Dr.Bronner's?

[OctaVariuM]

Hey everyone,

I was looking through a few threads about unscented/lightly scented body washes for men and it seemed Dr.Bronner's was very highly rated, but only the peppermint one was mentioned. Does anyone have any experience with other ones from the company that could tell me if they are equally inoffensive when trying to use fragrances? The almond one really, really intrigues me.

Also, what do you think of it in general? It says online that you can use it for dishes, surface cleaning, etc. and that makes me think it would be really drying on the skin.

Thanks.

[Advocate]

I am a big fan of Dr. Bronner's. It is vegetable-oil based (organic and fair trade, if that interests you), with no artificial color or preservatives (and no scent if you go for the unscented one), so it meets the purest definition of soap.

In addition to the unscented and the peppermint, I have used the tea tree and I like it quite a bit, but I would say that it does leave a bit of scent on your skin, though I wouldn't think it would interfere with your scent. The extra woody base might complement some scents. Peppermint and tea tree are antibacterial, so there may be some deoderant quality to them, and tea tree is often used to treat mild acne. (Tea tree is supposed to repel lice, too, which is good to know if you have little kids.)

Since it is just soap, it can be used for just about anything, however it should not be drying because there are no other detergents in it, and because the naturally-occurring glycerin (a byproduct of pure soap-making) is retained. (Some soapmakers take out the glycerin to use in other products.) I personally have not found it to be drying, although I may not have very sensitive skin.

[knoxthis]

I can't comment on the other scents but i switched from normal soap to bronners peppermint and its been great. scent is gone a few minutes (if that) after toweling off and i havent gotten dried out at all like other body washes/soaps used to do. If anything i would say longevity has increased since using it. A bottle also goes a long way, Ive had the 32 oz size for about 2 months now and its still above half way. I would recommend a loofah with a little squirt on it to get a nice lather although it isnt required.

[Nosebud]

I am a HUGE fan of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. It will never leave your skin dry, and you can use it for anything. Seriously, anything. It is great for backpacking, as well. Read on it.
As far as Basenotes is concerned, Dr. Bronner's does make an unscented soap. So if you are concerned with soap interfering with your fragrance, that is the best bet. Peppermint and tea tree do have essential oils you can feel and smell, but theyvare both top notes and don't have much longevity or sillage, so it might not matter anyway. The almond smells like sweet almond and I don't think I have ever noticed it after my morning routine. The lavender I have not tried as my wife hates lavender (much to my dismay [read: BdP among others.])
I highly recommend you try Dr. Bronner's soap, starting with almond if that is what interests you. But know that peppermint is their best seller for a reason; you can feel it on your skin and in your lungs. Also, remember there is unscented if that was your aim.

[OctaVariuM]

Thanks for letting me know everyone, especially Nosebud. I'll pick some up once this whole Sandy clean-up thing blows over (lol puns).

[lagrange1772]

I've also used Dr Bronner's in the past, and loved it! They smell good, lather up nicely and were generally nice on my skin. Have since moved onto more mainstream products (Noble Isle) mostly out of boredom, fancying a change, etc. but that's no reflection on Dr Bronner's products. I can personally vouch for another natural product, too, which is great for the hair (was a life-saver for my scalp): J R Liggett's old-fashioned shampoo bars. They're great for hair and just about anything else.

[senore01]

I'm going to look into this brand. Thank you so much for the information.

[Shiny Beast]

Dr. Bronner's is the stuff.

[knit at nite]

Ah- the good ole reliable Dr Bronner's brand! A staple of the hippie/non-toxic/eco-fiend's tool kit and available at all health food stores since...forever. I see it in in lots of stores nowadays.

(they only made the peppermint castile scent at one time)

[Primrose]

Efffective and easy to find, plus cheap, it's a good soap for many purposes.

[mikeperez23]

The lavender one is my favorite. Went through my bottle very quickly!

[taint it sweet]

Very affordable. I like the peppermint.

[Odorloader]

I just discovered that there is a Dr Bronner documentary on netflix called Dr. Bronners magic soap box! Wow this dude was one of a kind. If you have netflix you're in for a treat with this one.

[cosmopolit]

Great stuff, I have tried peppermint (back in the day, when it was the one and only), almond (which is sweet, fine), and my current favorite tea tree. Very invigorating with my Japanese nylon scrubber. Good price.

[aphexacid]

I have the peppermint purchased by my fiancé, who swore I'd be ok. It dried the hell out of my skin.

I don't have super dry skin, but I do require some sort of moisture. Otherwise I'll feel like my skin is shrinking all day.

So she bought me the shikaki in pump (blue bottle). Awesome stuff. Doesn't dry me out, but I need to find a better way to apply it. You'll need to use a half bottle if you use a poof!

[banditman]

I use Bronner's daily and have tried most all of the scents. It is excellent. Note that the liquid is quite concentrated so cutting it 50/50 with water reduces any drying effect without affecting how the product lathers.

[30 Roses]

How is this soap in hard water? Does it leave soap scum residue? (We can't use bar soap with our hard water.)

[OctaVariuM]

So I just wanted to reply back to this thread. I just bought some of the peppermint soap today at Target ($16 for a lot). I just used it as a hand soap after using the bathroom, and as a body wash in the shower and I am VERY impressed. The peppermint oil adds an awesome tingling/cooling sensation and it is not rough on the skin at all. It's not like Dove where it moisturizes, so you may want to use that every-other wash, but I definitely recommend it.

[30 Roses]

Following up on my own question about hard water: I bought a bottle of the unscented and showered with it in our hard well water.

It created a decided soap scum on my skin-- I felt as though I had just applied non-skid wax all over. Very unpleasant! Had to scrub it off with regular detergent-based body wash.

[OctaVariuM]

Following up on my own question about hard water: I bought a bottle of the unscented showered with it in our hard well water.

It created a decided soap scum on my skin-- I felt as though I had just applied non-skid wax all over. Very unpleasant! Had to scrub it off with regular detergent-based body wash.

That's odd, all the people in their reviews say that it works fine with hard water. Try diluting it 50/50 or something like that and use it on your hands. I mean, I'm no expert on the stuff.

I will say that when I first use it, it gives you that odd soap feeling of having squeaky, dry skin, but once you dry it off and move your body/hands a bit, it softens up nicely.

[30 Roses]

I did use it diluted-- on a bath pouf. It was every bit as bad as bath soap bars-- both make this scummy residue that comes from the interaction of the soap with the minerals.

[Kindred809]

I have a bottle of the stuff, I like the peppermint oil but it dries out my skin.

[kbe]

I first used it in the 1960s. Peppermint only then. I still keep a bottle of Peppermint near the kitchen sink to wash fruit and vegetables prior to cooking or eating.