Shameless Plug

I have no problem bragging about a product that I love so today I'm going to share my love for Dr. Bronner's Magic All One Soap. The soap is seriously amazing. It is made from highly concentrated organic hemp and jojoba oils. This soap lathers like you wouldn't believe with just a few drops. It comes in lavendar, almond, peppermint and unscented varieties but by far my favorite is the peppermint oil soap. Aside from being cool, tingly, and refreshing peppermint oil has also been found to kill bacteria. And, when the steam of the shower mixes with the concentrated peppermint oil it also really opens your sinuses. There is nothing better than taking a deep breath of peppermint scent when your nose is all stuffy!

Dr. Bronner's can be used for basically everything. I wash my hair, face, and body with it. This means my shower contains only ONE plastic bottle. So, while I'm using an amazing soap I'm also making an environmentally friendly decision. In a pinch I've also used Bronner's diluted in water to brush my teeth (although it didn't taste great my mouth was clean!) The label tells you it can be used as laundry detergent or for cleaning around the house. If you search online you will find people claiming it removes warts, plaque/tartar on teeth, kills fleas on animals, and acts as an insect repellent. The soap comes in a quart container and I pay about $13 for a bottle here in Chicago.

One of the best parts about Bronner's is its history. Emanuel Bronner started his company around 1947 in California after escaping from a mental institution here in the Chicago area (Elgin). The soaps are all natural and organic and today his son and grandson still run the company exactly the way Emanuel would have wanted. They have 15 employees who bottle all the soap by hand (about 2 million bottles a year) in a factory that does no environmental harm and contains no machinery.

If you've ever seen a bottle of Bronner's you know that the label is a treat of its own. Every inch is covered with texts from world religions and philosophies. It was Emanuel's quoting (or maybe ranting) about religion and morality that put him in a mental institution in Illinois. In the early days of the company Dr. Bronner's son Ralph was in charge of hand typing all of the text for the labels.

Dr. Bronner also had a heart of compassion. Not something I see in most CEOs. Over the years he and his company have funded an orphanage in China, a school in Mexico, freshwater wells in Ghana, provided college scholarships, built homeless shelters, helped Boys and Girls Clubs, and spent $1 million saving rainforests. The company has no marketing deparment and no salesmen and do not advertise. Yet word of mouth has spread Bronner's to every healthfood store in the US and even some major chains. It has even been featured in Vogue and many models are said to demand it in dressing rooms and during photoshoots.

My skin feels amazing since using Bronners. Its always a crisp wakeup call when I'm drowsy and aside from feeling fresh and clean on the outside my conscience feels fresh and clean too knowing that I'm doing the right thing. So, buy a bottle, get clean, be inspired by the words on the label and support a small family owned business that is doing right for the environment and doing good to the inhabitants of this earth!

Happy bathing.

Love, Vanessa