Category — Brands

After reading and hearing so much about Dr. Bronner and how organic their skincare and other products are, I decided to finally try out the “magic soaps” for myself.

Yes. I admit it. I haven’t before. I thought the price was way too prohibitive. But there I was, in front of a whole isle of all things Dr. Bronner, and I just couldn’t resist. After all, organic skin care is my passion. And those bottles were sooo organic.

Which is why I didn’t buy just one bar of soap. No. I went all out and bought two bars And a bottle of liquid soap. I had to see what all the fuss is about.

And thus, faithfully reporting to you once again, here are my reviews:

Dr. Bronner Magic Soap Bar and Liquid Soap: Unscented Baby-Mild Hemp Pure-Castile Soap.

This is the bar:

And this is the bottle:

About the brand:

The story of this brand and it’s founder is abundantly scattered thought the web for anyone curious to research. But for those who just want a bird-eye view, here is the gist:

The company was founded by an eccentric German immigrant castile soap maker Emanuel H. Bronner. He was a third generation soap maker, and upon arriving to America continued on working his family trade. The actual company was founded in 1948 and the first products where peppermint soap and healthfood seasonings. The company has since expanded into skin care and various other natural products.

(The company site has a very easy to follow time-line of its evolution here.)

Emanual Bronner died in 1997 and the company is presently run by Ralph Bronner (his son) and David Bronner (his nephew). It is a family owned operation.

The company’s soaps have been certified organic since 2003 (under USDA) and the company itself is certified Fair Trade since 2007.

According to the company site Dr. Bronner Magic Soaps make about $9 million in annual sales.

Dr. Bronner Magic Soaps have recently been in the news for the Organic Lawsuit the company filed against other brands and some certifying bodies. The company is alleging that rivals use misleading labeling to confuse consumers into thinking that products are more organic then they actually are. (There is a good article about the lawsuit here . Also you can read a press release about their requests from the industry here.)

Price:

I paid $4.49 Cdn for the bar and $9.99 Cdn for the bottle.

I think the bar is overpriced. At least psychologically paying that much for a bar was a challenge. However the price for the bottle is very reasonable and is comparable to other body washes. And the bottle is sufficiently big (16 oz, 472 ml.

Certifications:

Both products are certified organic by Oregon Tilth (USDA).

Packaging:

The bar is wrapped in Living Tree Paper (10% hempflax / 90% post consumer waste). The bottle is 100% biodegradable.

Reading the ingredients:

Bar: Saponfified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm & Organic Olive Oils (w/ Retained Glycerin), Water, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, salt, Citric Acid, Vitamin E.

Bottle: Water, Saponified Organic Coconut & Organic Olive Oils (w/Retained Glycerin), Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, citric Acid, Vitamin E.

I have no idea what “saponified” is. I tried to read the explanation on Wikipedia, but got even more confused. Some kind of process to make soap. Sounds normal and natural. Just a bit too technical for me. Dr. Bronner’s site explains it better , so feel free to read all about it.

Reading the packaging:

There is so much written on the bottle, that it would take me a whole post just to list it all. Ingredients, instructions, certifications, and numerous quotes and commandments.

Here is a typical example:

Knowing the full-truth that unites the human race, and not teaching all is deathly guilt”, learned carpenter Jesus from Mason Rabbi Hillel! But Marx, innocent grandson of 2 rabbies, learned only half truth! As Mao wrote in Redbook ’51: “Marxist-Communism, once in power, is utterly unworkable, has less value then cowdung. Its power is the gun!” What an apology we Rabbis owe Israel, Marx, Mao, all mankind, for not teaching Astronomy’s great All-One-God-Faith, that with just 6 words eternally unites the human race! As teaches African-shepherd Astronomer Israel for 6000 years, “LISTEN CHILDREN ETERNAL FATHER ETERNALLY ONE!” For on God’s Spaceship Earth, with Bomb and Gun, we are All-One or none! All-One! All-One! All-One! Exceptions eternally? Absolute none!

There… The message on the soap bottle.

Honestly, the benefit of this bottle is if you keep it in the bathroom, you won’t need to invest in any additional bathroom reading material This quote is just one of what looks like gazillion quotes written in different sized fonts and directions.

Other claims on the bottle: “Enjoy 1 soap for 18 different uses!”… This left me confused. I only know of one way to use soap: for cleaning…

And more statements:

100% Vegan.
Guaranteed no synthetic peppermint oils.
Not animal tested.
“For All Major Ingredients we are going FAIR TRADE.”

The paper on the bar was much more succinct. “FAIR TRADE”, “Vegan”, “Not animal tested” plus ingredients list and a note on importance of recycled paper and use of soy ink.

Scent:

I found the bar’s sent to be basically non-existent. The liquid soap, however has a hint of wet-burned-paper scent. The first time I used it I thought there was fire somewhere and panicked for a second. But once I realized the source, I found it oddly pleasant, in a quirky kind of way…

Texture:

Bar: A perfectly regular soap bar. Nothing unusual to report.

Liquid Soap: More runny/watery that regular body wash. So don’t tilt the bottle too fast.

Effectiveness:

I haven’t tried the “18 different uses”, but it does the regular washing (hands and body) job pretty well. It lathers up quickly and evenly — a little goes a long way.

Verdict:

The bar is nice, but overpriced. The liquid soap is a way better value – you literally need just a drop or two.

Both products get high marks for organic content. But the liquid soap gets extra bonus point for the fun read

So, buy the Liquid Soap and be merry!

Weleda is one of the first brand names I heard when I set out on my organic skin care search. But I heard it from my European sources. Because it just happens to be the number one natural skin care brand in Europe. And if you are lucky enough to be living in Germany, you can get Weleda products everywhere. In fact, if you live in Europe, you probably heard about it whether you are into “natural” or not. But if you live in North America or other countries… Well, we clearly got some catching up to do!

Yes, it boggles my mind that a company that has been creating top quality products since 1920s is still largely unknown outside of Europe. I feel the situation must be rectified… And on that note, here is your definitive primer on all things Weleda skin care…

First Some History:

Weleda was founded on the pioneering anthroposophical ideas of Rudolf Steiner in 1921. Rudolf Steiner provided the “spirit”, the philosophy for the company, while a Dutch medical doctor Ita Wegman was the medical foundation. Together they launched anthroposophical medicine, and Weleda was the pharmaceutical laboratory developing medicines that were in line with that philosophy. (Ita also founded a clinic and a home for mentally handicapped children, among her other accomplishments.)

Anthroposophy views humans as indivisible beings consisting of body, mind and soul. Thus in the context of healing, all three had to be taken into consideration. Which also applied to the preparation of medicines. And since humans are intrinsically connected to living nature, only pure natural remedies could provide true healing. And nothing tops organic and biodynamically grown ingredients. (Read my article about biodynamic).

But back to our story… In 1924 the then called “Internationale Laboratorien Arlesheim AG” acquired its first subsidiary, a German company, which in addition to medical preparations made cosmetic preparations. The company was officially renamed Weleda AG in 1928.

Weleda company has miraculously survived World War II, despite the fact that Hitler has banned Anthroposophical Society, and in 1945 the company resumed its operations with about 150 employees.

Since the mid 1950s the company has been using organic and biodynamic ingredients. This was accomplished through both setting up their own farms and developing an extensive supplier network, which have to comply with Weleda’s stringent requirements.

Note: I heavily sourced this article and I owe them credit…

Now for Some Mythology:

WELEDA
[Wa-lay-da]

WELEDA was first registered as a trademark in 1923. Rudolf Steiner chose the name himself, for “Weledas” were Celtic women healers. These were wise women with deep knowledge of nature.

There was also a known historic “Weleda” — a prophetess and a priestess of healing living at the beginning of Christian Era. According to the Roman Historian Tacitus, she lived by the Lippe River of modern day Germany. She belonged to the Brukturer tribe, and under her influence, her tribe united with other Germanic tribes to repel Roman invaders, until eventually captured. The peace was established eventually, but the Romans feared Weleda’s influence and took her captive in Rome, where she remained until her death, though she was treated honorably.

The Business Side:

As for the technical nitty-gritty of the modern corporation (I’m an accountant by training… I can’t help myself ), The modern Weleda Group is based in Arlesheim, Switzerland, and is the leading manufacturer of anthroposophical medicines and natural cosmetics in the world. As of August 2007 the company had 17 regional companies, and products available in 50 companies worldwide.

The company mainly specializes in natural cosmetics, over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements. All Weleda body care products are manufactured in Switzerland, Germany, and France, using more than 400 organic ingredients from 30 countries. In 2005 the company had $295 million in sales, with cosmetics generating roughly two-thirds of Weleda’s revenues.

Weleda Products:

Where do I start? There are literally tons of great products. But let’s highlight a just few that got a well deserved media and user attention:

Wild Rose Intensive Eye Treatment — Winner – Beauty Awards – Best Eye Treatment, Lifescape Magazine, 2007

To make the skin around your eyes soft, supple and young…

Sea Buckthorn Creamy Body Wash — Highly Recommended – Best Body Wash — Natural Health & Beauty Magazine, 2008

Refreshing and revitalizing shower with an antioxidant… Now that’s a win-win situation! It has an orangey smell, which is a great way to wake up in my books.

Wild Rose Body Lotion — Winner – Best No-Guilt Eco Chic Body Lotion — Essentials Magazine, 2007

Perfect gentle and light lotion for a after bath…

By the way, the whole Wild Rose line have been getting tons of accolades. For example, the line was voted Best Beauty Range by Here’s Health Natural Health Awards in 2004.

Skin Food — Highly Recommended – Best Intense Moisturiser — Natural Health & Beauty Magazine, 2008

Skin repair for dry patches and winter protection. But please, use sparingly! Cause we are talking “DEEP MOISTURIZING” here! This tends to be a hit with eczema crowd.

Weleda Products Winner — Best Value for Money — Natural Health & Beauty Magazine, 2007/2008

As in, they are touting the whole brand.

The “Weleda Wild Rose Oil” won the prestigious “Product of the Year” award at the BioFach trade show in Frankfurt in 1996. In the realm of natural products, this is the award everybody covets…

Oh, and dear mommies, did I mention the Weleda Baby Range? The one that TIPS recently selected as Tips Top Brand? The one that was mentioned in Vogue, Country Living, You Are What You Eat, Prima Baby, Allergy, Mother & Baby, That’s Life!, etc.?

Finally something gentle for the tender skins and bums.

Packaging:

Most Weleda products are packaged in glass bottles and metal (aluminum) tubes. Please note that all aluminum tubes have inert resinous lining, and thus aluminum does not come in contact with the product inside. The reason for the packaging is that it is best for retaining the product qualities. Glass, is inert, and thus does not react with the volatile “living” substances inside. And the beauty of metal tubes is that upon squeezing the necessary amount, the tube contracts, and thus air does not come inside – making the product stay fresh longer. Since Weleda does not use synthetic preservatives, it must take even simple things like packaging method and material into account in order to prolong the life of the product.

The glass bottles and aluminum tubes are, of course, perfectly recyclable.

Other interesting facts:

Why is the company’s head office located in Switzerland, and yet it’s considered German by many?

The answer is that when it was registered, Germany was coming out of World War I, and money and freedom were much safer in Switzerland. Thus the company is legally Swiss. However today the production is focused in three countries: Germany, France and Switzerland.

Certifications:

BDIH Certified Natural Cosmetics

NPA Certification (Natural Products Association’s certification).

Fair Trade:

Weleda also practices Fair Trade. Which basically means that they offer support to communities from which they source ingredients. They set up long-term relationships with suppliers, and make sure that the workers are treated ethically.

In Conclusion:

In conclusion of this grand epos, which is much longer than I anticipated (but hey, the company is pretty old to fit in a paragraph!), I must say that I’m envious of those living in Germany who can just walk into a local store and buy any Weleda (or Dr. Hauschka for that matter) product any time. It’s no secret that Germany and France, and Europe in general, are way ahead of us (North Americans) in terms of embracing organic skin care.

But girls of the rest of the world – do not despair! The tide of nature cannot be slowed down, and the fact that you now know about wonderful brands like Weleda proves it. We may not yet be able to get it at our local drug-mart. But hey, we’ve got internet!

Update: You now can get the entire Weleda line at SkinBotanica.com