Get The Dirt On Hand Soap
By Jillian Polaski
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, News & Reviews |
Mothers, doctors, chefs, and hardcore germaphobes-listen up. You like clean hands, yes? With all the options on the market today from hand sanitizer to antibacterial soaps, you’d think that this society would have the cleanest hands in history. Not so. Many of today’s soaps contain some very unhealthy chemicals and surprising animal byproducts.
Soaps are produced by combining a fat source with an alkali, and unless the package specifically states that the product contains no animal ingredients, chances are good that the fat source in your soap is pig fat. Yum. In addition, the chemicals found in soaps penetrate our skin and can cause hormonal disruptions and even cancer. After the soap makes it down the drain, it ends up in our drinking water. Triclosan, the main antibacterial ingredient in many hand soaps, has been found in many streams and rivers and can disrupt thyroid hormone function in bullfrogs. When was the last time a bullfrog did you wrong? Exactly. So what’s the best option for getting your digits squeaky clean, while not wronging any innocent forest creatures or yourself? Steer clear of the antibacterial variety and purchase an all natural version that uses vegetable rather than animal fats as its base, and that doesn’t include any petrochemicals. Here’s our favorite hand soap finds…
Amlavi Hand and Body Wash
Amlavi’s mission is to build a collection of all natural bath products that maintain a connection to the earth, air, and waterways surrounding us. They’ve accomplished that through both their products and their practices (they offer bike-to-work incentives for employees, use recycled office supplies, and use compostable or plantable materials in their product packaging, among other things). Their hand and body washes are superb. They produce three aromatic blends, citrus, sandalwood, and floral. Each blend contains between eight and twelve very pronouncable ingredients in a base of coconut, avocado, sesame, or olive oil. There are no petrochemicals, no animal byproducts, no phthalates and no parabens.
This soap is a little bit less gelatinous than a more traditional, chemical-filled hand soap, but it feels smooth and silky, doesn’t dry out your hands, and smells natural and delicious.
MSRP: $15.95/bottle
Tom’s of Maine Moisturizing Hand Soap
Tom’s Of Maine is a company with an environmental mission. They offset 100% of their electricity consumption with wind energy, use energy efficient lighting in their offices, recycle 200,000 pounds of materials per year, use recycled and recyclable packaging and vegetable based ink in their products, provide a monetary benefit to employees who purchase hybrid cars, and donate 10% of their pre-tax profits to organizations that support the environment. And they provide information on all of their ingredients.
Their hand soap is pretty cool too. The fat base is coconut oil and palm oil. The soap feels slippery and smooth and won’t dry out your hands. It’s available in both lavender and unscented and you can buy it either online or at a Whole Foods or other natural store near you.
MSRP: $5.99/bottle
Nature’s Gate Organics Liquid Soap
All of Nature’s Gate’s products are packaged in recycled or recyclable packaging and they base their personal care products on botanical remedies. They also, in conjunction with WaterAid America, support rainwater harvesting for families in Asia and Africa.
Their Nature’s Gate Organics Liquid Soap contains quite a few certified organic ingredients that sooth and moisturize your hands while getting them clean. You can choose from a variety of fragrances. Nature’s Gate is widely available at Whole Foods and other natural stores.
MSRP: $6.99/bottle
Pangea Organics Liquid Soap
Pangea Organics products do not contain anything artificial or petroleum-based. They work diligently to produce food grade body care. Their organic hand soaps are made with herbal extracts and essential oils in a coconut, extra virgin olive, hemp, or jojoba oil base. The soap is a little on the thin side, but it moisturizes and leaves your hands feeling silky and clean. Available in three delicious scents-Canadian Pine With White Sage, Italian White Sage With Geranium And Yarrow, and Pyrenees Lavender With Cardamom-it’s easily found at Whole Foods, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom.
In addition, Pangea is dedicated to researching and teaching sustainable living and business practices. A portion of their profits go toward the Pangea Institute, their non-profit institution responsible for the researching and teaching all aspects of sustainable living and business practices.
MSRP: $14.00/bottle
Posted on July 22, 2008 |
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