Larry Plesent is passionate about helping people and he’s also passionate about making soap. As owner and chief formulator of the Vermont Soap Company, based in Middlebury, which makes all-natural soap and cleaning products, he combines the two during annual trips to the western part of Africa.

Read the full article here.

The post Larry Plesent Featured in The Herald of Randolph appeared first on Vermont Soap.

What’s the difference between your regular castile soap and your camping soap?

Thanks,

Vickie

They are the same. If you only need 4oz, the Camping Soap is the only liquid soap in that size. If you need a lot save money and go with the Lemongrass Castile or Liquid Sunshine.

Best!

The post What’s the difference between your Castile soap and camping soap? appeared first on Vermont Soap.

I just recently bought the green gold moisturizer and on the label, it says to refrigerate after opening for long storage. Does that mean I have to keep refrigerated at all times? Also, is there any specific instructions on application?

Thanks!

Hi Desiree,

Thanks for asking.

Green Gold is an organic multi-use herbal moisturizer with anti aging properties.

Use on your face twice a day to help smooth lines and soften wrinkles. It is even more effective for this when used after the Honey Love Beauty Mask.

Green Gold promotes healing and is good for all dry irritated skin conditions. We first tested it on a little girl who had been extensively burned when her home caught fire and she went back in to save her infant brother. The nurses used it to help her heal. I am happy to report it was a success.

Because the product is under preserved in comparison to mass market products it needs to be protected from sunlight and heat. If you are not using it every day store in the fridge. Otherwise it will be good for about half a year.

All the Best!

The post Do I have to keep my Green Gold Moisturizer in the refrigerator? appeared first on Vermont Soap.

I’ve been a fan of your soap for a few years. I seem to remember that reviews raved about one of your soaps for use with excema or other allergic reactions. I promised a friend that I would get soap for her young daughter. Any specific suggestions?

Sure:

Try the Butter Bar and also Unscented Green Gold.

Change out laundry products with Unscented castile liquid soap; no drier sheets or fabric softener.

No more bubble baths either!

Best,

Soapman

The post Which Vermont Soap is especially good for people with eczema or other allergies? appeared first on Vermont Soap.

Can I add a touch of bleach to a dilution of Liquid Sunshine for bathroom cleaning? While I love the way it cleans, I notice mold comes back a bit quicker in the shower area than when using Soft Scrub with bleach. Thanks!

Yes you can. Liquid Sunshine and all of our castile liquid soaps are all compatible with bleach.

The post Can I add bleach to Liquid Sunshine for bathroom cleaning? appeared first on Vermont Soap.

Dear Mr. Soapman,

I would like to know whether Vermont Soap has a dishwashing liquid soap? And If you have, is it less sudsy (so I do not have to use so much water to rinse)? Please reply.

Thank you,

Mrs. J

Hello Mrs J,

ANY Castile liquid soap or Liquid Sunshine can be used to wash dishes.

Liquid soap foams less than detergents so saturate your applicator with the soap, put a squirt into your dish pan and go to it. Wash and rinse in hot water,

All the Best!

The post Does Vermont Soap make a dishwashing liquid? appeared first on Vermont Soap.

Hi Larry!

First let me say that I’m so happy to have found your company! I was looking for a detergent-free laundry soap, and happened upon a short interview of you on YouTube, where I think you mentioned you had dermatitis, which is what prompted you to start the company. My 6 month old baby boy also has atopic dermatitis (eczema), which has gotten so severe, that I’ve reached total desperation. I’ve tried nearly everything, and realized last night that I hadn’t addressed our laundry “soap”, which is huge. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it up until now! I’ve been using Seventh Generation all along. It turns out 7th Gen. is not so wonderful if you have super sensitive skin…

Anyway, I’m so looking forward to getting your “Liquid Sunshine” in the mail, but until it comes, I am trying to make my own laundry soap to hold us through. My question to you is, does one need Borax in the mix to effectively clean laundry? I noticed the Liquid Sunshine doesn’t have it in the ingredient list, which I’m happy about (it’s on the EU’s could-cause-reproductive-harm list), so I’m wondering if I can use just a mix of washing soda/ sodium carbonate and soap flakes? Random question, I know, but if anyone would know, I figure it would be you! Also, is it possible to overdose on the washing soda, and exacerbate the skin even more?

Thanks again for making great products!!! I can’t wait to try them out! …and I loved your tidbit on Louis XIV… so interesting!

Sincerely,

Christine

Hi Christine,

Thank you for your enthusiastic letter.

What you are saying is that you suspect that your son is detergent sensitive.

This is entirely possible and easy to test.

I would start you with a gallon of unscented castile liquid soap – no essential oils. Wash everything that touches his skin including blankets and pillowcases in it and rinse well in hot water. You will know in one day of this is the root of it.

Do not use detergent shampoos or mass market body washes during this test. Does he have an irritated scalp too? Try a bar of our Butter Bar soap instead. You can wash his hair with it – a bath visor helps to keep it out of eyes. No dryer sheets or fabric softener (ever!) and if you are using bleach you really have to pay attention to get it out of the cloth diapers.

Use Unscented Green Gold to soothe eczema patches.

Sodium carbonate, borax and washing soda are primarily builders. That means they soften the water to make it work better with the soap. Unless you have very hard water and you are dead set against water filtration units don’t worry about adding them. Borax will have a mild bleaching and sudzing effect. Some people would consider it safer than chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) if that is the alternative. Fortunately soap and very hot water kill germs effectively and it is possibly to avoid using these substances with a little planning.

Do you use plug in air fresheners or antimicrobial products that advertise killing 99.99% of germs? Please consider not using these products in a house with an infant. I would tell you to throw them away immediately but they are technically hazardous waste.

It sounds like your son has a reactive body. If so treat him as if he were asthmatic (he may be that to if he is reactive) ie avoid artificial scents and perfumes and plastics. Wash plastic things in castile soap three times to remove the mold release agents left on the surface of plastic objects. Use it like Liquid Sunshine for floors, walls and all washable surfaces. Wash clothes three times in castile liquid soap to remove sanforizing agents and dye residues and other nasties in clothing.

There you are. Try these things and let me know how things go.

All the Best,

Soapman Larry Plesent

The post Do you need Borax to effectively clean laundry? / How to help ease atopic dermatitis symptoms caused by detergent sensitivity appeared first on Vermont Soap.

We pledge to conduct our business in an environmentally aware manner emphasizing reuse and recycling, the use of natural base ingredients, and the application of appropriate technology.

The Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary, established in 1999, is the home to one of the last two remaining hippo populations in Ghana. Located at the extreme north-western corner of the Upper West Region of Ghana, it consists of a 40-kilometres stretch down the length of the Black VoltaRiver which forms the region’s western boundary with Burkina Faso.

The sanctuary has benefited both the hippos and humans. Poaching has been eliminated and the hippo population has stabilized. The money brought in by tourism and shea nut collection has allowed the community to build schools and health facilities, and invest in solar power and water infrastructure, improving the lives of some 10,000 residents.

Within the sanctuary, there is a great opportunity to harvest shea nuts due to the high demand for shea butter in other parts of the world. The Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary applied for and was granted organic, fair trade and conservation certification for this project, and now have nearly 2,000 women collecting shea nuts for the cooperative. This income – along with the tourism money – allows the Sanctuary to be completely financially sustainable, allowing it to continue it’s vital work with the hippos.

The post Hippo Friendly Shea Butter from the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary Region appeared first on Vermont Soap.

The post Makeup University Reviews Vermont Soap Products appeared first on Vermont Soap.

Bath time is not my favorite, but I LOVE my Vermont Soap Organics Pet Shampoo!! It makes me smell soo good and it makes my coat shiny and keeps me from being itchy!! It’s the BEST stuff ever! Thanks Vermont Soap Organics!!!

xoxo Tilly the Bulldog

Liz Danielian from Durham, North Carolina just win a $100 Bubble Bucks Gift Certificate at our on-line store!

Thanks Liz! That’s an awesome photo of your dog. And look at that cute bottle of organic pet shampoo in the background!

Send us a picture of Liquid Sunshine Nontoxic Cleaner in action and you just might win some Bubble Bucks for yourself!

Send your pictures (must include the product label somewhere in the photograph) to info@vtsoap.com.

Contest ends June 1, 2013

Thanks!

The Soap Crew

The post The First VT Soap Home Contest Winner! appeared first on Vermont Soap.