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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 biodegradability and the manufacturing waste stream. 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.
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What
are the uses and dilutions for Dr. Bronner’s soap?
Although the label claims eighteen uses, there is not the space to
write all these uses on the label and still accommodate for Dr.
Bronner’s philosophy, as well as the new labeling laws that
are periodically implemented. In reality, there are far more than
eighteen uses, as people constantly write in to explain yet
another utility of the soap. Following are some of the major uses and
dilutions.
For
everyday body-washing: Get wet and pour soap
full-strength onto hands or washcloth or loofah. Lather up, scrub down,
rinse off, and tingle fresh and clean.
For
shampoo: people have been saying for years that they like
using Dr. Bronner’s soaps to shampoo their hair. Now, paired
with the new Citrus Conditioning Rinse and Organic Leave-In
Conditioning Crème, it works better than ever. See
below “Can I shampoo and condition my hair
organically?”
For
the laundry: use 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup for one regular load;
adjust as needed depending on hardness of water. Adding a dash of
baking soda makes it even better.
For
pets: lather up well and apply to their body. Be careful
to keep the soap and the lather away from their eyes. A mixture of
peppermint and eucalyptus works best.
For
toothbrushing: apply a drop or two of Dr.
Bronner’s Magic Soap (peppermint is good) to a wet
toothbrush. Brush as you normally would, rinsing accordingly. Be
careful about using more than a couple drops of soap, as you might
start foaming at the mouth! Many people with sensitive or softer teeth
like to use Dr. Bronner’s soap as toothpaste because it lacks
abrasives.
For
cleaning: dilute from one part soap into 40 parts water
for light cleaning, to cutting it in half or using it full strength for
heavy-duty grease-cutting jobs.
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Can
I shampoo and condition my hair organically?
YES!
1) Shampoo with your favourite Dr. Bronner’s soap. True soaps
clean hair well but can leave a tangly look & feel;
however…
2) Rinsing with our new Organic Shikakai Conditioning Rinse results in
spectacular look and feel! Just stir 1-2 capfuls of this rinse into a
cup of water, close eyes and slowly pour while massaging into hair.
Keep hand combing hair until hair feels entirely sleek (~30 seconds).
Rinse out well. Repeat if necessary in extra hard water conditions or
with longer hair.
3) After drying lightly with a towel, massage in Dr.
Bronner’s new Organic Leave-In Conditioning
Crème for added silkiness and softness.
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My liquid soap turned cloudy. What happened, and what should I do to clear
it up again?
Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps are so concentrated that they are
nearly solid. Thus, when the temperature drops to about 10° C,
the fatty acids begin to solidify and cloud out. Just put the soap in a
warm room, or warm water, and it will clear up at about 20° C.
But clear or cloudy, the soap works just the same.
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Do Dr. Bronner’s soaps contain any foaming agents/detergents
like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate?
Absolutely not. Dr. Bronner’s soaps are 100% true
pure-castile soaps. The high foaming lather of the 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
slower biodegradability and the manufacturing waste stream.
Unfortunately, many synthetic detergent blends are deceptively labeled
as "Liquid Soap" even when they contain absolutely no soap whatsoever.
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What
makes a product organic?
The term "organic" refers to both sustainable farming practices and to
products ecologically made from materials produced on certified organic
farms. For a product to have organic integrity it must be
farmed or made from products farmed in a way that maintains and
replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic pesticides and/or
fertilizers, and it must also be produced without the use of
antibiotics, synthetic hormones, irradiation, sewage sludge, or other
excluded practices. Organic products not only support sustainable
farming, but also farm worker health and ecological processing methods.
Unfortunately, the hollow market-driven needs of some "natural" body
care companies are making a mockery of organic principles. Underneath
fluffy, feel-good "organic" floral waters and infusions, many "organic"
body care products are really just composed of the same synthetic
cleansers, conditioners and preservatives found in mainstream products,
often in part or wholly derived from petroleum. Culprit companies are
inflating organic content by counting ordinary distilled water in
"floral water" as organic, a practice which is not allowed under the US
National Organic Program.
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What
is the difference between a product that is certified organic and one
that is just organic?
A product that is certified organic has been audited by an accredited
organisation, ensuring products meet requirements for organic
certification. If a product is ‘just
organic’ and has no certification, there can be no guarantees
that in fact this product is truly organic.
To be certified as:
100
percent organic: Product must contain (excluding water and
salt) only organically produced ingredients.
Organic:
Product must contain at least 95 percent organically produced
ingredients (excluding water and salt). Remaining product
ingredients must consist of approved non-agricultural substances or
approved nonorganically produced agricultural products that are not
commercially available in organic form.
Made
with organic ingredients: Products must contain at least
70 percent organic ingredients and product label can list up to three
of the organic ingredients on the principal display panel. For example,
body lotion made with at least 70 percent organic ingredients
(excluding water and salt) and only organic herbs may be labelled
either “body lotion made with organic lavender, rosemary, and
chamomile,” or “body lotion made with organic
herbs.” These products may not display the certification logo.
Products containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients
cannot use the term “organic” anywhere on the
principal display panel. However, they may identify the specific
ingredients that are certified as being organically produced on the
information panel. These products may not display the
certification logo.
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How
are Dr Bronner’s products certified?
Dr. Bronner’s certified organic products carry USDA Organic
Certification. This certification is widely recognised as a
benchmark for organic certification.
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How can consumers be sure that a product is certified organic?
The only way customers can be assured they are purchasing truly organic products is to purchase products which carry an official logo.
Dr. Bronner‘s products are certified by Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) and carry either or both of the following logos:
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How
can organic beauty products be certified in Australia?
A recognised organic certifying organisation audits a
business’ methods to ensure that they comply with national or
international standards for organic farming and processing.
The peak body is Australian Certified Organic.
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What
is the difference between organic and biodynamic?
Organic agriculture places primary importance on soil health, eschewing
synthetic chemicals, which pollute the environment and deplete
nutrients and microorganisms in the soil. Organinc agriculture is
characterized by the use of natural soil amendments, manual/ mechanical
weed control, nontoxic pest management, and sustainable animal
husbandry.
Biodynamic agriculture meets organic standards but predates the organic
movement by about 20 years.
Based on Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner's notion of the farm and
earth as self-sustaining organisms, it involves the application (to
compost, crops, and soil) of several strictly formulated plant
"preparations", and times all operations to coincide with cosmic
rhythms, particularly lunar cycles.
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Where
do Dr. Bronner’s source their organic ingredients?
Dr. Bronner’s organic ingredients are sourced from all around
the world. Hemp oil comes from the Canadian supplier Farmer
Direct and is certified “Fair Deal”, where farm
workers are paid fair wages and famers are paid fair prices.
Fair Trade olive oil comes from Palestine and Israel. Palm oil for the
bar soaps comes from a Fair Trade project in Ghana, and coconut oil is
from the Fair Trade “Serendipol” project in Sri
Lanka, directly managed in part by Dr. Bronner’s own
representatives.
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Are
certified organic products more expensive to produce than non-organic
skincare products?
The intensive management and labour used in organic production means
organic products are frequently, although not always, more expensive to
produce than non-organic skin care products that are made from
ingredients that are produced using synthetic pesticides and
fertilisers.
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Why
are organic ingredients good for the skin?
Organic ingredients are quite simply good for you and good for the
planet! They are not derived from petrochemicals or
synthesised artificially and they are not produced using synthetic
fertilisers or pesticides and contain no genetically modified
organisms. Using organic skin and body care products shows
you are not just concerned about your own health and appearance but
also committed to the health of the environment.
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Why
is organic grain alcohol used in the lotions?
Organic grain alcohol (ethanol) is used as a natural preservative at a
level that helps absorption without being drying.
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Why
is ‘naked’ unscented lotion no longer made?
Under US law, the certified organic grain alcohol Dr.
Bronner’s products use must be
“denatured” or rendered undrinkable by adding one
of various approved substances. The only options to do this
naturally and organically are a small amount (~0.18%) of peppermint,
lavender or rosemary essential oils. The Lavender Coconut variety is
“lightly scented” as it contains only the small
amount of organic lavender oil needed to denature the organic alcohol.
Since no other fragrance is added, the natural delicious coconut
fragrance of our organic extra virgin coconut oil combines with the
small amount of lavender for a subtle, sublime scent.
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Where can I find out more about the Dr. Bronner company?
The Dr. Bronner’s US website has a wealth of information on the history of Dr. Bronner’s company, its unique founder Emanuel Bronner and his philosophies, activism, Fair Trade, truth in organic labeling, media clippings and videos. [www.drbronner.com]
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