Hi Ida,

Wanted to tell you how much I LOVE the new scrub for the face.  I had ordered a trial when I first saw it and used it every other day.  My skin looked and felt so great that I now use it every day in the morning.  My skin has not looked this good in 20 years and people at work asked if I was wearing a new makeup and I don’t even wear makeup.  I wasn’t sure I wanted to share my little secret but I did.  I ordered the bigger size and even though I did not mind the scent of the original (kinda smelled like molasses) I like the new one even better.  It is very refreshing especially in the morning.  I really can’t say enough. This stuff is AMAZING.  I don’t know how you come up with your ideas but I love everything I have tried from your company.  Best of luck to you all and thank you for such great really natural products

Hi Ida,

I just wanted to send a quick email asking you NEVER to stop making your soap bars! I will never, never, never buy any soap from the store again.  The avocado oats and Shea soap was my favorite, then I ordered a sample of the winter survival soap.  OMG that is so great for the cold weather!  I've been alternating between the 2 soaps.

I am also pregnant and have a very itchy belly. The only thing that helps keep the itch away is your Shea butter. I use it on my belly and lower legs. Thank goodness for it!

Thank you so much for putting all this time, effort, and love into your products!

I use the following products:
Ayurvedic Herb and Herb Garden shampoo bars - I alternate my use of these bars, weekly or so.  They are amazing on my thinning, fine & almost non-existent hair.  I have never had more body, volume or shine and my hair looks fantastic.  My hair used to be a great source of embarrassment too me, not any more.
Squalane Eye & Face Mousse AND Grapeseed Shea complexion soap - LOVE them!  My face is soft, clean and moisturized; there is no itching or tightness.
Winter Survival, Aloe, Aloe, Aloe or Goat Milk Honey and Oatmeal soap - Depending on the season I use one of these body soaps....and I have no more split, dry, itchy skin.  I am so thankful to not be constantly scratching my legs and hands.
Whipped Shea and Whipped Cocoa Butter -  I was not able to decide which of these to purchase, so I bought them both and I am glad I did, they are wonderful!  We have no other lotion or moisturizers in my house.  These are amazing
 
Not only have these products helped me, but they have worked wonders on my husband.  He for over 10 years has had strange patches of dry, raised, red skin on his face and head.  These patches come and go, however are quite bad at the change of each season.  To say we have tried everything to get rid of these patches would be an understatement, nothing helped these patches dissipate or prevent them from coming in the first place.  Shortly after using your products my husbands patches disappeared and did not return.  We are not sure product is the miracle cure but we are so blessed to have relief from these skin problems.  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

Please take care and know that you are in my families thoughts and prayers.
 

I have been using your natural soaps for about a year now.  I buy the shampoo soaps because I wanted the ease of a shampoo bar rather than numerous bottles in my shower.  My hair is the softest, silkiest it's ever been!  I don't use any type of conditioner or detangler any more.  I've been using Olive Oil and Babassu, Neem and TeaTree , and most recently fell in love with Cafe Moreno after trying a sample.  I am going "natural" and I have type 2b hair and am African American.  It's wonderful.  By the way, the Neem and Tea Tree has been taken over by my husband.  He has very dry skin and had an itchy patch on his side.  It has stopped itching since using the soap and he uses it all the time now.  Thank you for your wonderful products!
 

Hi Ida,

I am in the process of writing my Master's thesis which means doing a tremendous amount of research.  When you apologized in your e-mail about the price increase, I decided to do some research just for fun for a change.  I have not done any comparison soap shopping since I first started using your soaps a few years ago since IMHO there is nothing better :-)

I checked out about 25 different soap companies that claimed to be making “all natural soap.”  I was looking for small handmade soap companies that appeared to be similar and that claimed to be using all natural ingredients.   I stayed clear of companies that used mostly fragrance oils and funky colors.  I combined the companies that had the same pricing and listed the company name, bar size, and average cost (some have prices that vary based on the soap type), and the price per ounce.

I then weighed all the Chagrin Valley soap bars I have at the moment.  The smallest one was 6.8 ounces and the largest was 7.3 ounces.  I decided to use the smallest size in my comparison.  Since I am not sure exactly what the price change will be I just added 25 cents to the average cost of the bars that I had and came up with $7.10. 

What I discovered was quite interesting.  Even with your price increase your soaps are still less expensive.  Some of the so-called “all natural” soap companies still used fragrance oils.  Some do not even list their ingredients and none used as many fresh and wholesome ingredients as you do. I know there are many more soap companies out there and my professors would surely point out that this is not a real scientific study, but it satisfied my curiosity.  I hope you will post this on your website.  If not, I will understand.  I just want you to keep on creating Ida.  If your customers are anything like me, they know the great quality of your product when they use it. 

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!  I could keep going!  I have very coarse curly hair.  I’ve tried so many shampoos and conditioners over the years and NOTHING ever helped.  Some of the ones made for curly hair made my hair so brittle it just cracked off like thin glass.  I have even tried some very expensive shampoos and no help in sight.  I started using your shampoo bars last summer and guess what?  I have beautiful hair.  Sometimes I can’t believe that it is really my hair.  It now has soft smooth curls and before it was like a brillo pad.  My husband now loves to touch my hair and likes all the money I am saving.  I can’t thank you enough for making me feel beautiful. Please don’t ever stop making your shampoo bars.

 I asked Candace which shampoo bars she liked . . .

My first favorite was the babassu marsh mallow I can’t say enough about how fabulous my hair looked and felt.  I also like the carrot and the coconut milk so I switch off now and then.  I bought the ayurvedic when you made it and I think it is now my favorite.  I don’t know if it is true but I think you shouldn’t use the same one all the time.  Your bars last so long that I cut them in half.  I tend to use the ayurvedic and babassu more often. 

Dear Ida

             I just purchased your babassu and marsh mallow shampoo bar and it was wonderful. I have Afro textured hair 4a or maybe 4b, when I mean, I did not need to use my conditioner. I DID NOT HAVE TO USE MY CONDITIONER. It was sooooo EASY to detangle in the shower. I LOVE LOVE LOVE  this stuff. It also encourages binding for my hair making my curls easier to manage. And may I add, I had just taken out a sue in before I used it, my scalp was very itchy and sore, so your soap really relieved that problem.  Please please DO NOT  go anywhere, never have I been able to find a shampoo that does this. Can’t wait to tell my friends. Oh and I also purchased you Rosemary Mint bar haven't tried it yet, but got a feeling it going to be WONDERFUL!!!

Dear Ida, 
 
I'm writing to let you know that you are truly the soap maker from heaven and I hope that you never stop creating your wonderful soaps. 
 
I've battled scalp psoriasis for over 10 years ranging from mild lesions to severe flare-ups with blood during the winter. I was lucky enough to find a review of your soaps on you tube and decided to give one more thing a try. I'd exhaustedly expended energy, time, and money trying to find a solution to the problem without much hope. In addition, I was given cortisone which only exacerbated the problem. I have 3c/4a tightly coiled, voluminous curls, so based on the other reviews, I decided to try your olive and babassu, babassu and marshmallow shampoo bars. I even invested in a shower filter and a nice bottle of raw apple cider vinegar. With consistent use, not only did my scalp clear up but my curls were thick, lustrous, and stronger than ever. 
 
After finishing the bars I made the mistake of purchasing an "organic" liquid shampoo at Whole Foods and my scalp was worse than ever. I returned the product and placed an order and this time got samples of the coconut and rosemary, lavender aloe shampoo bar. These are my two new loves! I especially love the coconut shampoo as it keeps both my scalp clear, and my curls shiny. I wished I would've known how great they were going to be-- I'm sad that I didn't get a full bar! The coconut shampoo bar is simply perfect. I also purchased your new ayurvedic shampoo bar which I am so excited to try. My advice to anyone considering purchasing any soaps, go ahead and do so, you will not regret. Ida is extremely warm and knowledgeable and provides customer service that is hard to come by these days. 
 
Quiet meditation, love, positive thoughts, and Ida's soaps is all I will ever need. 
 
Thank you Ida. 
Many Blessings

Ida and Family,

I am speechless about the quality of your soaps. I was originally only interested in the shampoo bars (specifically the Rosemary Mint -  forgive me but, LORD that bar is good, it cleared up my severe dandruff/seborrheic dermatitis), but wanted to try some of the complexion bars as well (they sounded tooo good to resist). They were. Specifically the Rhassoul Clay & Yogurt Complexion Bar. I had hyper-pigmentation (African American skin, combination) along my checks and forehead area. I tested the bar for one week, one week, and the scars were fading. I have tried tea tree oil, natural vitamin E, Shea butter to some degree of success, but nothing like the dramatic results with the Rhassoul Clay & Yogurt bar. I believe I am done searching for a facial cleanser. Thank you for your honesty in ingredients and passion.

 

I just want to let you guys know how happy I am to have found your products. I've put my hair through a lot this year, and I cannot believe how great it feels using your shampoo bars. I'm actually really excited to shampoo my hair and I'm really in love with the shampoos that I've purchased. I feel like the adjustment period was more of a learning curve for me, the first few days I wasn't getting a good lather (which I later realized was because I cut the sample bars too small) and my hair felt like I had put product in it even with the vinegar rinse.. this actually wasn't a bad thing because my hair miraculously held curls like never before! After I got a good lather and presumably washed all of the silicones out of my hair (which ended up being in ALL of my shampoos and conditioners), I was really, really impressed with the bars. The other day when I used the olive babassu bar, initially my hair felt a little oily, but later in the day after I brushed it when it was dry, I felt like I had hair straight out of a Pantene Pro-V commercial.. awesome!!

As for the body/facial soaps.. also very impressed! The honey butter soap is AMAZING.. I'm currently using this cleanser (it's more of a butter bar) from LUSH as a makeup remover: (http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/face/cleansers/baby-face) and rinsing everything off with the honey butter soap.

I bought the cocoa shea shower body butter bar since the ingredients are essentially the same without all of the unneeded junk.. and what a price difference! 3 dollars extra from you guys to get more than double the LUSH bar. And as for all of the other soap bars.. they really are huge! There's a local vendor here in Texas that makes all natural bars that are 4 ounces that sell for $6.00 at most grocery stores that carry them.. this goes for most other soaps I've seen as well… about the same price for much less of the bar.

At first I wasn't thinking that your soaps would be moisturizing enough for me skin, but it turns out they work great. The feeling is a bit different because it does leave a sort of squeakiness BUT I haven't seen the skin on my hands drying out as much as they usually do when the dryer weather comes around and I start washing my hands a lot more. Same thing goes for my face.. which leads me to the last item I wanted to talk about.. the Squalane facial mousse!! This stuff is fabulous.. and I was pretty amazed at how much you get for five bucks and some change.. when I first picked it up it was REALLY light and I thought "man, this doesn't seem like very much" until I opened it and took out some of the mousse and felt how absolutely rich it was.. I've been using it for a few days not and haven't noticed any clogging on my acne-prone skin.. my skin actually feels great! Not dry, not too oily…just a normal level of moisture (which I love).

I just wanted to let you know that I think I've finally found "the" natural products company I've been searching for. So far I've only ordered your soaps, which are wonderful, and quite large in size compared to other natural companies I've bought from. I have been going natural/organic for about 2 years now, and I've done my "research". From your fantastic, "homey" website, to the reasonable prices, to the products themselves, this seems to be what I've been looking for.  I've tried a LOT of other natural companies, some even USDA certified organic, and nothing quite compares to your company& products! I just ordered more soap and your new squalane whipped facial cream, and I'm anxiously awaiting for my goodies to come! 
 

I just wanted to let you know I've been using the Herb Garden shampoo bar for a couple of months now and even my hairdresser commented on all the new growth.  I've had a receding hairline for as long as I can remember and I lost a lot of hair after the birth of my daughter, but the hairline is much better now and I've stopped "shedding."  Thanks!

 

Dear Ida,

I have been buying your soap now for about a month...maybe 2 months now and so far you have never let me down.  Your soaps are amazing!  I've lost count as to how many of your soaps I have purchased.  One particular soap, however, brings tears of joy to my eyes.  My 8 year old son has eczema.  If we are lucky...he may have a mild out break, but since we moved here to Virginia Beach, VA his skin break outs have been major.  Last year it was so bad he looked up at me and said "Mommy, I hate my skin."  That tore my heart out of my chest.  He has even had kids not want to play with him or be his friend, because of his sores.  He has been on oral and topical steroids.  Being the health fanatic that I am...I don't have to tell you how much I hate the steroids.  I have had to even rush him to the emergency room, because the sores have caused him so much pain.  Not long ago, I started using your Castile and Calendula Baby soap on him.  I use it as both a shampoo and as a body bar.  In just one day, his skin started to clear up.  I use it now on him faithfully and because it has helped clear his skin he refuses to use anything else.  I've had to buy a couple of bars to place on hold (just in case you run out and are in curing mode).  It's such a blessing to have come across your soaps and I plan to be a customer for many years.  I can see myself now, buying your Castile and Calendula Baby soap and shipping it too him once he's in college.

Also, it is so awesome to buy all natural soaps that are really all natural.  I have shopped around, and it's hard to find natural soaps that don't contain cosmetic coloring or artificial fragrance.  To me...soap is not natural if it contains those ingredients and I refuse to spend my hard earned money on a products that do.

 Thank you for your awesome all natural products, your speedy service and your wonderful customer service.

Hi Ida,

It’s me again, but this time I am writing a testimonial for your webpage.  We have been very happy customers with very happy skin using your products for years and I am so excited every time you make something new.  I wish you made everything!  I emailed you last Spring about making salt soap.  I had tried some at a spa and loved it.  (by the way I paid $15.00 for a much smaller bar!) At that time you told me about the breast cancer and you promised that it would take time but you would do some research and work on a recipe.   You kept your promise and I ordered a bar a few weeks ago and of course being the impatient person I did not wait until the ready date.  It is fabulous bar.  Much more moisturizing than other salt bars I have tried.  My hubby especially likes it and it really lathers for him I think because he has more hair on his body.   I don’t want to put pressure on you but I expected it to be great if you made it.  I just want to tell you that you are an inspiration to us all.  You told me it took over six months of experimenting with recipes since it was a different kind of soap and I know you did that all while undergoing treatments.  I just want you to know how much we appreciate doing business with a company that still takes so much pride in their products. There is loads of love and caring in everything you make and it shows.

Dear Ida,

I had to write to say how fantastic your Mango Multi Bath & Show Butter Bar is.  I received my first bar a couple of days ago and, because I couldn't wait until I was in the shower to try it, I simply used it like a lotion bar.  I rubbed it on the back of my hands and up my arms.  Then I went out to run errands.

My skin was so-o-o smooth!  I kept pushing my hands up my sleeves to feel my skin.  By the time I got home four hours later, my skin was still feeling incredibly smooth.  I was deeply impressed. 

Since then I've been using the butter bar all over, even my face (but not in the morning because the butter and make-up do not mix well), and my skin has never before been this fantastic.  And that's truly impressive because I take excellent care of my skin and use all sorts of products and natural moisturizers (which feel wonderful for 15 minutes after applying and then it's back to nothing).

At this point, the bar hasn't made it into the shower, and it probably never will - there is no way I am wasting this bit of magic down a drain.  I've also started using it on my hair; after shampooing with your coconut bar, I spray my hair with organic, cold-processed aloe vera gel/liquid.  That conditions and de-tangles. 

But by day two my hair is very thirsty (I have a lot of fragile, fine, but curly hair).  I had been respraying with the aloe vera gel to condition, and it feels great, but spraying something wet promoted frizz.  Now I just melt a tiny amout of the butter in my hands, then sweep it through my hair, concentrating on the ends.  It's fabulous.

Needless to say, I've already ordered 8 more.

 

Dear Ida,
 
 I was turned onto your shampoo bars by the Long Hair Community, when I was looking for a natural, SLS-free shampoo that wouldn't cost my tiny college-student budget an arm and a leg. I'm still experimenting trying to find my favorite bars, but I've had nothing but great results from the ones I've used so far. My hair looks amazing and feels healthier than it ever has, and for the first time in ages it isn't dried-out and awful at the ends. Thanks to all the great information about hard water and vinegar rinses, I didn't even have a transition period - my hip length curly hair (not the most tractable hair type in the world) immediately went from 'meh' to looking and feeling great.
 
But I'm even more impressed with the results I've had from your soap bars! I ordered a few on a whim, after enjoying the shampoo bars so much, and I am absolutely blown away. I've been dealing with eczema for the last four years, and tried just about everything you could imagine short of peeling half my skin off, but I was still miserable. In less than a week of using your soap, my skin has improved so much I'm just mind-boggled. I haven't been able to stop raving about your products to everyone I know, and several family members and friends are already trying your bars on my recommendation. I know I'm not going to switch back to regular soap and body wash any time soon!
 
Thank you so much for making such amazing natural products!

Ida, I just love the Carrot and Honey Complexion Soap as a shampoo.  It seem to work wonders in our soft Oregon water.  It smells wonderful and leave hair and body silky and healthy.  All of the soap sample I have purchased from you worked great as shampoo bars.

I just LOVE your new big butter bars for the shower.  I had bought a few a while back from [another company] because the idea of moisturizing in the shower was just so convenient.  They were okay but smelled very chemically and really left me so greasy that I could not get dressed after I showered.   I also agree with your testers about the little pieces in the bars.  One of the bars I bought from [another company] had rice and something else in it supposedly to exfoliate but all it did was scratch my skin.  My family loves everything you make and we like the fact that they are natural.  It makes us feel good that we are using products that are not only safe but that really work to make our skin look and feel healthy.  

I am a college student in Milwaukee, and I am seriously impressed by the products you make and sell!  I learned about your wonderful soap, shampoo, lotion, and lip balms in a rather strange place, on a fish forum!  Needless to say, myself and few others ordered after hearing glowing reviews!  We all posted pictures of our first orders as we got them, and none of us have anything negative to say!  I am sure probably hear this a lot, but after using your soap and shampoo, I am never going back to commercial products again!

I am employed by the university I attend, and my employment has me outside for up to seven hours at a time (thankfully with a lot of warm up breaks in this weather!).  The winter is never kind to my skin, and this one was worse than usual.  Being outside so much meant the bitter winter wind just sucked moisture away!  I was using liters of lotion and quarts of conditioner, but was only provided temporary relief.  So after hearing about Chagrin Valley Soap Craft, I decided to give it a try.  I've never used such wonderful soap! T he shampoo bars I got are absolutely amazing.  And your lotion bars are the best, even after washing my hands several times with the nursing school's harsh soap, my hands still feel great.  Before, I would have been scrambling for a tube of lotion right after washing.  The lip balms are also amazing, so silky and they make my lips all smooth and moisturized.  And the scents of everything is just amazing! My dorm smells great, since I don't leave soaps I haven't used yet tucked away in a drawer but instead on my desk.  Many people go "Mmmm!" when they come in!

I will definitely be a regular customer from now on!  The quality is beyond words!  In a recent order I got two bars of the winter survival soap, and gave one to my boyfriend's mother (who is super crafty and even makes her own lotion bars), and I'll be giving a friend half of the lavender oatmeal spice soap bar I got. I think of it as spreading the joy!       Thank you so much for providing such high quality and fabulous products!

 

We have been using your products for quite a while and our skin has never felt or looked better.  I am writing because I wanted to share something with you that I found on the internet.  There was an article about things in your home that have links with Breast Cancer, Cancer and other disorders in general (sorry I forgot the title of the article).  I think you should post this on your website.  I have three small children and can't tell you how relieved I was to know that for the past few years we have been using your products on their skin!  The two paragraphs I copied were about synthetic colors and fragrances. 

"The color dyes that make soap more fun to use and frosting more fun to eat have been linked to increased hyperactivity in children. "What you put on your skin can go straight through to the bloodstream," says Loidolt, the consumer health advocate. It's the same reason she recommends avoiding perfume and chemical-packed lotions. Countless studies have produced countless opinions on exactly how great an ADHD irritant color dyes are, but there is some consensus that FD&C yellow #5 isn't something we'd prefer to eat -- or bathe in."

" 'A single fragrance typically contains several hundred chemicals," says Dr. Steinemann, who studied the fragranced home products. Fragrances and other beauty and personal care products often contain the man-made chemicals called phthalates, or plasticizers, molecules absorbed through the skin that have caused birth defects in male genitalia in animals and may cause lowered sperm count in boys and premature breast development in girls. These chemicals have been banned from baby toys, but not your perfume. "Most of our exposure to toxic chemicals comes from the products we choose to use, not chemical waste sites," says Steinemann"

My whole family thanks you for making such great NATURAL products!!!!!!!!

 

Many happy new years 2009 to you all!  I want to say I first time tried your Java spice hand scrubby soap, AND I’M IN LOVE LOVE WITH IT!!!  This is the first and only wonderful exfoliating soap that I can totally use throughout my whole entire body without having any Allergic reactions to my skin and face.  My skin LOVES ALLLLLL Your soaps, but My best friend now is this **Java spice soap**.  It’s Great for my face and body.  My entire skin face and body feels soooooo soft smooth with the scent of your spices in this excellent soap!! I Love the spice scent in this java soap.  Anyways, I had Many allergic reactions to many, many exfoliating soaps and body washes on the market from cheap to high end prices.  They caused me to rash out in red sore skin, BUT  YOURS.....WOW, I can even rub this Java soap on my face and I don’t break out!!!  AMAZING!  And my face and body looks and feels healthier and softer with this java spice soap.  This will be my one and only exfoliating soap for my face and body, please note on your ordering site that your java soap is excellent as a face and body cleanser, believe you me.  If my ULTRA sensitive body from head to toe can handle this java spice soap, I’m sure many others out there will be pleased with this soap too!!  Please post this testimonial to your testimonials page.  I also am using your wonderful coconut shampoo bars, and love many of your body soaps like the olive and shea, goat milk and honey, cucumber lime yogurt soap, castile and calendula, **java spice**, and more.  I’m still not done trying all your shampoos and bath soaps, you’ve got a forever customer here.

 

Dear Ida and Howard:  I am enjoying your soap so much - just finished ordering my third batch!  I am so appreciative of your dedication and commitment to creating such high quality products.  I feel truly blessed to have somehow been "led" to your website (which incidentally, is so attractive).  I am new to using all natural soap and am so impressed with your products, not to mention your outstanding service, that I have no interest in browsing other websites nor buying from other companies.  You have a customer for life!  Do hope you have no immediate plans for retirement.  Howard, your carved wine stoppers are gorgeous and I know they will play into my gift-giving in the future. 

The holidays are my favorite time of the year.  May they be pleasing and joy-filled for you
 

I'm not sure if I've sent in a review or not, but I MUST say that I love your tea tree and neem soap.  I have suffered with acne for 21 years and I have tried just about everything that you can think of to help.  I would like to forward you some before and after pics when I get a chance, but for now I MUST say that my skin is the clearest it has EVER been thanks to YOUR soap.  I also use your soap on my children's skin since they suffer from eczema and now it is the ONLY soap that I will allow them to use.  I also decided to try the tea tree and neem on my hair and it felt FABULOUS.  Now that my hair has dried, it is the softest that it has EVER been.  I don't use conditioner, either.  I am an African-American female with natural, kinky afro hair and your soap provides just the right amount of moisture for my hair type.  Thanks!  I ordered two bars of extra honey beer and egg soap and I am looking forward to trying them out.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! 

  

I've been using your products for a few months now - and I'm thrilled with the results!  I had read that comfrey contains allantoin and is good for healing scars, so I've been using your juniper-comfrey-mint soap twice a day, and using the whipped shea butter with comfrey powder mixed in at night.  My skin is now silky and satiny with absolutely no evidence of old acne scars.  Heretofore, I had tried numerous natural remedies to smooth out old scars, but only your products did the trick.  I will absolutely be using your products for life.  Thank you for creating such a beautiful company with high quality healing products.

Love and blessings!
P.S. I am 50 years old, so the scars are not recent.

 

All I use now is your shampoo bars on my hair and it finally looks and feels healthy again.  I don’t even have to apply conditioner after shampooing.  My hair has never looked better.  It has even gotten a little thicker since I switched to your bars.  I have had great results with your Olive and Babassu Bar and Carrot Milk and Honey Bar.  I have even used the Chamomile and Citrus Bar and I love both the smell and results.  I hope you never stop making these wonderful products.  Thank you again!  Terri – New Mexico

I asked Lindy which soaps she used . . .
I used a combination of soaps: neem & tea tree, goat milk oatmeal/honey, and shea rose clay.  I kind of switch them out--oatmeal or shea if the skin is looking a little dry.  I'm just surprised that all of them work fine on my skin!  I've tried *everything* on the market--medical grade and other natural products.  I sent a bar to my mom and she loves the product too.

 

Alison's favorites are: Babassu and Marshmallow, Olive Babassu, and Carrot Milk and Honey


 

I love using your products they are utterly phenomenal!  I placed a sizable order with you a long while ago for a multitude of your sample soap bars and full sized shampoo bars.  I have always had extremely long hair and I tend to keep an eye out for products that would be beneficial to keeping long hair healthy.  A forum I often read spoke of your shampoo bars and after reading all of the information on your site about your shampoo bars and the great testimonials I had to try them!  I really love how soft they make my hair and I can see a huge difference in the strength and health of my hair.  I don't have as much damage as I did using commercial and salon products.  I threw the rest of my hair products away! I won't use anything but your shampoo bars from now on and I love the fact that you have so much variety!!  I cannot wait to try your Babassu & Marsh Mallow shampoo bar. 

As for your soaps: I always hated soaps! They left my skin feeling dry, irritated and tight so I have always used body wash liquid soaps, but when I made my order for shampoo bars your soaps just sounded irresistible and I figured I would give it a try and also I thought they would make great and unique gifts so I ended up buying quite a bit!!  It is really amazing how different your products are from standard items you can get at the store. I don't know what it is you do, but you have the magic touch. Your soap smells heavenly and they do not make my skin feel uncomfortable in any way, just clean, soft and smooth.  I even use your soaps on my face and I never felt comfortable with that before! And surprisingly enough your soap works better than any of my old beauty products!  I am so glad that I stumbled onto your website and I will be a lifelong customer, so I hope you never stop making your fabulous products!!  Thank you for all of the hard work and care you put into your products, it really shows.  Best wishes!

Hello Ida!
 
I read the testimonials on your site, and I felt that perhaps I should add to the list of very happy customers.
 
I'll start off with mentioning that I have -extremely- sensitive skin...a lot of the commercial products that claim to be for sensitive skin even break me out.   To make matters even more worse, my skin is also very dry.
 
I first ordered in November last year.  I had broken out in hives(something had reacted to me, we couldn't quite figure out what.  I think it was partially due to stress), I'd gone to the doctor and the prescription itch cream was, to say the least, not doing ANYTHING to relieve the itch.  I was reading  a blog site I'm part of (livejournal to be precise), and someone else had mentioned your site to someone else.  Being the curious type I am, I checked it out.  I'm also the type that likes to try new things, of course(this might be partially because I'd never found anything that worked -really- well on my skin).  I ordered a sample of the Chamomile and Calendula and a sample of the Avocado Oats and Shea.  I got the order in a few days(definitely much faster than I'd expected!) and tried out the Chamomile first.  It worked WONDERS.  The hives cleared up completely less than a week later.  I also used pure aloe vera gel, the coolness of the gel helps to rid of the itch, it works very well.  I wish I had found this before spending all that money going to the doctor and on various other itch creams that didn't work.
 
I made my second order last month(after the chamomile finally ran out..I still have the avocado).  I wanted to get a full size bar, but with me being the type that likes not only to try new things, but to have a variety of soaps at hand, I ordered samples of the Patchouli & herb, java spice, and chocolate almond.  Again, I love them all!   I don't think I'll EVER go back to using the commercial soaps(even the smellgood types like Bath and Body works-I actually threw out most of my body washes).  I can get just as much variety from your soaps and not have my skin break out like crazy, or be dry and itchy.  I'm already looking through and preparing to make another order when I get paid, and will definitely be trying your other products! I don't want to take up any more of your time, but I just wanted you to know that you have yet another customer for life!

I am an absolute convert after using your Babassu Marsh Mallow Shampoo.  Being Chinese, I have thick, coarse Asian hair that usually requires extra conditioner.  After a few initial uses of the Babassu marsh Mallow Shampoo, I am astonished by how soft and smooth my hair feels - no conditioner needed.  Thank you for making wholesome, natural, affordable products that actually work.
 

Thank you so much for your wonderful Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal.  My family is grateful for it.  My nephew had severe eczema.  At its worst, he developed a staph infection and the kids at school were starting to tease him about his arms.  He had several prescriptions for the eczema, but they hardly helped.

I came across your website & read some the testimonials about eczema.  I immediately ordered.  He started using it right away and within weeks his eczema cleared up.  Now all he uses is the Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal soap.  He doesn't even use lotion.  He is so much happier, which makes the rest of the family happy.

Hi Ida,

You know I've been using your products for a few years.  My hair and skin look and feel fabulous and healthy.  But I am writing to tell you how those little bath melts have made my husband soooo happy.  At first he baulked at the idea of spending so much money for a bar of soap, until I showed him (I actually showed him the numbers on paper) how much we were saving since I no longer had to buy expensive creams, lotions, hair conditioners, cuticle softeners, etc. (You name it, I used to buy it!).   Last month I asked Ron to rub one of those bath melts on my back in the shower.  I love taking HOT showers.  I know it dries my skin, but it just feels so good.  The next morning Ron showed me his normally hard, rough and cracked hands.  It was like a little miracle.  I will tell you that I tried  along time ago to get him to use your lotion bars—but he would not.  He said he had tried many lotions and they only made his hands sticky and never really helped.  To make a long story short, we keep the little bath melts by our sinks and Ron even has some at work.  He washes his hands with warm water and then while still wet rubs a little of the bath melt in (it melts so nicely), then rinses and dries.  His hands used to be so dry, they would crack, bleed, and really hurt.  But no more!   Please don’t EVER stop making your fabulous products! 

I just wanted to let you know how much I like the Neem and Tea Tree Soap.  I have had acne most of my life and have tried EVERYTHING to get rid of it.  I have used lots of expensive soaps, lotions, creams, etc. and never had the results that I had hoped for.  In the first week of using the Neem and Tea Tree soap, my face was clearing up!  I am now using a combination of your neem soap and a pure aloe gel and my skin looks better than it has in years.  So, thank you!

I have been using your cucumber-lime-yogurt soap since the day I got it.   Though I purchased it for my excessively dry hands (Winter in Michigan is brutal on the hands), I found it excellent as a body soap.  It is so soft and silky;  this is especially good as my water is pretty hard and that combined with the harsh winter here makes for very, very dry and itchy skin. Your soap has eliminated the need for body lotion;  my skin has never felt better.

I also use the rose shea soap after washing dishes or before slathering avocado and almond oil on my hands before leaving for the day.  It cleans and softens the hands very nicely.  A little tip that others may find useful:  I lather up with the rose/shea soap (and some warm water).  Then, I put about a tablespoon of baking soda in my hand and rub that in to the lather until it dissolves.  Then, I massage my hands--with special attention to the cuticles--and lather up a bit more with the rose/ soap, all the time running my hands under the warm water periodically.  It creates a rich, mildly exfoliating, silky lather, which softens the skin and cuticles.  Then I rinse it all off, use to towel to wipe off the excess water, leaving the hands slightly damp, and then coat my hands in shea butter & avocado oil (or almond oil), and then massage again until it all absorbs.  I must say, however, that your cucumber-yogurt soap works even better in this little process (but I only have one and it is in the shower).  I do this once in the morning before leaving for work and again at night after washing dishes, and it keeps my hands beautiful.  I hope this helps someone else.

Hi My name is Liz originally from the Caribbean but now live in Florida.  I have always wanted to try to use natural products on my skin and hair so when  I was browsing online and I saw your website I was like why not?  I must say buying samples is the BEST thing you can do as you can figure out what you like or don’t like.  So far I have fallen in love with the Rosemary mint shampoo bar.  I usually lather twice then use an ACV rinse and have absolutely no need for conditioner!!!  Simply unheard of for my curly afro type hair.  I have also used coconut milk as suggested but without the lime and my hair is conditioned.  I also use the body soaps and lotion butter bars and the tiny bumps that I used to have on my upper arms have all but disappeared.  The lotion bars are quite greasy at first but truly sink right in!!!!  I am so happy I ordered from you and will continue to do so. Be blessed in your future business!!!!   Love love love you products!

I have ordered from your company twice now.  I have severe Rosacea and have never been able to find a product that cleansed and moisturized my skin that did not either irritate my sensitive skin or break the bank.  I felt almost helpless at having to spend $100 on a tiny bottle of face moisturizer and cleanser that wouldn't hurt my skin, but also wouldn't even really moisturize in the first place.  My skin is so bad that I have had complete strangers stop me on the street commenting on my "bad sunburn" or "windburn" when it was really just the way my face always looked.

Someone sent me to your website and I looked up your recommendations for cleansing sensitive skin.  I picked several of the samples and have tried, and loved them all!  I can wash my face now without any painful tingling, or burning sensations.  I recently ordered some cocoa and shea butters to try and have been using both on my face, as well as using the multi butter lotion bar on my face, all with great success.  Not only do they actually work on moisturizing my skin, but my skin is not nearly as red as it used to be.  No one has mentioned the redness in a while now.  And my skin is soft for the first time.  I love to touch my face now that it feels so good.  The best part is that I do not feel guilty for spending a lot of money on products with ingredients in them that I can't even pronounce, just to have them not work.

So thank you for your wonderful products.  You have made me very happy and I will continue to order from your company!

Ida,

I just wanted to say thank you for making such wonderful soaps.  My skin was dry and itchy in the wintertime, no matter how often I reapplied lotion.  Since finding your soaps, I have not had to use as much lotion, just dab it on the really dry spots.  I particularly like your Carrot & Honey and Honey Butter soaps for my body, as they are so moisturizing.  My skin feels clean and soft when I step out of the shower, not tight like it used to.  For my face, I use the Shea Rose Clay, which has helped reduce my stress-related acne.  Taking a shower is now a fun, relaxing, delicious-smelling experience.
Thanks!

Hi Ida!  

        I just had to write to say thank you for all your wonderful products.  I just received my order and I could not wait to get my hands on the whipped cocoa butter.  It smells like chocolate heaven and feels so silky and smooth.  I also cannot wait to try out those bath melts......just the idea of them relaxes me, and I absolutely adore the flower shapes.  As for your soaps I have many favorites....the castile and calendula is the only thing I use on my three year old son.  I have a fit if hubby tries to use anything else on his delicate skin.   The Rhassoul Clay is the only soap that has touched my face since I tried it.  It makes my skin so soft and I love the fresh clean scent.  The chocolate almond bar makes my skin feel great and I love the way it suds up.   I am also a fan of the honey butter and goat milk oatmeal and honey......both are gentle and soothing to my skin......I have also used both of these on my son.   The hemp mango lotion bar smells great and I would have to agree with another customer that said it makes the best lip balm.....it really does!    That being said I do love ALL your lip balms....my favorite being the aloe and mocha java.....talk about a wonderful smell......I just want to eat it.   Oh Ida what can I say I LOVE your stuff, which means you can NEVER go out of business......I would be lost, not to mention I would have very dry itchy skin.   I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.  I know I will now that my goodies have arrived.....Merry Christmas to me!!!!  And to anyone who may read this........these products are the greatest so give them a try.....not only is it fun but it is the best decision you can make for your skin and hair!

Thanks again guys! Your soap has been a lifesaver to my husband.  He had a skin condition and this stuff has cleared it right up when doctors could not!

Thank you for still offering this Herb Garden Shampoo Bar.  After a couple years using it, my husband has ALL the hair back he lost on top.  I didn't think it was possible to get it back, I had hoped to slow it down but his hair growth is nothing short of amazing.  His father is pretty much completely bald on top, so, of course, we assumed my husband would eventually be as well. Now, I don't think that will be the case.  After switching to your all natural shampoo bar, his hair has come back in and thick, shiny and soft, very beautiful.  He won't use anything else.  Thanks Ida.  We owe his sexy locks to you!  Thanks again, happy wife, Leaha.

Dear Ida,

I had to take a moment to rave about your soap.  I have seriously never found a soap that didn't make me itch or dry my skin out--even ones that claimed to be gentle or good for dry skin.  To combat that, I would slather my skin with a ton of lotions. I have to say that your Castile and Calendula soap has changed my life.  My skin doesn't itch, it isn't dry and I haven't even looked at my lotion in weeks!  I have never had skin this soft and lovely.  I am hooked!

The only lotion I've been using is your Multi-Butter Lotion Bar and that is only on my hands and cuticles.  My hands always get so dry that they crack and bleed in the winter.  So far, I don't even have so much as a hang nail!  Even my hands are soft and lovely.

I also have to rave about your Oats and Honey dog shampoo.  My dog, Max, has always had slightly dry and flaky skin. Nothing I've tried has helped--until now.  I bought a sample of your Oats and Honey dog shampoo and used it on his next bath.   I was amazed that it left his skin was amazingly soft and not the least bit flaky.  I was thrilled that you'd included the natural flea repellent as well.  He is not able to use the commercial spot flea repellents and I'd begun using a product made of
the same oils that you are using in the soap.  I am thrilled to have additional flea protection for him.

At this point, both my dog and I have new skin thanks to you and your wonderful products!

I'm so thrilled with everything I've purchased so far, that I just placed an order full of soaps and samples to give as Christmas gifts, as well as a few more things for myself.  I have to share these wonderful soaps with my friends and family and I have to try some of the shampoo bars for myself.  Thank you so much for making such wonderful, reasonably priced, products.  I am sure I will be a loyal customer for many years to come.

Ida,

I've been using your shampoo bars on and off for about a year (I don't recall why I ever stopped because they make my hair feel absolutely wonderful), but this isn't about me.  I recently ordered the honey and oats dog shampoo for my little girl, Torri.  She's a 6 y/o Yorkie with a long history of dry flaky skin and a terribly dry coat.  She used to belong to my mother and when I took her in she was almost bald from scratching and biting her poor itchy skin.  I changed her diet and tried washing her with gentle shampoo very diluted in unscented conditioner.  Most of her hair grew back, but its always been so brittle and dry and her skin always felt so tight and weird.  I searched high and low for something that would ease her condition, and nothing ever really worked that is until I found your dog shampoo.  All I can say is WOW.  After just one use (seriously, just one) she feels like a different dog.  Her coat is so silky and so lustrous!!!  I was amazed!!  No itchies anymore either.  We cannot thank you enough. Please, don't ever stop making your shampoo bars

Dear Ida,

I also wanted to let you know I have been having trouble with my skin for a while now - dry flaky patches, dermatitis/eczema type problems in certain areas.  I've tried goodness knows how many oils and moisturising creams and nothing has worked until now.  I currently wash my face with your Castile baby soap and moisturise with your Whipped shea mousse (I have the tiny jar and it goes a LOOONG way!!) and my skin has never looked better.  So thank you very much, I hope you never close your business because you have saved my skin.

The shea butter is also fantastic for putting on wet hair and allowing to air dry.  My hair feels really well moisturised.
Thanks again!

I just wanted to write you a " Thank You E-Mail" :-)    Your soaps and poo-bars really should be among the world wonders or at least in the record books ;-)   It's amazing what they can do to hair and skin... I still can't believe it.  When I got my latest order and opened the box, I was overwhelmed by the wonderful smell!!!

I use a Chocolate- Almond- Bar for my face, body and hair and it's awesome for all of it.   A friend once came to visit me and she asked what this "funky"-lookin`- smellin`" THING was :-))) that really made me laugh... at 1st  she thought it was a piece of cake...hahaha.  After using it she said it was better than cake ;-).

Well, I haven't tested all MY (Yeah...they're all MINE) soaps and poo- bars yet, since some are curing.  Some haven't been tested long enough to be raving about them... but I'm more than sure I'll be raving about them when the time comes :-).

OK, I'll stop now, since I'm sure you're getting tons of mail like this.

You rock!!!

My husband and I have been using your soaps for a few months now.  We both use the Neem Oil shampoo, as he has psoriasis and I have scalp itch issues.  Now we both use the rhassoul soap as well.  It's taken care of my body acne problems like nothing else can and I love the smell... it reminds me of tea with milk and honey! Now with winter coming on, we're trying some new things!  Thanks so much and keep on truckin!

It's been a while since my last order. I must confess that I became unfaithful and placed an order at  [another] soapmaker´s site.  I just felt that I would like to try some different products for a change.

Well, the lady in question was very nice, the whole transaction went smoothly, and the day after my payment I had my order in the mail.  But... all of her soaps and shampoos have a very distinct "soapy" smell - the same I noticed about [another company's] shampoo bars.  Your soaps and shampoos don't smell soapy at all! I got about six different shampoos and tried them all.  And each and every one made my hair greasy super-fast.  With your shampoos I wash about every four days - even on day five my hair will be acceptable.  With those new shampoos absolutely had to wash every three days, and even that was stretching it.  I think those shampoos are much harsher than yours, stripping the hair and therefore making it greasy faster.  I switched back to your shampoo bars and could go back to my washing cycle of every four to five days immediately.

What did that tell me? Never change a running system - Ida's soaps are the best!

So now I am in the mood for a nicely smelling package from Chagrin Valley - I meant to wait with my order until I had 

used up most all of my shampoos, but your new Café Moreno bar sounds just too, too delicious, and I can't wait!

Thank you for getting out those soaps so quickly.  I absolutely loved them.  Of course I seem to love all of your products. Especially the Whipped Shea Body Butter.  My stretch marks are disappearing before my eyes.  I only hope that Hollywood never discovers you guys, we'll end up paying $100 for this stuff. And my husband says thank you as well.  3 bars of soap and one tub of body butter have replaced roughly 10 bottles of beauty products, he loves the extra space!!  And my girls hair has never looked better, nor has my hair.  We love this stuff, I can't say it enough!!!

Please feel free to use any of my words on your website, they are 100% true and I am not the only one who feels this way about your products. My mother is the one who got me addicted.  And now all 3 of my sisters are addicted as well.  It's kind of funny, but I can't wait to run out of my other stuff so that I can try some more.  So thank you for putting something out there that ACTUALLY works, and doesn't just say that it will!! And I'm not just talking about my hair, my skin has never looked better as well!!!

Over a year ago I gave up using factory made shampoos & conditioner in favor of your shampoo bars.  What a difference in my hair, it holds moisture and feels soft.  My hair is color treated and the color stays put longer.  It is also very manageable.  I don’t have any tangles after washing my hair with your shampoo bars, I look forward to washing my hair with all natural ingredients.  Before I started using shampoo bars I thought my hair needed conditioner for softness and manageability – boy was I wrong.  As long as you keep making shampoo bars I will keep using them.  I think they are well worth the price.

Ida—

I have to say again, I am truly in love with your soapsJ   For years, I have been dealing with mild adult acne.  I have tried nearly every facial wash, cream cleanser, medicated soap, toner, astringent, and moisturizer that is available.  I have purchased the cleanser, toner, moisturizer of nearly every over-the-counter line available because I’ve always been told that the products are more effective when they are used together. They would work for a while, but did not give me the results I wanted. I’ve mixed cleansers from one line with toners and moisturizers from another line--with minimal results.  I’ve even purchased the popular 3-step systems (both the national and generic forms) and used them for months, with minimal results.

For the first time in my entire life, I truly believe that I have found the ideal products for my skin.  Since being introduced to your soaps, I have found that a great combination for my face is the Loofah Herb Garden and Neem and Tea Tree. I  have combination, acne prone skin.  My t-zone is oily and I have rather large pores in the skin on and around my nose (family traitJ). Since using your Loofah Herb Garden soap along with the Neem and Tea Tree, my skin has improved significantly.  My t-zone is not nearly as oily, the amount of acne that I get now is significantly reduced, and my skin has this wonderful glow.  So much so, that earlier this summer, I went to get a makeover and the makeup artist didn’t use a liquid foundation on my skin, but instead used a little concealer and a powder foundation. He even made a comment about my skin having a nice texture and tone.  However, he did notice those large pores on and around my nose (just can't fight genetics...I'm wanting to try the Scarborough Fair and Lemon Lavender to see if they can).

For years, I have been covering up blemishes with liquid foundation and lots of powder.  Now, I can dab on my concealer here and there, sweep the powder foundation on my face, play up my eyes and lips and go.  Makeup for me is now an enhancement, and not a cover up and I absolutely love it!   I truly owe all of this to your soaps.  I’ve begun to use the Loofah Herb Garden on my body as well, along with my favorite Cornmeal and Honey Scrubby soap and needless to say, this combination is working wonderfully. Because of your soaps, my face glows, my body glows…I’m just glowing all over (inside and out!!)

I just started buying your soaps and shampoo bars.   I have to tell you first off,  I LOVE your soaps and how soft they leave my skin.   I already got one of my friends hooked too. The other day on the phone she said to me "why did you ever tell me about this site! I want to buy everything on it now!"  I also have my mom hooked on it.  She made a point of making me feel how soft her skin felt after one day of using your Rhassoul Yogurt Complexion, her skin is very rough and dry (lizard feeling) normally.

Also, I do love your Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal soap, it has left my skin looking like a porcelain dolls. it looks so smooth. also, my hair is a nightmare, very dry and damaged. although your shampoo bars work good on my hair, I still needed to use conditioner and I didn't want to use store conditioner because of the chemicals in it, so I started playing with your soaps after reading that the soaps could work as shampoo. I had been using the Chocolate Almond soap as a hand soap and noticed how soft my hands were left after using it, so I decided to try it on my hair as a conditioner. it works wonderfully as a conditioner! not only did my hair turn out softer than ever, but it also curled my thick wavy hair.

And now I am patiently waiting for you to return from vacation so I can order more soap. I still have plenty of soap to last me a while, but I get so paranoid. I simply cant see myself going back to store soap, not when my skin is improving so much from its impurities thanks to your soap. 

HARD WATER SUGGESTION:  I believe I found another way for those of your customers with hard water that cannot afford a water softener and is something better than the vinegar rinse.  I had bought some samples of your shampoo bars.  I was very sad to realize that my water is hard as hard can be here.  I was looking for water softeners but they are too rich for my blood and tried your vinegar rinse solution but it just didn't work for me.  I was starting to get really depressed about it, so I decided to think just what was the problem.  I decided to try regular filtered water instead, since filtered water takes away all that stuff that makes it unsafe for drinking.  So, I filled up some bottles with filtered water and took a shower with that.  It WORKED! It rinsed all of the soap from my hair and my hair was left feeling very soft.  I got online right away and found shower head filters that cost much much less than a water softener.

I wasn't sure if you already knew all this.  I decided to take a chance and tell you just in case.  I thought many people would like a cheaper option than buying a water softener.  I am glad I found out about the filters before I gave up on the shampoo bars, they really have helped my hair with the shedding.   I have thick THICK wavy hair that is oily at the scalp) but some how I still got dandruff) and dry/damaged at the tips and that would shed like crazy.  Every time I took a shower I would pull out a clump of hair.  Now with the shampoo bars, since I started using them, I think I lost maybe 2 strands of hair, no more oily hair and no more dandruff.   I am still using the samples, so I haven't found which I like best yet.  Although I do like the Carrot Milk and Honey.  I am waiting till the colder weather hits before I order the Whipped Shea butter, don't want it to melt, I read that it helps the hair as well as skin.

I just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful products.  My daughter (nine months) has had horrible eczema since birth on her face.  She would get very inflamed red patches. We finally got most of it to go away except for one patch on her left cheek right by her mouth.  One use (I'm not kidding) of you baby soap [Castile & Calendula] this past week and it was gone and hasn't returned!!!  I was simply in awe.  I tried Arbonne International baby soap, Aubrey Organics, and Jason Organics... nothing worked.  I didn't even have to use lotion after her bath with this soap.  My son also gets really bad patches that crack and bleed behind his knees MAJOR improvement on him too. I ordered your Lavender Spice Shampoo for myself and again my psoriasis hasn't been dry and itchy and I've noticed the flakiness is almost gone.  Thank you for creating products that actually work on our very sensitive and dry Irish/Hispanic skin.

After having tried quite a few of Ida’s shampoo bars, I’ve found my favorites: Chamomile & Citrus and Carrot Milk & Honey.  I have coarse, naturally wavy hair that has old henna in it, but I decided a year ago to start to grow out my natural hair color (dark brown with maybe 20% white). The first shampoo bar I tried was the Babassu Marshmallow, and although it left my hair incredibly soft and curly, there was no shine.  The Herbal Garden left my hair full of static electricity, it was so bad I couldn’t even touch my hair or it would stand straight up.  I liked the Lavender & Spice, but it wasn’t quite “it”.  But both Chamomile & Citrus and Carrot Milk & Honey give my hair incredible volume, lots and lots of curl – and shine!  (My old henna colored ends tend to look a bit matte still, but my uncolored hair is really shiny.)  I use these two on my daughters as well, and although they have very different hair from one another (one has soft, curly hair and the other has straight and very thick hair) these bars work for both of them!  None of us need conditioner afterwards. Occasionally I rinse our hair with the honey rinse and it works great.  The climate in Sweden tends to be quite dry, so on days when I get lots of flyaway hairs, I warm up a tiny, tiny bit of whipped shea butter between my fingers and smooth it gently over my hair.  The shea butter tames those flyaways straight away, without making my hair heavy or greasy.  The “you-nique” section on the website is so true – one really has to try them out in order to find the perfect match.

I also adore Ida’s Honey Butter soap! I have sensitive skin that reddens from just about anything, but I can actually take a hot shower and wash my face with the Honey Butter soap and my skin feels calm and rested, not red or dry at all.  It removes makeup well also.  The Rhassoul & Yoghurt soap is great for my pre-teen daughter’s oily skin.

I would recommend Ida’s lovely soaps to all who would like to switch from chemical to natural ingredients. Besides delivering what they promise, they all smell delicious!

Dear Ida and Howard, We love your soaps!  My husband asked me this morning to order more soap decks so we could get rid of our liquid soaps in the kitchen and our other bathrooms.  He says his skin is feeling so much better from using the Marsh Mallow soap in the shower (he used to have a rash on his chest that is now gone!) and the Castile soap for washing his hands (it is helping with the severe dryness he had--which comes back when he uses liquid soap just once!--and also a small patch of eczema).  We are planning to take small cuts of the soap with us when we're out and about so we don't have to use the floor-cleaner-masquerading-as-soap offerings that are everywhere.  Thank you, thank you!

Hello Ida!

We would like to order some of your great soaps again.  I want to say: we use your shampoo soaps for a long time now, and we experienced a lot of changes with our hair. After the birth of my sons my curls had disappeared for a lot of yrs (!) ... but ... they decided to come back, all of them, after having tasted the delicious shampoo bars and it is clear that they will not leave if I stay treating them so well.  Also my son got more curls and my husband had a spot on his head where his hair was always dry and bad and this spot disappeared and there is only nice healthy shiny hair like the rest of his hair. He feared hair loss like his dad, but also this fear disappeared and he gets a lot of compliments about his beautiful healthy curly wig.

Hi Ida:

Just a quick note to say I'm enjoying the new olive & shea soap.  After trying dozens of handmade soaps, the olive & shea is the ONLY soap I can use on my face.  I believe the palm and coconut oil soaps are too drying and irritating for me.  Your olive & shea is extremely gentle; I haven't experienced any burning or extreme redness while using it.  It also makes a good shampoo bar for my four year old baby's fine hair.  I'll be ordering again soon!

I am writing to tell you about the awesome experience my husband has had with one of your products.  He is a welder and any time I would touch his hands they were always very dry, rough and cracked.  It would make me cringe just to touch them.  He tried washing them with regular soap and using lotion, but it didn't work.  He even tried Vaseline!!  Well I saw the Java spice soap for hands and decided to give it a try.  Everyday he comes home from work he washes his hands with the soap. No lotion or Vaseline, just the soap.  In a few days there was a huge difference.  I was shocked!  His hands are so soft  and conditioned now and we owe it all to the Java spice soap.  What a wonderful product.  I have spread the word. You've got a life time customer.  Thanks so much.

Hi Ida,

You are completely right.  Even about things you haven't yet addressed.

1) I came across your site, ordered a number of soaps (trial size), and found an immediate difference in my hair once I started shampooing with your soaps.  I have dry, fragile, fine, but thick hair, and immediately it became softer and less fly-away.  I particularly like the Mud & Clay.

2) A couple of months later, I got around to installing a water filter on my shower head.  Immediate difference!  Not only with my hair, but with my skin as well. 

3) Then, one night, for the heck of it, I grabbed Neem & Tea Tree to use as a face soap instead of the expensive, extra gentle stuff that I usually use (I have a really sensitive/allergic skin and I go bright red when I try to cleanse at night).  My skin loved it.  Not only didn't I react, my skin actually calmed down and looked less red afterwards.

Needless to say, I recommend you to all my friends.  Tell the soaps to hurry up and cure because I need to order more!

Hi!  I’m Carolyn, and I’m an Ida’s soap addict lol.   For the first time, I ordered several different kinds of your soaps prior to the holidays, just to try them out…and I am sooooooo glad I did.  I am truly in love with your soaps.

First, I have one confession... I kept the mailing envelope that they came in (only for 5 days) because it smelled so amazing.  I decided to use the Cornmeal and Honey scrubby soap for my shower that night.  Let me say, it was the most exhilarating, refreshing, enjoyable shower I have ever had.  I’m a bath/shower addict anyway, and I love my bubble baths, shower gels, and exfoliating scrubs—but using your soap made me not want the shower to end!  I literally stayed in an extra 10 minutes, just scrubbing away and enjoying the fragrance that was wafting around me.  From that point on, I eagerly anticipated each bathing experience.  One of the reasons I wanted to try this soap was because I have problems with acne on my upper back and the backs of my arms.  I have tried all sorts of exfoliants and scrubs, and this soap was by far the best I have ever used. After a few uses, my skin had this amazing glow and smoothness that was unreal.  I ran out of the soap about 3 weeks ago and I’m having some serious withdrawal symptoms.  

I also ordered the Carrot & Honey complexion soap and the sample of Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal soap.  I was using my standard cleansers and decided to stop and try the soaps. I’ve been using both of them (since January) for facial cleansing and I am amazed at the results.  I have frequent acne breakouts and have tried everything from over the counter to more expensive systems, and these soaps have made such a remarkable difference in the appearance and texture of my skin (in just a few weeks).  I’m noticing that the scarring from previously healed acne is disappearing. My T-zone is generally very oily when I wake up in the morning, I notice now that the amount of oil is reducing, and the pores on my forehead are not nearly as huge.  The blemishes that I get now seem to heal very quickly. I’m no longer using my standard cleansers and only use your soaps.

Thanks so much for having the wisdom and foresight to share your soaps with all of us. What a treasure we’d be missing out on if you weren’t around.  You (and your husband) totally rock!!!

I was recently turned onto your soaps and other products and decided to try it for myself.  While I have loved everything I've tried, my biggest surprise has been my husband. He prefers white soap with no added fragrance, so I ordered him a castile/calendula bar.  While we waited for that to finish curing, he tried my Winter Survival and was hooked. He can't get enough of it, and is sad that it's a seasonal soap. He would love to have some all year long.  I love the way it makes my bathroom smell, so fresh and clean.

We've both been using the Extra Honey, Beer and Egg shampoo bar and have noticed wonderful changes in our hair.  He is African American and has very dry, nappy hair. His scalp used to be dry and flaky as well. My hair is thick, coarse and dry.  It's extremely frizzy and fuzzy most of the time. We've both noticed that our hair is healthy, shiny and SOFT. Neither of us has ever been able to say that about our hair.  My husband's scalp is no longer flaky, and I've been able to stop using all styling products and now only use a small spritz of hair spray if it's really windy outside.  My friends have noticed how nice my hair is and are very jealous!

With this dry Minnesota winter, the whipped shea mousse has been fabulous.  My dry, itchy skin has been replaced with nice soft skin and I only have to use a very little bit.

After my first order with you, I've ended up placing 2 more orders, for our family and a friend. I think we've got enough to last us a few months, and there is still so much more I'd like to try.  We'll definitely be ordering more in the future.

Hi Ida,

Just had to write to say thanks.  I feel silly even writing this, but I feel like I need a 12-step program ("I never thought this could happen to me ...").  I ordered a bunch of your soaps last summer, and my husband's comment was "How come all your soaps smell like tea now?"   My first reaction, to be honest, was that they might be a little too earthy for my regular self.  But they grew on me as I pored over the descriptions on your website (I'm trying to build up to the shampoo bars).  Then I ordered my next box last month.  And my husband asked which ones he was "allowed' to use (I grudgingly cut off a few slices ...).  I have 5 (yes, 5) of your soaps in my shower right now, plus 2 on my "face-washing" soap deck, and 3 more scenting my closet, waiting to be called into duty.  The bars are so big that I slice them into bars about the size of your samples, so I can fit more in my shower.   I have 3 small kids and my shower is my one "place" I escape to, even if it's just for five minutes.  Everything smells so good - my bathroom, my linen closet ...  And Sunday, when I had a few extra minutes, I double-soaped (pumpkin spice and avocado if you're interested ...) And, not a dry, scaly skin patch to be had.  It's getting ridiculous.  Not so ridiculous that you won't be hearing from me again, but ridiculous to be so happy about soap.  So, thank you for a wonderful product, and thank you for making my daily 5 minutes extra indulgent!
Nancy , newly addicted natural soap fiend!

I stopped by the site to let you to know I tried the Rosemary Lavender shampoo bar tonight, and I love it!  And I am terrible at remembering to give feedback, so I keep forgetting to tell you how much I love your Lavender Oatmeal soap as a face bar (besides having one of the all-time great scents, it's incredibly moisturizing, which I need - but it also manages to be very 'healing' and 'safe' for my breakout-prone skin), which is why I (finally!) ordered a full-sized bar with my last order.

Ida, I have to RAVE about the Extra Honey Honey Beer & Egg shampoo bar!!  It's amazing!! The lather is mild, but it cleanses surprisingly well and I definitely don't need a conditioner, my hair is so soft, so shiny and so detangled!  Woohoo!!  Do you plan on replacing the current Honey Beer & Egg with the Extra Honey recipe?  I hope so - it is fabulous!!  And today I tried the Castile & Calendula soap - ooh, my poor eczema-ridden hands are breathing a sigh of relief! Love it, love it, love it!  Thank you for making these wonderful bars!

For the record - my hair is fine, straight and almost at waist length, with a fussy scalp that used to itch like crazy.  I switched to conditioner-only washes a year and a half ago.  Now I'm using your bars only, and it's heaven!  I've been doing diluted vinegar soaks on the length of my hair right after I rinse off the shampoo bar, then I pour the rest over my head, and rinse in cold water.  I squeeze the excess water out of it, then I apply a very little amount of my own homemade concoction to the ends (cocoa butter, shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil, aloe vera, glycerin, honey & lavender essential oil).  The Extra Honey Honey Beer & Egg has been wonderful to my hair and scalp!

Hi Ida!
I received my new order yesterday.  Everything looks wonderful!  I have to give you some high praise for a few of your products.  First, your lip balm is an AWESOME product!  I have the worst problem with dry lips...especially in the winter.  After trying many natural balms, yours in the BEST.  My lips just drink it in and I never have that "greasy" lip look. Wonderful! Second, I tried your Cornmeal and Honey facial soap.  I have never in my life been able to go without using toner, but after that soap, I didn't feel I needed it.  It is just scrubby enough to get of the dry flaky skin, but still really hydrating.  I love it.  I know I bought lots of samples, so I may have a hard time deciding which is my favorite!  I also tried your Goat Milk Oatmeal soap bar, but as a shampoo.  It was the first time I've gone without conditioner on my ends.  My husband even noticed how much more body my hair had after it was dry and how soft it felt.  I am so thrilled!  Thanks again for all your wonderful products. Never stop making them!! :)

Ida,

I  LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the extra honey shampoo bar.  My hair has  never been softer.  That bar is my new favorite and I cannot wait until you make more.  I will be stocking up!  Thank you for trying something different!

I have been using nothing but your soaps or shampoo bars followed by a vinegar rinse for the last six months and my hair is in such good health now I can hardly believe it.  My hair has never been soft before but now it is.  And it's shiny and smooth too. Your soaps have made me love my hair and I used to hate it for many, many years!  Thank you so much!

I would also like to add that my shedding has decreased very much.  I used to shed a lot every day.  My hair feels a lot thicker!  It's so great.  I lather and rinse X three times, and then use a vinegar rinse.  This washing routine, combined with only using aloe vera gel and vegetable and essential oils on my hair has worked better than any expensive salon product I have ever tried.

Hi Ida,

I am new to your products and heard about you through the pebblespage.com website.   I am of African American and Indian descent and always found it frustrating how the commercial and even other so called "natural" shampoo's dried out and dulled my hair.  The first time I visited your website and looked at all your shampoo and body bars I knew I was on to something good.  I must say that bars have exceeded my expectations.  The love, care and craftsmanship is greatly apparent in your unique products.  You have a customer for life!

I started using the Babassu Marsh Mallow shampoo bar and have used it exclusively to give a good test.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!  I decided NOT to read your description of this wonderful soap so that I would not be swayed or influenced by any power of suggestion (which works really well with me).  The 1st time I used it, I asked myself how I would describe this soap.  The word that kept coming to me was "soothing"!!!!  It feels very soothing to my scalp!!  I also love the scent as well!!  One day, I got together with a girlfriend  after I had just washed my hair.  As we hugged hello, she said, "hmmm you smell good!"  It's a winner in my book--wouldn't change a thing!!  I mentioned to you about my struggle with being able to get a comb through my hair after washing.  I tried something new:  I just run a comb through my hair while the shampoo is still on my hair-- BEFORE I rinse it out!!  Problem solved!!! 

Chloe was ordering a bar of the honey butter soap to use as a hair conditioner.  I asked her to share her technique.

I use it [honey butter soap] as my conditioner now!  It's been working great!  I use the nettle shampoo bar on my scalp and then I use the honey butter soap on just the length of my hair, it works really good and makes the length of my hair really soft and also gives it a little bit of body too.

I was actually looking for a cheaper alternative and a longer lasting alternative to the $10 bottle of conditioner that I used to buy that would not last for very long.  Here I can spend $5 and the soap will last for quite a while!

Hi Ida!   Before I tell you my order, I'd like to rave a bit about your products.  Your shampoo bars are, I swear, the Holy Grail for my hair.  They make my scalp cleaner than any commercial shampoo ever has.  When I use them, my hair is soft, smooth, and shiny.  The soaps are also wonderful on my skin, making it soft and clean without drying it out too much.  They're convenient to use, and of course, they smell great!  I hope you never go out of business, because my hair, skin, and I would all be very, very sad.

I am still loving your soaps and shampoo bars!  A couple of weeks ago, I foolishly decided to try my liquid shampoo again.  Boy, did I regret it!  I got out of the shower with my head burning and itching.  My scalp started flaking up immediately.  After three hours, I couldn't stand it anymore, so I hopped back in the shower to massage some of the lather from my shampoo bar into my scalp and rinse it back out.  Problem solved!  I will not do that again! .

I am just glad to have found something that doesn't aggravate my head.  I've had, burning, itching scalp when I get out of the shower for as long as I can remember.  I figured I was just allergic to whatever was in shampoo and conditioner.  Even prescription shampoos didn't help. It's a relief not to go through my day thinking about scraping my nails across my scalp every chance I get.  Thank you very much!  So here I am again with a big order.

Just wanted to let you know that I enjoy your soaps sooo much! 

There’s so many wonderful choices I feel like a kid with a new toy when I come home and that package is sitting in my mailbox! 

My favorite is the Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal.   My face used to break out something awful because my skin is so oily. 

But only after a few days of using your soap which, by the way is NOT drying like commercial facial soaps, my skin began to clear up. 

Your soaps are a real blessing to me and my friends.   Keep up the good work!!!

 I really liked the shampoo and soaps I've tried so far.  I especially like the Mud and Clay shampoo bar.  It made my hair really soft.  I also liked the Nettle shampoo bar.  I like all the others I've tried as well.  I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but my scalp has already seen a significant improvement.  I had a really itchy, flaky scalp and now it seems to be really healing up and I'm also not having to do my vinegar rinses as much, which I love because I don't have to deal with the smell.

I also really like the smells of the soap.  The nettle bar especially.  It made me think of the black jelly beans I've always liked.  Thank you.

Hello Ida,

I purchased 13 samples from you some time back and got 14 samples which my family and I have been enjoying after a little initial adjustment

My grandmother calls your soap ‘Hao Ji Le’ (Chinese) which translates to ‘That’s great!’  She uses the extra bars to repel insects in the room. My sisters’ face cleared up and my mum stole a few samples.  My dad has a list waiting for my next order and my boyfriend feels that this is the best soap he has ever used.

Seems that my entire family is now officially hooked on your bars.  At this rate I will own one of every type of the soaps you make.  Plus those yummy lotion bars. You are addictive!

And here's me saying Xie Xie to you for all the great soaps that you make!

Your shampoo bars have become a staple in my house.  I can't imagine not having them around.  I have fine curly red hair, and you shampoo bars make my hair soft and very manageable.  So much so that my husband even commented that he can finally run his fingers through my hair without getting them tangled.  We are both thrilled.

Hello Ida!

I have used up all my samples from my last order, and I must say, I am quite impressed!  I have dry skin on my face and scalp, and eczema on my back and neck, even a bit in my scalp.  Normally after I get out of the shower after washing with my moisturizing shampoos and body washes, I am itching all over.  I nearly want to scratch my scalp off, and when my hair dries, the dry skin flakes off in vast quantities.  I have to be very careful with what I wear so the flaking doesn't show up as much.  My face too, even flakes up, making me look "ashy" and requiring lots of moisturizer and other care to make it go away.

Not anymore.  None of the shampoo bars I tried aggravated my itchy flaky scalp.  It doesn't itch at all when I get out of the shower and when my hair dries, there are no flakes.  I'm completely amazed by this.  I used to get flakes falling out on my shoulders when I just turned my head and now I can't get a single one to show up.  My hair doesn't love all the bars equally, but the Honey, Beer & Egg shampoo bar has done my hair good, too.  My hair dries much curlier, as if I cut a good six inches off of it.  I lose less hair in the shower and while brushing.

One thing I have learned is not to use any conditioner with the shampoo bars.  I tried it twice and both times, my hair felt like I coated it in candle wax, feeling dirty and oily.  It reminded me of the time I accidentally dumped baby oil in my hair instead of shampoo. Oh well, I'm not too heartbroken about tossing the conditioner out along with the shampoo bottles.

The Oatmeal Spice soap is the only thing I have ever washed my face with that didn't dry it out.  Even rinsing my face with water dries it.  I'm sorry to say the Complexion soaps I tried didn't work for me at all, in fact, they were the most drying to my face of all the soaps.  All the soaps I tried were mild enough that they didn't aggravate my eczema, for which I am very glad.  It's a relief to get out of the shower and not want to scratch my back and scalp until they're bloody.

I just wanted to tell you that my father had red irritated patches on his scalp, and the hair on the top of his head was thin.  After using the Herb Garden once, the redness and irritation significantly diminished.  Within a week, it was completely gone.  We also have noticed that he has quite a bit of new hair starting to grow.  He ran out of soap shortly before I placed the order and told me to order it right away... before his hair fell out.  I know my own hair has been so much softer and healthier since I began using your soap.

Hello,
My wife Mary recently purchased your products.  After only a few weeks of use we tossed all other brands of soap and shampoo in the house in the trash.  Your products are fantastic!

Hi Ida!

I have to tell you how much I love your shampoo bars  - especially the Rosemary, Lavender and Aloe bar!  My hair is naturally curly, and was dry, fine, and had no body. Not now! My hair is shiny, alive, my hair full of body and my curls are twice as curly.  It is truly unbelievable!!!

I used to spend an amazing amount on expensive shampoos and conditioners, hopping from one to the next, looking for the one that really did what it said.  No more!  Just one of your inexpensive shampoo bars has replaced all of those partially used bottles in my shower.  I have sent samples to other people who have enjoyed your shampoo bars the same as I! Especially one person who had the same type hair I have - She tried it a couple of times and LOVED it too!

Thank you so much for the wonderful, high quality solid shampoo. I believe it is the best product out there!

I need to order more soaps - I also use the shampoo bar on my 8 year old daughter now too.  When we used synthetic shampoo's and conditioners her hair would get oily and stick to her head and it had a weird texture also, but then I started using the shampoo bars on her head and now her hair is soft and beautiful again and she can go a couple days without shampooing - and (I don't know if the shampoo bar has anything to do with it) but there has been outbreaks of lice at her school - and even though she wears her hair down most of the time - she has never gotten it!

I have to say again for my daughter and myself - we love your shampoo bars and soaps!

I have also been using the sample of the Rhassoul Yogurt Complexion soap on my face and my complexion is wonderful now!  I have a regimen - I use the Rhassoul Yogurt Complexion soap to wash my face and then use the Whipped Shea Butter afterwards - all of the little acne and imperfections are just disappearing and I used to get dry spots - since your soap I don't ever get dry spots!

Sorry, I don't mean to be long and drawn out my email, but I have been trying to find products that do all the things your products do for years and I am so glad I came across your website!

'm so glad you offer sample size bars in addition to your full-size products.  It is a wonderful opportunity for someone like me (who loves to have LOTS of choices) to not only be able to have lots of selections on hand at a reasonable price, but also to be able to use the product for awhile and make sure it is really a "keeper". 

One of my all-time favorite soap/bath companies is Lush, and I've used their solid shampoos for quite a while.  After trying your Lavender and Spice Shampoo Bar, I doubt that I will ever purchase another Lush shampoo product again!  Even when wet, my hair felt so much softer with your product than with any other solid shampoo I've tried.  Now that my hair has dried, it is full & soft, without the use of any additional conditioner!

After shampooing, I had to try your Primrose Complexion Bar.  I've never had luck with any "facial" soaps before (skin always feels like a very dry, tight mask after using them), so I wasn't expecting a lot from your bar.  I was SO pleasantly surprised when I finished rinsing it off my face; my skin felt less dry and tight than when I use my expensive $20 per bottle facial cleanser.

I just wanted to let you know that, in my humble opinion, your products are FABULOUS!  You've got another customer for LIFE!!

Greetings Ida! :-)

Awhile back I ordered a couple of shampoo bars and some samples, and also ended up buying several soap bars from a friend who'd tried them, but they weren't her thing (lucky me - and poor, missing out friend!). 

I absolutely love your products, my skin and hair have never been so well moisturized or looked so good.  The effect is nothing short of astonishing; I've gone from having extremely dry, sensitive, itchy skin and an angry and irritated scalp, to not even requiring body lotion OR hair conditioner anymore! 

BTW, I have used the Honey Butter (my favorite of your entire line!), Chamomile and Calendula, and Cucumber Lime soaps, all as shampoo with great results.  My hair is very dry and frizzy, but I must wash every day because of the 'angry scalp' issues I mentioned.  The soaps are really moisturizing, and act more like a gently cleansing conditioner than a soap/shampoo bar.  

All the bars I have tried of your line are a real pleasure to use; they look, smell and feel wonderful, they last nearly forever, and are so affordable, even on my limited budget.  Your competitors have no chance against you, with their smaller, more expensive, and less effective product! 

I also have peace of mind, knowing that I am not using harsh chemical cleansers or preservatives on my family.  I have gotten to the point that I just can't stand to use ANY soap or shampoo except yours on myself and my precious daughters.  Which is problematic since I'm now almost out!

Which brings me to my point:  I'd like to place an order!

The note below was written by a very sweet customer from Japan.  I cannot speak any other language, only English, and I really admire people who take the time and the effort to learn other languages. It is not easy to learn any new language as an adult, (I have tried), and for many of our customers, like Makiko, there is also a whole new alphabet. She is working hard to learn English and took the time to write this lovely note. 

Hello Ida,

I really liked the soap which you made.  I write an impression of the soap which I purchased last time.

Carrot Honey Complexion
As for this soap, a yellow color and fragrance are very pretty. My skin was white and got smooth. I came to like carrot very much.

Honey Butter
I like this soap very much.  A sweet fragrance and an appetizing color.  Though it was cold  in Japan of this year, humidity retention cream was totally needless for my skin.

Sweet Basil
I presented it to my boyfriend.  He likes herb of a basil and an anise.  Because he is tired from work in everyday, as for him, this soap can be relaxed very and seems to like a clean fragrance.

Carrot Milk & Honey Shampoo Bar
I was surprised very much. It is black, long hair. I felt fine at the shine and the silky feel and scalp to hair more than soap and the shampoo that I used till now.

I expect to like the honey beer soap which I purchased this time very much.

*Amazing!  I LOVE your soaps!  I have been using the whipped shea body butter after my bath on my hands and feet (in place of lotion) and I no longer need to re-apply many times throughout the day.  Regular lotion is drying and addictive and, thanks to you, I am no longer a victim of that vicious cycle!

Hi Ida,

I was reading your testimonials page and just had to write.  I have been using your soaps for almost two years.  I must admit that at first I strayed (sorry!), but I always came back because no soaps compare to yours.  I can’t remember the last time I had to buy body lotion, so if anyone thinks that your soap is expensive, well I spend a lot less money now.

Okay, so I love how your soaps make my skin feel, but that is not why I am writing.  I want to thank you for your creativity.  About three years ago, I decided to go all natural.  I gathered up all of my fruity smelling, colorful soaps and stuffed them in my drawers (they do make my clothes smell nice).  The natural soaps did make my skin feel better, but there was one problem, they were BORING!  I decided I would just have to make that sacrifice, until I found you.  I really appreciate that you take the time to come up with such great scents and boy do you have a way with using natural ingredients to make beautiful looking soaps.  Shower time is exciting again!  And when I need soap in my guest powder room, I slice a third off of one of your big bars (kind of like your sample size) and put two or three different small bars on a ceramic soap dish.  I get more compliments on my soap than my cooking (heehee)!  I don’t want creative packaging, I want creative soaps.  You have done it!  By the way that new peppermint soap looks fabulous. 
 

I absolutely love your shampoo bars! Chamomile and Citrus is my favorite because it smells so divine you want to eat it! Honey Beer and Nettle are fantastic too!  I can't believe the size and just how long it lasts! I've cut the bars in 3's so it will last longer by wetting 1/3 at a time, and after almost 2 weeks, I still have most of my first third of the bar left! I have thick curly hair, and I lather up 2 times per showering.  I also just received all the samples of various skin soaps.  I am stunned as to the size of these you get for the price paid.  I had no idea it would be so generous!  So thank you so much!  I found out about your soaps from the Long Hair Community website I'm a member of.  Continued success, and thanks again! :D

Hey there Ida!  I just have to tell you about my husband.  He has had Eczema on his arm all of his life.  He has tried all different medications on it before and nothing made a difference.  He's been using your soap for a few months now because I don't buy the commercial stuff anymore.  Last week we were laying in bed and I happened to look over at his arm.  That icky dry patch of eczema was not there!  I asked him where it was, and he looked and said "hmm".  He didn't even notice it was gone.  And, it's winter!  It was always worse in the winter.  I bet that all his life, it was those commercial soaps and all their detergents that were causing it.  It's just goes to show how much better natural soaps are for the skin.  They are worth every penny. Everyone that I gave your soap to for Christmas just loved it.

I'd been working 12 hour shifts a couple of days this week and the one thing I was looking forward to was getting your soaps and butters in.  Well, after being totally exhausted---see, I woke up Thursday morning at 1:30am and couldn't go to sleep.  Then had to be at work for a 6am to 6pm shift...soooooo you can imagine how I was T-I-R-E-D.  Anyhoo, after I was off of work and pulled into the drive, walked over to the mailbox and WHAT AROMA DID MY NOSTRILS INHALE????   You bet I ripped open that mailbox, grabbed the package, jumped in the car, pulled in the garage, left everything in the car and proceeded to strip down while walking in the house and unwrapping the soap treasure (uh, yes, the garage door was down).  HEAVEN!!!!!  Those soaps are wonderful!!!  I could just feel the magic oils going to work and it was wonderful!!!   The Hemp lotion bar was great too!!  Felt like I was rubbing butter on my butterball turkey tummy!!!!  

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!  OO there was some reason we found you---you Soap Diva you!!

I would like to say your soaps are wonderful.   I purchased 3 of them and they are the best soaps I have ever tried.  My skin is soft and hydrated, not filmy like from the ones you buy in the store.  You have a permanent customer here.  I am sooooo happy I found your web site. Keep up the good work.

I absolutely love the rosemary mint shampoo bar.  For the first time in years my head does not get yucky.  I thought you'd like to see the email I just sent to about a dozen of my good women friends.  Many of us are "fair-trade" shoppers and so it was fun to recommend you to folks that I know will appreciate your products

Dear Friends,
I'm sending this link as a sort of New Year's gift.  About a year ago, in a search for solutions to my aging hair and skin and also to support small local initiatives, I discovered Chagrin Valley Soap.  They have wonderful products and even their website is fun to read.  I've especially enjoyed the shampoo bars which are made without all the junk that most shampoos use.  Perhaps you'll find just the thing you've been looking for.

Hi Ida -I just got my order this morning (I had bought the Honey, Beer & Egg, Lavender & Spice, and Rosemary Mint shampoo bar samples, and got the free Cucumber Lime Yogurt soap sample), and I couldn't wait to try them. I used the Rosemary Mint shampoo bar & Cucumber Lime soap today.

Although I liked the idea of the natural ingredients in your soaps and have wanted to get away from using shampoos with sulfates for quite a while, I was still skeptical about using a bar shampoo on my hair. I have long, very dry, damaged, naturally curly hair with a tendency to frizz and knot, and was afraid a bar shampoo would be drying and that I wouldn't be able to comb through my hair.

I shouldn't have worried - your shampoo bars were everything you said they would be. First, I loved the fragrance - very fresh, natural and uplifting; and the lather was very soft and creamy.  I soaped my hands, ran them through my hair with ease, and it rinsed out beautifully soft and clean feeling.  I probably could have skipped conditioner, but am so used to using it that I went ahead a put just a little on the ends (a big difference from the usual palm-sized amount I need to slather on).

The real difference is how my hair feels now that it has dried.  I can actually run my fingers through my hair today - no knots or tangles! Even my husband was amazed. I have NEVER had my hair feel so soft - it's just like a baby's.  I LOVE IT - THANK YOU!!  Be expecting many more orders from me!

First I'd like to thank you for making such wonderful soaps and shampoos.  I've been using the ones I ordered last time, and they are the best cleansing products I have ever used! My skin is very sensitive and dry, and using detergent based cleaners has been just awful. Your soaps have been the first products that have actually made me feel good after shower. Before trying them I didn't even know that it was possible for my skin to feel good after being cleaned! But it is, and I love the feeling. I also love your shampoo bars. They make my hair so soft and shiny, and I love the simplicity of washing my hair with just a shampoo bar.

So...here's another order. You can soon consider having two people using your products in Finland, since I'll give some of these for my mother. Her skin is just like mine, and I'm sure she'll love these.

Hi, Ida!  I'm so excited to try these soaps...all new ones for me.  Just wanted to tell you that I've been really happy with all your products so far!  My favorite soap has been the shea rose clay, and the honey beer & egg shampoo bar is awesome.  Thanks again!

Lately I've been using the soaps I ordered from you earlier this month.  Although I'm still deciding which ones are my favorites, I'm very happy to find that I can skip the lotion step after shower (I had the commercial soap problem I read about on your website).  Furthermore, the scents are so wonderful every time I open my dresser cabinet where I keep them.  I haven't had this much fun trying different soaps! 

I received my soaps in the mail last week Tuesday.  I was sooo excited.  I waited until Thursday to try them.  I used the lavender  and spice shampoo bar first.  I read how the hair feels different and it does.  However, after it dried (I put it up in a bun after I shampoo and take it down at night) it was so soft and nice.  No frizz!!!  My hair seems to be getting better and better.  I don't even have a lot of shedding in the drain either.  There is hardly anything there. 

My daughters waited until this weekend to try the shampoo. (They are 16 and 14 and they were afraid to try it when they had to go to school.)  The first thing they each said when they got done was "feel my hair, it's really soft".   Now it's all we have used since.  My lavender bar is almost all gone.  I'm sorry to ramble on and on.  I just wanted to let you know that you have a lifelong customer.  In fact later today I will be placing another order. Oh, I love the lotion bars too.  I still have to get used to using the regular bars of soap for my shower.  I'm used to the "perfumed" kinds and the natural ones will take awhile to get used to.  I love them too though.  I have finally found something I can stick with.  (You should see in our linen closet.  I could open up a drugstore with all the shampoo and conditioner bottles)

Thank you so much for your products!

Ida, I just washed my hair last night with the Lavender Rosemary shampoo bar. Forget about "giving it a week."  I can say with confidence, after one shampooing, that THIS STUFF IS AWESOME!   I have curly hair, and usually after I shampoo, I have to use a leave-in conditioner to get it to curl up and be shiny.  Gleaning from your website the fact that this shampoo would not strip my hair, I decided to forego the conditioner, and just see what happened.  After sleeping on my damp hair (my habit, to help it curl), I woke up to shiny, curly, soft soft soft hair. This stuff is amazing.  I am so glad I ordered it from you, and will definitely order more when I run out.  Thanks for making such a wonderful product!  I'm sold!

Dear Ida,

I just had to take a moment to rave about your wonderful products.  As someone who has been trying to get away from detergent loaded "soaps", shower gels, and shampoos for the past few years I have yet to find anything that I truly love, until now.  I've only been using your stuff for a short while, but I am simply amazed at the difference in my hair and skin. My order included: Lavender Oatmeal Spice soap, Castile Baby soap, and an Herb Garden shampoo bar. Plus a Three Butter lotion bar and sample sized Primrose Complexion and Rosemary Lemon and Aloe soaps that you so generously threw in. Each one has been nothing short of amazing.

As someone who suffers from dry itchy flaky skin, your Lavender Oatmeal Spice soap has worked wonders.  I was marveling at how great my skin looks today. No itch no flakes, and I'm not kidding here, my skin actually glows!  It looks like I've been using one of those lotions designed to give your skin a nice healthy sheen, but it's all mine!  I've actually broken my get out of the shower and slather on the lotion habit.  Plus the scent has been wonderful on those cold blustery days.  It smells just like a lovely bowl of spiced oatmeal.

The Herb Garden shampoo bar is a marvel.  It's the first shampoo bar I've used that I actually like.  All the others have either left my hair feeling gunky, don't lather worth a darn, or require me to use a ton of conditioner afterward to keep it from looking like squirrels have been nesting in it and allow me to comb it out while wet.  But not this little baby.  It lathers beautifully and my hair just feels clean and soft afterwards. I can run my comb through it with out any problems.  In fact I've found that I don't even need my comb, I can just run my fingers through it and go. and the shine!  I've never used another shampoo that works this well.  I also love the way it feels so cool and refreshing on my scalp.  The scent is fantastic as well.

I bought the Castile Baby soap to use on my boys, but the lather is so thick and slimy that it quickly became my favorite bar for shaving my legs.  It's perfect for the job.  It's also perfect for washing my sensitive skinned little guys.

I'm kicking my self for not ordering a full size Primrose Complexion soap. I just hope my bar lasts until your next batch is ready to sell.  I love it, it cleans gently with out leaving my skin feeling like it's been over cleaned.  I also noticed that my, ahem, monthly break out wasn't nearly so bad this time around.  Gotta love that.

The Rosemary Lemon and Aloe soap was put on hand washing duty.  As a mother to two young children my hands see a lot of washing through out the day, so they are normally dry cracked messes.  Not any more.  I'm sure that the Three Butter lotion bar has been helping out in this regard.  Plus it felt so incredible on my skin that I finally got brave enough to use it on the ends of my hair as you suggested on your web site.  Wow, it really has helped with the split ends (which I have been seeing a lot of after and unfortunate home bleaching incident).

I'm sorry to ramble on so, but I just had to tell you how much I am loving every thing that I have tried so far.  Thank you for making lovely products.  I will definitely be a repeat customer, just as soon as I nail down my next order (so many wonderful looking things to try!).

Thanks so much – I love your soap. I have eczema and it has helped a lot.  Also, the Goat Milk Honey Oatmeal soap works great as a shampoo.

I am all out of the Castile and Calendula baby soap.  I loved it so much it's driving me crazy not having it.  I have told everybody about how wonderful your soaps are and I don't think I could ever use anything else.  So, I am buying some for gifts before you go on vacation.  I know that everyone will love them.  I also read on your website that customers say the Honey Beer and Egg shampoo adds volume to their hair.  This I have noticed also, and I have very very fine textured hair.  I have tried all sorts of expensive professional salon products that claim to add volume with no luck at all.  After a couple months of using your shampoos bar, I look like I have thick hair.  I don't even have to try to pump up the volume of my hair midday.  It looks full all day long.  I just really wanted to let you know how much I love your products.  They are truly the best beauty products I have ever bought in my whole life.  I have to add also, that my skin is so soft from using your products that there is no need to use lotion anymore.  Even my elbows and knees are soft.  That's amazing!!!!  My husband even says that my skin feels smooth as butter.  I caught him using my soap too!!!

About how much I love your shampoo bars!

I bought some different samples a little bit ago, and while I haven't tried them all, yet, I have to say that I am in love with them, and I will never switch back to commercially made chemical shampoo again.  My hair has never been in such a wonderful condition!  I even cut off a small piece of my sample Nettle shampoo bar and gave it to a friend for him to try, and he liked it, too.

I also want to say that I cannot live (Okay, I can, but I won't like it) without your Three Butter Lotion Bar.  I use it on my ends when my hair is still wet, and then comb my hair.  It makes a great detangler that way, and when my hair dries, the ends are nice and soft and conditioned.  And my hair is not weighed down at all.  So I'm thrilled with that, and will definitely be getting more when I run out.

One more thing - I don't know if this is true with all of your soaps, but I used the Carrot and Honey complexion bar to shave under my arms.  Normally I use shaving cream, and I always end up with a rash or razor burn. I did not have any irritation at all when I used your soap!  Now I have to try it on my legs.

I will definitely be sending in another order, but I just wanted to let you know you have a loyal customer, here!

Thanks so much!