3 Natural Soap Brands To Try NOW (Whether You’re Boycotting Dove, Or Not)

Soap, Ethics, & Ingredients

Now is the perfect time to switch to a more natural soap. Not just because Dove has released an insensitive and discriminatory ad, but because it is ALWAYS the perfect time to start using more natural and sustainable items. Companies aren’t perfect, but Dove now has a track record of racist undertones and a lack of understanding the history of racism in soap ads in their own advertisements. The apology that they issued blames the consumer’s feelings instead of addressing the real issue that they created… ain’t nobody got time for that!

While the ad was meant to highlight diversity, it instead brought to mind racist soap ads of the 19th & 20th centuries. Yes, racist soap ads exist, and intentionally so. Those ads show black/African-American children being washed with soap, and then turning white because the soap “worked so well.” As with all racist rhetoric, it gave racists something to laugh about because it confirmed their belief that black people are just dirty. Well let me tell you, my brown skin is here to stay, and it is not dirty. As for Dove, even though their intention may not have been to present an ad with racist undertones, that is the exact impact that this ad created.

Public Speaker & Pastor Shun Strickland said it best:

Is Dove Good For You?

I know that a lot of people love Dove because it is the most gentle soap for their skin. And let’s be honest, Dove products aren’t the worst thing in the world. A general search of “Dove” on the Think Dirty app shows that their products vary on the good to bad spectrum, but the vast majority of them are rated 9/10. What does that mean?

Think Dirty rates hygienic & household products based on the potential harm that their ingredients cause to our bodies. Ingredients are evaluated for “documented evidence of Carcinogenicity, Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity and/or Allergenicity & Immunotoxicity.” 0 is the best rating, and 10 is the worst. Gentle Dove cleansers rate low, at around 3. The white Dove beauty bar that black grandmothers swear by is rated 9! It has a high potential for developmental & reproductive toxicity and a low potential for allergies & imminotoxicities. A look at the ingredients shows that it is the FRAGRANCE that causes most of the toxicity, so keep that in mind.

I encourage you to download the Think Dirty app so that you can inspect more of the items that you buy for personal hygiene and to clean your home. Cancer is prevalent in the black community and in America in general. Understanding the makeup of the items that you buy and apply to your body will make you think twice about those toxic brands that your Granny used to swear by.

3 Natural Soap Brands

Y’all would be surprised how gentle, moisturizing, and naturally beneficial soaps that are more organic in nature can be for your skin! I know a lot people think that using anything “natural” means you will smell like animals that played in the rain all day. That’s just not true, they won’t leave you stinky. As with all things, there is a natural spectrum. You can buy items that are completely synthetic or completely organic. You can also buy things that purposefully choose to leave out a few ingredients that are harmful, or that use mostly natural ingredients, save for a few preservatives. Its not all black and white. Stop being scared and try that natural soap you’ve been wanting to test for a while now. Don’t have a brand in mind? That’s what I’m here for, boo. Check out these natural and organic soaps:

Everyone 3-in-1 Soap

My husband is not a natural living fanatic like I am. However, he stopped buying Dove soap a long time ago because he loves Everyone natural soap. That’s saying something. He is the most pristine, immaculate, clean person I’ve ever been around. Seriously. He still washes his hair twice a day with his Dove shampoo, but I can only fight so many battles at once, y’all. I’m glad that this one wasn’t a fight at all. The Everyone brand soap is perfect for EVERYONE. I use it, my husband uses it, it is gentle enough to use on our 1 year old son, and I even use it on our hairless dog. The whole household benefits from it!

Our favorite scent is Coconut + Lemon. It isn’t scentless, but it is calm enough for my sensitivity to heavily perfumed scents. The scents in this liquid soap are derived from natural plant extracts and essential oils. Natural scents are what protects you from the threat of toxins found in the artificial scents of most soaps and shower gels. They offer several other scents, as well. It is rated a 5 on the Think Dirty toxicity scale, so it is right in the middle.

Buy Everyone Soap in Coconut + Lemon

Andalou Shower Gel

Still not convinced that you won’t be running around smelling like outside when you use a more organic body wash? This one is for you. The scent 1000 Roses is one of my favorites from Andalou. You can easily find it at your local Whole Foods. One sniff will make you understand the name. It literally smells like your surrounded by 1000 + 1000 + 1000s more roses. The Andalou 1000 Roses lotion works wonders, too!

Buy Andalou 1000 Roses Shower Gel

Soap Girl

Visiting a Soap Girl display at a Whole Foods store makes me act like a kid at a candy store. You can fill a bag with as many scents and styles of soap bars as you want. Simply pay by weight once you get to the register. You can also buy pre-packaged Soap Girl bars. My favorites are the ones that contain goat milk because they are SO MOISTURIZING! The creator still makes them herself from scratch. She uses ingredients that she has sourced to create the perfect natural soap blends. If you are able to find them in your local store, go explore these natural soap bars. If not, you can order them online.

Buy Soap Girl Goat Milk Soap Bars

So, what’s stopping you from switching to a more natural soap now? You won’t stink. You won’t smell like outside. It will be gentle on your skin. No more excuses, make the switch today! And if you ever have any questions, I’m just a few clicks away. Leave a comment or use my contact page to email me! Your skin deserves better.

xoxo dolls & dudes,

Addie