Category — Reviews

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!

This is the long-awaited part two of my organic eye-cream experiment. (Here is part one where I featured Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Gel) What can I say? I think I’m in love… Yes, I’m positively developing a love affair with Dr. Hauschka products. And this eye cream is so perfect for my eyes, that I’m struggling with words that would adequately convey the depth of my appreciation for finally finding a cream that does precisely what it promises, without any side effects.

I’m practically hyperventilating from the excitement.

Ok, catch my breath. Let’s do a review.

Product name:
Daily Revitalizing Eye Cream by Dr. Hauschka


What and who is it for:
“A light, hydrating daily treatment. Firms and smoothes the eye area to minimize fine lines.” It really is for everyone, and especially so for those with sensitive skin.

About the brand:
Given the popularity of my “brand overview” articles (eg: Jurlique, Weleda) I am intending to write an extensive Dr. Haushka brand overview ASAP. For now, please see the “about the brand” section of my review of Dr. Hauschka “Quince Day Cream”. But, in a nutshell, this is a company heavily influenced by anthroposophical ideas of Rudolf Steiner, and therefore it uses pure organic and biodynamic ingredients, as well as does its part in being eco-consious and globally friendly. The company manufactures a very comprehensive cosmetics line that includes both organic skin care and makeup products.

Price:
Around $50 for the tube. But it is worth every penny and you need so little per use that it will last for ages!

Certifications:
100% Certified Natural by the BDIH.

Packaging:
A recyclable aluminum tube. The tube is coated with a food-grade resin, so aluminum does not come in contact with the product.

Reading the ingredients:

These ingredients read like “who is who” in the nature’s apothecary. Avocado for vitamins (especially Vitamin E – best for anti-aging) and fatty acids, rose flower water to soothe and treat most sensitive of skins, pineapple for lighting, hydrating and smoothing… The list goes on. It really does read like food for skin!

Water/Aqua, Avocado (Persea Gratissima) Oil, Rose (Rosa Damascena) Distillate, Glycerin, Alcohol, Pineapple (Ananas Sativus) Extract, Beeswax/Cera Alba, Althaea Officinalis (Marsh Mallow) Extract, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Peanut (Arachis Hypogaea) Oil, Hectorite, Sweet Almond (Prunus Dulcis) Oil, Rose (Rosa Gallica) Petal Extract, Apricot (Prunus Armeniaca) Kernel Oil, Lecithin, Jojoba (Buxus Chinensis) Oil, Mango (Mangifera Indica) Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Nut Oil, Shea (Butyrospermum Parkii) Butter, Seabuckthorn (Hippophae Rhamnoides) Oil, Carrageenan (Chondrus Crispus), Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Fragrance/Parfum (Essential Oil), Geraniol*

Other claims:
‘With Dr.Hauschka Daily Revitalizing Eye Cream the skin around the eyes feels relaxed and nurtured, and premature wrinkles are prevented. It is a refreshing relief for the tired and overworked eye contour area.”

Scent:
Very subtle and hardly detectable. Just as I like it

Texture:
Light and creamy.

What does it actually do:
It is extremely light and fast absorbing. Not even for a second did my eyes have the usual “bloated” feeling other creams cause. I could blink, stare and wink with no problems. Nor did they look shiny as if I painted glasses on my face (an occurrence not so unique with eye creams I’ve used in the past). And it wasn’t greasy either, so it is make-up ready. I don’t have too many lines under my eyes – thankfully I’m still in the “prevention” mode , but my companion (who, as I mentioned at the beginning of this experiment, is in her very young early fifties) is raving about the smoothing action… In fact, when I asked her to tell me what she thought about this cream (compared to Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Gel) which she liked a lot, she had just one word: “Better!” Now, that’s saying something, given all the praise that Jurlique received from her. I tried to get her to elaborate, but it was all “good” and “better” and “nice” and “gentle” and “working”… Hardly cohesive (positive emotion overwelmed her vocabularly too), but the gist was obvious.

Cons: Given my glowing review I feel like I need to provide a con, just so I don’t seem too biased. And I’m really trying to find one. Still trying… Really trying… Perhaps I could say the price, for as I mentioned above it can come to $50. But is that really a con? I mean, that cream lasts a very long time, and the price is quite normal as far as eye creams go. And you are getting real quality here… For your eyes. With no preservatives. Or colours. Or other suspicious little chemicals that other companies like to add just so my eyes can experience the different shades of scarlet…

I’m just trying to be objective here…

And, by the way, my companion is still using the sample pack. It’s that tiny little-paper-square thing. She’s stretched it for two weeks already… A little goes a long way. So yah, it might be slightly pricier than some other choices you’ve seen, but calculate it over its useful life and you are talking pennies a day…

So no… No cons.

Verdict:
My thesaurus is not providing me with enough positive words to describe how happy I am with this eye cream. Cause I am really happy with it. And I’m seriously considering writing a “thank you” letter to Dr. Hauschka.

And as to the comparison with Jurlique Herbal Recovery Eye Gel? Dr. Hauschka is the clear winner. At least in my view ;-) And if you share it, you can get your own little miracle here:
Dr.Hauschka Daily Revitalizing Eye Cream