Castile Soap

I fell in love with a product that is (IMHO) ABSOLUTELY great at cleansing my hair in addition to other magnificent uses. I tell anyone who will listen about castile soap. My favorite brand is Dr. Bronner. Most likely, one can find it nearly everywhere.


My Pros:
1. Can be diluted
2. A little goes a LONG way
3. Multiple uses
4. Variety of scents and one unscented
5. Contains NO SLS (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates)
6. Non-damaging to the hair
7. Awesome lather
8. Vegetable oil based, safe on our pipes
9. No Synthetic Foaming Agents, Thickeners or Preservatives
10. Comes in various scents: **Peppermint, Lavender, **Almond, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, **Unscented Baby-Mild, Rose and Citrus Orange

**denotes the scents I have personally tried (Almond is my personal favorite)


My Con:
1. Can be drying to the hair

Here's a link to the site and a couple of their FAQs: http://www.drbronner.com

INGREDIENTS: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut*, Organic Palm* and Organic Olive* Oils (w/Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Essential Oils**, Citric Acid, Vitamin E


* FAIR TRADE Ingredients

** Available in Peppermint, Lavender, Almond, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Unscented Baby-Mild, Rose and Citrus Orange


All soaps are not only certified by Oregon Tilth to the same rigorous USDA National Organic Program standards that certify organic foods, but also are certified Fair Trade by the respected Swiss certifier IMO.


What does "Castile" mean? Is the bar soap also a castile soap like the liquid? What is the difference between the bar and liquid soaps?
In earlier centuries, an all-vegetable based soap was made in the Castile region of Spain from local olive oil. By the turn of this century, "Castile" had come to mean any vegetable oil-based soap, versus animal (tallow) fat-based soap. "Pure-Castile" is now also your guarantee that what you are using is a real ecological and simple soap, not a complex blend of detergents with a higher ecological impact due to the waste stream during manufacture and slower biodegradability. Unfortunately, many synthetic detergent blends are deceptively labeled as "Liquid Soap" even when they contain absolutely no soap whatsoever.


Both our bar and liquid soaps are pure-castile, as they are all vegetable oil-based. The bar soap wrappers prominently state that they, too, are pure-castile, like our liquid soaps. The difference between the liquid and bar soaps is that the liquid soaps use potassium hydroxide to saponify the vegetable oils, versus sodium hydroxide used to make the hard bar soaps.


Do your soaps contain any foaming agents/detergents like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Absolutely not. Our soaps are 100% true pure-castile soaps. The high foaming lather of our soaps is from their high coconut oil content, which makes a more luxurious and rich lather than any detergent can ever create. "Pure-Castile" is your guarantee that what you are using is a real ecological and simple soap, not a complex blend of detergents with a higher ecological impact due to the waste stream during manufacture and slower biodegradability. Unfortunately, many synthetic detergent blends are deceptively labeled as "Liquid Soap" even when they contain absolutely no soap whatsoever.

There are tons of uses for liquid Castile soap. It is the perfect all-in-one cleaner. Liquid Castile soap is SUPERMILD & can simply do it all without fouling up the environment (biodegradable-or shall I say for all of our "GREEN" folks...very earth friendly).

Here's some examples:
Shampoo - Cleans your hair without stripping away the natural oils.

Shave - A few drops in your hand make a wonderful lather for a refreshing shave.

Body - Use directly (diluted or full-strength), on loofa, washcloth, sponge for an invigorating shower or bath.

Hand Soap - Gentle on you hands and tough on dirt.

Foot Soak – Add a capful in a foot soaker of warm water.

Bubble Bath/Baby Bath – Just add 1-2 caps full in running water for a luxurious bath; a gently safe way to bathe yourself or the baby.


Clothing/Diapers - Use it to clean a spot or your entire laundry. It leaves diapers fluffy and soft without any irritating residues.


Fruit Wash - A couple of dashes in water cleans pesticide residues off you fruits and vegetables.


Family Pets - The gentle way to groom your pets that brings out the natural luster of their coats (Personally I use the unscented on my 4-legged babies).

Jewelry Cleaner - Just add 1 Tbls. of soap to 1 cup of warm/hot water...makes jewelry shine.

General Use Cleaner - Its naturally powerful cleaning ability will get your floors, counters, bathrooms, and kitchen utensils spotlessly clean.

Travelers, Backpackers, and Campers - The perfect all-in-one cleaner. One soap simply does it all without fouling up the environment (biodegradable).

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT the author of any of the following recipes. I found them by researching on the web. I chose to add them because some people prefer to make their own products and sometimes don’t know where to look for recipes; in addition to this, I am showing how the product can be “STRETCHED”. I have used some of the recipes for myself and FOR ME, they have worked exceptionally well. I am not responsible for your outcomes. Please remember…homemade shampoos will work differently for everyone. Try altering the ratios of ingredients if you are not happy with the results. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Do YOUR research.


Natural Shampoo Base Ingredients:
¼ cup water
¼ cup castile soap
½ teaspoon of (extra virgin) olive oil
5 – 10 drops of your favorite EO

Instructions: Mix together all ingredients and place into shampoo bottle.


Essential Oil Shampoo Ingredients:
½ cup water
½ cup fresh lavender
2 tablespoons of glycerin
½ cup Natural Shampoo Base
Essential Oils: 5 drops of ANY


Instructions: Mix water and lavender together into a heavy bottom pot and bring to a boil. Let boil gently for at least twenty minutes. Let cool slightly and add basic shampoo mixture and glycerin slowly to herbal mixture. Mix well. Pour shampoo into container and let stand for a few days to allow the mixture to thicken. Use as you would your regular shampoo.


Avocado-Jasmine Shampoo Ingredients:
½ cup Natural Shampoo Base
½ cup aloe vera gel
¾ teaspoon avocado oil
¾ teaspoon jasmine essential oil

Instructions: Mix together all ingredients. Place into a clean container preferably with a screw-on lid. Let mixture set for a few hours to allow to thicken and the scents to take hold. Work into hair as usual and allow to sit for several minutes. Rinse as usual and style.


Basic Shampoo for Normal Hair Ingredients:
¼ cup water
¼ cup liquid Castile Soap
½ tsp light vegetable oil

Instructions: Mix all ingredients until well combined. Store mixture in an airtight container at room temperature. Massage through wet hair and into scalp. Rinse well.


Scalp-Soothing Shampoo Ingredients:
3 bags chamomile tea
3 bags peppermint tea
1 cup water
2 Tbsp liquid Castile soap
1 tsp light vegetable oil

Instructions: Bring water to a boil. Steep all six tea bags for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Remove tea bags and add liquid soap and vegetable oil to brewed tea and stir until well blended. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Massage generously into hair and scalp. Rinse well.


Moisturizing Shampoo for Dry or Damaged Hair Ingredients:
¼ cup liquid Castile Soap
¼ cup aloe vera gel
1 tsp glycerin
¼ tsp light vegetable oil

Instructions: Mix all ingredients until well combined. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, and shake before every use. Apply liberally to wet hair and let sit a few minutes before rinsing well with cool water.


Lightening Shampoo for Natural Highlights:
¼ cup liquid Castile Soap
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup water
1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions: Mix all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat 1-2 minutes until heated through but not boiling. Cool to room temperature and strain out lemon zest. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Shampoo hair as usual, rinse well.


Herbal Shampoo for Dandruff Relief Ingredients:
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp fresh thyme
2 Tbsp coconut flakes
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
2 Tbsp of liquid Castile soap
1 tsp light vegetable oil.


Instructions: Bring water to a boil. Steep herbs and coconut flakes in boiling water for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and strain solids from water. Add other ingredients and mix until well combined. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Apply amply to wet hair and massage into scalp before rinsing well with cool water.