My Review of Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Liquid Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap
Geri McClymont is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle which includes using organic products in her home.
Dr. Bronner's Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap
Geri McClymont
A Multipurpose Cleaner
I had heard of Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap off and on for years but never paid much attention to it until recently.
Once I became aware of the toxic chemicals found in most soaps, shampoos, laundry detergents and household cleaning products, I started exploring products with organic ingredients.
I remembered Dr. Bronner's Soap, took a closer look, and especially liked that it was described as a multipurpose cleaner. In fact, this soap claims to wash everything from your skin to your floors.
Although I was somewhat skeptical, I decided to give it a go. After all, as a minimalist, this product could take minimalism to a whole new level for me!
This review is based on my personal experiences using Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 liquid Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap to wash my skin, hair, clothing, and dishes.
Who Was Dr. Bronner?
Dr. Bronner was born Emanuel Heilbronner in Germany in 1908 to Jewish-German parents who were later killed during the Holocaust. His family began making soap in 1858 and began making and selling their first liquid castile soap in the late 1800s under the "Madaform" brand.
In 1929, Emil emigrated to the U.S. and shortly thereafter, he dropped "Heil" from his last name. A decade later, he adopted the title "Dr."—hence the name "Dr. Bronner." In 1948, he founded Dr. Bronner's and the production of liquid Peppermint castile soap began.
What Does 18-in-1 Mean?
18-in-1 refers to using one soap for 18 different purposes. The specific uses of this product were rather hard to locate on the bottle because the label is completely saturated in fine print.
Here's what I found on the bottle:
- washing hands, face, body and hair
- washing dishes, laundry, and mopping floor
- bathing dog
- removing residue from fruits and vegetables
- keeping bugs off plants
- shaving face, underarms, and legs
- degreasing
- all purpose cleaner
- washing shower and tub
This video better explains the 18 specific uses of this product:
Ingredients in Dr. Bronner's Liquid Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap (in the order listed on the bottle)
| Ingredients | Description |
|---|---|
Water |
|
Organic coconut oil | oil extracted from fresh coconuts |
Potassium hyroxide | an inorganic compound, commonly known as caustic potash |
Organic palm kernel oil | a highly saturated vegetable fat derived from the kernel of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis |
Organic olive oil | a liquid fat obtained from olives |
Mentha arvensis | a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae |
Organic hemp oil | obtained by pressing hemp seeds |
Organic jojoba oil | the liquid produced in the seed of the Jojoba plant |
Mentha piperita | a hybrid commonly known as peppermint, which is a cross between watermint and spearmint |
Citric acid | a weak organic acid that ocurrs naturally in citrus fruits |
Tocopherol | an organic chemical compound with Vitamin E activity |
The Ingredients
In case you were wondering, castile soap is an olive-oil-based soap made in a way similar to that originating in the Castile region of Spain.
Most of the ingredients in this soap appear to be truly organic.
The second ingredient listed on the bottle, potassium hydroxide, raised a red flag for me when I discovered that Wikipedia describes it as "dangerously corrosive" and states that "potassium hydroxide and its solutions are severe irritants to skin and other tissue."
However, the label on the bottle of Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap reads, "None (of the potassium hydroxide) remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin." This appears to indicate that the saponifying process, which is basically the process of making soap, cancels out any corrosive effects of the potassium hydroxide.
The peppermint plant.
Pixabay
Read More From Bellatory
How to Dilute Dr. Bronner's Liquid Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap (based on directions on the bottle)
| To Wash... | Soap-to-Water Ratio | Additional Directions |
|---|---|---|
hands, face and body | one small squirt to wet hands or washcloth |
|
hair | 1/2 tbsp. in wet hair | work into wet hair, rinse with Dr. Bronner's Citrus Organic Hair Rinse |
dishes | 1:10 | Wash dishes by hand / works best in soft water |
laundry | 1/3 cup soap in large load | Add 1/2 cup vinegar to rinse cycle |
floor | 1/2 cup soap to 3 gallons hot water |
|
dog | after wetting dog's fur, massage enough soap into fur to get good lather | Rinse throroughly |
fruits and vegetables | a dash of soap in a bowl of water | Rinse clean |
all-purpose cleaner | 1/4 cup soap to quart of water | use spray bottle |
bug spray for plants | 1 tbsp. soap in quart of water | May add a dash of cayenne |
to shave face, underarms, legs | 5-10 drops in wet hands | lather soap in hands and apply to skin |
Benefits of Peppermint Oil
My Experiences and Results
I Used Dr. Bronner's Soap To:
- wash my skin and hair
- do my laundry
- wash my dishes
As of today, I have used this product for a period of two months.
Skin
I kept a small squirt bottle of the undiluted soap by my bathroom sink and used one squirt each time I washed my hands. I also used a squirt bottle in the shower and squirted the undiluted soap directly onto my washcloth.
The invigorating peppermint aroma alone made this soap very pleasant to use. My hands and body felt clean after washing with this product. It did not irritate my skin or cause any adverse effects on it.
I found that the cap on my squirt bottle clogged easily, so I ended up pouring the undiluted soap into a pump bottle, which worked much better for both washing my hands and showering.
Hair
I confess I was quite reluctant to use this product for my hair, but I gave it a shot.
I can't say it worked for me as a shampoo. I used the recommended soap-to-water ratio, lathered as well as I could, and found that my hair ended up looking and feeling somewhat greasy.
I tried using more soap, and although I did get more of a lather this way, it did not seem to help in terms of the greasy appearance and sensation.
I did not use Dr. Bronners's Citrus Organic Hair Rinse, as recommended on the bottle of this product.
I think I will stick to my own shampoo for my hair, and possibly use this product as a shampoo for future camping trips only.
Laundry
I used 1/4 cup of soap for each medium size load I washed, and slightly less for smaller loads. I added vinegar to my wash as recommended (something I used to do anyway).
My clothes, towels, and sheets smelled fresh and clean, and the peppermint scent was so soothing as I removed my laundry from the washer and from the dryer. This made doing my laundry slightly more enjoyable.
Dishes
Rather than prepare a solution with a 1:10 ratio of soap-to-water as recommended, I decided to simply use a squirt bottle with the undiluted soap and use one squirt at a time on my kitchen washcloth as I washed my dishes by hand.
I replaced the squirt bottle with a pump bottle shortly thereafter.
I found that this soap lathered and washed my dishes easily, leaving them looking and smelling fresh and clean. I loved the refreshing peppermint aroma, which also made washing my dishes more relaxing and pleasant.
Is It Cost-Effective?
I purchased a 40 oz. bottle on Amazon for $18.99 two months ago and currently have a little less than a quarter of the bottle left.
I wash about two medium sized loads of laundry per week, and I shower and wash dishes daily.
I find this product to be highly cost-effective, especially based on the ingredients and the results I have experienced.
Conclusion
Overall, Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap was a winner for me.
I Intend to Continue to Use This Soap To:
- wash my hands and body
- do my laundry
- wash my dishes
What I like Most About This Product:
- It has all organic ingredients.
- I love the invigorating peppermint scent.
- I can control the soap-to-water ratio.
- I can use the same soap for my laundry, dishes and skin.
Dr. Bronner's Factory Tour: Liquid Soap Production
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
Questions & Answers
Question: Can I use Dr. Bronner's hemp castile soap to clean glass or windows?
Answer: I have personally never used it to clean glass or windows, but according to the video I posted, you can. I would follow the recommended soap-to-water ratio for an all-purpose cleaner which is 1/4 cup soap to 1 quart water, in a spray bottle.
© 2019 Geri McClymont
Comments
Wesley williamson on March 28, 2020:
Help save the planet.save money
c on October 24, 2019:
All soap must contain a highly corrosive and high pH ingredient, either caustic soda or caustic potash, because it is required for the chemical reaction to turn a fat/oil into a chemical that can dissolve both oil and water. There was no reason to be concerned about this ingredient.
