The Stirling bath soaps are good sized (5 oz) & seem to last a long time, so they seem reasonably economical, in addition to being good.
Going to natural soaps?
- Thread starter wrz7091
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It isn't easy - I know a few who sell only soap and make a living doing so, but you have to sell a boat load of soap to do it. My bar soap business basically pays for supplies for everything else, but if I only made soap I would make enough to feed my habit but not enough to live on comfortably
However if you have a full product line it is easier, because you have more stuff for people to choose from. Nail polish especially really draws people into my farmers market and introduces them to 'natural soaps' and other products I offer that they would not have otherwise purchased if I didn't have something sparkly to distract them and draw them over 
Yeah clearly it is something people do because they enjoy it or it is a hobby for them and that makes sense. I only use artisan soaps just because they are more interesting then anything off the shelf and because I know they do it with passion.
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Mini update. So I've tried Mistral Sandalwood and Mysore Superior, each for a several days. The both lather well and the scent they both impart are pleasing. However the edge I have to give is to Mistral. The scent is very nice and for the lack of better terms, I feel it leaves my skin softer and cleaner than Mysore. I cannot compare the two in usage because they are different weights. Mistral was like 250g compared to like 125g.
I just ordered Eucalyptus from Plant Life 113g bar. Look forward to it. After I am done with the above Sandalwoods, I will try another Sandalwood from somewhere different. This is fun!!
I just ordered Eucalyptus from Plant Life 113g bar. Look forward to it. After I am done with the above Sandalwoods, I will try another Sandalwood from somewhere different. This is fun!!
My friends,
The Mistral is a great soap. These are triple milled. No chemicals at all. Shea Butter, Glycerine and so on. Mistral ( used most of these) is made in England, or France. I am a 62yo man had skin problems 2 years ago. It is worth the extra. They last 3-6 months FUI. I also recommend Michael Design Works soap. Big fan of these. Also any Italian is great. Nesti Danti is a pure triple milled soap made in Italy.
Look to see that they are natural, your best bet. There are so many out there.
Nice day
Jimmy
The Mistral is a great soap. These are triple milled. No chemicals at all. Shea Butter, Glycerine and so on. Mistral ( used most of these) is made in England, or France. I am a 62yo man had skin problems 2 years ago. It is worth the extra. They last 3-6 months FUI. I also recommend Michael Design Works soap. Big fan of these. Also any Italian is great. Nesti Danti is a pure triple milled soap made in Italy.
Look to see that they are natural, your best bet. There are so many out there.
Nice day
Jimmy
Do you drive a manual transmission car?
I started going natural about 10 years ago (soap, shampoo, shaving cream, ...). I will never go back to mainstream stuff. I also try to eat only organic food, but that is hard when eating out. And I'm doing less and less of that. I don't use a microwave and try to minimize my consumption of processed food. I don't use the freezer (or at least it has been a while since I did).
One thing you have to watch out for -- many products are advertised as natural without necessarily being natural since that is an unregulated term. They can put organic as long as only a certain percentage of their ingredients are organic. So basically, there are companies that scam you to pay more for their product while deftly using marketing and making sure they are within the bounds of law. You really have to shop hard to find ethical businesses. Organic consumer's association is sort of a watchdog here:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
I have written a general article about my understanding of "living natural" here:
http://anoopsplace.blogspot.com/2012/05/going-green-living-healthy.html
Caution: It could be all wrong.
For sandalwood, the main thing is trying to figure out whether they use essential oils or a just a scent (which could be synthetic or natural). Many of the products use synthetic fragrances which can actually cause irritation to the skin when used over time.
My friends the soaps we are talking about are natural.
Mistral, Nesti Dante, Michael Design are this and many others
A house well known does not
L oxidane is chemical
Most shaving is chemical except Castle Forbes the rest are more chemical.
Research and you will see
The mistral used the olive oil and most of theirs a great soap
I like Michael Design works a great grapefruit I! Lol
I would not admit in front of all male company,
Nice day
Jimmy
Mistral, Nesti Dante, Michael Design are this and many others
A house well known does not
L oxidane is chemical
Most shaving is chemical except Castle Forbes the rest are more chemical.
Research and you will see
The mistral used the olive oil and most of theirs a great soap
I like Michael Design works a great grapefruit I! Lol
I would not admit in front of all male company,
Nice day
Jimmy
My friend want to clarify what is natural. First what makes a soap great is the use of a shea butter and glycerine and olive oils etc. The run of the mill soaps your Nancy Boy and Toms do use this. They use a chemical scent and process.
These are fine, the skin needs these things.
A Vegetable soap per say. Nesti Dante is just this. The olive, or lettuce , the actual scent is from a plant that is applied. Or the florals they use.
I have found for myself is any of them that have what the skin needs is very good.
Shea butter, glycerine and olive oil.
So make sure getting this.
Have nice day
Jimmy
These are fine, the skin needs these things.
A Vegetable soap per say. Nesti Dante is just this. The olive, or lettuce , the actual scent is from a plant that is applied. Or the florals they use.
I have found for myself is any of them that have what the skin needs is very good.
Shea butter, glycerine and olive oil.
So make sure getting this.
Have nice day
Jimmy
Speaking of which, there is a currently a nice thread about that:Do you drive a manual transmission car?
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...l-transmission-your-thoughts-your-experiences
This is inaccurate and misleading. There are plenty of "natural" essential oils that are irritants and harmful and synthetic fragrance molecules that are nature identical and innocuous.
You have a point in that some folks may be sensitive even to natural scents.
But I disagree that synthetics are safe.
Additionally, some products that claim to be natural might not be, because there is no regulation for being allowed to use the word "natural" to describe a product. So really, the only way to go about this is to buy from a reputable manufacturer.
Is there science/evidence for this?
Sorry not an expert on this stuff. I'm just very sensitive myself. But google "health risk synthetic fragrance" and you will find plenty to read.
Just keep in mind that scientific studies have their limitations. Just because they write something today does not mean it will not be proven wrong tomorrow.
This is what I do, and it's what I suggest everyone does because it seems to work.
I used to have one or two soaps that I'd always use. Mainly grocery store type. These would be great for awhile, but eventually my skin would rebel. Itching, dryness, etc. Nothing would help. So I started on a soap odyssey, trying various types, brands, etc.
What I discovered is that I need quite a few different soaps, and I need to use them at different times. Between skin changes, body chemistry, weather, etc. I think there are a lot of variables. So, in my shower you'll usually find 3-4 different types of soap at any given time. Since I started this, my skin is usually pretty happy and I don't get the itchy dryness I would before.
Currently:
- A cheap body wash that smells nice that I use after going to the gym at night.
- Bee and Flower bar that I've been using in the mornings lately.
- Dr. Bronners that I'll use in the morning or after the gym to mix it up.
- Yardley of London Oatmeal that I'll use if I start to feel a bit or irritated somewhere.
- Irish Spring because sometimes I need to put on a manly double deodorant soap.
Other random artisan type soaps will pop in there too. I don't think it's so much the brands/types that work, but that I use a decent variety to keep things mixed up. So that's what I'd suggest.
I used to have one or two soaps that I'd always use. Mainly grocery store type. These would be great for awhile, but eventually my skin would rebel. Itching, dryness, etc. Nothing would help. So I started on a soap odyssey, trying various types, brands, etc.
What I discovered is that I need quite a few different soaps, and I need to use them at different times. Between skin changes, body chemistry, weather, etc. I think there are a lot of variables. So, in my shower you'll usually find 3-4 different types of soap at any given time. Since I started this, my skin is usually pretty happy and I don't get the itchy dryness I would before.
Currently:
- A cheap body wash that smells nice that I use after going to the gym at night.
- Bee and Flower bar that I've been using in the mornings lately.
- Dr. Bronners that I'll use in the morning or after the gym to mix it up.
- Yardley of London Oatmeal that I'll use if I start to feel a bit or irritated somewhere.
- Irish Spring because sometimes I need to put on a manly double deodorant soap.
Other random artisan type soaps will pop in there too. I don't think it's so much the brands/types that work, but that I use a decent variety to keep things mixed up. So that's what I'd suggest.
I use Stirling and will not be going back to either mass-produced stuff or Dr. Bronner's. I feel bad about Dr. Bronner's, but I didn't care for their bath soaps (and their liquid soap would clog in my soap dispensers all the time - I now use Seventh Generation dish soap, which still does that but to a smaller degree). I'd think that Mike's, Mystic Water, or any of the other artisan brands would be fine. Filthy Farmgirl soaps is another option (I have to give them credit for the best labels and marketing names!).
The biggest problem is that there are a lot of great artisan options out there, to the point that it's hard to keep track of.
The biggest problem is that there are a lot of great artisan options out there, to the point that it's hard to keep track of.
Sappo Hill is my current favorite in sandalwood or unscented.
http://www.sappohill.com/
These things are amazingly affordable (< $3 a bar and it lasts forever).
http://www.sappohill.com/
These things are amazingly affordable (< $3 a bar and it lasts forever).
anoop, you know the weight of one of those?
