathroom sink (hundreds of dollars worth of products yikes) Now I only use the unscented sugar soap from head to toe along with the hair rinse and the peppermint hair creme as my conditioner (would love it to be unscented). On to the spearmint toothpaste then I am ready for my day…super simple!
All of my cleaners are gone and now I am down to one bottle…SAL SUDS!
Next is the laundry. I am using an all natural soap and fabric softener but as soon as that’s gone I will be making the Sal Suds recipe to replace them.

My only question is that my husband has extremely dry skin and horrible dandruff. I had him use the tea tree bar soap. Made it worse. So I now have the tea tree sugar soap then have him apply a little almond oil to his scalp. If this doesn’t work should he use the unscented line?

Lisa Bronner says:

Hi Stephanie – Well done! It is a journey to transition away from conventional products. Regarding your husband, this is a topic that I had a lot to learn on myself. There are two opposite skin/scalp conditions that cause a similar symptom: itchiness and flakes in our hair. Unfortunately, their causes are quite opposite: there’s extreme dry skin, resulting in flakes of dead skin, and then there’s dandruff, which is caused by an over-production of oils in the scalp and results in clumps of oils. Correctly identifying the cause is the first step to the solution. If the cause of the itchiness and flakiness is dry skin, then dandruff treatments (which strip oils and suppress oil production) is the exact opposite of what you need. It sounds like you already know that the cause here is dry skin and scalp. Stay away from any product that is labeled for dandruff relief. My colleague Rafi Loiderman has written an excellent article discussing using Coconut Oil for Hair Care . I think your husband could benefit from the coconut oil treatment. I also describe a similar hair masque in an article of my own: Hair Masques with Dr. Bronner’s. As far as soap goes, I think the Sugar Soap is the best option for him. It is a super mild and nourishing soap. I think a deep moisturizing treatment with coconut oil will also help.

Alysha says:

Hi Lisa,

I love to use the unscented Castile soap as a body wash for my sensitive skin, it is amazing!!

I am really interested in trying the unscented Castile soap on my hair and then the citrus rinse. However, my naturally brown hair is coloured almost black and I am wondering if my coloured hair will be stripped. I am curious for about your experience/suggestions.

Thank you for your time,
Alysha

Lisa Bronner says:

Hi Alysha – I’m so glad the Unscented Castile has been such a help! Unfortunately, though, I do not recommend soap for colored hair. The color is stored inside the hair follicle, and the natural alkalinity of soap causes the follicles to open and the dye can leach out. You’ll need to look for a hair washing formulation that is acidic, and designed for colored hair. The EWG Skin Deep database is a good place to research products.

Trixie says:

The peppermint soap seems to be irritating my underarms. Should I dilute it or use a different scent in the shower?

Lisa Bronner says:

Hi Trixie – A couple thoughts for you on this – With the Castile soap, a little goes a long ways, and so either use just a little for body washing (like 1/2 tsp on a wet washcloth) or dilute it at a ratio of around 3:1, water to soap. Also, Peppermint is particularly skin acitivating essential oil. The high menthol content triggers the same receptors that sense cold, which is why it makes us feel cold. It is possible that this is too much activation for sensitive areas such as under arms. One of the other Castile soap (which only vary in the essential oils they contain) may be a better option for you. One last thought is that the Dr. Bronner’s Sugar Soaps are an even milder soap with their high content of sugar which draws moisture into the skin. People with sensitive skin often like the gentle cleansing of the Sugar Soaps.

Jane says:

Dear Lisa ~
I tried to get an answer to this question via the contact feature on the website. crickets.
Did you guys force your employees to get vaccinated with the COVID shots?

Lisa Bronner says:

Hi Jane- I’m sorry you didn’t receive a reply. Our Customer Service Team typically responds quickly. Dr. Bronner’s does not require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Although we strongly encourage it, we respect that each employee should choose what’s right for them.

About Lisa Bronner

My grandfather was Dr. Bronner, my family makes soap, and I share ways to use it plus tips on greener living.

Learn about my book, Soap & Soul!

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Print Now!

Castile Soap Cheat Sheet

Dilute! Dilute! OK! But how much? Print this guide!

DOWNLOAD

Print Now!

Bar Soap Cheat Sheet

Bar Soap aficonados, this one's for you!

DOWNLOAD