It’s been 12 years since I originally wrote about washing my hair with Dr. Bronner’s soap, so I thought it was time to update this post and let you know how it’s going. I’ve washed my hair quite a lot since then.
I still wash my hair with soap, and I love it even more now than I did then.
I love that I can wash myself with one product from head to toe. In my early morning pre-tea fog, I appreciate this so much. Most of the time I use the Castile Liquid Soap—usually Almond, sometimes Citrus. If my hair is feeling extra dry, I go up to the Organic Sugar Soap—Lemongrass Lime—with its sugar and Shikakai powder to give extra nourishment. (Sugar is a humectant which draws moisture into skin and hair. Shikakai softens skin and hair.)
And when it’s really dry here in Southern California, like when the Santa Ana winds roar out of the desert, sucking every last drop of moisture from all forms of life, I use the Organic Shaving Soap. That’s the most moisturizing of the Dr. Bronner’s soap line, and great for more than just shaving.
So let me take you back to the beginning. To why I started washing my hair with soap instead of shampoo and how I survived the transition.
My motivation
When I started learning about problematic ingredients in personal care products, I noticed a disturbing trend. All the ingredients that populated the “12 Worst” and “Avoid These” lists were common in shampoos. Ethoxylated compounds like Sodium Laureth Sulfate (not to be confused with its cousin Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, aka SLS), Polyethylene Glycol, and other -eths with the carcinogenic stowaway 1,4-Dioxane. Quaternium compounds and Ureas which are common allergens and formaldehyde-releasers, another known carcinogen. Ethanolamines, aka DEA, MEA, TEA, which readily react with nitrogen compounds in the air or in other ingredients to form skin-penetrating carcinogenic nitrosamines.
It was time to find another way to wash my hair. But I still wanted my hair to look good. Who doesn’t?
Choosing an acidic rinse
I knew that one key to success was going to be an acidic rinse. A trait that differentiates soap from shampoo is its pH, which is whether something is acidic or alkaline. Soap is always alkaline. Shampoo is acidic. The keratin scales of hair strands raise up in the presence of an alkaline (soap). I’ve heard people describe their hair feeling sticky or tacky after washing with soap, or it’s dull or easily tangles or it feels like Velcro. All of this is because of the raised keratin scales. The scales must be smoothed back down with a balancing acidic rinse.
Here are three great options, and my dilutions. Bear in mind that I have fairly long hair. Shorter hair may need less or even none, as I’ll discuss with my husband and son:
- Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Hair Rinse: 1 or 2 capfuls diluted in 1 cup of water
- Apple cider vinegar (ACV): ½ cup in ½ cup water
- Lemon Juice (filtered to remove all pulp): 1/3 cup in 2/3 cup water
- (Take note that lemon juice is not shelf stable and needs to be kept in the fridge.)
Basic method
- Wash hair with soap of your choice. Rinse out.
- Apply rinse of your choice, finger combing through the hair. Let it sit for 1-3 minutes. Rinse out.
My first hair wash with soap (anticlimax)
The first time I washed my hair with soap I was frankly horrified. What I realized is that conventional conditioners had been coating my hair with silicones, usually dimethicone, which accounted for that slippery post-shower feel. However, not only did those weigh down my hair, but also they concealed its neglected malnourished state. So the first time I washed my hair with soap which removed this coating, my hair looked awful. By the end of that day, it was completely limp and lifeless. It was full of static and didn’t even feel clean. I was so discouraged that I gave up the attempt.
My second hair wash with soap (months later)
It was several months later that I decided to try again. I washed my hair with soap, again found my hair to be the same tired overworked mess, but I had a different resolve.
I knew my hair needed to heal.
Tactics I used to ease the transition
- Once a week I did deep conditioning treatments, where I left a masque on my hair for about 10 minutes. Hair strands are comprised of two or three layers. Fine hair has only two layers. The outermost layer, or cuticle, is made of keratin in an arrangement of overlapping-scales. This covers the inner cortex, which is solid keratin. Thicker hair has a central shaft called the medulla. I needed a deep conditioning treatment that would penetrate into these layers. At the time I used a brand of conditioning masque that isn’t now available, but now I use coconut oil (a pea-sized amount on my long, thick hair) or the Dr. Bronner’s Hair Crème.
- I doubled down on the five lifestyle habits that most impact hair (and skin!): good nutrition, plenty of water, plenty of sleep, exercise, and laughter. When these are not in place, the hair is sure to show it.
- Once a week I used my previous shampoo and conditioner. This might have been more of a psychological help than a restorative one to my hair. But using the old comfortable stuff once a week made me feel better about the whole thing and got me through, so that’s worth something.
- I let the acidic rinse sit on my hair for most of my shower to give my hair lots of time to smooth.
- I used 1-2 pumps of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hair Crème after each hair washing, which is a leave-in conditioner that is like lotion for hair. I would apply it while my hair was still damp after I had brushed it out, concentrating on the lower half of my hair which tends to be dryer since it is further from the sebum-producing scalp.
Over a period of two weeks, my hair got stronger and stronger. It became soft and silky. I think my scalp realized it needed to wake up and supply some necessary oils, too. Without those silicone residues, my hair does not feel slippery when I’m done, but it is tangle-free, and when it dries, it is smooth and soft.
I also discovered that my hair is much wavier than I knew, now that it’s not weighed down by all the conditioner residues. That’s been kind of fun. I have discovered that if I gently scrunch the Hair Crème into my hair and let it air dry, the waves are more pronounced.
My other takeaways
I use a dab of the Hair Crème to smooth flyaways on dry hair, especially if I am going for more of a structured style like a braid or twist.
I also have found that I don’t need to wash my hair very often. The most I’ll wash it is every two days, but sometimes I go three or four with it still looking nice. I’m really pleased with my hair now that I’ve gotten used to this different system.
Remember that for me, it wasn’t an instant switch. It took some time for my hair to adjust, for my scalp to adjust, and even for my own norms to adjust. But it has so been worth it. My hair is healthier, stronger, and most importantly, I like how it looks.
Hair washing with Bar Soap
The Castile Bar Soap also works excellently for washing hair. Two members of my household use it regularly: my husband and my son. The only reason I do not is that it takes a while to work it all the way through my long hair. However, when traveling and I haven’t wanted to bring the liquid for risk of spilling, or when for some reason I don’t have the liquid on hand, the bar soap has been a great substitute.
Another great way to use the bar soap on hair is to make up a batch of Soap Cream, which is a semi-liquified bar soap. This would work through the hair more quickly.
Washing traditionally colored hair
If you’ve been on board with this whole discussion of soap for hairwashing, I may derail you: it is not recommended to wash traditionally colored hair with an alkaline cleanser. Soap is always alkaline. The reason goes back to the fact that the alkalinity of soap opens up the hair follicles. This is precisely where traditional hair dye is stored. The color will drain out and fade quickly. Colored hair needs acidic products only. Check the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database for healthy color-safe hair care options.
Washing Henna-dyed hair
Henna-dyed hair does not have this same caution and can be washed with soap. Henna works by staining the outer keratin of the cuticle, rather than storing the dye inside the cortex. Soap will not affect this stain.
Washing highlighted hair
Highlighted hair also is safe with soap. Highlights work by removing some of the color of hair, not by adding color in. Unless you have also added lowlights back into the hair, you can wash highlighted hair with soap. I have highlighted hair myself and cover this topic in greater detail in another article.
Finding what works best for you
It takes some time and tinkering to land on a routine that works best. Our hair is all so very different from one another. And what we want from our hair is different. What one person calls sleek, another calls flat. What one person calls full of body, another calls wild and out of control.
You will need to decide whether to use the Castile Soap or the Organic Sugar Soaps or the Shaving Soap. Which rinse works best and how long to let the rinse sit on the hair. Whether to dry with a blow dryer or let it air dry. Whether to use the Organic Hair Crème on wet hair or dry hair. How many days you’ll need to wait for damaged hair to repair. I hope that seeing what worked for me will get you started.
For more tips and tricks on hair washing with soap and to find your perfect method, check out my colleague Rafi Loiederman’s excellent overview, The Definitive Guide to Washing your Hair with Dr. Bronner’s.
Further reading
- Benefits of Shikakai for Hair and Body
- Styling Long Hair with Dr. Bronner’s Hair Creme
- Simplifying the Shower
- Hair Masques 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 or at your favorite bookseller, and as an eBook and audiobook (read by me!) from wherever you download or listen.
Hi. I want to try the hair rinse, but I am concerned about my natural hair. It’s white in the front and gray on the rest. Will this stain my hair? Purple shampoos always stained my hair. Also my hair is very fine and delicate with an oily scalp. It breaks very easily. Thanks!
Hi Meredith- The Citrus Hair Rinse will not stain your hair. Be sure to dilute it in a cup of warm water so that it can flow easily through your hair. For the washing, with the combination of fine, delicate hair and an oily scalp, I’d consider the Tea Tree Sugar Soap. An alternate scent idea is the Lemongrass Lime Sugar Soap.
Hello,
I have color treated hair. I see it is not recommended to wash with the castile soap, but can I still use the Apple Cider Rinse on my color treated hair?
Hi Pam- That’s not a problem. The concern with color-treated hair is that the alkalinity of the soap, even though it is only mildly alkaline, causes the hair follicles to open and color can leach out. This is not an issue with an acidic rinse. In fact, products designed for color-treated hair are mildly acidic.
Can I use lime juice instead if I don’t have lemons?
Hi Cate- Yes, I do that myself.
Usually, I don’t like long blog posts but I loved this one! Not too much ‘talking’ but exact information, like a friend telling me 🙂
Thanks a lot!
I’m so glad it was helpful, Jasmin!
Hi – Is there anything you recommend to help mask the smell of the ACV? I’m using this method for my daughter, which seems to work great, but she can not stand the smell during the rinse. I thought about trying an essential oil but would love to have your input. I have also diluted it more but still too strong of a smell. Thank you!!
Hi Michelle – A couple ideas – First, different brands of ACV have different strengths of scents. The unfiltered or raw ACVs have the strongest scents, but you can sample a few different filtered ones and see if you can find a milder option. Also, a fun way to scent vinegar is to soak either citrus rinds or herbs like lavender in the vinegar. Take a mason jar, cut the rinds off of the fruit and fill the jar halfway, or fill the jar about half way with dried lavender blossoms. Fill the jar with the vinegar, cap it, swish it a bit, and let it sit for a few days. Strain out the solids. Lastly, I use lemon juice on my hair in place of the ACV. When lemons are in season, I juice them and freeze the juice, and then thaw as needed throughout the year. I dilute it like with ACV and pour it on my hair.
Unfortunately this did not work well for my hair which is fine in texture. There was lots of shredding, breakage, and all around drying. I gave it a shot by using the Sugar Soap followed by the Citrus Rinse. My hair afterwards felt very dry and dull which for fine hair is not ideal. I do not have the ability wait it out because the fine texture is very delicate. 🙁 The concept of moving towards a more organic source of hair care was exciting
Hi Julia – Here’s a resource that might be helpful: The Environmental Working Group’s “EWG Verified” list of shampoos: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/search/?category=shampoo&limit_to_ewgv=yes
Hello
I recently purchased Sal Suds, 18-1 Castile and 4-1 Peppermint sugar soap. I have been using the 4-1 for washing my hair/body for 6 weeks. I’m a swimmer and my hair is dry and lackluster. I cannot get my hair to lather. My hands slide right off my wet hair when applying the 4-1. I have to gently brush my hair under the shower water otherwise I cannot get a brush through it. I also use a diluted vinegar/water rinse. After my hair is dried it feels as if there’s a film covering it. I love using my soaps around the house etc . (We do not have hard water) I’m stumped with my hair issues.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Hi Julia – I’m sorry I missed your comment earlier this summer. In case you still have the question, or others are curious, here are some thoughts – The 4-in-1 Organic Sugar Soap is not as concentrated as the 18-in-1 Castile Soap. You’ll need a good bit more of the Sugar Soap to get the lather of the Castile. For comparison, I usually use the Castile, and need about 1/2 Tbsp. on my quite long hair. When I use the Sugar Soap (which is more moisturizing), I need about 2 Tbsp.
The second issue is the film you’re feeling, which may actually be a texture caused by the follicles not lying flat. (I find that this feels slightly tacky.) The follicles are impacted by the acidic rinse. To verify, are you diluting apple cider viengar in half in water? I don’t know your hair length – I use a cup of this combo. Let it sit on your hair for 30 seconds to a minute. Then rinse it out. The Dr. Bronner’s Hair Rinse might be a better option for you. It provides even more moisture. I’d use 2 capfuls in a cup of water. Then rinse it out.
Hello,
Is there a way to melt down a Dr Bronners bar so that i can add shea butter and other oils more suitable for curly hair in order to make a new shampoo bar? So far I only find recipes with the liquid soap and I really wanted it to be a solid shampoo bar as its best for traveling.
Thank you so much!
Hi Angelica – I’ve tried melting a bar and ended up scorching it, so this is not a method I recommend. Also, adding oils and butters to soap doesn’t work in the way you would want it to, since soap’s main purpose is to latch on to oil. If you add oil to the soap, the soap will just grab on to it, effectively binding up both the soap and the oil. Better to use the oils or butters as a follow-up conditioner.
I would really like to try the sugar soap but can’t find it in stores. Is it sold in stores or only online? I am in the seattle area.
Hi Rachel- Our Organic Sugar Soaps are not as widely sold as our Castile Soaps, however, many natural grocery stores do carry the line. We also have a our Store Locator to find specific Dr. Bronner’s products near you: https://bit.ly/FindDrBronners. Enter the zip code, then use Filter, and Select Product. (The blue pins on the map indicate stores that carry it.) Another option is to purchase it from our webstore at https://bit.ly/ShopDRBs. When you sign up for my newsletter (at the bottom of this page), you’ll receive a code for 15% you next webstore order.
You may also purchase on Amazon.com through our authorized Amazon seller, WishingUWell. This is the only vendor that we recommend as we cannot guarantee the quality of our products purchased from unauthorized vendors.
After a couple of months of trial and error I have finally figured out what works for my hair.
I was just about to give up due to the constant greasiness. I tried apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dr Bronner’s rinse. Extended days between washing. My hair was always so oily I even had to add baking soda to the soap a time or two to cut back the shine.
My last ditch effort I gave up on using the different rinses. That was it! I do have soft water at our house so maybe that was the issue? Many of the posts on here deal with hard water so I was following those suggestions.
The last few weeks I’ve just shampooed with soap and rinsed well with water. I wash every other day because I have naturally oily hair. I don’t have any problems brushing out my hair after the shower. I also started using a boar bristle brush when it’s dry and I love how my hair looks and feels.
My advice to others is to play around with different methods to find what works for your hair.
Hi Amy- Thanks so much for sharing your experience and success! It definitely can take some tinkering to find out what works best for our own unique hair and situation. I’m glad you found what works best for you!
I agree with the commenter below. I so wished this soap thing worked, but I have the same issue wuth the hard water. The soap lifts the oil from the skin, but instead of washing off in water, it just coats my scalp and hair with this waxy gunk. Citrus rinse doesn’t do the trick. The only thing that works ultimately is sulfate based second wash to wash the residue out. Either conventional shampoo or dove bar. Otherwise it makes my scalp itch and creates painful rash around my hairline.
Hello! I did my best in trying to find my question among the comments, but didn’t; please forgive me if you’ve already answered this:
I hear what you are saying about the pH of the castle soap being too alkaline for color-treated hair. However, if it’s diluted with another liquid and/or counterbalanced with a weak acid, couldn’t the pH potentially be reduced to the point where it would be safe enough to use on color treated hair? I’ve not done calculations on this yet, but in theory this should be possible, even if there’s just a “spit” of soap that acts as a mild surfactant. What do you think?
Hi Allaya- Happy to help! Prediluting the soap with water would bring the pH closer to neutral which might theoretically reduce its impact on leeching out the color. However, I do not have case studies for this. You cannot lower the pH of the soap by mixing it with an acid as the acid will react with the alkalinity of the soap and break it down. The purpose of the follow-up rinse after washing with the soap is to neutralize the pH.
Hi,
My last comment — I thought would be important to share..
I have stopped using Dr. Bronner’s soap to wash my hair. I don’t think it was a good idea as I have hard water where I live. The waxy build up (as mentioned multiple places by Dr. Bronner’s company being a reaction of the soap and hard water mixing together) continued for the 2+ months I used this soap. It was damaging my hair.
This waxy residue also shows up where we use the soap, like when washing dishes with it.
I would be willing to try again if the ingredients/chemistry of the product can consider those with hard water. If this is possible.
For now I will be seeking another natural product for my hair care.
Thank you!
Hi Kimberly – Thank you for continuing to share your experience. The interaction with hard water is certainly something we are considering. As you look for other products that may work better with your water and hair, the EWG Skin Deep database may be a help as it evaluates the ingredients of many products on the market.
Hi Lisa,
So it is a waxy white residue. This is new since using Dr. Bronner’s. We also started washing dishes with unscented castile soap and see the residue there as well. So we have figured out our water here is hard water.
I washed my hair with the baby bar soap and used diluted citrus rinse, and I believe using the bar soap did help (mostly, fingers crossed).
I have been washing my hair less (like I normally do — I washed it a bit more during the beginning of the transition because it felt so waxy and dirty). I wash it twice a week, and am thinking of going to once a week, with water rinsing at most in between.
I have used the Dr. Bronner’s leave in conditioner, and it does seem to help soften my hair and adds a nice scent.
I am going to keep going. Other than the waxy residue, there are some changes I do like, like the waves.
Thank you for your help, I am thankful for healthier options..
Kimberly
I think you’re right then about the hard water. Thanks for keeping me updated through this transition time. I think you’re on the right track.
Hello! I’m on week 3 of transitioning from conventional hair care to dr bronners soap + diluted ACV + dr bronners hair cream. It’s going well but the biggest issue I’m having is the smell of the ACV stays in my hair and I can smell it during the day – especially when I work out, I feel like it’s seeping through my pores!
Does the Dr Bronners citrus hair rinse smell better than pure ACV? Any other tips in this area for a better smelling rinse?
Hi Samantha – Good for you! I’m glad it’s going well, other than the ACV smell. Yes, the Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Hair rinse smells different. It has a lemon juice base. Dilute a capful in a cup of water. You could also use pure lemon juice if you have it. Dilute it a little more than the ACV. You could also try another brand of ACV that perhaps isn’t as odor-ful. Don’t use raw ACV.
Hi,
I have been using the baby castile soap to wash my hair for about a week now (I have washed it about 4 or 5 times) and was using the hair rinse but stopped because it caused burns on my skin (scalp, neck, back, torso, hips — I have sensitive skin, I think it might be eczema/psoriasis or both) and switched just today to apple cider vinegar (I tried just the soap a couple of times but it was very tangled).
I know the transition takes a little bit, about 2-4 weeks (I know this varies per person)..
I am wondering if you could answer — I have a waxy build up, perhaps from transitioning to soap from previous shampoos (I used borage therapy, innersense, acure — I’m not sure if those are okay shampoos.. I thought they were healthy choices).
Is the waxy build up residue working its way out.. or a reaction to hard water? I believe my hair is slowly evening out because it appeared and felt very greasy after the first few washes — now it doesn’t appear greasy, it just feels waxy and has a waxy build up showing up on my comb when I brush through it (which isn’t easy to brush, I gently tug the comb through, gently pulling apart tangles).
Will the waxiness eventually leave my hair?
Thank you for your help!
Hi Kimberly – It sounds like your hair is working through the transition. Good call on switching to ACV as a rinse. I think the waxiness will work itself out. Consider in the interim doing two ACV rinses. Also, consider washing your hair less often if you can. This allows the natural oils from your scalp to coat your hair in between washes, which is the healthiest nourishment. I wash mine every three days. My husband with short hair does every two. Let me know your progress with this!
Hi,
So I know now I have hard water where I live. So using the unscented sugar castile soap and either the citrus rinse or apple cider vinegar, I do have a build up in my hair after it dries. Which I know now is the reaction of the soap and hard water. I do think the vinegar rinse prevents the build up from being as bad as when I use the citrus rinse. I am going to try to keep going because I want this healthier option for myself and the earth. Do you have any more suggesrions about the build up from soap and hard water together? It feels unpleasant and dirty. I know it was mentioned the bar soap could help with this, or getting a shower head water softener.. thank you!!
I also meant to add to that..
Is it bad to have that hard water/soap build up on the hair? It likely would be there regularly, right..? Can that be damaging/harmful in any way
Thanks!
Hi Kimberly – I don’t think it’s good for our hair to have residues sitting on it, so I don’t think the build up is best. Could you describe what you are feeling or seeing that is making you think you have a hard water build up on your hair? I’m wondering if this is still a hair texture issue or a dryness issue. Would you consider using a follow up of the Lavender Hair Creme, which is our leave-in conditioner? I put 1 1/2 pumps of this on my hair, espeically the ends after every washing. After I’ve towel dried my hair and brushed it out, I scrunch the Creme through.
Hi Lisa! I feel like this question has been answered before, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere so I figured I’d go ahead and ask (better safe than sorry) — once the Dr Bronner’s Hair Rinse is mixed with water, is it shelf stable? I’m very excited to try it, but I know that if I have to mix it with a cup of water everytime I want to wash my hair or run to the fridge to grab it before a shower, I’m definitely going to forget. If I just mixed a spray bottle full of Hair Rinse/water solution, could I just leave it in the shower for whenever I needed it? Or would it go bad or become ineffective? Thanks so much!
Hi Maddie – Diluting the Hair Rinse with water does dilute the tocopherols which protect the shelf life. However, that doesn’t mean the mixture will turn bad right away. While I don’t have tests on the shelf life of the dilution, I would think it would be fine for a week or so, if you don’t mind doing a once weekly mix.
Hi! This is my second day of using the baby unscented solution (I put 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup solution in a foam bottle in our shower that we use for body soap and now my ‘shampoo) followed by an apple cider vinegar rinse. The first day I used coconut oil mixed in the rinse and my long, very fine, hair was so oily! So today I just tried the ACV/water rinse. I’m just a little discouraged because my hair is still so oily. I got all the coconut oil out, and am confused how it could be so oily from the ACV. Or is this my hair just being confused from the change? Will it always be like this if I use your soap and the rinse? I want so bad to change to a cleaner way of washing my hair and having it be healthy! How long will fine hair have to wait until it’s normal on Dr. Bronners as a shampoo?
Hi Carleigh – Bear with this! There is definitely a transition time. It sounds like we have similar long, fine hair. It did take my hair a couple weeks to transition. First, dial back the amount of soap you’re washing with. Try just a 1:3 ratio for your foamer, which would translate to 1/4 c. soap and 3/4 c. water. After you’ve washed and rinsed the soap out, then pour on the 1:1 dilution of ACV. Work it through with your fingers and let it sit for a few minutes. Then rinse it out. I did find that at first, I needed to do two rinses with the ACV. Your hair should not feel oily, but will be smooth and strong. Let me know how it goes after a two rinse regimen. You won’t have to do that always, just for now during the transition.
Also, be sure to thoroughly rinse *all* of the soap out of your hair before you apply the ACV! If the soap’s not completely out, you’ll get an oily reaction (see https://www.lisabronner.com/a-word-of-caution-about-vinegar-and-castile-soap/).
Hi Lisa,
I’m trying to make the switch right now from my typical shampoo and conditioner to a castile soap shampoo and acidic hair rinse combination, and I’ve found this blog so helpful! When you make your own hair rinse using ACV, are you using 5% acidity ACV? Or raw ACV? I’d like to try the ACV method out before moving onto the Dr. Bronners rinse.
Thanks for your help!
Ellie
Hi Ellie – I am so very sorry I missed your comment. You likely are much further along in your hair transition. If it is still helpful (and for other readers who are still wondering the same thing), I use the 5% acidity ACV. There are no benefits with the raw vinegar, and sometimes the raw vinegar has some solids in it that can get caught in your hair.
Lisa Bronner,
Greetings. The first time I used Bronner soap I washed my hair with one of the 18-IN-1 Pure-Castile Soaps. I learned a new phrase: “I stripped the oil from my hair.” My wife failed to tell me to use the 4-IN-1 Organic Sugar Soap. All is well now.
The above is background to get to this: I noticed a display of Bronner Soap in the baby related products in a local grocery store. Probably between 50 and 100 bottles were on the shelf. What I noticed most was that every bottle I saw was an 18-IN-1 Pure-Castile Soap. I immediately remembered my first hair washing experience with 18-IN-1 and pointed it out to one of the employees. I thought I was doing them a favor. (Silly me !) I was quickly notified that the soap was a concentrate and should be diluted.
When at home I checked the ingredients for both of the soaps. They have a different listing of ingredients.
The 32 oz bottle has a lot of information, but my 76 year old eyes have to use a magnifying glass to read the small print. So … hoping to get a simple response … what would be your recommendation(s) for which soap to use with infants, babies, youngsters in general, probably younger than 4 years. I would greatly appreciate any counsel you might provide.
Thanks and best regards,
Jake Netherland
Hi Jake – Yes, the Sugar Soap has the Castile soap as a base and then has the addition of sugar (sucrose), shikakai powder, and white grape juice. I find that for the very young, the simplicity of the Pure-Castile soap is all that is needed. I used it on all of my kids for as long as I bathed them. Keep in mind though, that as a true soap, it is not tear-free, so take care to keep it out of their eyes. Perhaps my article about washing my babies will be helpful: https://www.lisabronner.com/using-castile-baby-mild-soap-on-babies/
Hi Lisa,
I’ve been a fan of Dr. Bronner’s for many years. I’ve recently started using soap as shampoo because I’m allergic to detergents.
I belong to several groups on facebook and they all have the same tired warnings about using soap on hair like a flock of parrots. You have long hair and have been using soap for many years.
Would you mind if I used you as an example of how well it can work?
Thanks!
Mary
Hi Mary – I don’t mind at all and am flattered that you asked! I, too, have seen all the cautions against how bad soap is for hair, and maybe there are so many soaps that wouldn’t work for hair that people make that overarching statement. However, I certainly have had great success with Dr. Bronner’s Castile. In fact, I was just travelling and for ease of packing, decided I’d just use the hotel stuff. I was super glad to get back home to my soap and lemon juice.
What can I use to thinken the liquid castile soap to make a gel shampoo and or a body wash?
Hi Karen- We haven’t found anything that we recommend using to thicken the Castile Soap. Using it in a foaming pump dispenser with 1 part soap to 3 parts water (adjust this dilution as you like) will functionally “thicken” the soap with water and air. Or, try the Organic Sugar Soap. With organic sugar and Shikakai powder, it is naturally thicker than the Castile Soap.
I evidently didn’t bookmark the site so I can’t give you the exact proportions I used, but I successfully used salt to thicken mine. Google “salt to thicken soap” and you can probably find a starting point to experiment with.
I use the soap and rinse with DB hair rinse; ACV or lemon.
I don’t need to use soap as often. Some times I just rinse with water.
I love using my Dr Bronner Citrus Organic Hair Rinse! Sometimes when I fist open a new bottle from the store it comes out clumps like jello and then it takes forever in the shower to try to and break down all the pieces with my finger. I have tried shaking he bottle rigorously but still clumpy. Can I put water or vinegar in there to get it back to a liquid state, instead of a gelatinous state? Would that work? Thank you.
Hi Amelia- I’m sorry you’ve encountered a change of consistency in the Hair Rinse. I am familiar with the variance you’re describing. It stems from the range of pH that lemon juice can have, between 2-3. This variance can make the hair rinse more of a darker gel or on the other end, the lighter brown liquid. Both still are equally effective at providing a balancing rinse for shampooing with Dr. Bronner’s Castile or Organic Sugar Soaps. You can add a small amount of water to thin it out, but then use slightly less diluted.
Thanks for this article as well as your article on skin PH and soaps. One of the best researched articles I’ve read and answered my questions.
I’m hoping to return to using Dr Bronners (my family used this product when I was a child) after 30 years using a myriad of other products. The minimalist approach to hair and body wash, and natural ingredients is appealing. My only question is around your palm kernel oil as I don’t want to add to any ecologically damaging practices. Can you please advise where this ingredient is obtained?
Many thanks.
Hi Jenny – Thanks so much for your kind words and welcome back! I’m glad you are asking these questions about palm kernel oil as there are many destructive practices happening in its production around the world. Like you, we insist that our products only help the world. We have partnered with Natural Habitats in Ecuador to obtain organic and fair trade palm kernel oil. Here, family farmers grow oil palms sustainably, and receive a fair price for their palm fruits. I’ll anticipate that you might have a follow up question about the palm oil that we use in our bar soaps. For this, we ended up founding our own palm oil mill in Assoum, Ghana that sources palm kernels from certified organic, fair trade, and now Regenerative Organic Certified farms. Please read more about this beautiful project in my article “Making Ethical Palm Oil a Reality” https://www.lisabronner.com/making-ethical-palm-oil-a-reality/. Let me know if you have any further questions!
So grateful you posted all of this and to those who commented! I have been looking for a cleaner hair care and, really, all over routine for my cosmetic needs. I just washed with Dr. bronzers for the first time and used it as a shampoo and I was so scared feeling the gummy tacky feeling! I’m going to try the acidic rinse next time. Thanks for your research and shared experiences!
Hi Stephanie – Good for you for making this switch! Let me know if you have questions moving forward!
I have been regularly shampooing my waist-length hair with undiluted Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap Peppermint for two years, my hair is amazingly soft and my scalp has never felt better. My hair is finally rid of years of build-up from regular shampoos and other hair-styling products (now I use none).
Hi Colette – I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have been washing my hair (true organic henna-dyed) with Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap Peppermint and using it as a body wash for 2 years now. I use no conditioners on my hair. I love how my hair and my skin feel after cleansing. This soap really deep cleans and my face and body are literally squeaky clean. I use the same soap in my foaming soap pump dispenser diluted. I no longer buy refill bottles of liquid hand soap as I use my Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap exclusively. I prefer peppermint for its many natural benefits. Also, I enjoy reading bottle label (which is why I final decided to come Dr. Bronner’s website to learn more). Fascinating! Thank you and I appreciate all of you and what you have been doing to help take care of Spaceship Earth. Be Blessed Always everyone.
If I’m using the regular Castile soap for shampooing, do I dilute it? I washed my hair with it and OMG I could barely glide my hand through my hair it was so rough in texture.
I’m assuming that is because all the build up was removed. I had to use half a bottle of the conditioner I bought. I didn’t realize Dr Bronner had a conditioner!
Is that what you call the rinse?
Hi Elisa- I don’t typically dilute the Castile Soap prior to using it in my hair. For my long, thick hair, I use a good ½ Tbsp. of Castile Soap. When using soap, the key is to follow up with an acidic rinse. The soap has an alkaline pH which makes our hair kind of tacky/sticky feeling. The acidic rinse smooths everything down. There are two options for an acidic rinse. For my long, thicker hair, I use about 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (ACV) diluted with another 1/2 cup of water. Or, I dilute a capful of Dr. Bronner’s Organic Citrus Hair Rinse (the orange bottle in the photo above) in 1 cup of water and then pour it over my head and work it through and rinse thoroughly. Use less of either dilution if your hair is shorter. During the couple weeks of transition, especially if you’re coming from a conventional shampoo/conditioner regimen, you may need to use another crème conditioner after the rinse. As I mention in the article, I also used deep conditioning treatments once a week to help my hair through that transition period. Keep in mind that it can take up to two weeks for your hair to adjust.
I use Dr. Bronner’s soap and shampoos.
Hi Barbara- Thanks for being a customer!
Will regular/ white vinegar work? If yes, at what dilution?
Hi Yanni- Yes, white distilled vinegar will work. I think the reason it’s not generally used is that it smells more vinegary than ACV. It has a lower (i.e. stronger) pH than ACV, so you can dilute it more. Try a dilution of 1:2 instead of 1:1.
Hi Lisa!
Can I somehow get my hands on Sal Suds in Europe? If not, might I be able to in the future? If not, how come? =)
Thanks!
Hi Andreas- I’m so sorry, but we are not actively selling Sal Suds in Europe at the moment. We expect to bring it back to Europe, but we do not have a timeline at the moment. In the meantime, our Castile Liquid Soap can be used for household cleaning purposes. Check out my dilutions Cheat Sheet for dilutions and recipes: https://www.lisabronner.com/dilutions-cheat-sheet-for-dr-bronners-castile-soap/
Rather than mixing up a vinegar rinse (which I frankly alway forgot to do!) I keep a spray bottle of vinegar in my shower. A few sprays throughout my hair after cleansing, then a quick rinse. No mixing, no hassle, and always available!
What do you recommend for grey/silver hair that is yellowed from our water. This started when we moved to a new town.
Hi Kathleen- Because grey and white hair have little or no pigment, it is more prone to picking up pigments from the environment, including chlorine and minerals in water. Try an acidic rinse of either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (speaking from experience, filter the lemon juice to remove pulp!) diluted by half after washing hair, as well as a shower head filter that removes minerals and chlorine for prevention. Finally, sunlight can yellow hair as well, so take care to wear hats when in the sun.
I put the unscented liquid soap into pump containers for hand washing by the sink, but they get clogged and when you go to pump, the soap squirts out onto your shirt, your face or the wall? What is the solution?
Hi Jon- We don’t recommend using our soap in a regular dispenser for just this reason. It tends to clock and squirt out in unexpected directions. Instead, use a foaming pump dispenser and dilute 1 part soap with 3 parts water. Works beautifully! Check out my article for more if you’re interested. https://www.lisabronner.com/making-a-foaming-hand-soap-with-castile-soap/
You can add extra glycerin to prevent this. I have been using the foaming dispensers for so long that I don’t remember what I used to use, but it definitely worked. Just to give you a ballpark, I think it was either 1tsp or 1Tbs per cup of soap.
We’ve used it this way for years but I dilute with filtered water. I use approx 1/3 cup of liquid Dr. B soap and fill remainder of soap bottle with filtered water and gently shake to combine. Works perfect every time and does not clog.
During an episode of a migraine, I had the thought of simply massaging my scalp while also washing my extremely short curly hair with the amazing Dr. Bronner’s Castile Peppermint Bar Soap. The soap bar was getting quite small, so I’ve learned how to use every single possible use of the bar. Anyway, as I applied cold faucet water and then applied the Peppermint Bar Soap and worked into my scalp, the most amazing tingling sensation overtook my scalp and actually helped ease some aspects of the migraine.
Hi Denise- Migraines can be so debilitating, and I’m glad to hear the Peppermint Castile brought you a bit of relief!
I have natural grey/silver hair. What soap do you recommend?
Hi Estelle- Because grey/silver hair can be dry, I recommend the Organic Sugar Soap, which will draw moisture into the hair. Take care to also use acidic rinse of either a 1:1 dilution of apple cider vinegar and water or our Citrus Hair Rinse, which is more nourishing.
I tried using Dr. Bronner’s lavender bar soap in place of shampoo recently and was pleasantly surprised! I’m African American and have curly/wavy ethnic hair. I don’t use chemicals in my hair and prefer to wear it natural so I use a variety of pomades, and other smoothing products to manage my curls which can cause product buildup. After shampooing with the lavender bar soap, I noticed all of the product buildup was stripped away. I finished by applying a moisturizing conditioner and detangled my hair as usual.
I plan to try other Bronner soaps for my hair as well which may offer more moisturizer after reading the recent hair journey article.
Thank you!
Hi Dina- Excellent! Keep me posted on how things go.
Coming here now, I can’t wait to see the whole blog. I already use your soap for cleaning the house etc and now I’m going to buy the sugar soap to wash my hair and my daughter’s. My husband has psoriasis, which one do you recommend for him?
Hi Nil- Welcome, welcome! I haven’t tackled psoriasis myself, but I know it can be so frustrating. We have received very positive comments regarding our Unscented Baby Mild and Tea Tree scents from our customers with skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. Both the Castile Soaps and Organic Sugar Soaps come in these two scents. The Shikakai powder in the Organic Sugar Soaps provide more moisture to hair and skin, so I recommend starting there. The important thing with washing hair is to follow with an acidic rinse of either diluted apple cider vinegar or Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Hair Rinse. The Citrus Hair Rinse also contains Shikakai powder, so it would be slightly better. I would also recommend our new Unscented Magic Balm for softening tough skin.
What would you recommend for white/ grey hair?
Hi Diane- We don’t have any soaps specifically made for white or grey hair, but customers tell us the Castile Soap keeps grey and white hair from yellowing. As grey and white hair can be on the dry side, I recommend the Organic Sugar Soap for the added moisture it brings. Remember to follow-up with an acidic rinse of either our Citrus Hair Rinse or a 50/50 dilution of apple cider vinegar and water.
Any tips for using soap on gray hair?
Hi Cindyann- We hear from customers that Castile soap keeps gray and white hair from yellowing. Because grey hair leans towards being dry, I recommend the Organic Sugar Soap. Be sure to follow with an acidic rinse of either our Citrus Hair Rinse or a 50/50 dilution of apple cider vinegar and water. It can take a couple of weeks for your hair to adjust to the new regimen.
I am so grateful for having found Dr. Bronner’s soap! After suffering many years from contact dermatitis on my face and undergoing many treatment plans, I discovered the problem was my allergy to formaldehyde and other chemicals in traditional soaps and household products. Dr Bronner’s soap has helped me rid myself of the nasty rashes I had to deal with daily. THANK YOU, for selling such amazing natural products.
Hi Stephanie- I’m so sorry you had such journey. It’s wonderful to hear that our products have been such a help to you. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Lisa for continuing to write about hair washing with Dr Bronner’s products. I find your writing very informative and just love to hear your story. I have had a struggle with using Dr. Bronner’s due the very hard water here in Phoenix, along with the desert climate. Have given up a couple of times using Dr. Bronner’s products for hair and body washing. But keep coming back to the product line due to the pureness and integrity.
Thank you!
Hi David- It’s great to hear this is a helpful topic. I hope some of the tips and such here are of help, but reach out with any questions and we can troubleshoot.
LISA:
Gain your journey from shampoo to soap, did you wash your hair every day or every other day?
I have scalp issues and was wondering if I should wash my hair every day or every other day?
Thank you for your help
DONNA
Hi Donna – I wash my hair every three days. Washing it too often really strips the scalp of the oils it produces. I think you could even try less often. It does depend on hair type and length, as well as lifestyle and personal preference, though.
Hi, do you husband and son use a rinse after using the bar soap? If so, which rinse?
Hi Kathy- They both have short and somewhat course hair, and neither of them use an acidic rinse.
So informative! Thank-you for your time & your product.
I also am impressed with all the information in the comments as sometimes a question/comment could be exactly what I’m dealing with.
I would really like to print some of the comments as remembering what I’ve read is not my strong point. However, I am not able to print the comments like I can the articles. Is this a glitch on my part or is there a reason for this?
Hi Ene- I’m glad you found this article helpful. And you’re right – there’s loads of great information in the comments! Unfortunately, the website doesn’t have the ability to print comments directly from the page. However, you can find the comments of most interest to you, copy-and-paste them into a Word document, and then print that document. With more than 600 comments, you’ll save yourself a lot of paper and ink this way as well!