“offset” the use of toxic and irritating detergents, many “organic” manufacturers stuff their shower
gels with plant extracts, which are of little use because they are quickly washed off.
Green Cleansing 101
All cleansing products, whether they are meant for use on the face, body, or hair, are based on one
of three types of cleansing agents: detergents, soaps, or saponins.
Detergents are the most ubiquitous type of cleansers. Essentially, all soaps work as detergents
because they all allow oil and water to mix so that oily grime can be removed during rinsing. But in
the cosmetic industry, detergents refer to anionic and nonionic surfactants: one side of a molecule
prefers water (hydrophilic) and another side prefers oils and fats (hydrophobic). The hydrophilic
side attaches to water molecules, and the hydrophobic side attaches to oil molecules, allowing them
to be washed away. Detergents include nonionic surfactants like polyethylene glycol esters (PEGs),
anionic surfactants ammonium laureth or lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth or lauryl sulfate, and
gentler yet still derived from petrochemicals amphoteric surfactants such as cocoamidopropyl
betaine and lauryl glucoside.
Natural plant soaps are made by saponifying olive, jojoba, or coconut oils with an alkali
(potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, wood ashes, or the ashes of other plants). Soaps are
classified as anionic surfactants. While there are many wonderfully informative books on soap
making, I’ve never ventured into cooking my own soap at home because I prefer the convenience of
certified organic, ready-made castile soap base. For my own cosmetic products, I use liquid soap
made of certified organic olive oil.
Saponins are plant glycosides that derive their name from their soap-like properties. They occur in
a great many plant species, including soapwort (Saponaria officinalis), soap lily (Chlorogalum
pomeridianum), and soap berry tree (Sapindus mukorossi), whose dried nuts make a wonderful all-
natural laundry detergent.
Personally, I feel that my skin is cleanest after bar soap. Your bar cleanser shouldn’t be the typical,
heavy-scented, animal tallow–based bar soap that is blasted by all beauty experts. Plant-based,
naturally scented bar soaps are very effective body cleansers. On the downside, soap bars tend to get
slushy when left in a shower for long, so if you buy a good olive bar soap or receive a fancy box of
exotic soaps as a gift, keep them out of steamy showers and treat them to a nice soap dish. I once
spent untold money on an elegant plastic designer container for a soap (okay, it was Chanel) and then
used it for my humble organic glycerin bar. Finding a really good soap dish with a lid is not that easy,
but you can find a real jewel on Ebay or in a local thrift store.
Green Product Guide: Shower Gels
Trying to concoct a shower gel at the kitchen sink is just not worth the effort. Here are some really
good body cleansers to consider. As always, those with three leaves are my favorite.
Tom’s of Maine Natural Moisturizing Body Wash is one of the few truly green products from
this mainstay of health food stores. This basic, no-nonsense body cleanser is very gentle and soothing