“Enjoy only 2 cosmetics: enough sleep and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap.”
While there may be many things on my grandfather’s label that are rather enigmatic, this statement is as straightforward as it gets. I would only add a third element: drinking plenty of water. When it comes to a clear complexion, this has been my recipe.
For about 15 years I ran in circles trying to clear up my complexion. Between acne and general redness, I was fighting a losing battle. As a teenager I tried all the big name products: Noxema, Neutrogena, Clean and Clear, Cetaphil, various salicylic acid ointments, even Estee Lauder and Clinique. When I entered college, I sought professional help and used prescription Retin-A and Erythromycin. After that I used Dermalogica products. None of these were a long-term solution. I just lived with the acne, covering it up as I could.
When I began answering the customer service emails for Dr. Bronner’s, I decided I needed to be trying out for myself the solutions I was offering to customers. One of the most common topics dealt with using the Castile Soap to promote healthy skin plagued with acne, eczema, psoriasis, and general redness. My recommendation was to wash with the Tea Tree Pure-Castile Soap, or to use the Unscented Pure-Castile for general irritation or for sensitive skin.
Now I can say from firsthand knowledge: this stuff really works. My skin has never been more resilient.
In this age of specialization, the idea of using one product on hair, face, and body sounds pretty naïve. But experience speaks.
I began using the Tea Tree Pure-Castile Soap on my face twice a day. I found that it removed make up easily and completely. The soap will even remove mascara. After a week, my blemishes were disappearing and no new ones were forming.
At first, my face did feel tight after I washed. I think this was due to the change from the intense facial washes I had been using, as well as the creams, masks, and who-knows-what-else. (Not even I remember all that I had applied.) So during the early months I also used the Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Coconut Lotion—a very lightly scented, lightweight moisturizer. It was just right.
At a month out, my skin was smooth, my color was more even. With all that I had been through, I was somewhat astounded that the answer was so simple and had been right there in front of me—quite literally—for much of my life. (Not my whole life since Tea Tree Castile Soap wasn’t introduced until my later childhood.)
I’ve also discovered a pretty direct correlation between the amount of sleep I get, the amount of water I drink, and the condition of my skin. During crazy times, when sleep dwindles to 3-4 hours a night (bear in mind I have three young kids), my tiredness breaks out all over my face. When junky treats creep in to my diet and water creeps out, my face tells that story as well.
Now, several years later, I still wash with Castile Soaps. I don’t need the lotion any more except when the crazy Santa Ana winds sweep across California in the Fall.
In summary, here’s my technique:
- I wet my skin with warm water.
- I take about three drops—yes, three drops—of the Tea Tree Castile Soap and lather it up on my hands. If you’re a Castile Bar Soap user, lather up the bar soap on wet hands or washcloth.
- Then I rub it on my face in gentle, circular motions, taking extra time where my make up was and on historically problematic areas. I do not use a washcloth or scrubbie of any sort. I find that it irritates my skin.
- However, as the label emphasizes, keep the eyes closed. Let me say that one again, Keep the eyes closed.*
- I rinse my face with warm water in my hands with about five splashes.
- I dry by blotting my face with a towel.
As I’ve said before, you have to figure out what works for you, and perhaps you need to be more vigorous or more gentle than I have been. It’s a bit of trial and error, but be persistent. It’s completely worth it.
Further reading
- Dilutions Cheat Sheet for Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap
- 5 Life Habits for Healthy Skin
- Skin Health, pH, and Dr. Bronner’s Soap
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 Rylee – I know that psoriasis is so frustrating. I have heard input from customers that the tea tree castile is very helpful. The eucalyptus has been another one that people recommend
Hi Sean – I have not heard of using apple cider vinegar as a toner, but now that I think about it, that might be a great idea. First, though, make sure you need it. If you have outbreak-prone skin, less is more as far as products go. However, if you want to give it a try, I like the idea. It certainly makes my hands soft when I use it on my hair. Let me know how it goes.
All the best,
Lisa
I have a question. I have acne and have tried everything. So i recently decided to try going natural. I just bought Dr. Bronners Tea Tree soap and have been using it to wash my face for a couple days. I was wondering if it would be ok to follow up with an apple cider vinegar toner? Also about how long on average before I start seeing results? Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
Which soap would you recommend using for scalp psoriasis? I was thinking about the tea tree one or the peppermint. I’m wanting to try a natural approach and have literally tried EVERYTHING. I’ve struggled with it for years and am desperate!
Hi Wendy – I love this! I’m so glad you gave the citrus castile a try. I also experienced the dryness when I first started using the castile on my face. The Lavender Coconut lotion is what I used. Recently, I started doing overnight pure coconut oil treatments on my face and that feels super awesome. Rub in a little coconut oil before bedtime and wash it off in the morning.
Hi Renee – You do not need to pre-dilute the soaps for a facial wash. I just wet my face with my hands, lather up a couple drops of soap (a couple more drops if I’m wearing a lot of make-up), and massage that over my face. A follow-up moisturizer is a great thing to do, if needed.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa…I wrote earlier here another time about using the peppermint liquid soap and using olive oil. Apparently, I don’t think it worked for me. I now have the lavender liquid soap as well as the peppermint. I can’t find anything on this, but I wanted to know do the soaps have to be diluted? And if they don’t have to be diluted and after you rinse your face and dry it, can you use a regular moisturizer afterwards to compensate for any dryness? Or would it be best to dilute?
Thanks
Hi…I started using the tea tree soap a few days ago.Ive always had mild acne. And every now and then it will just come at me like crazy and Im just tired of battling it. My bro left his citrus soap at my house and he has great skin and hes 6 years older then me and Im 33. So I was curious and found this blog and read Lisa’s story and I thought why not cant get any worse right? Well Ive already seen a difference in just the 3 days. Acne I currently have is healing faster and I haven’t had one new zit since starting which is amazing. But I have noticed its really drying out my skin so I purchased the lavender lotion this morning. Im hoping that will help. Im just so skeptical of using any moisturizer on my face because in the past Ive always broke out from moisturizers on my face. So crossing my fingers! If anyone has any other remedies for the dryness Id love to hear them. Again I love this soap though and I cant wait till Im further into the regiment to see more results! Thank you!
Hi Megan – What you’ve described is totally normal, and as you surmised, is your skin detoxifying. Stick with it. My skin did that, too. It is getting deep down clean. Give the soap some more time to work its magic and keep me posted on how it’s going.
HI Huy – Wow! Thank you so much for sharing these tips.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi guys! As a teen and as a guy, I experienced extreme oily and greasy and acne skin for years. I was so embarrassing about my face because no one around me was having such a bad facial skin as me such as dark spots, scars, redness, etc, all I can say is terrible and horrifying. I started using the Peppermint soap for a while, and my skin got a bit better. I started using the Tea Tree for almost a month now, and my face is actually getting better. My face is still having oil but not as greasy as before and my breakouts are less and less, and I’ve much more confident now. I’ve a few things to share with you guys about cleansing, exfoliating and treating acne. Well, for cleansing, basically I use the Tea Tree soap to wash my face twice a day. For exfoliating, I use green tea bag. Instead of throwing away the tea bag after drinking green tea, I save it by letting it cool down, then I tear off the bag and pour the stuff inside of the tea bag out. Mix it well with 1 teaspoon of pure honey, and add 1 teaspoon of flour rice. Flour rice is well-known to treat dark spots,so. This facial scrub is awesome. For treating acne, I use 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil from Spring Valley, and you can buy it from Wal-Mart for like $8. I hope my sharing can help someone. Thank you.
Hi! I just have a couple of questions. I was using Cetaphil cleanser for years, but after finding out it is largely ineffective and not that great for my skin, I started using Dr. Bronner’s tea tree liquid castile soap. I have moderate problems with my skin with acne and just wanted it all to finally clear up and stop begin a huge issue. I also had a yeast infection on my face from going to the Caribbean 2 summers ago, which has since been cleared up, but has left me with problem skin. I’ve been using the tea tree liquid castile soap for a week now. At first my skin looked good after washing the first the first 2 days, but was feeling dryish during the day, but nothing bad. Then about the 5th day I started getting these itchy little bumps on my forehead and the sides of my nose. And they don’t seem to be getting better, if anything they are becoming more pronounced. I know I’m not allergic because the other areas of my face are fine, so is my neck, back, and rest of my body which i have been using the soap on too. Is this by skin detoxifying? Getting worse before it gets better? Should I try to stick it out for the 2 weeks? Is this normal or alarming?
Hi Renee – I know exactly what you mean! It’s frustrating to be spending so much time and mental energy thinking about our skin. First off, there are so many types of skin, that one recommendation never works for everyone. So, if the coconut oil was working for you, go back to that. I use it regularly on my face and I absolutely love it. An overnight treatment with coconut oil makes my face so very, very happy. If your face is breaking out with this latest regimen, that’s probably not the right route. I do think simpler is better. Dr. Bronner’s soaps are pretty simple. Give the Tea Tree a try. I have heard so many great testimonials, one of them from myself (!), of how it has helped all sorts of problem skin. Wash with that a couple times a day. Use the coconut oil overnight (it’s hard to put on make-up over it, so night would be a better option for you). Keep me updated on how that works out for you.
Hi Mrs. Jeny – Both of these options are very gentle soaps. The unscented Baby Mild is the mildest of all.
All the best,
Lisa
I’m thinking about trying the unscented liquid soap or the almond soap. What do you suggest may be better for my difficult, dehydrated yet prone to cystic acne skin?
Lisa, I need help! I have struggled with acne on my chin/jaw since I was a teen ( I am 39) I started using coc. Oil as a moisturizer along with my normal routine. That worked great, best skin ever. But then I read CO can clog pores and I wanted to go more natural so I switched from all my chemical products to my own blend of cleanser doing the oil cleansing method with castor oil and grape seed oil, witch hazel as toner and a small amount of grapeseed oil to moisturize, ( all organic and unrefined oils) Day 10 and my face literally hurts b/c of the breakout I am experiencing on my chin. I came upon your products and wondering if I should switch to the tea tree soap. The olive oil concerns me in it that it would even be more clogging. Or maybe since I am reacting to ocm this way I should avoid all oils on my face? Am i just purging? The bronners soap also sounds so much simpler than the current method (oil cleansing) or with all this switching am I just screwing my face up worse? I am embarrassed to be seen without make up on, frustrated, and tired of my face being a chemistry experiment. HELP!
Hi Danielle – Congratulations!! Since you are anticipating the sensitivity, I would go ahead and go to the Baby Mild. If s/he tolerates that well, you can opt for one with essential oils such as the lavender.
All the best,
Lisa
Hello there! Just a couple of quick questions.. I am having a new little one and, with the history of my family, I know he will have eczema. I currently use Dr. Bronner’s castile lavender soaps to make my baby wash and laundry detergent. Will that be mild enough for a new little baby with eczema or should I switch everything out to baby mild?
Hi Jason – I am so sorry I missed your comment previously and to hear of the irritation you’ve experienced. You’ve probably either figured this out or moved on by now, but if you still would like some input, please let me know. I am not clear if you were using the Trader Joe’s brand peppermint castile or the Dr. Bronner’s that we sell there. Peppermint can be very drying on certain skin types and your skin may have flared up. If the flare up came when you switched brands and started using the Dr. Bronner’s Almond, it is possible you are sensitive to something in our soap. I would need to see the ingredients side by side to analyze which. I believe they’re both coconut/olive oil based, but I don’t know what the other differences are. Let me know if you’d like me to look into that.
Everyone – it looks like I missed a lot of comments from the past months here. Sorry about that!
Cassandra – Yes, morning and night. Too much washing can throw my skin out of whack. It needs time to do its part, too.
Natalie – Go with the liquid. It has a higher concentration of the benefical tea tree essential oil.
Bea – I am with you on the pregnancy skin! Mine really does have that glow then. What it indicates, though, is that your skin difficulties are somewhat hormonally based. Although cleaning with a non-irritating soap is still a good idea, it may not solve all your problems. Soap-wise, a good place to start is with the Dr. Bronner’s liquid tea tree castile. It does work well for many different situations. The hormone issue is certainly a quagmire that I’m certainly not qualified to address, but a good place to start is with a healthy, whole food diet and lots of sleep (I heard that snort of laughter! I know you have a little one, but someday, the sleep will come.) For the baby, the tea tree might be a little strong. Try the unscented Baby Mild castile or the Lavender. Keep it out of the eyes, though. It is not tear-free (I have a post on why, if you’re curious.)
HI Mary – I think you should stick with the liquid. Not only from your experience but from mine as well, it seems to help problem skin a little more. I needed to use a light moisturizer for a while when my skin was getting back on track. I don’t need one now, but I used the Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Coconut lotion.
Thanks, Karena!
Hi Laura – I used the Dr. Bronner’s Lavender coconut lotion when I was first coming off of conventional or prescription products and had just started using the castile soap. It isn’t formulated specifically for the face, but it worked really well for me. The term non-comedogenic doesn’t have a set definition, but the lotion doesn’t lead to breakouts.
Hi Christine – Those are both great options and I use them myself now. When my skin was in its crazy stage, I needed the extra boost of tea tree’s healing properties. However, I go with whatever I have on hand, or whatever I feel like at that moment. Right now, citrus is my thing. Love it!
Thanks for sharing, everyone!
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I just read the whole thread and didn’t see this question. I see you recommend the Tea Tree Castile soap most often. I have the lavender and citrus. I think I’d enjoy the scent of the citrus one for a face cleanser. Is that ok to use? My skin tends to be on the dry side but I rather use what I have bee for buying something else. Thank you!!
I have very sensitive, acne prone skin, I notice some tightness after using baby mild, but am skeptical of using any lotion on my face that isn’t specifically for the face. Do you think the light coconut cream would be ok? Is it non-comedogenic? Is the tea tree generally better for acne? My skin is sensitive but I think it could handle the tea tree oil.
I just did a quick query about our skin’s acid mantle – I’m not really knowledgeable about it, but the results I found consistently stated that it is comprised of a combination of sebum and sweat, and its function is to protect our skin from harmful external bacteria/fungi. Even if “bacteria poop” do play a role in forming this layer, this is not reason enough to presume that this acid mantle is in any way non-beneficial – it is important to remember that we have a very symbiotic relationship with the bacteria that co-exist with us in and on our bodies.
My brief research does support the use of soap for skin cleansing, however – it simply does suggest that it would be good policy to adjust the pH of your skin after cleaning with soap, just as you would your hair. There are many natural acidic toners that a person could try – I am currently using a diluted vinegar solution, but lemon juice sounds really promising, too.
I do love your products and your blog – thanks for keeping up the good work! 🙂
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for all your valuable advise. I’ve been using the citrus scented soap and did find it to be “magical” and cleared up my skin. But it is a bit drying so I tried the unscented bar soap just for 2 days but I don’t think my skin likes it: I’m getting white heads and small cysts again. I’m thinking about trying the unscented liquid soap or the almond soap. What do you suggest may be better for my difficult, dehydrated yet prone to cystic acne skin?
Thank you!
Hi lisa,
Ive struggled with painful cystic acne since I turned 20 (im 25 now)! Im frustrated, depressed, insecure about it and would love to find that MAGIC cleanser! I found that some products(like proactiv) works really well on my face and then all of a sudden it doesn’t and then suddenly causes me to breakout with painful cystic acne. Last year January 2013 i found out I was pregnant and boy throughout my pregnancy i had the best skin! If only being pregnant wasnt hard i’d wish i was pregnant all year long just to have perfect skin! Lol so what im trying to say is that I broke out again with cystic acne about a month ago and i tried what works for my friends which is kiehls acne line & aveeno for acne prone skin. I found that it broke me out more! My hubbys niece recommended Dr Bronner’s magic soaps and after doing reasearch ive decided to try it. When i came across your blog i was so happy cause you will be able to answer my minds many questions about the product! Hehehe
So hear goes! I just want to know if tea tree oil would be the best for me? Would it make me purge before it gets better? Do I dilute it with tepid water? I’m filipina so my skin is oily but i find that it gets flaky and super dry (doesnt look good with makeup!) in winter time (i live in alberta, canada) so would the lavender lotion be my best bet? Where could i get this product in canada? Some soaps are available in london drugs but not the lotions.
Lastly, my baby who is 5 months today suffers from eczema and itchiness in her face, could i wash/bathe my baby in the baby soap product to help the eczema go away? Is this product ok to use in babies? And finally i dont think the baby product is available in london drugs so does dr bronners website ship to canada?
Sorry for the looong reply & many questions. I cannot wait to try this and fingers cross that this is what my skin is longing for!
Thank you so much in advance and I cant wait to hear from you!
Hi, I’m wanting to get tea tree soap for facial acne, and am wondering if it would be best to get liquid or bar soap. Thanks.
How many times a day do you wash your face with it? Morning and night? 🙂
Hi Lisa — Thank you for all the great info on castile soap which is very, very informative. I just purchased the Dr. Bronner’s almond castile soap this weekend; however, after using it to wash my hair I noticed my neck, shoulders and chest started to itch and turn red. I had used the almond again this morning to lather up and shave only to experience red blotchy hive like spots itching throughout the day. I was not sure whether it was the castile soap until I started reading your blog responses this evening. It appears that the exposure yesterday and today apparently caused the reaction and I am at a loss for why the almond castile soap would cause this. I had been using the Trader Joe’s peppermint castile soap to wash my hair, with seemingly no issues; or at least none that I was paying close enough attention to realize. After further consideration, based on your responses herein, it appears that the peppermint castile soap may have been irritating my skin and resulting in dryness, a few rough patches of skin developing on my neck, and itching on my neck and face, which I have been experiencing for some time but was not sure why. My plan is to stop using all of it until the symptoms go away. Any thoughts? Would the Tea Tree or Baby Mild be worth trying once the red itchy spots and blotches go away. Also, I just realized that I may have been using too much of the peppermint to wash my hair based on your application advice above, and this may have been the source of the neck and face itching I have been experiencing. I have been pouring about a teaspoon or more into my hand and then applying to my pretty short hair. Guess I figured it would wash away but apparently the castile soap or essential oils hold on for a while. Your insights in response are greatly appreciated. Jason
Hi Douglas – At the risk of oversimplifying the biology of it, what gives our skin an acidic layer, or mantle, is the leftovers of the bacteria that is everpresent on our skin. I am wracking my brain for a more polite way to say this, but nothing is coming to mind, so think of the acid mantle as essentially bacteria poop. Bacteria are living organisms. They process nutrients and excrete them. They slough off dead cells, etc. These leftovers have an acidic pH, but that doesn’t mean we want to keep them. So, in answer to your question, yes, the castile soap will affect the acid mantle of your skin, but I see that as a good thing.
Hi Amanda and Megan – Yes, you certainly can add your own essential tea tree oil to the almond soap. That is a great thing to do to develop your own custom blend. Tea tree oil (the pure stuff) is pretty intense, so a little goes a long way. I would use about 1/4 tsp. per 8 oz. of soap.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Similar to Amanda I was wondering if tea tree oil could be added to the almond castile, and if so how much would you recommend. I had intended to purchase the tea tree castile soap but instead came home with the almond and have been really happy with it but would like to incorporate tea tree to help with my breakouts
could i use the almond castile soap and add my own tea tree?
Hi Lisa,
I just started using the tree all in one and i like it a lot. However, I’ve read some issues on various web pages that describe the ph of these soaps. I’ve read that the slight alkilinity of these soaps could destroy the acid mantle on our skin. Should I be concerned about this? I would like any information you have for me.
Thank you!
Hi Lisa, I have a quick question. My daughter is 14 and has been getting acne on her cheeks and chin mostly. We have tried a lot of OTC creams and washes and nothing is helping much. We are Vegan, and currently use the peppermint soap in the shower. I bought your Hemp Tea Tree Castile soap and was reading this, is this what you would recommend that we try for her face?
Thanks so much for your time and assistance!
Deborah
Hi Deborah- The Tea Tree Castile soap does a marvelous job clearing acne. The difficulty with teen acne is always that it is primarily hormonally caused. However, we often exacerbate it with treatments that end up being irritating. The tea tree Castile is good at balancing out skin. As always, plenty of water and sleep are tremendously helpful as well.
All the best,
Lisa
My son is 19 years old and has struggled with cystic acne on his neck/back/shoulders for the past 3 years. He recently went to the dermatologist and they wanted him to do Accutane. He refused. I bought a big bottle of the peppermint soap tonight but after reading all the posts here, I’m thinking the tea tree soap is what he should use first. What do you think would be best for him ?
Hi Kim – The peppermint is pretty intense and might be too much at first. I do recommend the tea tree instea. The Tea tree oil really has tremendously beneficial properties for clearing skin.
All the best,
Lisa
Hey everyone, My question is about dilution. Do I need to? Should I be using it straight on skin or should I be mixing with water first. The side of the bottle says something about ‘dilute’. Thanks so much!
Hi Dawn – If you wet your face and hands first and then use a couple drops of soap, that will dilute it. You really don’t need more than that.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I have the Peppermint Castile soap (big liquid bottle) and I only go as far as washing my face with it. I did try to wash my hair with it and it was a disaster. It felt more like horse hair, or straw like hair, and I couldn’t get a brush through it. My hair isn’t really straight, but consider it more straight than anything, but it also has 2 different textures. Part of it is wavy-straight, and other part is slightly curly. I only wash my face with it. I barely use much of the soap because I heard lots of reviews elsewhere that is is pretty harsh on the face. I have been using it on my face and it feels fine and not overly dry. It does get slightly tight, but it feels more toned than anything. Afterwards, is your face supposed to feel as if it doesn’t need moisturizer from the peppermint soap? Mine actually feels soft without moisturizer. I also wanted to know, does using this soap on your face make makeup look too shiny? or no shine etc? Or better yet, how should it look using this soap? My face feels a bit greasy in a way, but doesn’t look it if that makes sense. Maybe I’m not used to having my face feel this soft? Any advice or suggestions to help?
Hi Renee – everyone’s skin is different so they are going to have different reactions and opinions on soaps. Although in general the peppermint soap is too drying for most people’s skin, if it’s working for you, go with it. Yes, it is normal not to need a moisturizer after the soap. It sounds like you have a good thing going there. I have not found the soap to make my makeup look shiny, but again, everyone’s skin is different. If you’d like to try another essential oil, any of the Dr. Bronners are less intense than the peppermint. I’m in love with the citrus at the moment.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa
Could you recommend something for spots on my face which I never used to have until earlier this year when my face just went mad (I think it started with sun damage, but I don’t want to go into that now). I tried so many different things on it, but now I am using your Tea Tree bar soap and Pure Argan Oil to moisture it and I can see an improvement, but there are some spots on my chin area that just won’t go away.
Any suggestions welcome!
Hi Rosemary – Isn’t it stinky when our skin decides to change on us?! So inconsiderate. I have to ask if you’re being euphemistic (or is that the Scottish term?) and you mean acne? If so, the Tea Tree is great. I haven’t used Argan Oil so I can’t speak to that. I do think that simpler is better in a skin crisis as well as taking a look at our lifestyle to see if that’s changed – sleep amounts, water intake, diet in general , moderate exercise. Keep your face as clear as you can, washing off make up as early in the evening as you can. Another thing to look at is if any of the ingredients have changed in a product you’ve been using for a while. Sometimes brands come out with new formulations. I hope you get to the bottom of this!
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa, I purchased the Baby Mild soap to try washing my face with it and 2 days in my skin is freaking out even more and I’m getting little white heads everywhere. I’m assuming that my skin is just detoxing but a little worried as before I would only get break outs on my chin but now it’s spreading. Hoping this will go away as it’s my last chance before I switch to dermalogica for my fair, sensitive skin 🙁 I follow washing with a witch hazel & ACV combo and coconut oil. Should I cut these out and just give it time to work?
Ellie
Hi Ellie – I’m so sorry for my delay in responding. You identified it correctly- your skin does detox for a week or two when first switching to the soap. It needs to do that. I know it’s a pain but it’s good in the long run.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi,
I have oily combination skin and I was wondering what would be the best soap to use? I have been looking at the tea tree one and the eucalyptus ?
Nicola
Hi Nicola – You’ve identified the two best soaps for combo oily skin. Before the tea tree soap came out, the eucalyptus was what we recommended. I think the Tea Tree is slightly more effective though. Give that one a try.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Michelle – I’m glad Dr. Bronner’s has helped! If you can only get just one Dr. Bronner’s product, you’ve chosen the right one: the castile soap. They work great in foaming pumps. I go with a 1:4 ratio, but see how your pump does and your personal preference. Let me know if I can answer further questions.
Hi Maryam – Dr. Bronner’s pure castile soap is really great for clearing acne, but the peppermint essential oil might be a little intense at first. Personally, I do not use it often on my face unless I’ve had a really grimy day. It can be too drying and cause redness. I recommend the Tea Tree castile for clearing acne. This is what worked for me.
Hi Lauren – Excellent question. I looked into this very issue myself during my pregnancies. The concerns that have been raised about tea tree essential oil (lavender, too) matter only with products that have a high concentration of the essential oils and are left on the skin for long periods of time. Since Dr. Bronner’s castile soaps only contain 2% essential oil and are rinsed off, there are no problems at all in using it while pregnant. Once your baby is born, I recommend the unscented Baby Mild. In fact, it was developed specifically for the maternity ward at UCLA medical center for use in washing newborns.
Acne-prone skin is generally very sensitive and the simpler products are often best. While the Shikakai is very mild, I would opt for the pure castile to clear up your skin. Give it a couple weeks of use before deciding if you like it. Your skin will go through a bit of a detox phase as the castile soap cleans everything out. The pump on the Shikakai is nice, so try the castile soaps with a foaming pump dispenser, diluted around 1:4 or to your liking.
Hi Haley – You’re welcome!
All the best,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
I have been looking for so long for directions on the best way to use this soap as a facial wash and it has taken me so long to find something and then I stumbled upon your site and I just want to thank you for having such a simple, well explained use for this soap! It has been quite helpful!
I am very acne prone, so should I stick with the original soap or go to the Shikakai?
What is the difference between the Shikakai and the regular soap? I am wanting to use it on my face. I have read most reviews on the regular original soap, but I like the pump for the Shikakai.
Is the Tea Tree okay to use while pregnant? And will it harm the baby once it is born? Should I just go with the mild baby soap?
I have acne and would like to use Tea Tree, but was not sure how this would affect the baby. Would I need to get the mild baby one to cleanse the baby when it is born?
Hi Lisa,
I am 20 years old I bought the peppermint soap I haven’t used it yet. But I want to ask you if I have acne and pimples is it ok to use it? or not? please let me know. Thank You
I looked at the Shikakai soaps, but they seemed a little pricier that the 32 oz bottles of castile soap. I went a little overboard and bought 3 bottles on sale last week, which I now realize may last me a couple years! Although, I intend on slowly using them to replace every other cleaning product I can, so we’ll see. Maybe as my income increases, I can try the Shikakai soaps next. I do realize some of the issue with the “thinness” of the soap may be solved by using a foaming soap pump bottle. I actually ordered 2 foam pumps that I can put on my pretty glass bottles that I use, and they should be here today or tomorrow to use. I also mixed up some peppermint bug spray and gave that a try last night! I’m just excited about the prospect of removing toxic products from my life and having hands that no longer crack and bleed, so I’m converting as quickly as possible! Thanks for the “recipes” so I can use these soaps as much as possible!
Hi Michelle – I think our soaps are the right answer for your sensitive skin. I highly recommend our Shikakai line of soaps, http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/SHIKAKAI.htm. They come in your favorite lavender. They are thicker and much more moisturizing. They produce a wonderfully creamy lather and work great in pumps. We have tried thickening the pure castile soaps, and there just isn’t a good natural way to do it. Check out the Shikakai, though. I think you’ll like them.
All the best,
Lisa
Hi! I have realized over the last year and after seeing many dermatologist about splitting, cracking, bleeding fingertips, that I am allergic to products containing sulfates. I have been using up the products that I had and am trying to phase any such products out of my life. I’ve just mixed up some Dr. Bronners liquid lavender castile soap with distilled water and some drops of tea tree oil (for anti-bacterial properties) and began using it. I’ve seen various recipes for the hand wash, but I mixed mine as 1/3 soap to 2/3 water. It may be too much soap, so I may add more water as I use it. However, I do have chronically dry skin and am not enjoying the thinness of the mix. I’m wondering if there is a friendly way to thicken the soap and add more moisturizing properties? Maybe some coconut, jojoba, or grapeseed oil? Also, do you have a recipe that would help the mixing? Oil and water don’t mix, so I’m wondering if I need to heat it all down (my house is warm so my coconut oil stays in a liquid state) to make it mix, or what the advice would be? I’m a big fan of the lavender and I have peppermint to start experimenting with too (I want to use that as a morning face scrub as a pick-me-up). I’m just looking for a little more thickness and moisturizing help.
Thanks for any input!
I am so sorry for my delay in responding. There are a lot here!
Emma – I would love to hear what happened after you tried Dr. Bronner’s soap.
Chandra – The peppermint lotion has a bit of a cooling feel, but not nearly as tingly as our liquid peppermint castile soap. I do not find it drying at all.
Hi Nicole – I am so sorry to hear of your ongoing struggle. Your skin is definitely affected by something, and it takes some detective work to figure out what. I do think that the Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree or unscented Baby Mild will be a good place to start. The trick is trying not to irritate your skin while attempting to clear it. Excessive scrubbing can do this, so make sure you’re going with gentle exfoliating with a soft washcloth. Anything more may irritate. I have the same concern about irritation with the St. Ives apricot scrub and the Palmers Cocoa Butter. Both of these products are packed with ingredients likely to irritate the skin, and you could be reacting to any number of them. I would totally back off of anything complicated – wash with the Dr. Bronner’s soap and moisturize with something simple like pure coconut oil. Your body understands these ingredients. See what happens after a couple weeks. I hope you’ll let me know.
Sam – The castile soap can be drying especially if you’re switching straight from conventional soaps which contain synthetic moisturizers. It is not acidic, though. It is alkaline with a mild pH of 8.9. If the dryness doesn’t subside after a couple weeks, check out our Shikakai soaps which are more moisturizing, yet still completely simple and natural. You can also try a light moisturizer in the meantime.
Jade – The Baby Mild would be a great option for your face, especially the bar soap. However, at first your face may go through a detox phase as the soap pulls toxins deep out of your pores. Stick with it for a couple weeks and let me know how it goes.
Marshall – We have never tested our products for wrinkle prevention or treatment, but I think that nightly treatments of our coconut oil would be a great option. Washing with the castile is a great option, too.
Rosemary – Awesome! Glad to hear it.
Ashley – Definitely try out the castile soap on your face. I think it will help. The fact that it is alkaline is not a bad thing. The whole acid mantle argument means nothing because the reason our skin has an acid mantle is from the breakdown of bacteria on it. We don’t want to keep that. At first, your skin may feel tight and a light moisturizer may help. Our Lavender Coconut lotion is what I used. I only needed it for a month or two and then my face kicked into gear and seemed to be less dry. For a make-up remover, the best thing I’ve found is pure coconut oil. It works great, moisturizes as it goes, and does not hurt my eyes. I hope all this helps!
Julie – The lotion is not oil free. Oil is what moisturizes our skin, but there is a vast difference from one oil to another. If something is oil-free then the moisturizers can only be petrochemicals. It’s been a bit of a marketing gimmick. Anyhow, off my high horse, I think you should try the lotion.
Sofia – I’d start with the pure castile rather than the Shikakai. Exfoliate very gently so as not to irritate. Use a washcloth and nothing more coarse. Also be careful of what else you’re putting on your skin. Lotion? Toners? Read the ingredients because your skin could be reacting to something in there. This is a good website for checking ingredients: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com.
B – the castile soap is drying at first especially if you’re coming straight off of conventional products. Peppermint oil is also extra drying, so you’re facing that as well. As you said, your skin will adapt, but in the meantime you may need a light moisturizer.
IanM – While I have not experienced rosacea, I have received many emails from customers who have used the Tea Tree castile soap and had great results. The tea tree essential oil is naturally antibacterial as well, and it seems to get right to the heart of the matter. Try it for a couple weeks and let me know the results.
Joss – Please give the tea tree castile soap a try. It helps with so many skin conditions.
Nica – The tea tree castile soap is a great option. stay on it for a couple weeks, paired with a good diet and lots of water. Also be careful of what else your sister might be putting on her face. Certain lotions, toners, and make-ups could be causing problems, too.
Jessica – Definitely give it a try on your face. i think you will find good results.
Karen – I am so very sorry to hear that. Yuck! I think you should try the Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds all purpose cleaner. That’s what I go to for most of my housecleaning, especially the tougher jobs.
Tess- the tea tree oil soap is not too strong for small children. They may not like the scent as it is naturally a little antisceptic smelling, but it will not harm them at all.
Charlotte – I’d like to hear how your experiment worked. Mixing the soap with the coconut oil probably didn’t help since the soap molecules would just bond with the coconut molecules. I would do them as a two step process – soap first , rinse, then coconut oil.
Robyn – You can definitely add tea tree essential oil to the Baby Mild soap and shake it up, but we also have a Tea Tree castile soap that already has the essential oil in it. It sounds like you and your son have been down the same road that I have. Give the soap a try for a couple weeks. Wash just twice a day and exfoliate gently with a washcloth – no hard scrubbing. Be careful of putting anything else on the skin – maybe just a light moisturizer, and of course, don’t pick! He probably knows that one.
Sharri – Yes, the rose or citrus castile soaps would be good options, too. Pick the scent you like best!
Julie – I’m sorry you found the label misleading. The natural rose fragrance is made up of a blend of essential oils, like Geranium, Davana, Eucalyptus, rose otto and Orange, plus components of other essential oils that have been fractionated. There is a minimal amount of rose essential oil in our rose fragrance, since rose essential oil costs about $5000 a pound. However, everything is natural and has not been adulterated or synthesized in any way. For the tea tree essential oil, it is often organic, but unfortunately, there is not a large enough production of organic tea tree oil in the world to meet our demand and the farm we had been sourcing from lost its certification. That is why we don’t use the term “organic” there – we can’t change the labels for each batch. The essential oils make up 2% of our soaps, while the coconut and olive oils make up the vast majority of the oil content, plus the jojoba and hemp are organic as well. There is a lot of thought and background into label wording. Whenever you see “Made with Organic (fill in the blank)” it does mean that some, but not all of the ingredients are organic. For full disclosure, the soaps are not fully certified organic because water and the sodium or potassium hydroxide, key ingredients in any liquid soap, are not botanicals. It is a bit of a quagmire, but I hope this helped!
Neena – With any new product that you use, there is going to be a transition/detox time. I think that Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild is the gentlest soap on the market. However, you may find some breakouts at first as your face clarifies. You may also notice some tightness which can be relieved with a light moisturizer.
Samantha – I am so glad to hear that Dr. Bronner’s soap helped. I, too, am in love with coconut oil as a body moisturizer. It is such a treat!
Whew! I need to stay on top of these comments! I’m going to rest now.
All the best,
Lisa
In trying to treat a recent case of allergic breakout (lasted nearly a month), skin rash & the broken skin from the breakout, I found info leading to the Tea Tree oil soap. Thankfully Whole Foods had the bar, which after just a few days I am itching less & the skin is finally healing. I am allergic to many things, I normally use just virgin coconut oil for body lotion – so far this had been great. I’ve even started washing my face w/ it and the redness from my roscea has gone down. Now that I’ve read around some more, I may go and get the liquid soap, specially if I can use it in place of/added to my dye-free laundry soap.
Hi Lisa,
I have extremely dry sensitive and irritated skin which has taken its toll on usage of ordinary super market branded products. I broke out very badly recently and am still experiencing this but less of.
I am now switching to using essential seed oil on my face. Can you recommend a very gentle non drying facial soap for my face that has no chemicals in it?
Hi Lisa,
I have a question about the “natural rose fragrance” in Dr. Bronner’s Rose Magic Soap (liquid), and the “tea tree extract” in the Tea Tree Magic Soap (liquid). These don’t say they’re organic, and what is meant by “fragrance” anyway? It’s a bit misleading that the label on both bottles says, “made with organic oils” if all the oils included aren’t organic. True, the rest of the oils listed are organic. But unless a consumer reads the rest of the label, they would easily assume that “made with organic oils” means that all the oils are organic. At least this is what I believed when I purchased them. Some clarification would be appreciated
Can the other Dr. Bronner’s natural soaps be used as a facial cleanser? I am new to this product line and unfortunately the citrus and rose hemp essential oil based products are the only ones available in my city.
Hi Lisa,
My 16 year old has terrible acne. We have tried many different options, as well as seen a dermatologist but their treatments didn’t seem to make any difference and were full of chemicals. He has very sensitive skin. He has tried cleansing with just coconut oil and also a combination of castor oil and grapeseed oil but they seem to really dry out the skin around his eye area even though he was not putting the oils on these areas.
Also, he has several acne scars on his cheeks.
I purchased the baby mild liquid soap today, but I also have tea tree essential oil. Is it possible to put some drops of the essential oil in the baby mild soap as I have heard it is great for scars? What ratios should I use?
OR
Would it be better to have him just use the baby mild on its own to check for reactions first?
He is currently using Burt’s Bees which he “likes” but I haven’t seen a real difference in his skin since he started it several weeks ago.
I think he has become unsure of trying new things due to the reaction his eye area has.
Thanks
Robyn, I would love to know how your son made out. My 13 year old is in the same situation and I am looking into which of the Dr. Bronner products work best.
Hi Lisa!
I am excited to try the baby/mild on my consistently broken out skin… I feel like I’ve tried a ton of products with only moderate results (BP, SA, retinol). I mixed up some coconut oil, almond oil and the mild soap — I have had it drilled into my psyche that the word “soap” is a bad word… your testimony makes me think if the “soap” is made of the right ingredients, it might not be a bad thing. I have my fingers crossed and a bottle of water nearby to stay hydrated. Here goes nuttin’!
**PS any suggestions would be much appreciated 🙂 **