Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile vs. Sugar Soaps
If Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap is so versatile, why make another kind of soap, the Organic Sugar Soaps? Which should I buy?
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap is an extremely simple soap. It is my grandfather’s original, and if you have only heard of one Dr. Bronner’s product, it’s probably the Castile Soap and probably the Peppermint. Its method of reacting oils with a strong alkali is millenia old; someone from the middle ages looking at our soap-making process would understand exactly what we are doing. The art of creating the perfect Castile Soap, though, lies in the choice and balance of oils as well as other processing methods. When you have the perfect Castile Soap, it is the most versatile cleaning agent possible. If you had to choose only one cleaning product for every aspect of your life, Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap is it. However, through the years, we have repeatedly heard a few requests:
- “It would be nice if the Castile Soap were thicker.”
- “It would be nice if it were more moisturizing.”
- “It would be nice if it worked in a pump.”
- “It would be nice if it were USDA certified organic.”*
Enter the Organic Sugar Soaps
The Organic Sugar soap is based on the Pure-Castile Liquid Soap but the addition of a few ingredients makes all four of these desires a reality.
The Organic Sugar Soap drops the water from the Castile Soap and adds organic white grape juice, organic sucrose, and organic Shikakai powder. Here’s how each benefits:
Organic White Grape Juice:
- Acts as a humectant, which is something that helps the skin retain its natural moisture.
Organic Sucrose:
- Also a humectant (which is why sugar scrubs are so popular for the body).
- Caramelized sucrose keeps the soap from coagulating and clogging the pumps.
Organic Shikakai Powder
- Conditions skin and hair as it cleanses – Shikakai is derived from a south Asian tree, the Acacia concinna, and has long been used in traditional Indian body care as a moisturizing skin and body cleanser.
- Thickening agent.
- Read more about the amazing qualities of Shikakai on my post, Benefits of Shikakai Powder for Hair and Body.
Why use one soap over the other?
Personal care
The Organic Sugar Soap is more moisturizing and works in a traditional pump dispenser. Other than that, it is mostly a matter of personal preference. The two soaps feel different. They smell different. They react differently on different skin types. If you are in love with the Pure-Castile Soaps, chances are, you are not going to like the pumps. If you’ve turned away from the Pure-Castile Soap because of dryness or intensity, the Organic Sugar Soaps are your answer.
House cleaning
The Pure-Castile Soap is the only way to go. Your household surfaces do not need to be moisturized (for the most part), and the ingredients that provide the moisturizing after feel on your skin make it a little more difficult to rinse off of hard surfaces. Also, the very slight graininess of the Shikakai powder (kind of like cinnamon) might clog spray bottles.
A final note
There is no difference in the formulation of the two sizes of Organic Sugar Soaps. The 12 oz. bottle is more conducive to sink-side, hand-washing use, and the 24 oz. lends more towards in-shower, whole-body washing. There is also a refill half gallon size.
*A few questions that might come to mind:
Why doesn’t the Pure-Castile soap have the USDA organic seal?
In order for a product to qualify for the USDA organic seal, it must be made with 95% organic materials. However, for our Castile soap making process to work correctly, we must add over 7% of the alkali (sodium or potassium hydroxide) to the oil blend. Also bear in mind that substances such as water, salt, and hydroxides are all by nature inorganic, which means they do not come from a plant source. Therefore, the term “organic” can never apply to them. The water content in the Pure Castile Soap is not included in the organic percentage calculation. The Pure-Castile Soap does carry the label “Made with Organic Oils”. However, the Organic Sugar Soap does not use water, but rather organic white grape juice, for the reasons mentioned above. The organic white grape juice does count in the organic calculation and brings the pump soaps above the 95% threshold.
Why not replace water with white grape juice in the pure Castile Soap?
The beauty of the Castile Soap is its simplicity. And it is this very simplicity that makes the Pure-Castile Soap so very versatile. Once we start fancifying it with anything, the soap will lose some of its attractiveness as well as its usefulness.
Is the Organic Sugar Soap as effective as the Pure-Castile Soap in eliminating germs?
Yes, the cleaning action of the Organic Sugar Soap is just as effective as the Pure-Castile Soap. They both latch on to germs and grime and carry them away. The recommendations for cleaning hands are the same: wash for 20 seconds, rinse well, and dry.
Further reading
- Benefits of Shikakai for Hair and Body
- Warding off Dry Skin with Dr. Bronner’s Soaps
- 12 Personal Care Ingredients to Avoid
- Shaving with Dr. Bronner’s
This use and many more are in my book, Soap & Soul: A Practical Guide to Minding Your Home, Your Body, and Your Spirit with Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, available now in hardback on DrBronner.com.au or at your favorite bookseller, and as an eBook and audiobook (read by me!) from wherever you download or listen.
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