Easy Green: Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap

Yes, this Easy Green is a product.  Sure its something that you have to go out and buy and find - so maybe it’s not exactly “easy green.”  This is one of those products that is so great that I think it should be in every household.  Why is it so great?  Well - I’ll try to explain, but I just won’t be able to cover all of it.  Let’s talk about the history of this fair trade organic eco-friendly soap.  Who the heck is Dr Bronner? 

Dr. Bronner  - a third generation soap maker - was a crazy man.  Well - some people thought so at least.  He was also a smart man.  He came to the States in the ’20’s and urged his parents too, as well.  He was afraid of what might come from Hitler’s rule.  His last contact with his parents was a telegram that read, “you were right.”  His parents and many family members died in the holocaust.  Dr Bronner created something called the “Moral ABCs” which is a philosophy that combines both Christian and Jewish among other influences.  When he was promoting this philosphy at the University of Chicago, he was actually arrested and committed to a mental institution.  Dr Bronner was able to escape from the institution in Elgin, IL after several shock treatments.  There is a documentary that follows his son around and talks about his life (I fell asleep watching it - video snippet below). To this day, each bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap contains the complete text of the Moral ABC’s.  Here is a sample:

Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Who else but God gave man Love that can spark mere dust to life! Poetry, uniting All-One! All brave! All life! Who else but God! “Listen Children Eternal Father Eternally One!

So what makes this soap so great?  First off, it’s real soap - not some weird combination of toxic chemicals.  I bet you have no idea what kind of things you are putting on your body each day you shower, put make up on, brush your teeth, etc.  Dr Bronner’s soap is a “castile soap.”  What that means is that the soap is all vegetarian based rather than made from animal fat.  This also means that the grey water coming from your shower or sink or out in the wild is non-toxic and isn’t going to hurt the environment.  This is probably why they sell about 5 different sizes of the soap at REI.  It’s safe. 

Why is this soap magical?  You can use it for any number of applications and it is very concentrated so you can use a tiny dab and it goes a long way.  Here are some example uses that I personally use it for:  shower soap, shampoo, hand soap (very diluted - love it in a foaming pump), washing dishes (in sink), shave soap, even floors.  Some people use it for toothpaste - I’ve tried - once - I’ll stick to regular toothpaste for now. 

Dr Bronner soap comes in bar form and liquid.  If you want the soap that has the most lather - go for it.  What kind of scents do they have?  Peppermint, Almond, Eucalytpus, Baby Mild, Tea Tree, and Lavender. I prefer peppermint.  The tingle gives you that certain je ne sais quois.  

Peppermint Magic Soap ingredients:
Water, Saponified Organic Coconut & Olive oils (w/ retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Peppermint Oil, Organic Mentha Arvensis, Citric Acid, Vitamin E

PS -Did I mention they’re Fair Trade for their ingredients? 

Sundance Channel Documentary Snippet 

Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap - Fair Trade: 

Use of Hemp in Magic Soap