For this editor, Dr. Bronner's is a shower staple.
The first time I heard the word biodegradable, I was 10 years old. I was heading off to sleep away camp and “biodegradable soap” was on the packing list. Campers needed this because we would be bathing in a lake. So my mom and I went down to the local health food store and picked out some Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Pure-Castile Liquid Soap. Forty years later, I still use it. I can safely say that this is the longest relationship I have ever had with a product. [Ed note: Despite what many camps recommend, experts tell us that no soaps should be used for bathing in waterways because they can affect the natural balance.]
What makes it so fantastic? Well, it is made with biodegradable ingredients that will break down quickly and safely. The company is a Certified B Corporation, treats their employees well (in some cases even paying for child care), and supports fair trade around the world. The soap is made with organic and certified fair trade ingredients. The organic hemp oil is sourced in the US. It is packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled bottles that are 100% PET. It has no synthetic preservatives, detergents, or foaming agents.
I can safely say this is the longest relationship I have ever had with a product.
I feel genuinely clean after I have used Dr. Bronner’s, yet it does not dry out my skin. It is concentrated, so a little soap goes a long way. My only caution is: because of its concentration, be careful to not get the concentrated peppermint soap in the netherregions or it can feel a little zippy. Maybe use the plain “baby” castile soap on littler bodies. Otherwise, buy it by the gallon as my family does and say goodbye to other soaps. They just don’t compare!
By the way, after a month of lake bathing that summer, my parents drove me home with the windows down. But that was not the soap’s fault.
Dr. Bronner’s is available in a number of scents as well as in bar soap form, which means that, for bathing, you can eliminate the plastic. Learn more and shop at DrBronner.com We like to recommend products we’ve tried ourselves. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
