Thanks!

Lauryn,
I came across this article trying to figure out if the Dove Sensitive Skin Bar Soap I’ve been using the past 3 years might be causing some vulvar (I believe vestibule area), pain, irritation, and bumps. I have been getting bumps on my wrist/lower arm area when using this soap for hand washing which hasn’t happened before, as well as reacting to ECOS dish soap which also was fine for me before.

I was concerned as I’ve never had this much of a problem before and it keeps getting worse with more little bumps I can feel, I even have photographic evidence from 18 months ago when it first started that it wasn’t this bad. My gyno insists it’s normal (maybe a lot of women are having irritation from their soaps?), but it’s not for my body and is getting to be quite painful. Thanks to this article I’m going to give tallow soap and a few others a try and see if I don’t improve at all. Yes, I did have a lot of STD and yeast testing, nothing.

For example it’s one of the only options for women with disorders like vestibulodynia and or vulvodynia. All the soaps on the approved list have ingredients (primarily the added fragrances, it doesn’t matter if it’s natural) that have the potential to cause SEVERE vulvar pain and burning. I’ve tried most on that list. The dove soap is one of only two bar soaps I personally can use without even a small amount of soap run off casing intense pain. Vestibulodynia And vulvodynia may be poorly understood by doctors, but it isn’t actually as rare as they used to think.

I think it’s important to keep in mind that certain people have different needs based on their personal medical history, and not to dissuade people from using what may be their only viable option.

(For anyone reading this who would like the other VV safe bar soap recommendation, Sappo Hill has two. Their Natural Fragrance-Free and their oatmeal fragrance free.)

I live in Japan, so I can only buy products through iHerb. Unfortunately I didn’t find any soap on the list. But I saw an organic soap brand is Dr.Woods, could you tell me if it’s Good Stuff? Or if you have a brand you recommend and I can buy from iHerb? I just need the soap to complete my collection of good stuff. If you can answer me I will be immensely happy, thank you very much.

Hi Maia nice to meet you!

I live in Japan, so I can only buy products through iHerb. Unfortunately I didn’t find any soap on the list. But I saw an organic soap brand is Dr.Woods, could you tell me if it’s Good Stuff? Or if you have a brand you recommend and I can buy from iHerb? I just need the soap to complete my collection of good stuff. If you can answer me I will be immensely happy, thank you very much.

What about the Green Goo soaps, they are great!

I was wondering what you though of Meliora soap bars?

Thanks!

yes, unfortunately Better Life is one of those brands where you have to pick and choose. Some products are great, and others have some less-than-great ingredients.

Good Stuff:)

I am sorry to say Castelbel contains fragrance not reco’d by EWG + they lie about the ingredients and production methods. I was given their “goat’s milk triple -milled french lavender fragranced” soap — no goat’s milk (obviously no real lavender with the use of “fragranced”). Using it to freshen the basement.

My question is regarding, ‘Makes 3 Organics’ soap. What are your thoughts in this brand?

Thank you!

Thank you, A REAL ARTISAN SOAP CRAFTER. I am also a professional soaper and the term “fragrance” is not necessarily a bad thing and depends upon the supplier. MOST soap-safe fragrance oils are now phthalate free—particularly from legit vendors. Generally speaking, handmade (from scratch), artisan soaps do not contain SLS, parabens, synthetic detergents and foaming agents, etc and should have clearly marked ingredients…important for those with allergy/sensitivities, also. Additionally, a reputable soaper will typically disclose on their website and marketing materials that their ingredients are responsibly sourced, phthalate- and paraben-free, organic (when applicable), Non GMO….if that is part of their branding.

Update on Nature’s Plus Beauty Bar, the ingredients list customer service gave me is far longer, but still looks relatively ok from my point of view, here it is:
tapioca starch, vegetable glycerin and oils (olive and sunflower), potassium sulfate (EWG score 1), water, bentonite (EWG score 2), betaine (EWG score 1), essential oil (lemon), iron oxide (EWG score 2, used as colorant), non milk lactic acid, citric acid, allantoin, vitamin E, phosphate (no EWG score).

You should not use any soap or washes in the vulva or vaginal area, period. Even if they claim to be pure, or gentle, or pH balanced washes. Water and friction are all that is needed. Or a bath with epsom salt. Washes/soaps can change the pH balance, even if they claim to be pH balanced themselves, frequently making the vulva and vagina more alkaline instead of acidic, and leading to irritation, yeast overgrowth, or bacterial vaginosis.

What do you think about Aspen Kay bar soaps? Thanks!

I was wondering about that too.. Maia, Suzanne, what you think about Aspen Kay bar soaps?

Hi! So sorry I couldn’t figured out how to leave a comment but the reply button worked…I was wondering about the bar soap that Whole Foods sells-it’s just called “good” soap & it’s engraved on the actual bar! Do you know if it’s truly good stuff?! Thank you 🙂

Traditional soap is NOT skin friendly.

What soap bar would you recommend? Is 100 pure Olive oil soap what I should look for? Is kiss my face okay? I’m very interested in what you said and would like your opinion or ask if you sell your soaps??

I’m not sure if I can ask you here, but where can I find your soaps?

Hand made soap made with coconut oil or castor and many other healthy oils will generate a wonderful full lather. So what you read is wrong. Using Kirk’s or Dr Bonners, they are factory produced chemical soaps. Also not 100% olive oil. Olive oil does not lather in bubbles, more so then a slimy like lather. If you want real information talk to a authentic hand made soaper. Talk to several. Never take info at the only truth by reading one thing. Read everything, then pick the real out of that. Also the ingredients must be listed in full on everything, even small time crafter’s soaps. SLS, Phthalates, Parabens, are all bad. Citric acid is not needed in soap at all, and unscented is the way to go if your unsure whether it’s really an essential oil or fragrant oil.
Oh and for the record. I have been tested for allergies and am allergic to pretty much everything. I live in a real house with real pets and real kids and real dirt, that must be cleaned. I make all of our soaps, shampoos, deodorants, cleaners etc. So I know the difference between good and bad chemicals.

No reputable soap crafter would use a fragrance oil with phthalate or ingredients such with Parabens. And no, not all fragrance oils have Phthalates. This article is riddled with misinformation and basically an advertisement.
Also, you would have to be a complate idiot to believe there is an essential oil called Cotton candy. It’s a fragrance oil, and if phthalate free it should be safe. Essential oils come from plants and natural materials, not Cotton or Cotton candy or Creamsicle. Lol. Come on people, you can’t be that naive.
Also ANY store soap is basically harmful chemicals. SLS, Parabens, Phthalates are a few ingredients they may contain.
Also Citric acid and borax are used to lower the PH. Levels of liquid soap by many soapers. The wrong amounts can do more as much harm as leaving the PH. High.
Just my professional two cents.

Real Castile Soap is 100% pure olive oil and has a 0 cleansing factor. Therefore there is no way what you were using was all natural Castile Soap. I have been making it for years and there is a zero chance it caused your problem if it was pure. Castile is also not a laundry soap, laundry soap (bars) are made with borax, which is not Castile Soap. Either what you were using is not 100% Castile Soap properly made. Or it had chemicals in it that caused your issue. Heavy lye soap (also laundry soap) will do what you described as well. The popular kids liquid soap would have been nothing more then SLS, and chemicals too.
Oh and no reputable soap crafter would use a fragrance oil with phthalate or ingredients such with Parabens. And no, not all fragrance oils have Phthalates. This article is riddled with misinformation and basically an advertisement.

Yes, Shea Moisture bar soaps are good stuff:).

Hi Mary,
Did you ever try the Kirks with aloe?

I seem to be having the same problem. We get a bad rash when we use Kirks or Dr Bonner’s. Have you ever heard of anyone else having this problem?

Castile soaps are recommended for people with skin issues so it’s odd that I’d develop a skin issue when using one. I can use any other soap, including Dial, and have no problems.

Regarding Ivory – the sneaky stuff you list is fragrance. Clearly unnecessary and not ‘good stuff’ but here is my question – how bad is it?

I am on a tight budget and can’t spend much. I need the fewest/safest ingredients for the cheapest price. Ivory seems to be a balance of cheap with ‘almost’ pure ingredients. The tallow part doesn’t bother me with regard to animal products. I tried Dr Bonners and Kirks and we seem to have a reaction to those both, though I am not sure why but we get rashes – similar to the poster above “Mary”. I’ve seen a few websites mention some people can’t tolerate coconut oil soap – all I know is we have rashes that come with the soap and oddly….go away wen we use Dial. My goal is to reduce our chemical exposure, it’s not imperative for us as it would be for those with skin issues, but for obvious reasons I’d rather not lather up with chemicals, or at least not very many chemicals – even though those chemical soaps seem to make the rash go away. We’ve used Ivory in the past when on sale and have no reaction to it (again, we don’t have sensitive skin…I used to just buy whatever soap was on sale, usually Dial).

Any thoughts on the best balance of the fewest chemicals and the lowest price?

I was thinking Ivory until I found your website, now I’m not sure but I can’t afford more than 45 cents per ounce on a bar soap.

I LOVE Alaffia’s Good Soap!!!!! Just took advantage of Whole Foods ! a bar on Alaffia”s Good Soap. I purchased a few varieties though and now I am left wondering what the best way to store them is. Thoughts?

Yes, the Tom’s bar soaps are fine!

I would consider this Good Stuff!

I don’t know this brand, but will add to our list for a future investigation!

I’m not a big fan. They have sodium benzoate and cocamidopropyl betaine listed as ingredients.

I think Tom’s bar soaps are fine.

Thank you very much!

I am still struggling trying to find a shampoo. I will find one, that I do not seem to react to, then I read if it lathers it is a chemical, so I quit using shampoos that lather. I hate shampoo bars. So I just gave up and using honey to shampoo with. I person just recently told me about Rhassoul Clay. His wife is severely sensitive, so she can not live in a house. She lives in a teak boat. I still have not tried the clay.

Looks fine to me, although no ingredients are organic. 

I can’t find a list of the actual ingredients on their website, so I am unable to weigh in!

No good, unfortunately. Sodium laureth sulfate and a bunch of other Bad Stuff.

I just took a quick look, and didn’t see anything concerning.

What are you using now instead of castile soap that doesn’t strip the oils in the vaginal region? Thanks!

Looks like Good Stuff to me!:)

In my previous comment, I should of said that I was using the Kirks Original Coco Castile Soap. It has been around for years.

Please women, be cautious when using the Castile soaps. My sister recommended Castile soap for stripping the oils, etc., out of my hair. It was great for this but I ended up using it when I showered as my husband liked it as well. I ended up with a horrible vaginal problem because the Castile bar was stripping all of the oils out of my vagina area, and the miserable problem lasted for months. Thinking it was a yeast infection, I kept seeing my doctor who told me I did not have this problem. I finally figure out on my own what was happening as I had experienced a similar problem years before with my then very young daughters who were bathing with a then popular liquid bath soap for kids. We used to shave off pieces of a bar of Castile Soap to put in our laundry. That is how strong it is.

Don’t use the soap, just threw mine all out. Just read today that it carries ingredients that are cancer causing.

This doesn’t appear to have any of those? https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/acure-organics-lemongrass-argan-stem-cell-shampoo-for-all-hair-types/
And neither does this soap: https://gimmethegoodstuff.org/store/paleo-skincare-tallow-and-herb-soap-for-babies/

I am also curious about Kirk’s Original Coco Castile soap, as it is readily available at stores like Walmart and Smith’s/Kroger. The label says, “Natural, Hypoallergenic Skin Care with No Animal By-Products or Synthetic Detergents.” The ingredients are listed as: Coconut Soap, Water, Vegetable Glycerin, Coconut Oil, and Natural Fragrance.

Yes, unfortunately Ivory contains synthetic fragrance.

Don’t worry about being a pest! After a cursory look, I think this brand looks fine:).

http://www.chandrikasoaps.com/ChandV01/products/

I don’t like the ingredients in Dove soap; it’s so easy to make a safe, effective natural bar soap, but Dove’s contains lots of synthetics of questionable safety.

thank you, Maia!

My doctor does not like this one. Besides, I can’t pronounce half the stuff in it.

I don’t know that one but will add it to the list when we update this Guide!

Sneaky Stuff, unfortunately!