Okay, this one fit me to a tee. Our family is very careful about chemicals we put in and on our bodies and what we use in our home. My husband and I have tried to combine common sense with research, and for us, we prefer natural bath and home cleaning products whenever it's possible and affordable. Now, as a member of the TOS Crew, I have had the opportunity over the past several weeks to review the bath soaps, shampoo bar, and laundry soap from Virginia Soaps & Scents. How much fun I have had!I got three sample size bars of soap--one fresh orange, one coconut lemongrass, and one oatmeal, milk, & honey, plus a sample size of their ginger lime shampoo bar, and enough of their laundry soap to make a half-gallon.
I have used all of the soaps myself. They are all chemical-free and made with natural oils. I was surprised at the generous amount of lather I got with them all. In fact, I had just received a bar of homemade soap from a local farm, and it didn't lather near as well. They all add a light but comforting scent to bath time and a barely discernible wisp of fragrance lingers on the skin afterward. Now, I know some of y'all are like me and deal with sensitive skin issues, so here's what I experienced. While my skin handled the coconut lemongrass and oatmeal, milk, & honey soaps just fine, both my oldest daughter and I experienced very minor and contained hives after using the fresh orange scent. This is not a complaint at all, but just a heads up for others who have to be careful about their skin. I dealt with excema for years from the time I was about 13 until I was in my 20's and still am thankful that small and infrequent outbreaks are all I've had to deal with since. But I do have to be on guard when it comes to scents. Now, I've done fine with the coconut lemongrass and oatmeal, milk, & honey bars and couldn't tell which I like better, because I like them both so much! And the bars last....when they came in the mail, I figured they would melt down pretty quickly, but I was wrong. It doesn't take much to get enough lather, so even the samples last a while.
The shampoo I was little nervous about trying because I'm picky about my hair stuff. But, again, just like the label explained, it lathered up really well even on my thick hair. And it rinsed quickly and cleanly. Here's a plus I really didn't expect--I don't need an additional conditioner every time. Now, I have hair that drinks moisture up, so I was pretty impressed by how well the shampoo bar alone conditions. And, again, I haven't noticed any skin issues from this either.
I procrastinated trying the laundry soap for a while because I saw it involved a little bit of stove time. However, when I just decided to do it, the whole prep time was less than 10 minutes and incredibly simple. I was a little skeptical when I didn't see the suds that normally signal my clothes are actually being cleaned, but everything came out of the wash smelling and looking clean. Stains? You'll still need your go-to products there, but our laundry came out as clean with the Virginia Soaps & Scents laundry soap kit as it does with our normal detergent. Here's what goes into it: cleaning soap, borax, and washing soda. Okay, will you really save money this way? Y'all, I normally get mid-range laundry detergents, and I'm going to buy the Virginia Soaps & Scents laundry soap instead. I have figured that I normally spend 8-15 cents a load, and the Spargur family can do it for less than 7 cents a load with their homemade laundry soap. The bargain hunter in me is up to the challenge. I used to make our own laundry soap but got out of the habit. We're going to get back into it.
Okay, now that I've shared my experiences with these products, what about cost? The soaps first....
for a 4.5 oz bar
$4.50 per bar 3 bars for $12.00 buy 4, get 1 free 10 bars for $35
Scents include the ones I mentioned above, plus a number of others including violets & lace, country clothesline, and baby powder.
They also have a selection of gourmet soaps. Click here to learn more and see the prices.
for the 5.5 oz shampoo bar
$5.50 per bar 2 bars for $10
They have several scents and an oily hair clarifying formula as well. To learn more about what they offer and how they even got into shampoo making, click here.
for the laundry soap
There are options here, too. You can buy the all inclusive kit (just provide the water yourself), enough to make two gallons of laundry soap, for $4.95. Or you can get just the 9 oz. cleaning bar for $3.95 and buy your own borax and washing soda. The Spargurs very graciously have provided the whole recipe on their site. Click here to learn more about their laundry soap, order, and to see the recipe.
That's not all! You've got to go to their site at www.virginiasoapsandscents.com/ to learn more about all the other products they offer. They even have children's products and soaps inspired by the Christmas season! They also have a soap sampler and other gift packs, too. You can see them here.
As the frugal homemaker and homeschooler that I am, I want to get the most bang for my buck. I think that the Spargurs are right on target in that area. I have been buying natural and organic bath and cosmetic products for a few years now, and their prices beat most of the others I see. A big plus is that they are willing to share what goes into their products.
However, the biggest plus is their example of how a family works together toward a common goal! See what other TOS Crew members have to say here.
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