Switching From Dove to Dr. Bronner
Every time I think I'm done trading out my mainstream products for side-stream products, I run out of something and realize there are greener options available. I love these changes because 1. swapping one product for another requires no extra daily work and B. changing products is kind of like shopping, which gives me a nice little Compact fix, without the guilt.Today's product switcheroo is my body soap. Remember when I started showering like a man? Well, I was so focused on reducing the amount of products I used, that I forgot to worry about the type of products I was using. And so I have been happily lathering up with my Dove Sensitive Skin Body Bars for several months now, unaware that the product I'm using rates a 3 (Moderate Hazard) on Skin Deep's Cosmetic Safety Database. Further aggravating the issue are the facts that Dove has not signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and they test their products on animals. Bummer. I used to love Dove. You know, campaign for real beauty and all that. Something comforting about seeing chicks almost as fat and old as a normal person hocking facial cleansers.
But now I have a new love (besides the butcher). It's Dr. Bronner. No, not Dr. Bruce Bonner AKA The Incredible Hulk. Dr. Bronner, of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps. I picked up a bar or Dr. B's All-One Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap last week. By way of comparison, Dr. B's soap gets a Low Hazard Rating, IS a signer of the CSC and does NOT test on animals. Their products are Certified Organic and Fair Trade. They also use minimal packaging - a paper wrapper made from 90% post-consumer waste and printed with soy ink. Holy crap that's some green soap.
There is a down side though. The peppermint oil. The smell makes me want to eat the bar. Probably not the whole thing, but at least a little nibble. Between that and the Raspberry scented Burt's Bees shampoo, I feel like I should be following up with some sort of Hershey's body lotion. Seriously. Incorporating this change on the heels of Crunchy Chicken's No Waste Challenge? Probably not a good idea. I get out of the shower with a big hankerin for a peppermint mocha with extra whip. Mmmmmm.
Good God, I'm freakin' starving here. Somebody throw me a head of lettuce or something.
Savings:
Once again, saving lots of nasty chemicals that I didn't even know were in my bath bars. Also saving the additional packaging and some poor bunny's burned retinas.
Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5
Saying goodbye to a product brand that I have been loyal to for so many years was actually a little difficult. Don't know why. It's not like they ever did anything for me personally. And I picked up my Dr. B's soap at the crunchy-granola store up the road, so I'm not even sure if Kroger sells it or not. And I'm ready to eat my arm. This might be more difficult than some other product changes I've made.
4 comments:
*sniffle* I want aveeno to sign that list!
Oh, I LOVE that soap! But recently, I found the Vermont Soap Co, that also sells a castille soap (I buy the liquid kind, which I use for both body wash and shampoo), and the best part is that the company is less than 250 mi from me, which makes them more local than California (where Dr. Bonner is).
I was so excited when I found the soap. Who would have thought that soap would be exciting? ;)
http://www.lesliehawes.com/wordpress/?p=648
The Good Doctor and I have been friends for many years. Glad you found him. His liquid soaps are in my bathroom at all times. I buy the stuff by the quart.
He does have almond oil soap, but that doesn't solve the "want to eat it" problem, does it?
This may get a bit wordy, but so is Dr. B.
I have run this little demonstration for people many times, wanting them to love the doctor as I do. I don't always make a 'convert', but sometimes I do.
Rub your hands with some greasy stuff...I go very dramatic and caress my cold car engine...good, black petroleum yuk. Then spot a dab (just the tiniest bit ) of Dr. B's on your hands, add a tiny bit of water, lather, and rinse. Depending on how Yuk you have made the engine caress, you may have to repeat the lather rinse thing. Again, a cheap thrill for those that like that sort of thing, *ahem*.
Less dramatic is to slather crisco on your hands, and wash with a dab of Bronners. Presto. Greasy-gone-O.
Again, only for people desperate for a Cheap Thrill.
Looks great. I'm with you - I love switcing products because you can still get some thrill from shopping. I haven't used Dr Bronner's yet but heard great things. Right now, I'm using up my liquid soap (all that plastic!) and then switching to some farmer's market soap. If we were truly like crunchy, we'd try to make out own! (seen her recent post on it?)
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